Bone Rattle by Marc Cameron (best ereader for pdf .TXT) 📕

take out the bacon. He wiped his hands on a rag and tossed it on the counter. “I don’t mind telling you, son, I’m more frightened than I’ve ever been in my life. The people I’m… The people we’re dealing with are not nice people.”

“I know that, Dad,” Levi said. “Don’t you think I do? I mean, that US attorney and his assistant were murdered. That could have been me and Donita. Have you thought about that?”

“Son…” The senator closed his eyes. “You have got to tell me where she is.”

“Why, so they can shoot her in the head? And then murder me too? Is that part of the plan?”

“No!” Senator Fawsey said, incredulous. “It’s better you came here instead of staying with that lawyer. Everything is coming to light now anyway. Juneau is crawling with FBI agents. They should be able to keep us safe.”

Levi rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “What are you saying? That you’ll turn yourself in too? Because from what I saw you’re in this shit—”

The senator gave a solemn nod. “I’ve done a lot of things since your mother died. Things I’m not proud of. Things that disgust me even as I stand back and watch myself doing them. Murdering that US attorney crossed a line. I’m not going to be a part of that.”

“Where does that leave us?”

“Let’s you and I go get your friend, and then we’ll all talk to the FBI together.”

“You’re sure?” Levi studied his father’s face. He looked sincere – but he was a politician. Faking sincerity was a vital skill. Still, Levi knew his dad. This seemed genuine. It was a weird feeling being proud of your dad because he was admitting to being mixed up with a bunch of killers.

“Remember the big mine we hiked to a couple of times behind the hatchery?”

The elder Fawsey chuckled, his gaze soft, nostalgic. “You used to call it the Lumberjack when you were younger.”

“Right,” Levi smiled. “I knew it was logging related. The Cross Cut. Donita’s in the big stope we rappelled into that time from the top.”

“You called it the Great Hall.”

Levi nodded. “She’s got water and food. But I’m sure she’s going bat-shit crazy without her phone.”

“Thank you for telling me, son—”

Ephraim Dollarhyde stepped into the kitchen from the hallway at the rear of the house. His goon, Dallas Childers, came in on his heels, but cut around to run interference as soon as he had enough room to maneuver. Both of them wore latex gloves.

“Yes,” Dollarhyde said, brimming with contempt. “Thank you very much… son.” His gaze narrowed. “Do you realize how much work you’ve caused me, you sneaky little prick?”

Levi eyed the pan of hot bacon grease, but Childers leveled a Glock at his chest and shook his head.

“Are you kidding me, Dad?” Levi said, heartbroken. “How could you be a part of this?”

“I only wanted—”

“You stood there and lied right to my face…”

“Relax,” Dollarhyde said. “Daddy didn’t call us, if that’s what’s got your panties all askew. We were looking for you as hard as he was. His phone pinged off a tower a quarter mile away. A quick search showed he’d called this landline a few months ago. He didn’t rat you out on purpose. He’s just not a very smart daddy. Sorry.”

Dollarhyde reached in his pocket and pulled out a blue-steel Taurus revolver. “There was a break-in at your house last night. I think our young Levi snuck in and took your gun after he fled the jail.”

“I don’t understand,” the senator said. “I don’t have any handguns. And even if that were mine, Levi’s been here all night.”

“Maybe so,” Dollarhyde said. “But the police don’t know that. Everyone in Juneau is looking for you, Levi. They know you’re distraught. Mr. Kostis, the attorney whom you treated rudely when he got you out of jail, will testify that you were so up in arms about the crimes your father was involved with that you saw no other way out but to kill him.”

Dollarhyde shot the elder Fawsey twice in the chest with the revolver. The senator stood there, blinking sadly. He looked at Levi and opened his mouth to speak.

Dollarhyde shot him again.

“Enough of the sentiment.”

He sighed, turning to a terrified Levi. “And then you turned the gun on yourself.”

Dallas Childers had holstered his Glock during the senator’s murder. He grabbed Levi and spun him into a full nelson.

“I have to apologize,” Dollarhyde whispered. “But this is only a five-shot revolver.” He was close enough Levi could smell the sickeningly sweet odor of peppermint on his breath. He pressed the gun to Levi’s temple. “I hate head shots, I really do, but I can’t risk anything else with the only two rounds I have left.”

A single round was plenty.

Childers didn’t turn away. He grinned, letting the kid’s body fall naturally to the floor.

Dollarhyde dabbed a piece of gore out of his eye – backsplash was inevitable – and stooped beside the body. He put the revolver in Levi’s limp hand, lifted his arm so the trajectory wouldn’t look like he’d shot from the floor and then fired at an interior wall. Crime scene techs would surely swab the boy’s hands. The final shot ensured gunpowder residue was where it should be.

“You think they’ll buy it?” Childers asked as they left out the back, avoiding the prying eyes of any neighbors. “Fawsey said he didn’t have any guns.”

“Please,” Dollarhyde said. “This is Alaska. Everybody has guns. Even Democrat senators.” He took out his phone and thumb-dialed Grimsson’s number.

“Yes, sir,” he said after listening to the obligatory rant. “You’re going to love this. The little bitch is hiding in a mine.” He gave Grimsson the rundown on the location. “I need to grab some supplies. We’ll meet you at the marina in an hour.”

Chapter 40

Cutter parked the SUV in front of a narrow two-story blue house off Mendenhall Loop. It was tucked back among tall spruce trees as big around as