The Relic Runner Origin Story Box Set by Ernest Dempsey (non fiction books to read TXT) 📕

focused on the three bodies lying in close proximity to one another. Sheriff Sanders stopped short the second he recognized the long body of John Collinsworth. Close by, Steve McGill's crumpled corpse lay on its side.

Sanders' heart dropped into his gut. A tsunami of nausea swept over him as his eyes trailed from the two men over to his son Tripp's body. One of the forensic investigators, in a white jumpsuit with blue gloves and a mask covering their face, crouched over the corpse. Another stood nearby, holding an evidence bag in the light as they inspected the contents.

"Tripp?" Sanders said. He spoke so loud, the two dozen people working the scene all stopped what they were doing and looked over at the man.

"No," Sanders blubbered when he neared his dead son, the knife still protruding from the right eye. The sheriff shook his head vehemently in denial. "No. Tripp. No!"

He felt his knees buckle, and an arm swooped in at the last second to brace him under the armpit.

"Easy, Sheriff," Andy said. "Take it easy. Come on, now."

"My son," Sanders blathered. "They killed my son."

While tears brimmed in the sheriff's eyes, they never broke through. Instead, righteous anger burst forth. He breathed hard for several seconds, letting the deputy balance him. Then strength returned to his legs and he stiffened and pushed away.

His eyes locked with Andy's. "Who did this, Deputy? You said your wife was leaving the bar and found them out here like this."

Andy never flinched. "Yes, sir."

The sheriff looked over at the back of an ambulance. The bright sterile lights from inside glowed over Tanya Eller, wrapped in a blanket—her coat zipped up and a scarf around her neck.

Puffs of mist spewed out of the angry sheriff's mouth and nostrils like a bull on the prairie in the middle of winter.

"She's pretty shaken up," Andy went on. "Said she was the last one out of the building. Merrick and Natalie had already gone and went out the side door where they were parked. I guess they didn't see." The deputy hung his head empathetically.

"Sheriff?" A familiar voice sliced through the chilly late night air.

Sanders and the deputy spun around to see Tyler Mumford standing at the yellow tape where an officer was blocking the way.

Sanders motioned with a wave, and the officer raised the tape and allowed Mumford to pass.

Tyler walked over to the two men and stopped short. He looked down at the bodies and drew in a long, deliberate breath. Instead of an explosion of grief, Tyler's face hardened to stone.

"Who?" he asked.

"We don't know," Andy answered. "The CSI team is doing their job right now."

"No," Tyler said, grabbing the deputy and spinning him around. "I want to know who did it and I want to know ten seconds ago."

Andy resisted the urge to rebuke the man for laying his hands on him. He was in an emotional state and not thinking clearly.

"We have to let the CSIs do their job, Tyler."

"And what? Wait for weeks while they analyze the DNA evidence? No," Mumford shook his head. "Someone saw something. I want to know who did this."

"No one saw anything, Tyler," Sanders offered. "The bar closed. Andy's wife came out after locking up and found them this way."

Tyler's eyebrows furrowed low, and he rounded on the deputy. "Your wife? Where is she?"

"Now, Tyler. Take it easy. I know they were your friends, but this was pretty traumatic for Tanya. She's never seen anything like this before."

"Your wife got something to hide?" Tyler ventured.

"What did you just say?" Andy's voice suddenly went from the usual pushover everyone was accustomed to, to an angry bear.

Tyler shuffled closer to the cop until they were almost toe to toe. Andy could feel the man's breath washing across his face as they stood nose to nose.

They were nearly the same height and roughly the same build. If a fight broke out, most would bet on a stalemate.

"Did I stutter?"

Andy's face reddened as he held back the reins of the furious stallions in his mind.

"Now, Tyler," Sheriff Sanders stepped between the two. "This isn't helpful. Andy's wife had nothing to do with this. You hear?" The sheriff looked up into the newcomer's steel gaze that remained locked on the deputy. "I'm just as torn up as you. That's my son over there," Sanders fumed. He used his anger to push away the grief that he feared would overwhelm him and send him into a crumpled heap on the gravel lot.

Tyler sensed he was overstepping his bounds and forced himself to calm down, at least on the surface.

"Sorry, Sheriff—Deputy." He took several deep breaths. "Those boys are… were my friends," he corrected. "I just think that anyone who was here today should be questioned. That's all."

"We know how to do our jobs," Sanders said in a stern voice. He sighed and let his eyes wander again to his dead son. "And we will catch this murderer. I promise you that."

Andy suppressed the urge to look up. It was an instinct, a flinch he knew would give away information he hid from the two men. Fortunately, his awareness was stronger.

"He's right," the Deputy said solemnly. "We will find whoever did this. I promise you that."

Tyler glowered at Andy, but said nothing, allowing the fire in his eyes to do the talking for him.

Sanders patted Tyler on the shoulder and looked up at him. "Everyone who was here this afternoon when the boys were here will be questioned. Okay? First thing in the morning, we'll call the wait staff and start figuring out if there were any customers who came through who might have looked like they could have done this. If we don't get anywhere with that, we'll check receipts and look at any travelers who passed through. We will find the killer, Tyler. I swear it."

Tyler swallowed his pride and then nodded. "Okay, Sheriff. Okay." Then he cast one last glance over at Tanya who sat in the back of the ambulance. The EMT was