CAL DRUMMED HIS FINGERS on his knee as he waited for Josh Hood to come downstairs. The fact that he’d been allowed inside his home was a miracle considering all that had happened. But Cal felt obliged to tell the whole story, including Josh’s.
Donned in a pair of grey sweatpants and a black hoodie, Josh ambled down the steps and into the living room.
Cal stood up and offered his hand. “Josh.”
Josh shook it and sat down across from him. “I don’t have much time before practice.”
Cal nodded. “Then I’ll try to make this quick, and I appreciate your speaking with me.”
“You and I were both pawns in my uncle’s game.”
Cal turned on his voice recorder and slid it across the coffee table closer to Josh. “Now that we know you were framed by your uncle, what was the first thought that went through your head when you learned that?”
“I don’t think you can print that in any newspaper or post it on any website.” He paused. “I just couldn’t believe it. He was always there for me when we were growing up and I always thought he was one of my biggest fans. But there are just no words to describe how betrayed I felt.”
“Did you know about The Gentleman’s Club?”
Josh leaned back in his seat and shrugged. “I mean, everybody in Miller County has heard of it, either in open conversations or in whispered rumors. It wasn’t really a secret that it existed. Most people assumed it was a good ole boys drinkin’ club. You go huntin’ or fishin’—and then you go drinkin’ with your buddies. I’d heard they had real moonshine there, the kind that’s still illegal. But it was all just rumors. I’d never been nor had I been invited.”
“Did you know Jeremy was going there that night?”
“Guys like to talk and say stuff all the time. You know how it is. It’s locker room talk where everyone is trying to out-do everyone else. Bigger stories. Bigger exploits. Bigger, well, you know. Anyway, he’d mentioned that he was going as a guest and was supposed to be initiated. I asked him what that meant and he laughed at me like I was an idiot. We’d had a strained relationship recently. I don’t know if he was jealous of all the attention I was getting for basketball or what. He could’ve been just as good as me, or better, if he wanted to. But he got wrapped up in being Wilfred Lee’s son and burning all my uncle’s money. He quit caring about sports about three years ago and got into cars and other expensive things. But I think he didn’t like the fact that I was getting so much coverage in the press. So, he just did more stuff to irritate me, like trying to steal my girlfriend. It was not good.”
“Knowing what you know now, what do you think about your uncle trying to help you out while at the same time framing you?”
“I guess all I can say is that he loves Miller County basketball. He’s a sick man to do what he did, there’s no doubt about that. Maybe he felt guilty too, in a way. I don’t know.”
“How did your feelings for him change when you found out he was your biological father?”
“I don’t care how I’m related to him, what he did was sick. It disgusts me. But to be honest, nothing changed. He always acted like my uncle, so I thought of him in that way. From what I’ve seen from my other friends, it’s how their uncles treat them too. They care about their nephews and might show them some form of favoritism, but they’re still going to favor their own kids above everyone else, as we now know all too well.”
Cal scribbled down a few notes and continued. “You mentioned earlier about all the press coverage you’ve received for your play on the basketball court. How did you handle the sudden storm of negative press as well as the arrest and murder charge?”
“Not well, as you might recall,” Josh said, forcing a wry smile. “It’s not something I was used to dealing with. And certainly when people are writing lies about you, it hurts. I knew I didn’t do anything, but prison is full of innocent people, right? Hardly anyone comes right out and admits their guilt, so most people remain suspicious of you and begin to analyze everything you say and do when you’ve been accused of something like that. I’m not the first athlete to be unjustly charged and I won’t be the last. But you have to cling to the hope that the truth will come out.”
“Whenever something like this happens, the accused person always sees his future growing bleak. But in your case, it was not just bleak but potentially crushing. How did you react to the stories of you losing your scholarship?”
“It was all painful, I’m not going to lie. I knew all along that I was innocent, and to have coaches who I trusted suddenly bailing on me simply because of media reports and false charges filed by the government hurt too. I guess I can understand why they did it. I mean, there are athletes who actually are guilty of bad things all the time. But I would’ve just appreciated the common courtesy of a call from one of the coaches to ask me about it, at least get my side of the story.”
Cal leaned forward and eyed Josh closely. “So, what about your future? I’ve heard that Kentucky decided to offer you a scholarship again. Have you decided where you’re going to school yet?”
“When Kentucky pulled my scholarship—like a lot of other schools did—I decided to reassess my decision. And there was only one school that stuck with me through it all. They didn’t pull my scholarship. One of the assistants actually called me to find out if there was anything they could do to help. And that’s when I decided I would go there.”
“What school is it?”
Josh reclined in his chair and smiled as he patted the arms of the leather chair. “I’m going to Louisville. I never thought I’d say that, but it’s where I belong. Those people believed in me, while Kentucky and other schools didn’t. I can’t wait to make them regret their decision to act hastily. At some point, people in this country have to stop with the mob mentality and let the judicial process take its course, especially with athletes.”
“So, what’s next for you?”
“I’m gonna keep playing basketball and get myself ready for the next level. But tonight, I’m gonna have a bonfire—and burn everything Kentucky blue.”
Cal grabbed his recorder and turned it off before shoving it into his bag. He stood up and offered his hand again to Josh. “I want to tell you again that I’m sorry about everything that happened. I was just trying to do my job.”
Josh tightened his grip. “I understand. And maybe next time I hope you believe someone when they tell you they didn’t do it before you try to make them appear guilty in the eyes of the public.”
Cal exited the house and headed for his car. As soon as he climbed inside, he called Kelly.
“How’d it go?” she asked.
“Better than it could’ve gone, that’s for sure.”
“So he didn’t shoot you at the door?” A pause. “Maybe that was the wrong choice of words.”
“Yeah, well, I know what you meant. And, no, he was actually rather gracious. It’s one of the few times I haven’t seen him act like he was too big for his britches.”
Cal turned the key in the ignition as his car roared to life. “Have you heard anything yet?”
“No. Have you?”
“I got a text from Gatlin and I’ve got several emails from editors inquiring about this story.”
“You selling it to the highest bidder?”
“I’ll give it to anyone who will give me a job.”
“I hear Charlotte’s a nice place.”
“I’ll call them now on the way back to the hotel. But I’ve got one more stop to make.”
CHAPTER 37
CAL TURNED ONTO Powder Keg Road and bumped along until he came to a stop outside Justin Palmer’s house. Palmer looked comfortable on the front porch, rocking in a chair and holding a mug. Once Cal turned off the car, he climbed out of it and plodded up the porch steps toward Palmer.
“Good morning,” Cal said.
“I’ve had better,” Palmer quipped.
Cal stopped just short of the chair next to Palmer’s. “What happened?”
&nb
sp; “Elizabeth died last night—and I wasn’t here. I didn’t even get to tell her good-bye.” Palmer brushed back a streaking tear and stared off in the distance as he tried to regain his composure.
Cal sat down slowly. “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” He waited a moment. “She knew you loved her.”
Palmer sniffed. “I know she knew, but I wanted her to know that monster will pay for what he did, not only to her but to countless others.”
Cal gazed at Palmer for a few seconds before speaking, carefully choosing his words. “So, what stopped you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why didn’t you pull the trigger when you had the chance?”
Palmer slumped in his chair and bobbed his head up and down. “Good question. I thought about it, long and hard. And as I was heading to The Gentleman’s Club that night, it’s all I thought about. I imagined what it would be like to pull the trigger and watch him beg for his life as all the blood drained out of him after I filled him full of holes. But I just couldn’t do it.”
“Why not?”
“I had a moment of clarity right before I almost pulled the trigger. And I realized if I did that—if I got revenge instead of justice—I’d be no better than him. Sure, nobody would blame me. And on a jury of my peers, I’d probably get away with it. But I’m different and I know it.”
“Other than the obvious, how do you think you’re different?”
“A man like Lee, all he wants is to be king of all he sees. He wants to dominate everyone around him and be revered. But not me. I don’t aspire to oppress others or always have my way. I care about justice, first and foremost. And blowing that horrible excuse for a human being away wouldn’t have been justice. In fact, it would’ve been doing him a favor in some regard. He wouldn’t have to face the music for what he did. I’ve sought revenge in the past—and sometimes I got it. But revenge is unsatisfying. It brings no true resolution or satisfaction. But justice? True justice rights wrongs in ways revenge never can. It forces the offender to deal with his offenses and perhaps ponder a different path. It makes him deal with the truth about himself. It’s something Wilfred Lee never had to do. Killing him would’ve felt good, but only for a minute or two. Then I would’ve been the one dealing with the results of my actions for the rest of my life. I’d rather let him deal with his actions, even as I’m sure he’ll hire a big shot lawyer and try to plot his way out of it. But I need to deal with what happened, start over, and move on with my life. That’s how I’m different.”
“Emily would be proud of you. And so would Elizabeth.”
“Emily was a good girl. Not perfect, but good. And it just tears me up to know how she went. But I won’t remember her that way. I’ll remember her for the way she still climbed in my lap as a seventeen-year-old and hugged me like she was still three. I’ll remember the way she laughed at my corny jokes and appreciated everything I gave her, even when I couldn’t give her everything she wanted. She didn’t deserve what happened to her—nobody deserves what those men did to young women. But at least I know Emily didn’t die in vain. Nobody will ever suffer like she did again, at least not at the hands of Wilfred Lee and his ilk.”
“Do you plan on sticking around here?”
“I need a fresh start. Maybe I’ll move to Tennessee, thanks to Wilfred Lee’s guilt money. Maybe I’ll buy a farm and start over there. But I’m done here. This place is full of too much pain.”
Cal rocked slowly, almost in rhythm with Palmer. “I admire you for how you’re taking all of this.”
“Don’t admire me. If I had my way, I’d rip every one of those men to shreds for what they did to my wife and daughter and this family. I’m not a hero.”
“But isn’t restraint the better part of valor?”
“True valor is less about restraint and more about doing the right thing even when it hurts. And let me tell you, right now hurts. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. But don’t make me out to be a hero. I’m just a man who realizes that pain is part of life and I’m willing to accept it. There’s more to life than revenge, that much I know.”
Cal sighed. “I just don’t see how you’re doing it.”
Palmer rubbed his face. “Are you a church-going man, Mr. Murphy?”
Cal shook his head.
“Well, you should be. I’ve learned a lot about life and who I am and the condition of the human heart. And, mind you, mine is nothing to brag about. I was only a second away from murdering a man this week. But I feel like God is with me, even in those dark times. And I need him. We all do.”
“It’s obvious you aren’t doing this alone.”
“No man ever should,” Palmer said. “None of us are as strong as we think we are.”
“Thanks for your time and best of luck to you in whatever you do next. You deserve the best—certainly no more pain and suffering.”
“Mr. Murphy, we don’t get to choose what happens to us in this life. But we do get to choose how we handle difficult times. It’s not always easy, but I know I need help. Just think about that.”
Cal nodded as he stood up. “You’ve given me plenty to think about. I hope to hear good things about you one day.”
“Even if you don’t, just know good things are happening in here,” Palmer said as he poked at his own chest. “That’s all that matters anyway.”
Cal lumbered down the steps before he shot one last glance at Palmer. Cal could’ve sworn he saw the man flash a hint of a smile.
CHAPTER 38
CAL CALLED KELLY and told her he had one final stop before he returned to the hotel to write his story. It wasn’t research as much as it was a tip of the cap to the man who pointed him in the right direction.
Steve’s Burgers and Brew was buzzing with activity for a change. Cal walked in and looked at Steve behind the counter. He opened his arms and looked around, eyebrows arched and mouth agape.
“I know, right?” Steve yelled from behind the counter. “I haven’t been this busy in months.”
Cal strolled up to the counter and sat down. Steve pushed a menu in front of him. “Journalists know how to find a good haunt.”
“When you’re the only haunt in town, it’s not too hard,” Steve said as he wiped the counter in front of Cal. “What brings you in today? I thought you’d be headed out by now.”
“Do you have to ask? Your burgers are awesome.”
“That’s the only reason?”
“I couldn’t leave town without thanking you, too. If it hadn’t been for you pointing us in the right direction, I think an innocent kid might be sitting in prison right now—or at least about to go on trial for a pair of murders he didn’t commit.”
A bell rung and Steve spun around to grab an order and deliver to two patrons sitting at the end of the bar. He then returned to Cal. “I admire your courage. I’ve never seen anyone go after Wilfred Lee like that, even after he threatened to ruin your career.”
“Threatened? Heck, he did ruin it—for a few days. I had nothing to lose at that point. It was the only way to clear my name.”
“I think it’s safe to say you accomplished that mission—and nobody’s happier about that fact than me.”
“Why’s that?” Cal said, spinning the menu around and pointing to the burger he wanted.
Steve scribbled down the order and pinned the ticket to the line strung over the kitchen prep counter in the back. “He dragged my sister off to The Gentleman’s Club one night. When I went over to her house and found her the next morning curled up in the fetal position on her porch sucking her thumb, I waited for three days before she talked to anyone in our family. She told my parents she had a bad breakup and she did some things she regretted. Then she told me the truth.”
“Order’s up!” shouted one of the cooks, followed by another ding. Steve retrieved the plate and served it to a couple seated in the dining area. Then he came back to his spot behind the counter.
“What did you do?” Cal asked.
“I was stupid. I trie
d to play hero and told a Kentucky state patrolman I knew. The next morning, I found a Polaroid picture of his dead body in my car as I was getting ready to go to work. On the back were the words: His blood is on your hands. Below that it said: Keep your mouth shut or you’re next.”
“What did you do?”
“This town has lived in fear of Wilfred Lee for years. You only stand up to him once—and if you’re lucky, you survive. But you never do it again. That man had too much power and too much money for anyone to prove what he did. That is, until you came along.”
“Sometimes ignorance is a beautiful thing.”
“You may have saved this town’s soul, Mr. Murphy. And for that I can’t thank you enough.” He gestured toward the restaurant’s customers. “We can’t thank you enough.”
The bell rang again and Steve turned around to see Cal’s order piping hot and ready for delivery. He put the plate in front of Cal. “Enjoy.”
“You know I will,” Cal said before taking a big bite.
Before he could swallow the first piece, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Cal spun around to find Mrs. Riggins standing in front of him.
He wiped the corners of his mouth and then his hand before offering it for her to shake. “Mrs. Riggins, it’s so good to see you.”
She smiled and nodded. “I’m glad I caught you. I just can’t thank you enough for what you did.”
“You need to thank Tom Corliss and the FBI. Those were the guys who did all the real work here this week in making sure justice was served.”
“But none of it would have happened without you.”
Cal smiled. “The only thing I regret is that we haven’t identified the person who actually killed your son. Not yet, anyway.”
“That doesn’t matter to me,” she said. “I just want justice. Whoever actually did it worked under the direction of Mr. Lee. It’s not like someone had a vendetta against Billy and wanted to kill him.”
“I know. It doesn’t make it any better though.”
“Sure, but at least I know someone will pay for his senseless death. It’ll never bring me any satisfaction or closure, but at least I know there’s not some murderer stalking the streets of our town and looking for another victim.”
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