by Nora Kane
“All he wanted to do was beat him up for what happened to our dads.”
“You sure?”
Sheila said, “Yes,” but it was shaky.
“So, a punch in the face for letting your dad die? Seems fair.”
“He didn’t do anything, it was his dad.”
“His dad took away your dad so you two were going to take away his son. Plus Wyland wouldn’t get lured here by you anyway. He’d know who you were.”
“Even if that was true, all that happened was the punch.”
“Why’d he change his mind?”
“Paulie, a friend of Mack’s and our dads, talked him out of it.”
“Except the punch.”
“Yeah, but he was pissed off about that too.”
“How do you know? You weren’t there.”
“Tank called me. He told me what happened. He was pissed off about Paulie. He said he’d had about enough of his crap. Though I don’t think he was really going to do anything. He sounded scared.”
“Of Paulie?”
“He’s a scary guy.”
Or he was, Margot thought. She kept that one to herself.
“Since I’m telling you what happened, can I not testify now?”
“We’ll see. It certainly helps.”
“So, Paulie wasn’t mad at me?” Mandy asked.
“I think he was,” Margot told her. “Can I see the bill?”
Mandy handed it over. Margot put on reading glasses and used the flashlight on her phone to find the small green dot—almost the same color as the bill but not quite—in the corner.
“What did you see?” Mandy asked as Margot made a triumphant sound.
Instead of replying, she called Radcliff. “I found some of the missing ten grand. I bet you’ll find the rest at Tankerson’s or if not Hatten’s, or maybe Mack has a piece of it too.”
“Okay.”
“Kind of convenient that half the crew died before getting the bulk of their shares.”
“It does make things a bit more complicated. Have I told you as a cop I hate complicated?”
“Normally, I’d feel bad for you, but I think I just solved your case.”
“Fair, I suppose now you’re going to want me to check the unknown prints in West's car against Paulie’s?”
“Mack’s too, if he has a liquor license they’re on file.”
“Maybe even check the shell casing to see if they came from the box in Paulie's place?”
“Yeah.”
“You know it’s still a long shot.”
“I’ve been hitting three-pointers all week, might as well shoot a couple more.”
As she hung up, Margot heard a sound behind her. She turned and saw Mack standing there menacingly.
“You should have left it alone,” he said. “I don’t think I can let you leave thinking those things about me.
“If you're innocent, what does what I think have to do with anything?”
Mack didn’t reply.
Margot showed him the wrong end of Sheila’s pistol.
“If you thought I was good with that baton, you should see what I can do with a pistol.”
Mack backed away.
“Here’s the thing, Mack, what you just heard on the phone? That’s going to nail somebody. Maybe you, maybe someone else. You ever wonder why your pal Paulie stayed out of jail while all his friends didn’t? I’d guess he figured out that someone always talks, so why not be the first and reap the benefits. You might want to learn from a guy like that.”
Mack didn’t say anything as Margot walked out the door.
Chapter 10
“You’re home late,” Margot said as Radcliff walked in.
“Would you believe someone came in to make a confession just before quitting time?”
“On the armored car job?”
“Kind of. They copped to that, but what they really wanted to talk about was Anthony West.”
“Mack?”
“Yep.”
“Mack was in on the armored car job?”
“Yep, after all those years serving drinks to scumbags and hearing their scumbag stories, he decided he wanted to experience being a scumbag. He’s getting the full experience at the county jail right now. He wanted it on the record that he just drove the car while Paulie shot Tankerson and Hatten. They were all part of the armored car job. He says Paulie did all the shooting but of course he’d say that. I guess they decided they couldn’t trust either of them; too wild with the cash, apparently. He figured, probably correctly since the bills were marked, that they were going to get them all busted, so Paulie said they had to go. It seemed like poetic justice to Paulie that they could blame West since his dad screwed their friends all those years ago.”
“I’m guessing the idea of splitting the half-million two ways instead of four played into their decision too.”
“Mack denied it, but yeah, he’s something of a liar. He says he didn’t have any idea he was going to do that. Though I’m not sure what he thought was going to happen when they stole West’s car and gun. The funny thing is, he came in because he wanted it on the record before Paulie put it all on him. Seems Paulie used to do that kind of thing.”
“Interesting.”
“You should have seen his face when I told him Paulie died in a shootout with a state trooper.”
“So what does this mean for West?”
“It means he didn’t do it. Sorry, you could have milked Browers and Associates for months if Mack hadn’t decided to beat a dead man to the punch.”
“No problem, it’ll free up some time to follow the lead I got on Hayes the other day.”
“You doing that tonight?”
“No. Tonight I’m doing you.”
Chapter 11
Margot went to Diaz’s place first thing the next morning. She was going by her usually correct theory that criminals tended to sleep in. It was a nighttime profession for the most part.
She was surprised when a middle-aged woman opened the door before she could ring the bell.
“You Margot?” the woman asked.
“Yeah, do I know you?”
“No. A man left a package here for you after Dennis left.”
“Dennis isn’t here?”
“He hasn’t been here for two days.”
“Are you worried about him?”
“He does things like that. Do you want the package or not?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
The box wasn’t very big, probably big enough to hold a coffee mug. It was light and the lid was on top without any tape or string to hold it shut.
“Have you looked inside?”
“No, he told me not to.”
Margot opened it, wondering as she pulled off the lid if someone had left her a bomb but knowing she was thinking about that too late.
Nothing exploded.
Margot looked inside to see the brown iris of a detached eyeball looking back at her.
“Is that real?” the woman gasped.
“I think so.”
On the lid was a note written in block letters either in pale brown ink or dried blood.
It read:
HAYES IS MINE
LOVE,
BOOG
Margot looked at the woman, “Does Dennis have brown eyes?”
“He does.”
“Or he did.”
This time Margot said it out loud.
Continue Reading with Book 3 – On The Lam
Here’s an excerpt from the book.
“Are you clear on your target?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it.”
“Good.”
“You can count on me, boss. This one will go smooth.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“Sorry about the last time but…”
“Don’t apologize. Apologies only remind me of your incompetence.”
“Sorry…”
“Did you not hear me?”
Grady decided to change the subject. Even t
hough they were talking on the phone and they might not even be in the same state, he feared making him angry. The man on the other end of the line could do some awful things to a person when he was in a good mood. Grady didn’t want to even contemplate the things he could do if he was actually pissed off at a person.
“Does the one I’m taking alive get the special treatment?”
“You worry about the abduction. I might be doing the treatment myself on this one.”
Grady tried to keep his voice even as he asked, “You in town?”
“Where I am is not really your concern. Call me on this phone when it’s done.”
“Yes, sir.”
Grady checked his tools. He had the Taser and zip ties ready. He had his knife to do the work and his gun in case things went sideways. He got out of the car and walked to the garage. He’d wait for his victim there.
The door was unlocked just as he was told it would be.
He opened it up and stepped inside. It was pitch black inside. He was feeling along the wall for the light switch when something hit in the back of his head. The next thing Grady knew, he was on the ground. The lights came on and Grady rolled over and got a view of the barrel of a gun.
“You were sloppy. You should have known I always show up early.”
Grady was getting ready to beg for his life when the man holding the gun pulled the trigger.
While Grady’s brains seeped out of the large wound the hollow point forty-five caliber slug made in the back of his head on the way out, his killer took his burner phone out of his pocket.
The shooter called the only number in the contacts.
“Grady?” the man on the other end said.
“No.”
“Is he alive?”
“No.”
“Interesting.”
“You the man who wants me dead?”
“Well, I did, but now I have some other ideas. If you’re interested.”
“I’m listening.”
Continue Reading Book 3 – On The Lam
Review This Book
P.S. It Means the world to me that you bought my book. Writing is my passion and I look forward to YOUR feedback.
So if you liked this book, I’d like to ask for a small favor. Would you be so kind to leave a review on Amazon or BookBub? It’d be very much appreciated!
From your friend, Nora Kane
Click Here To Leave A Review On Amazon
Click Here to Leave A Review On BookBub
Books by Nora Kane
1. Secrets of Woodcrest Manor
2. Wolverine Harbor Novellas Series
Book 1 - The Veil of Deceit
Book 2 - The Veil of Envy
Book 3 - The Veil of Vengeance
3. Margot Harris Series One
4. Margot Harris Series Two
6. Margot Harris Series Three
Book 1 – On The Prowl
Book 2 – On The Money
Book 3 – On The Lam
Book 4 – On The Loose
Book 5 – On The Edge
FREE GIFT!
Claim Your Free Copy of My Book Secrets of Woodcrest Manor.
This book is not available anywhere else, exclusive for subscribers of Nora Kane’s Newsletter.
When the Patriarch of the Woodcrest Family was found dead in the flowerbed under his bedroom window, the local police department called it suicide. His son hired Private detective Emmy wanting to uncover the real truth behind his father's death. Surrounded by so many individuals who could benefit from his death, now the responsibility is on Emmy to figure out who was responsible. When Emmy starts to talk to the heirs the Woodcrest family's secrets begin to emerge.
DROP ME A NOTE!
Dear Readers,
I would LOVE to hear from you all.
Reach out to me anytime to tell me about a series, a book, or a character you especially enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy!).
Do you have any great story ideas? Let me know and I may decide to take a stab at it.
I’m always here!
Regards,
Nora
Email Address: [email protected]
Connect With Nora Kane on Facebook and Social Media
Like the page to find out about the new books and other news.
https://www.facebook.com/NoraKaneAuthor
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nora-kane
