by David Archer
Chance stared at him. “What? Are you trying to hire me as a killer? Mr. Baldizon, I wanted revenge for my sister’s murder, but that was all. This isn’t something I want to do again, not ever.”
“Ah, but you have already taken the first step. Mr. Reddick, it has been my experience that a man who is capable of such violence will not be able to live without it. Even now, your face is flushed, and I sense that you feel the excitement that comes from taking a life. Killing is power, Mr. Reddick, and power is the greatest drug of all. I do not believe you will be able to refrain from feeling its thrill again. I am only offering you the opportunity to earn a lot of money while you indulge in this passion.”
For a split-second, Chance started to feel anger well up in him, but then he forced it down. If he was going to be completely honest with himself, he definitely was feeling something. There was a rush, there was a sense of excitement that he had never felt before, and every time he let his mind wander back over either of the moments when he had pulled the trigger, it only flared up again.
“Assuming I was interested,” he said slowly, “what is it you would want me to do?”
“A man in my position has many enemies, and there are others who have betrayed me in different ways. A man like you, who can move in circles that I cannot, could help me to eliminate such people. You would not be part of the cartel, and most of my people will never even know of you. What I need, Mr. Reddick, is a secret agent of my own. You have the courage, the cojones , for such work. And I can make it very much worth your while.”
Chance stood there for a moment, then slowly shook his head. “Mr. Baldizon, I’m sorry,” he said. “I appreciate your help with this tonight, but I’m afraid I’m just not the man you’re thinking I am. There’s a part of me that is very sick at what I’ve just done, and I don’t think I can ever handle doing it again.”
Baldizon smiled. “Mr. Reddick, are you a gambling man?”
Chance cocked his head slightly to the side. “I’ve been known to play a little poker in college,” he said. “Why? Why do you ask?”
“Because I would like to make you a small wager. I would be willing to make you a bet, Mr. Reddick, right this minute, that you will come back to discuss this with me again. I am so certain of this that I will make you this wager: if I am wrong, if within two weeks you have not come back to discuss this opportunity with me further, I will give you ten thousand American dollars.” He held up a finger. “But, if I win, if I am right, you will pledge to me your loyalty. This is agreeable?”
Chance grinned at him. “Two weeks? You might as well just get the money ready.” To emphasize his certainty, Chance turned around and walked out the door without another word. He made his way back down the hall and out the front door, walked over to his pickup and got in, then drove home.
His grandmother was sitting on the couch when he walked in, and she looked up at him without saying a word. He walked over and sat down beside her, then took her hand in his own.
“It’s done, Grandma,” he said softly. “Baldizon had one of his men take me to the killers, and I killed both of them.”
The old woman turned her head and looked him in the eye, then nodded. “Your grandpa would be very proud of you, Chance. Very proud.”
Chance stayed with his grandmother for a week, and he was quite surprised at the turnout for the funeral. Just about everyone in Silver Bell was there, and even Baldizon and his family attended. The service was very well done, and Robin and her grandfather were laid to rest in adjacent graves. The following day was Jorge’s funeral, and Chance made a point of attending. Baldizon smiled when he saw him, but said nothing. When Jorge was laid in the ground, Chance locked eyes with the old man one more time and then walked away to his truck.
That night, lying in the bed in his old room, Chance thought about Colom and Molina, the two men he had killed. Just like that first night, every time he thought about the moments when he had squeezed the trigger on the old thirty-eight, he felt a thrill rush through him.
The bodies had been discovered the following morning, and the police had decided quickly that it was a matter of a falling out between two criminals. The cocaine they found in Molina’s pocket helped that idea along, and when the bullets from Colom’s automatic matched some of the bullets from the shooting in which Robin and Jorge had died, the detectives in charge of the investigation were convinced they had found the killers.
Bryce had come by to let Chance and his grandmother know that the killers had been identified. Chance opened the door to his knock and invited him to come inside.
“I appreciate it,” Chance said, after Bryce had delivered the news. “So, it looks like they killed each other?”
“That’s what the Sheriff’s office is saying,” Bryce said. “Although, one of the detectives says it looks a little fishy, to him. He thinks somebody killed them and set it up to look like they did each other, because the guns don’t have any fingerprints on them except where their hands were wrapped around them. He says there should be fingerprints all over the barrels and everything, but there aren’t.”
Chance shrugged. “Maybe they had just cleaned them,” he said.
Bryce looked at him, and Chance thought there was something odd in his eyes. “Yeah,” Bryce said. “Maybe that’s it. Of course, there’s always the possibility that Baldizon sent somebody after them. One of the local snitches said that’s the rumor on the street, but how much would they really know? I can’t see Baldizon and his people flapping their jaws about something like that, can you?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Chance said. “I only met the guy at my sister’s funeral.”
This time, there was obvious suspicion in Bryce’s eyes. “That so? I would’ve sworn I saw your truck parked in front of his place last night. I mean, there aren’t that many trucks around here like yours. Kinda hard to make a mistake.”
“I went by there for a minute last night,” Chance said. “They said Baldizon was too busy to talk to me, so I just left a message. He paid for Robin’s and my grandpa’s funeral. I thought it was pretty nice of the guy, considering he had just lost his son.”
Bryce relaxed and nodded. “Yeah, that was pretty decent of him. You know, there’s a lot of folks around here think he’s a pretty good guy.”
“Maybe he is,” Chance said. “They ever figure out why his son was targeted?”
“Well, the Sheriff’s office isn’t going to share that information with me. As far as they’re concerned, I might as well be Barney Fife.” Bryce turned toward the door, but then stopped and turned back. “Chance,” he said, “you’d tell me if you knew anything about this, right?”
“Of course I would,” Chance said, looking him in the eye. “But why would I know anything about it? I’ve been here with Grandma the whole time.”
Bryce nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He walked out the door and got into his car, then drove away.
“He’s suspicious,” Grandma said. “You know, his granddaddy was the first cop we had here, back when Julie Holloway was killed. He had that same look in his eye when he came to talk to your grandpa about it.” She looked at Chance and smiled. “And your grandpa shined him on, just the way you just did. He’d be proud of you, Chance.”
The rest of the week went smoothly, although both Chance and his grandmother broke down into tears at the funeral. When it was over, Chance stayed with her a few more days but then it was time to go back to school.
“I’ve only got a few more weeks left in the semester,” he said. “I hate to leave you, Grandma, but…”
“You go ahead,” Grandma said. “I’ll be right here. I’ve got the church, and there’s plenty to help out around the farm. There’s no reason for you to give up your education.”
Chance looked at her, and shrugged. “I’m going back, but I’m not sure my heart’s really in it, anymore. I just don’t think I can handle staying here much longer, with Grandpa and Robin gone. It’s just a little too much for me, right n
ow.”
The old woman nodded and patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Chance. You took care of what needed taking care of, and now it’s time to take care of yourself. I’ll be all right here. You can come home whenever you feel like it.”
Chance got into his truck and drove away, and returned to his classes the following day. He had filled his roommates in that night, when he got back, leaving out any mention of the events with Molina and Colom, of course.
For three days, he threw himself into his schoolwork. He had to catch up on a lot from the days he had missed, but all that did was occupy his time. By the third evening, he was just about caught up and finally had a little time to think.
Thinking was a mistake. Suddenly, he was remembering that incredible rush of power when he had taken two men’s lives. He tried to put it out of his mind, but it came back to him even in his dreams. He woke up twice that night in a cold sweat, his hand curled as if holding a gun, craving that feeling again.
There wasn’t any point to staying in school, and he finally admitted that to himself. He didn’t care about mechanical engineering, and he didn’t care about finishing his education. What Chance wanted was to feel that sense of power again, and the only way he knew to get that was to let Baldizon win the bet.
ELEVEN
Chance pulled out early the next morning, and made it to Silver Bell at shortly before 10 o’clock in the morning. The little town didn’t look any different after such a short time away, of course, but it had an entirely different feel to it. Before this trip, Chance always felt as though he was coming home; this time, it felt more like he was only visiting.
He drove through the streets and made his way out to the old mansion. He had argued with himself on the way, trying to decide whether to go home and see his grandmother first, or go straight to Baldizon and discuss his proposition. Every thought of Baldizon, however, led to thoughts of that terrible, exciting night in Hinckley, so by the time he arrived in town, the choice was already made.
“Mr. Reddick,” Baldizon said, when Oscar escorted Chance into the office. “I have been expecting you.” The smile on the man’s face made Chance smile in return.
“Yeah, well,” Chance said. “I guess you are right. I’ve come to talk about that opportunity you mentioned.”
“Then please, have a seat.” Baldizon pointed to the chair in front of his desk, and Chance sat down. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” Chance said. “I just thought I’d find out more about what you had in mind, see what kind of a job you are talking about.”
Baldizon sat down in his chair. “But it is very simple,” he said. “I need a man who will do the sort of things you did before. As I mentioned, I have many enemies, and it would serve me best to have them eliminated without any direct connections back to me or my people. For this reason, you and I would not meet often. There are other ways in which we could communicate, and I can be quite generous when it comes to compensation.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you can. I guess my only concern would be the people you sent me to take care of. When I went after Colom and Molina, I knew without any doubt they deserved what I was going to do to them. Forgive me, but I’ve heard stories about what your outfit is capable of. I wouldn’t want to have to hurt anybody who didn’t deserve it. Can you understand what I mean?”
“But of course,” Baldizon said. “I would not ask you to harm an innocent person. However, there are those who have betrayed me in one way or another, and betrayal must carry a high price. That is the only way that others will learn that betrayal is something that will not be tolerated.”
“I guess I can see that,” Chance said. “And anybody involved in what you do probably knows very well what they’re getting into, and what the price will be if they stab you in the back. I suppose I could live with that.”
“Then you have come to admit that you enjoy what you did? Do not be ashamed of it, Mr. Reddick, it is a perfectly natural response. For most people, killing is something of an aphrodisiac. It can make one desire sex, and it can give you an incredible sense of strength and power. As I said before, it is the strongest drug of all.”
“I’ll admit that there is some part of me that wants to do it again,” Chance said. “I’m not sure that I could do it often, or for a long time, but I’m definitely feeling the urge.” He shrugged. “To be perfectly honest, it makes me feel like there’s something seriously wrong with me. I feel this sense of contempt for myself, but there’s no denying that it was like nothing else I ever felt. I guess it was either come see you, or start trying to figure out how to do it on my own, and I don’t think I’m cut out to just be a serial killer.”
Baldizon was nodding his head. “I understand,” he said. “You want to feel that sensation again, but you want to feel justified. This is the very reason so many men make a career out of being in the military services. They need the feeling they get when they kill, but they want to be able to say it was only because they were following orders.” He leaned forward. “I can give you this. If you will pledge your loyalty to me, and obey my orders, I can give you that feeling again, and you can remember that you are only doing what you’re told to do. In return, I will pay you very, very well.”
“About that,” Chance said. “I still have my grandmother to think of. Money isn’t everything, but it will certainly help now that she’s older and alone. What kind of money are we talking about?”
“I do not believe in putting a price on a life,” Baldizon said. “I will pay you thirty thousand American dollars every month. In exchange, I ask only that you follow my orders. The people I will ask you to kill for me are those to whom the police are an enemy, so they are not the kind who will run to them for help. As long as you are careful, no one will know that it is you.” Baldizon looked up at Oscar. “Oscar will explain to you some things to help you to remain undiscovered. He has always been very successful in this trade.”
Chance looked up at Oscar, who smiled down at him. “I sure could use some advice,” he said. “I’ll confess that I’m a little worried about getting arrested and spending the rest of my life locked up in prison somewhere.”
“As long as you work for me,” Baldizon said, “that will not happen. I have money, and I have lawyers. Should you find yourself arrested, I will know and will send the lawyers. They will make the problem go away.”
Chance swallowed. “I hope it never comes down to that,” he said. “I’d hate for my grandmother to ever find out what I’m doing. Hell, I hate the fact that I’m even considering it, but I just don’t know how to cope with this—this urge. It’s like it just won’t go away, and I need to do something about it.”
Baldizon nodded again. “If you are ready to begin,” he said, “then you can meet Oscar tomorrow. I will leave it to the two of you to decide where to meet, and he will give you your first assignment.”
Baldizon leaned back again, then reached down into a drawer in his desk. When his hand came back into sight, Chance’s eyes went wide. Baldizon held out several large bundles of one hundred dollar bills.
“If you are prepared to begin,” the man said, “then you will be needing money. I will give you this fifty thousand dollars, to allow you to prepare yourself. You will need weapons, of course, but you will need a vehicle that is not so recognizable as your old truck. I would suggest a car, something common and easily forgotten. You do not want a car with power and speed, you want a car that will go unnoticed, even if you park it in an unusual place. Not new, but not terribly old. Look around you and see what cars seem to be just about everywhere, and then find one like that. The same rule applies to your clothing, you need to wear clothes that are easy to overlook, hard to describe and very easily forgotten.”
Chance stared at the money for a long moment, then slowly rose to his feet.When Baldizon held the money out further, he reached out and took it. It was hard to shove it all into his pockets, but he managed.
“All right,” Chance sa
id. “I guess I’m in.” He turned to Oscar. “When and where?”
Oscar smiled at him again. “There is an old coal mine on Highway Sixty-One, between Silver Bell and Tabor City. Do you know the place?”
Chance nodded. “Yeah. I used to hunt rabbits out there, until the county closed the place off.”
“Meet me there in the morning, about nine,” Oscar said. “The gate will be open, and we can leave your truck in the old equipment shed. Señor Baldizon has bought the property, so we use it to hide things. I will take you to Lexington tomorrow, so that you can buy a car. We will talk as we go.”
Chance nodded again, then shook hands with Baldizon before walking out of the office. He got to his old pickup truck and climbed inside, then put both hands on the steering wheel and leaned his forehead against them.
“Chance,” he said to himself, “what the hell are you doing?”
He sat there for a moment, but never came up with an answer. Finally he sat back, started the truck and drove out to the farm.
His grandmother was surprised to see him when he pulled into the yard. When he climbed out of the truck with his bags, she opened the door and stared at him.
“Chance Reddick, what are you doing here?”
“Coming home, Grandma,” he said. “College just wasn’t cutting it for me anymore. I don’t want to get a degree and go off to some fancy job, somewhere. I want to stay right here and raise horses.”
The old woman stared at him, but there was a smile trying to spread across her face. Chance put down one of his bags and wrapped an arm around his grandmother, pulling her close.
“Don’t worry, Grandma,” he said. “We’ll be just fine.”
The old woman squeezed him tight. “I hate that you are giving up on college,” she said, “but it sure will be nice to have you back around home. Come on, I was just thinking about making something for lunch. I can whip up enough for both of us.”
