Final Target

by Jack Young

  Final Target

  Jack G. Young

  Copyright © 2019 Jack G. Young

  All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN: 9781075594434

  Cover design: Magicalcover.de / Giusy Ame

  Source: Depositphoto

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  As always for Angie, Gracie, and Jackson. Without your love, support, and most of all patience throughout this whole process I could not have completed the journey of this book. I love you guys very much.

  Prologue

  Nancy Morrison didn’t mind driving at night. She just didn’t like driving at night when it was raining. The only reason she was doing it this night was because her kid sister, Gertrude, or Trudy to her friends, texted her saying she was stranded out in the west end of town. Nan didn’t think Trudy knew anyone out that way because that neighborhood was the richer part of town where the houses were at least a couple million dollars each. Nan herself was virtually homeless at the moment and crashing with the guy she was seeing: Nan, her son Buster, and Trudy. It was a temporary thing until things turned around for them.

  The rain had begun when Nan was a couple of minutes into the drive to the west end and it didn’t take long before it was coming down hard. So much so, that Nan had the wipers at full speed. Light showed from the back seat as she checked on Buster who was probably watching one of his many kid videos on his iPad. Buster was a good boy and never complained about Nan working long hours and late nights at Penni’s Playhouse. He knew she danced there, just not what kind of dancing it was. Dancing at a strip club was not the career choice Nan planned to make seven years before when she graduated high school, but at the moment it paid her decent money.

  The guy they were all staying with was nice. She shared his bed with him and they were intimate, but they both knew it was a temporary situation. He let them stay with him because they had nowhere else go. Nan was getting close to saving up enough to find a new place. She would have enough in a couple of pay days for the first and last month’s rent on a small trailer. The tips at Penni’s were pretty good and helped pay her share to stay where they were. She helped with groceries, rent, the water and power bill, and whatever else needed so she didn’t feel like mooching off the guy.

  Nan pulled onto the street Trudy told her she was waiting at, but didn’t see her sister anywhere. She scanned the street looking for her, hoping she hadn’t been standing out in the rain the whole time. She parked alongside the curb in front of a long driveway leading to an almost mansion-like home. Nan grabbed her cell phone from the passenger seat. Normally, she held onto it and could text and drive at the same time. She knew it wasn’t safe, but she pushed her luck doing both, like every other driver she came across. The rain was coming down too bad and the roads were iffy that night so she hadn’t bothered with the phone. Now that it was in her hand, she saw there was a text message from Trudy: It’s cold and wet. I found some cover. Text me when you get here.

  Nan whipped out a return text: I’m here…I’m near a mailbox…#5472

  It took a moment for Trudy to respond: OK. I’m 2 houses past that one.

  Nan looked down the street and saw a waving light a couple of houses down. As she drove closer, she could tell it was Trudy waving her down and the light was coming from her cell phone. She drove to her sister and stopped to let her in. Trudy was dripping wet. “Oh shit, that rain is cold.” She sat down and looked in the backseat at Buster, “Hey, Busty.”

  Buster didn’t look up from his video. “Hey, Auntie.”

  Trudy pointed down the street and shivered. “Let’s just get out of here so I can get out of these wet clothes.”

  Nan nodded in agreement and drove. Once out of the neighborhood, she made her way to the beltline where the traffic moved smoother so they could get back to their temporary home quicker. This worked well because there were no traffic lights and only a handful of vehicles. It was only a little after eleven on a Thursday but every other night Nan had driven this route there were more cars. Maybe this was an off night due to the rain.

  The speed limit was sixty-five at night, but with the rain Nan was going just above fifty. Trudy was looking at something on her phone and the light was in Nan’s peripheral line of sight. “Could you turn your phone away, Trudy? The light is messing with my eyes.”

  “Geez. You sound like an old woman. And you’re driving like one. Why so damn slow? The speed limit is sixty-five here.”

  Nan wanted to look over at her sister, but kept her eyes on the road. “Who’s driving? You or me?”

  “I know that, but c’mon! I kind of want to get dry.”

  “It’s raining too hard for sixty-five. Plus, the car feels weird.”

  “Weird how?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not a mechanic. It just feels, you know, off. Like it needs a tune up or something worked on.”

  “Has it been worked on lately?”

  Nan shrugged. “I don’t know that either. I got the oil changed a few weeks back, but it feels like something else is wrong. I just can’t tell for sure. A few times I’ve pushed on the brakes and it has been taking longer to slow down. I’ll have to get it looked at and that’ll cost more money we don’t have.”

  “Well, yeah, but your slow-ass driving is about to put me to sleep. I’m surprised Busty hasn’t fallen asleep because of it.”

  “That’s because he’s used to my driving. I always drive safe. You know that, too. Not one ticket on my record. Can you say the same thing?”

  This caused both of them to laugh because Trudy just barely passed Driver’s Ed. at school and both the written and driving test later. She did get her license, but she felt dumb because on the way home from the driving test with Nan in the passenger seat, she rear ended a pickup truck at a stop light. Trudy was speeding and not paying attention to her driving. Everyone was okay, but the accident held up traffic and a police officer arrived at the scene soon after. Although Nan was teasing Trudy about her incident, Trudy was not given a ticket but it did take Nan extra shifts to pay for the damages.

  They were nearly home when a vehicle approached from the opposite lane of the two-lane. Nan squinted and tried to get a good look at the road. “Asshole has his brights on still.”

  Trudy held her left hand up to shield her eyes. “I hate when people do that.”

  “It’s worse now because it’s raining.” Nan wanted to flash her bright lights back at the other driver, but knew it could make it worse for everyone.

  As the other vehicle approached, Nan could tell it was one of those large, heavy-duty pick-up trucks and the driver still didn’t dim. She pressed the brakes to slow herself down. She didn’t trust the driver and the road, but the car didn’t slow down any. She began pumping the brakes in a panic. “Trudy, the brakes! I can’t slow down!”

  “Oh shit!”

  Nan reach to check on Buster. That caused the car to swerve. Nan straightened the car, but the approaching truck jerked towards her. She freaked out, the car hit the guardrail, flipped over the guardrail, and rolled several times. Flames burst from the car, then an explosion.

  The driver of the pick-up truck slowed and did a U-turn before pulling up to the spot where Nan’s car had hit the ditch. He watched the car flame and explode. He pulled his cell phone from his hip and pressed a speed dial button. The receiving end picked up after two rings and didn’t say anything. The driver just said two words, “It’s done.”

  1.

  Lanny Clark sat and looked at the gym bag wondering why Marcus was giving it to him. Marcus Randolph
had called Lanny’s house phone early that morning before the sun was up, wanting Lanny to meet him at the city park. At first, the phone call was a surprise because Lanny hadn’t seen or heard from Marcus in nearly ten years. It was a brief phone call, but it did get Lanny out of bed to see what his old friend needed from him.

  Marcus sat on the park bench smoking a cigarette. “All you need to do is take this bag to this guy named Gordon in the Heights.”

  It seemed like a simple enough request, but Lanny wondered why Marcus couldn’t do it himself. “Gordon? Is that a first or last name?”

  Marcus flicked the cigarette onto the ground and stomped it out. “I don’t know. Just a guy named Gordon is all I got. I never asked if that was his first or last name. I just know he’ll be parked in one of those handicapped spots in the Target parking lot in a red Chevy Silverado.”

  “Today?”

  “Yeah. At two. I need you to do this, man. You owe me still. I know it’s been a long-ass time, but I need you to handle this.”

  “I know that, but what am I getting myself into here?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Just do this for me, okay?”

  Lanny stared at Marcus for a moment. He did owe him. In fact, he owed him more than just delivering of a bag to someone. He knew someday Marcus would come looking to collect for the time he saved Lanny’s life. Dropping off a bag, though, seemed too simple.

  “Can I look inside? You didn’t say anything about that.” Lanny said.

  “Fuck no. I haven’t even looked inside. I was just told to have the bag delivered to Gordon. Nothing was ever said about looking inside.”

  “Aren’t you curious?”

  Marcus laughed. It was a congested-sounding laugh from all the years he smoked. “Curious? You know what they say about the cat and curiosity, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, let me tell you about this cat I knew, man. Bruce. Bruce Daniels was his name. The boss had him deliver a box once to this business rival. Told Bruce to not look inside the box because it wasn’t any of his fucking business.”

  “Let me guess. He looked inside.”

  “Do you know the story?”

  “No.”

  “Then let me fucking tell it.”

  “Just sounds like that’s what he did.”

  Marcus gave him a hard look. It was a look of irritation, so Lanny held up his hands in defeat giving the conversation back to Marcus. Marcus leaned back stretching out his back. “Th’fuck was I? Oh yeah. Okay. Yeah, so this dumb shit looked in the box and freaked out. Instead of taking the box where it was supposed to go, he took the damn thing to the cops and was arrested on the spot.”

  “For delivering a box?”

  “No. Not for delivering the box, but what was in the box.”

  “What was in the box?”

  “I was getting to that, but you keep butting in.”

  “Well shit. This story has gone on for two fucking hours. When are you gonna get to the damn point?”

  Marcus lit another smoke. “Th’fuck’s wrong with you anyway?”

  “Nothing. I ain’t heard from you in forever and when I do you got this bag you want delivered to someone I don’t know. Now, instead of telling me what I want to know, you’re telling me stories.”

  Marcus shrugged. “It’s what I always do. You know this. People always say I’m longwinded. I got that gift of gab. Got it from my grandma.”

  Lanny smiled. “Yeah. She was always great at telling stories. I miss her.”

  Marcus took a long drag from his cigarette and nodded. “Me too.” He looked around and then back to Lanny. “So, you gonna do this for me or not?”

  Lanny sat for a moment thinking it over. He didn’t really have anything else going on that day. “I suppose.”

  “Yeah?”

  Lanny shrugged. “Yeah. I mean why not.”

  “Good. I’ll give you a few grand from my take for this thing.”

  “That’s more than generous, man, but won’t they be expecting you though?”

  “Just tell them, if they ask, that I got held up.”

  “Okay.”

  Marcus started to stand, but Lanny put up his hands up as if telling him to stop. Marcus looked over at Lanny. “What?”

  “What was in the bag the other guy took to the cops?”

  “Daniels?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Man, you don’t even want to know.”

  “I wouldn’t’ve asked if I didn’t.”

  Marcus took another long drag of his smoke and exhaled from his nose. “A hand.”

  “A hand?”

  “Yeah. A kid’s hand to boot. Five-year-old kid of the boss’ business rival.”

  “What happened to the kid?”

  “I think he’s okay. I heard he’s in college now.”

  “What did the cops do to Daniels?”

  “Nothing. They had no proof he did anything other than find the box with the hand.”

  “I never heard of or seen this guy Daniels.”

  “And you won’t either. Dude disappeared a couple weeks later.”

  2,

  Paden Evans sat waiting for his drink to arrive. A simple glass of beer shouldn’t take so long and it was beginning to irritate him. It was his first time to this particular sports bar at this end of town. He wasn’t too impressed and would have preferred to meet Joanne at their usual spot a block from his apartment, but she insisted. He knew the people at that place and the beer didn’t take long to be served.

  When the beer finally arrived, Paden held his hand up to the waitress. “I’m gonna save some time here and order the next two beers I’ll have with my meal and hope they arrive before I finish this one.”

  The young girl gave Paden a confused look. “You mean go and bring you two more beers right now?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But, I just brought you one.”

  “I know, but as slow as you were with it, I’m trying to save time by ordering the next two right now.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  Paden just shook his head. “Just bring me the beers.”

  The girl left and Paden saw the disgusted look on Joanne’s face. “What?”

  “What’s with you being such an asshole to that girl? She’s got to be what, twenty? Twenty-one maybe. She never did anything to you.”

  Paden took a long swig of his beer. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I don’t know why I acted that way. Maybe, I’m just irritated. Tell me again, why are we at this place?”

  Joanne took a sip of her Coke. “Carrie mentioned it at school the other day and I thought it would be a nice change of scenery. I can only stand going to Lucky’s so many times.”

  Paden had been with Joanne Lang for almost five years. They met at Lucky’s when she was out with some friends to blow off some steam after a night of studying. Joanne was now a teacher while Paden still had the same dead-end job as a bouncer for Lanny Clark. Paden was also a licensed private investigator, but the only work he received in that regard was when Lanny or his boss needed him to find someone. He was good at that and knew his job enough to not ask what happened after he located people. He’d see their names in the news a few weeks later after being declared missing or killed. That didn’t always sit well with Paden, but it kept the lights on at home.

  At six two and two thirty-five, Paden was also good at his job as a bouncer. People rarely messed with him and those who did usually ended up taking a trip to the emergency room. Other than that, lately, he’d been running various errands for Lanny. It wasn’t ideal work, but it paid. He knew there was little room for advancement if he stayed with Lanny, but at least Lanny treated him well.

  Paden had turned forty-two the month before and there were at least two nights a week he had to scrap it out with someone fifteen to twenty years younger than him. He was a high schooler the last time he let anyone beat him up. It was a humiliating experience and he vowed to never let it happened again. This was a vow he kept al
l these years despite his bones and body aching more each day. The older he became, the longer it took for those parts to heal after a scrap. Surely, there was something else he could do for more money.

  “I’m sorry, Jo. I’m just fucking tired. I’ll tip the girl good.”

  “You better since you’re being such an asshole. And what’s with drinking three beers right now when it’s just barely noon?”

  He shrugged and took another drink. “I don’t know. I got into it with these three college assholes last night. I handled it, but it wasn’t as easy as it used to be.”

  “Ever consider changing jobs?”

  Paden nodded. “Everyday.” He took another drink and let out a slight burp. “So, why are we here again?”

  Joanne pushed her Coke aside. “I guess there isn’t any easy way to say this.”

  Paden had been waiting for her to dump him for some time. “Then just say it.”

  Joanne gave a nervous smile. “I’m pregnant.”

  Paden stared at her a moment. It was definitely not what he was expecting and it took a second or two for the initial shock of the news to fade before he stood from his chair and went over to Joanne. He knelt down to her and hugged her while placing his hand on her belly. “Baby, that’s the best thing I’ve heard all week. All month. Shit, my whole life.”

  Paden’s cell phone interrupted the moment when it began to vibrate. It was on the table and he nearly spilled Joanne’s Coke reaching for it. He couldn’t grab it from that spot and ended up going back to his side of the table. He saw who texted him and he held the phone up to Joanne. “It’s Lanny. I gotta take this.”

  “When are you going to drop his ass and find some other work?”

  He shrugged. “I know. I know. I’ve actually been thinking about that.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I just don’t have any ideas at the moment.” He began reading the text and then sent a response.

  “What does he want this time?”

  “I dunno. Just says to meet him at Lucky’s in a half an hour.”