Dead Wrong (A Cal Murphy Thriller Book 7), page 10
“Come on, let’s go. Don’t be shy. Just admit that you’ve always wanted to see the bustling metropolis of Ajo,” Wilson said as he waved the remnant forward. “The desert air is waiting.”
No one else budged until the flashing lights and roar of an ambulance siren piqued the interest of everyone.
***
CAL HUSTLED TOWARD the front of the plane with Kelly in tow. He craned his neck to look out onto the tarmac through the port windows. Then he glanced forward again to observe Captain Butler shuffle out of the cockpit and out of the plane toward a pair of emergency response vehicles.
He clung tight to Kelly’s hand as everyone watched the paramedics put Butler onto a stretcher and into one of the ambulances.
“You picked a helluva flight to join the team,” Terrance Goodwin said to Cal.
“Just my luck.”
Goodwin chuckled. “Seriously, this is way more interesting than writing about the spades game going on up front.”
“True.”
Cal felt Kelly pulling his arm downward. At first he thought she might be cold in the early evening desert air, but he sensed she had something else to say, perhaps something meaningful based on the forcefulness of her tug.
He snapped a couple of pictures with his phone and then backed away from the crowd and beyond earshot.
“What is it, Kelly?” he whispered.
“Was it me or were there two different pilots giving announcements? It didn’t sound like the same pilot both times.”
Cal nodded. “Something sounded off, for sure. Could’ve been.” He watched as the ambulance sped away while Captain Wilson stepped away from the hive of activity to place a phone call.
He bobbed his head in the direction of Wilson. “What do you suppose he’s up to?”
“Hopefully finding us a way out of here.”
Kelly smiled. “At least this story won’t be boring. Writing about oversized seats and a wing buffet isn’t exactly going to attract many readers. But an emergency landing in the Arizona desert? That ought to do the trick.”
“As long as I title the story with a headline that goes something like, ‘NBA team makes unexpected stop in the desert—and you won’t guess what happened next.’ ”
“Classic click bait, dear.”
Cal rolled his eyes. “So what. Nothing else gets people to read these days.”
“What about a compelling story?”
“True, yet we have to find it since I think we both feel like something else is up. But before we do, I need to post this picture to Twitter and Instagram. It ought to be enough to keep Hale off my back for a little while.”
Cal tapped on his keyboard for a few moments before one of the paramedics approached him.
“Are you Cal Murphy?” the man asked.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“I need you to come with me,” he said as he firmly pressed Cal toward a hangar about twenty yards away.
Kelly went along with him.
“What’s this all about?” Cal asked.
The man said nothing until they were near the edge of the hangar. “I saw you taking a picture of the pilot and I must ask that you delete those pictures and respect the privacy of the individual here.”
“I’m a reporter and this is a public place. I can do whatever—”
“Actually, you can’t. There are laws about this sort of thing. I need to delete those pictures from your phone.”
“Dream on, man,” he said as he started to walk away.
The paramedic lunged for Cal’s phone and snatched it from him.
“What the—” Cal said as he spun around. “Who do you think you are?”
The man tapped furiously on Cal’s phone and dashed toward the corner of the hangar. Cal tried to keep up with him but the man managed to exceed his pace every time he edged closer. Once the man rounded the corner, he stopped. Cal almost ran into him, pulling up just short. Kelly staggered only a few strides behind.
The paramedic launched the phone into an unlit desert area behind the hanger.
“What is wrong with you?” Cal said as he shoved the man.
The man moved to receive only a glancing blow. He slid past Cal without responding and sauntered back toward the plane.
“What was his deal?” Kelly asked, her mouth agape as she shook her head.
“No idea. But this isn’t cool.”
“Did you see where it went?” Kelly asked.
“I think so. Have you got your phone? We’re going to need some light.”
Kelly pulled out her phone and activated the camera light to illuminate the prickly path in front of them. Stray tumbleweeds and cacti provided a delicate minefield for the pair to navigate.
“Do you see it?” Kelly asked.
“Not yet. Keep going.”
Several moments later, Kelly’s light fell upon what appeared to be a shadowy figure of a man.
“Looking for this?” a man asked as he held up Cal’s phone, now glowing.
“Yes, but, what the—”
It was the last thing Cal said before two vicious blows to the back of his and Kelly’s head sent them crashing to the ground.
CHAPTER 22
SCOTT PERRY FINISHED getting a full recap from his eldest daughter about her basketball game earlier that evening. It was a game he missed—one of many. He watched a video of his daughter’s steal and layup. But it wasn’t the same as being there. He hoped his daughter would one day realize that it was for the good of their family, that the provision he gave them would put them ahead in life. That is, if everything worked out and he managed to hold his agency together, as tenuous as it might be at the moment. If he was honest with himself, it was vaporizing in front of him. Everything he’d worked for could be gone. Even his family.
Perry headed toward his library and poured himself a scotch before slumping onto the leather sofa. He closed his eyes and for a moment tried to find a happy place to visit in his mind, a place to escape to—for good if necessary.
Aruba. It’s nice there. Great beaches. Awesome weather. Plenty of sun.
Then he stopped. Any island in the Caribbean was useless for his purposes. He needed a place to truly escape, a place nobody would think to look for him.
Cape Verde.
He always wanted to go there. He knew enough Portuguese to get by thanks to several trips to Brazil scouting NBA prospects to sign to his agency. Great weather all year round. Hardly any rain. Beautiful beaches. Interesting geography. No one would ever look for him there.
Before he had much time to indulge his new fantasy, Scarlett barged into the room.
“Scott, we need to talk.”
He sat up and rolled his eyes. “What is it now?”
She stamped her foot. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”
Perry slowly looked up to meet her gaze. With her eyes narrowed, he knew it was going to be a conversation he didn’t want to have.
“Is this better?” he asked with a smirk. He then glanced back down at his drink before draining it.
“I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life than I was today. I finished checking out at Whole Foods today and every one of our credit cards was declined. I had to go to the ATM and pull money out of savings just to pay for groceries.”
He sighed. “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“Maybe not, but it should be in my bank account when I need it. This is absurd. Now will you please tell me what’s going on?”
He shook his head. “It’s complicated. I’ve lost a few high profile clients lately and I had some big bills come due. I even had to lay off one of my employees this week just to keep everything afloat. And I might have to lay off several more.”
“And when were you going to tell me this?”
“I was trying to find the right time, but—”
“The right time would’ve been any time before I found myself trying to pay for something with an empty bank account and credit cards over the limit.”
“Just give me some time. I’m working on a few new clients. I might be able to get this thing turned around, but it just might be tight for a while.” He stood up and meandered toward his scotch for a refill.
She followed him and grabbed his arm. “I’m not happy with tight.”
He turned back toward her. “Get happy with it. It’s how it’s going to be.”
She drew back and slapped him in the face. “Be a man and provide for this family.”
His phone rang and he answered it. Engaged in a conversation with his wife, Perry would usually ignore it. But he wasn’t interested in being polite to her at the moment.
“This is Scott Perry.”
He glanced over at Scarlett as the woman on the other end talked.
“Who is that? Your mistress? Is that where all our money is going?” she demanded.
He waved Scarlett off and plugged his other ear with his free hand.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he said. He then gently ushered a resistant Scarlett out of the room. “I need to take this call. I’ll come talk with you once I’m done.”
She put her hands on her hips. “We’re not doing this again, Scott. You understand me? I forgave you once, but not again.”
He shut the door on her face as she continued to rant.
“I’m sorry. Please continue.”
“I was wondering if you’ve seen Will Simon’s latest blog post?” his assistant asked.
“No,” Perry answered. “What did it say?”
“It says that Nikolay Gavin tried to pay off Tonya Jameson and goes on to suggest that perhaps he was behind Jameson’s death.”
He muttered a few expletives. “Are we ever going to just move on?”
“Oh, I thought you’d welcome that news. If it’s learned that he was murdered, wouldn’t the agency benefit from it financially?”
He shrugged. “That’s a nice silver lining, but it just reminds everybody about this awful thing that happened to one of my clients—again.”
“You think athletes are foolish enough to believe this had anything to do with you?”
“They’re a superstitious bunch—and I’m bad Karma right now.”
“Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know. Just ask DJ O.T.U.S., who is poaching our clients left and right. Maybe he could explain that to you.”
Perry hung up and smiled.
This is shaping up better than I thought. Maybe I’ll get paid after all.
CHAPTER 23
CAL RUBBED HIS EYES and his head as the sound of a jet roared above them. Disoriented, he immediately wondered why he was in the dirt and Kelly lay motionless next to him. Then it all came back to him.
Kelly started to move and rolled over. “What’s going on?”
Cal looked around and didn’t see anyone. “I don’t know. The last thing I remember was getting whacked.”
“Was that our plane that just took off?”
“I hope not.”
Kelly sat up and pounded the ground. “How could they just leave us here? Didn’t they notice we were missing?”
“That’s not something I can explain.”
“Well, let’s get outta here,” she said as she stood up.
“Not so fast,” a man roared from behind them.
Cal and Kelly both spun around to see two men looming large in the moonlight. One of the men turned on a lantern and held it out in front of him.
“Who are you? And what do you want with us?” Cal snapped.
“None of that’s important,” the man said in a thick Russian accent. “What is important is that you understand that when someone warns you to stop working on a story, you need to stop, no?”
“I dig until I find the truth,” Cal said.
“And now you must dig your own grave, no?” the man said as he threw a shovel at Cal.
The other man waved a lantern in front of him, casting light on his gun trained on them. “Just in case you get any bright ideas,” he said.
Cal jammed the shovel into the ground and put his foot on it before he stopped. He glanced at the gunman’s forearms, emblazoned with a skull and dagger tattoo. Cal swallowed hard. “Look, I understand you don’t like what I’m doing. Perhaps we can come up with a better solution.”
The men both laughed. “This isn’t a bargaining session. I’ve given you an order. You need to obey, no?”
Cal lunged toward the man but didn’t even land a punch before the man delivered a forearm shiver that sent Cal sprawling on this back. The other man then fired a shot at the ground near Cal. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed the shovel again before thrusting it into the earth.
“Do as you’re told,” the man growled before breaking into a laugh.
Cal glanced at Kelly, who’s face appeared pale in the moonlight. Tears streaked down her face as she looked down at the desert sand.
“Are you sure we can’t work this out some other way? I’ve got a little daughter and—”
The man laughed again. “I am on to you, Cal Murphy. I was warned you might try to appeal to my human side. I was told that it might be better simply to shoot you and dig your grave myself. But since I hate digging graves and I have no human side to appeal to, I figured what’s the harm.” He paced in front of them before he stopped. “I don’t care who you are or what excuse you might come up with for me to spare your life. I’m only paid if I finish the job. Now dig!”
He kicked sand toward Cal, who resumed his task.
Thirty minutes went by as Cal continued to follow the man’s commands. His mouth went dry as he realized the trench he’d dug was deep enough to bury both he and Kelly in a shallow grave.
“I think that’s good enough,” the man said. “Now kneel.”
Kelly started crying hysterically. Cal looked at her, tears welling up in his own eyes. He glanced up at the man and made another plea.
“You don’t have to do this,” Cal said. “We can fake our deaths. I can pay you and we can disappear. You could double-dip. Get paid for virtually nothing by two people.”
“I’m an honorable man, Cal Murphy,” the man replied. “Something you are not. You seek to make your fortune by destroying a man’s reputation. And you did not heed any warnings. Now it’s time for you to pay the price.”
Cal’s eyes met Kelly’s. He grabbed her hand. “I love you,” he said.
She nodded. “I love you, too.”
The two men moved behind Cal and Kelly, who both knelt in front of the trench.
Kelly continued sobbing and screaming. “No! No! Noooooooo!”
Two shots ripped through the cool desert night.
And everything fell silent.
CHAPTER 24
TONYA JAMESON SNUGGLED into DJ O.T.U.S. on her sofa and stroked his face. She swilled the wine around in her glass before downing the smooth liquid. The fire crackled in front of them, and she closed her eyes.
“You seem happy,” he said.
She moaned pleasantly. “You have no idea.”
“What’s got you so mellow, baby?”
“Fishing for a compliment, are you?” She laughed. “Fine, I’ll give you just what you’re looking for.”
He stroked her head. “Go ahead.”
“What you did for me yesterday was beyond anything I could imagine. I’ve been worried sick about all these allegations against me. Don’t get me wrong—I can’t say Kelvin’s death was anything that brought me great sorrow. It was more relief than anything. No more fighting. No more wondering who he was stepping out on me with. No more anxiety and sleepless nights.” She sat up and looked into his eyes. “But for someone to actually suggest that I could murder him? That was the last straw for me. That’s not something I could take.”
“Glad I could help, baby.”
“Help? You took that blogger and put him square in the crosshairs of Nikolay Gavin. Now, all we have to do is sit back and watch the fireworks.”
“It wasn’t hard.”
“Well, there is something we need to talk about because this thing isn’t over with yet.”
He sat up and put down his glass of wine. “You honestly think any cop is going to question you about Kelvin’s death now?”
“Yes, I do. In fact, I have an appointment tomorrow morning to speak with a detective about it.”
“Why are you just now telling me this?”
“Just calm down. It’s no big deal—but better to be safe than sorry. We need to get our stories straight now.”
“What’s there to get straight? You went out. I went out. We were at separate clubs where plenty of people could vouch for us.”
“Yes, but then we both ended up back here around the time he supposedly died.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“Come on. That doesn’t look good—and you know it. I’m less worried about the cops than I am public opinion. But if the cops begin to suspect that we were involved—”
She let her words hang in the air and watched DJ O.T.U.S. stand up and pace around the room.
“But they can’t prove anything about what we did or didn’t do.”
She nodded. “Don’t you see? That’s the problem. What if we become suspects? We need to have an airtight alibi to make them look elsewhere.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I’m less worried about me since everybody knows I went out. They’ve even got pictures to prove it. I’m just concerned about the timeline getting scrutinized. So, to be on the safe side, I’ve got a friend at a restaurant downtown who said she’d be willing to say she served me there that night. She even created a receipt with my name on it, timestamped about the time Kelvin supposedly died to remove all doubt.”
“And was I with you? They’d be able to pull security cameras to find out if I was.”
She shook her head. “No, you weren’t. And don’t worry—she already took care of any potential contradictory evidence. She recorded over that day’s file.”
“So, where was I?”
“I spoke with a friend of mine who runs a club downtown, Oxygen. He said he’d vouch for seeing you there until three thirty and that he remembers calling a cab for you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, baby. Any of these people could recant at any time and that’d put us in a bad situation. People would question why we were lying.”
