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Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: In first chapter.
Chapter 7
Blue Ridge Lake was only two miles away from Miss Parker’s house. They ran through the woods back to Jarod’s car. Once they got in, Jarod drove them to his latest lair. The ride over was in silence. Jarod looked over at Miss Parker. She was staring out the window, with a distant look on her face. Reaching over, Jarod grabbed her hand. It didn’t surprise him that she pulled away. Looking back at the road he commented, “I’m sure Broots is fine, Miss Parker.”
“But what if he isn’t, Jarod? I feel like this whole ordeal is my fault. The whole situation revolves around me. If something bad happens to Broots or Debbie I will never forgive myself.” Miss Parker continued to look out the window, to afraid to look at Jarod.
Jarod pulled off the road and turned onto a gravel-covered trail. In the distance a small house appeared. He drove the car up to the house and pulled to a stop. Turning in his seat, he looked at Miss Parker. “Hey, look at me.” Miss Parker turned her gaze towards him. Her eyes were glistening in the moonlight with unshed tears. He wanted to reach over and hold her, but he knew she wouldn’t accept this, not yet anyways. “This is not your fault. We know this is the entire Centre’s doing. I just don’t understand why Raines would be involved in this. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Miss Parker gave him a puzzled look. “Jarod, it makes perfect sense. Raines knows I’ll never stop looking for answers. Maybe I finally overstepped my boundaries when it comes to his little game.” She paused and looked out the front window towards the house. Turning back to Jarod, there was more determination in her eyes. Her voice turned harder with each word she spoke. “But Raines crossed the line when he involved Debbie. He’ll regret the day he ever met me.” She then opened the door and headed towards the house.
Jarod sat in his car as he watched Miss Parker walk through the front door. There was something still bugging him about Raines being involved in this. But what was it? Letting out a deep sigh, he opened the door and walked towards the house.
When he got inside, he found Miss Parker already working on building a fire in the fireplace. A smile slowly crept upon his face as he watched Miss Parker cursing to herself about the logs not catching on fire. Walking over to her he said, “Here, why don’t you let me do that?”
“Jarod, I’m perfectly capable of building a fire. I don’t need your help,” she replied back with annoyance.
“It seems your having a hard time there.”
Miss Parker didn’t have to turn around to hear the smile in his voice. With a frustrated sigh, she threw the log down and threw her hands in the air. “Fine, you do it then.” She walked over to the window and looked outside.
With the fire started, Jarod looked over at Miss Parker. “I know you have to be freezing with those wet clothes on.” Jarod walked over to the dresser and pulled out some clothes for her. Grabbing a t-shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, and some pajama pants, he went over to Miss Parker. “Here, why don’t you take a shower and put these on. I don’t want you to start getting sick on me.”
Miss Parker turned around, took the clothes and held them up. “These are hardly my style, Jarod, but I guess you have to make due with what you have.” Taking one last glance out the window she headed towards the bathroom. Pausing at the door, she turned around. “Jarod, I just want to say...thank you.” She then quickly stepped in and closed the door behind her.
Jarod was somewhat stunned by the thank you. With a bigger smile on his face, he went into the kitchen. He opened the cupboards and refrigerator, looking for anything to cook, but there was nothing to eat. Getting out a piece of paper, he wrote Miss Parker a note, saying that he was going to the store and would be back in half an hour. He walked to the bathroom door and slipped it under. Grabbing his coat, he headed out the door. He had his hand on the handle when someone knocked on it. Peering through the peephole he found Broots on the other side.
Jarod opened the door. “Come on in. Did anyone follow you?”
Jarod could see how fatigued Broots looked. His voice sounded just as tired. “No, I don’t think so. I did what you told me.” Broots looked around the house. “Is Miss Parker okay? Where is she?”
“Yes, she’s fine. She’s taking a shower right now and should be out pretty soon. I was just heading out the door to get some food. Do you need anything while I’m out?”
Broots shook his head no and walked over to the fireplace, trying to get warm. From the door Jarod commented, “Listen, I have some clothes you can change into over there. Help yourself to anything in the house. I should be back in about half an hour.” Broots nodded to him as Jarod walked out the door.
When Jarod left, Broots sat down on the hearth. He felt like he was on autopilot since the last conversation with the kidnapper, or Raines, as he should be called now. He still didn’t know the reason as to why Miss Parker had to die. It just didn’t make sense to kill the one person who could bring Jarod back.
At first, he always thought Sydney was the reason Jarod never disappeared. But, as time wore on, he realized that Miss Parker was the real reason. They’ve known each other since they were kids. The bond between the two was so strong. They’ve had a few rough patches here and there, but the bond they had between each other could never truly be broken. Not even by the Centre, and the Centre knew that. It would make perfect sense for the Centre. Instead of fighting their relationship, they could use it to their advantage and try to manipulate it.
‘Maybe Miss Parker is not even the true target, maybe its...’ Broots train of thought was interrupted by Miss Parker’s voice.
Broots looked up at Miss Parker, who was standing in front of him. She was dressed in a sweatshirt and pajama pants, with her hair tied up into a towel. Broots gave her a dumbfounded look.
Snapping her fingers in front of Broots she asked, “Hello, earth to Broots. Are you with the living right now, or what?”
“What? Oh yeah, sorry Miss Parker, I was just thinking about something.” He scooted over to make room for her to sit on the hearth. She sat down, rested her elbows on her knees and looked over at Broots.
“You thinking, well, there’s a first for everything.” Broots gave her a sad look. “Broots, I know you have other things on your mind. I guess I just couldn’t pass up a little dig on you. Bad habits are hard to break.” She gave him a weak smile. “So, tell me what happened after you left the lake. Did they tell you if Debbie is okay?”
“After the whole lake fiasco, they took me to a rest stop and dropped me off.” He paused and looked over at Miss Parker. “I received a phone call from the kidnapper again. I was able to talk to Debbie. She’s still alive and well.”
Miss Parker let out a sigh of relief, resting her right hand over her heart. “Broots, I’m so glad she’s okay. Did he say anything else?”
“He gave me this new cell phone.” He took the phone out of his pocket and showed it to Miss Parker. “Our plan seemed to work, because he truly believes that you’re dead. He plans on returning Debbie back to me at 5:45 am. The only catch is that I don’t know where the drop off point is. He told me he would call me at 5:15 am, and let me know where to meet him.” Broots dropped the phone back into his pocket and stared off into the distance in front of him.
Miss Parker reached over and put her hand on his forearm. “There’s something else on your mind. What is it?”
Broots got up and started pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. Rubbing the back of his head he answered, “I don’t know Miss Parker. This whole thing doesn’t seem right. I’m starting to think that maybe killing you was a lure to get Jarod back. I mean, think about it. The Centre would do anything to get Jarod back, no matter what. If killing you in the process would assure his return, they would do it in a heartbeat.”
Miss Parker grabbed a hold of Broots’ arm, so he would stop pacing and look at her. “Broots, what are you talking about? This isn’t about Jarod it’s about me. I’m the one they’re trying to kill.”
Broots quickly sat back down in the seat he vacated and looked at Miss Parker. “Miss Parker, the more I think about this, the more it makes sense. They know Jarod checks the mainframe in regular intervals. What better way to grab his attention than by putting out a hit on you? With your life in danger, they know Jarod would come out of the shadows to protect you, even if it meant giving up his freedom. I mean, hell, he’s already done it once. Don’t you remember when you got shot in the back at the airstrip?”
Miss Parker slowly nodded to him. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Now she was the one feeling fidgety. Getting up, she started pacing back and forth, while rubbing her forehead. “Broots, I hate to say this, but you may be right on this. Raines would be able to kill two birds with one stone. He could get me out of the way by killing me, while getting his prized pretender back.” She paused, stopping in her tracks. With a troubled look on her face, she looked over at Broots. “The cell phone, Broots?”
Broots gave her a puzzled look and pulled the phone out of his pocket. “What about it, Miss Parker?”
She came over and knelt down in front of him. “You said the kidnapper gave this to you, right?” Broots nodded yes to her. “Have you checked it to make sure there isn’t a tracking device on it?”
A smile came onto his face. “Don’t worry, Miss Parker. I’ve already checked it. There’s no tracking system on it.” He paused, looking at the phone in his hand. “However, it appears we won’t be able to put a trace on this phone either, when they do call. They’ve covered all the basics.”
Miss Parker stood back up again and took in Broots appearance. He looked so tired. “Broots, I don’t mean to sound mean, but you look like something the cat dragged in. Why don’t you take a shower and change into some dryer clothes.”
Broots gave her a wry smile. “Well, thanks for the compliment, Miss Parker. I’m glad to see you back to your old self.” He got up from the hearth, letting out a yawn.
“When was the last time you had any sleep?” She asked with concern.
Broots let out a soft, tired chuckle. “It’s been so long, I can’t even remember.”
“Well, after you get changed you need to get some sleep.”
Broots eyes widened. “No. I need to stay awake in case he calls.”
“Broots, don’t argue with me on this. If you want to help Debbie, you need to get some sleep, so you can be more alert.” She walked beside him towards the bathroom and continued; “Don’t fight me on this because you know you won’t win. Besides, I’m still your boss.”
They stopped by the bathroom door. Broots let out a deep sigh. “I know your right, Miss Parker. I just don’t want to be left out of the loop when it comes to my daughter.” Stepping into the bathroom, he looked back at Miss Parker. “I...I just want to say thank you for helping me with finding Debbie. Both you and Jarod.” He then closed the door.
Miss Parker turned back around to add another log to the fire. Sitting down on the couch, she thought about Broots’ theory. Everything seemed to fit together. Raines needed a scapegoat for her death, and who better to fill that spot than none other than Broots. Raines knew Broots’ Achilles heal was Debbie. If Debbie’s life was in danger, Broots would do anything to protect her, including murdering his boss.
Miss Parker could feel the anger building in her. She should of killed Raines when she had all those chances, within the past years. If he succeeded, he would come out of this smelling like roses. If his plan would of worked, she would be dead, Broots and Debbie would probably be dead also, and Jarod might have been captured. And God knows what would have happened to Sydney. She was thankful that Sydney was out of town visiting Nicholas, who knows what Raines would have in store for him.
Feeling chilly, she grabbed the quilt hanging on the back of the couch and wrapped it around her. Lying down, she stared at the fire, watching it dance within the fireplace. Lying there she realized something, she was finally free of the Centre. She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. The only way for her to be truly free from that house of horrors was her own death.
Being free from the Centre also scared her a bit for some reason. Maybe because it was the only life she’s ever known. What would she do out in the real world when this was all over? The uncertainty of her future frightened her. She wrapped the quilt more tightly around her. She continued to watch the flames dance in front of her. Feeling her eyelids getting heavier, she fell asleep on the couch.
XXXXXXX
Blue Ridge Lake
Kevin drove his car to the spot where they dumped Miss Parker’s SUV. He knew he shouldn’t question the boss’ orders, but he still had that nagging feeling that things were amiss. Turning the ignition off he got out of the car. It was starting to rain again. Pulling his hood over his head, he went down to the bottom of the hill.
He couldn’t stand taking orders from that hillbilly idiot, Wayne. How he ever became leader he would never know? When Kevin asked Mr. Broots about dead people sweating, he could see the fear and panic in the man’s eyes. He knew Broots was uneasy about something, and he had a good idea on what that something was, he just needed to find evidence to prove his case to his boss. Maybe even knocking Wayne out of the way, so he could become the leader.
When he reached the bottom of the hill, he took out his flashlight and scanned the area. He walked along the shoreline, moving the flashlight about. He was just about to give up when he noticed something. He knelt down to get a closer look. The grass in front of him was indented, as if someone just recently stood there. Moving the flashlight to his left, he saw footprints in some mud. The prints seemed to be fresh, and were human. Getting up, he moved further down. He stopped in his tracks, when he noticed the blood covered fabric. Picking it up, he rubbed it in his fingers. The blood was still wet and fresh. So, he was right. They were being played for fools. Getting up he headed back to his car.
Opening up his trunk, he got out his scuba gear. Taking the equipment down to the lake, he put the gear on and went into the lake. Turning on his flashlight, he swam down to the bottom of the lake. It didn’t take him long to find the SUV. Going to the back of the cab, he pointed his light into the, well-supposed window. Reaching his hand in, he pulled on the body bag. Of course, he wasn’t surprised that it was empty. Taking the bag with him, he swam back up to the surface.
Once he took off his scuba equipment, he reached into his car and pulled out his cell phone. He waited patiently for his boss to pick up. He couldn’t wait to tell the news to his boss. It may be bad news for him, but it was good news for Kevin. His future looked brighter and brighter with each passing ring. After the sixth ring his boss picked up.
“Yes?”
Kevin kept his tone even, trying to hide the joy from his voice. “Sir, I’m afraid we have a problem.”
To Be Continued...
Chapter 7
Blue Ridge Lake was only two miles away from Miss Parker’s house. They ran through the woods back to Jarod’s car. Once they got in, Jarod drove them to his latest lair. The ride over was in silence. Jarod looked over at Miss Parker. She was staring out the window, with a distant look on her face. Reaching over, Jarod grabbed her hand. It didn’t surprise him that she pulled away. Looking back at the road he commented, “I’m sure Broots is fine, Miss Parker.”
“But what if he isn’t, Jarod? I feel like this whole ordeal is my fault. The whole situation revolves around me. If something bad happens to Broots or Debbie I will never forgive myself.” Miss Parker continued to look out the window, to afraid to look at Jarod.
Jarod pulled off the road and turned onto a gravel-covered trail. In the distance a small house appeared. He drove the car up to the house and pulled to a stop. Turning in his seat, he looked at Miss Parker. “Hey, look at me.” Miss Parker turned her gaze towards him. Her eyes were glistening in the moonlight with unshed tears. He wanted to reach over and hold her, but he knew she wouldn’t accept this, not yet anyways. “This is not your fault. We know this is the entire Centre’s doing. I just don’t understand why Raines would be involved in this. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Miss Parker gave him a puzzled look. “Jarod, it makes perfect sense. Raines knows I’ll never stop looking for answers. Maybe I finally overstepped my boundaries when it comes to his little game.” She paused and looked out the front window towards the house. Turning back to Jarod, there was more determination in her eyes. Her voice turned harder with each word she spoke. “But Raines crossed the line when he involved Debbie. He’ll regret the day he ever met me.” She then opened the door and headed towards the house.
Jarod sat in his car as he watched Miss Parker walk through the front door. There was something still bugging him about Raines being involved in this. But what was it? Letting out a deep sigh, he opened the door and walked towards the house.
When he got inside, he found Miss Parker already working on building a fire in the fireplace. A smile slowly crept upon his face as he watched Miss Parker cursing to herself about the logs not catching on fire. Walking over to her he said, “Here, why don’t you let me do that?”
“Jarod, I’m perfectly capable of building a fire. I don’t need your help,” she replied back with annoyance.
“It seems your having a hard time there.”
Miss Parker didn’t have to turn around to hear the smile in his voice. With a frustrated sigh, she threw the log down and threw her hands in the air. “Fine, you do it then.” She walked over to the window and looked outside.
With the fire started, Jarod looked over at Miss Parker. “I know you have to be freezing with those wet clothes on.” Jarod walked over to the dresser and pulled out some clothes for her. Grabbing a t-shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, and some pajama pants, he went over to Miss Parker. “Here, why don’t you take a shower and put these on. I don’t want you to start getting sick on me.”
Miss Parker turned around, took the clothes and held them up. “These are hardly my style, Jarod, but I guess you have to make due with what you have.” Taking one last glance out the window she headed towards the bathroom. Pausing at the door, she turned around. “Jarod, I just want to say...thank you.” She then quickly stepped in and closed the door behind her.
Jarod was somewhat stunned by the thank you. With a bigger smile on his face, he went into the kitchen. He opened the cupboards and refrigerator, looking for anything to cook, but there was nothing to eat. Getting out a piece of paper, he wrote Miss Parker a note, saying that he was going to the store and would be back in half an hour. He walked to the bathroom door and slipped it under. Grabbing his coat, he headed out the door. He had his hand on the handle when someone knocked on it. Peering through the peephole he found Broots on the other side.
Jarod opened the door. “Come on in. Did anyone follow you?”
Jarod could see how fatigued Broots looked. His voice sounded just as tired. “No, I don’t think so. I did what you told me.” Broots looked around the house. “Is Miss Parker okay? Where is she?”
“Yes, she’s fine. She’s taking a shower right now and should be out pretty soon. I was just heading out the door to get some food. Do you need anything while I’m out?”
Broots shook his head no and walked over to the fireplace, trying to get warm. From the door Jarod commented, “Listen, I have some clothes you can change into over there. Help yourself to anything in the house. I should be back in about half an hour.” Broots nodded to him as Jarod walked out the door.
When Jarod left, Broots sat down on the hearth. He felt like he was on autopilot since the last conversation with the kidnapper, or Raines, as he should be called now. He still didn’t know the reason as to why Miss Parker had to die. It just didn’t make sense to kill the one person who could bring Jarod back.
At first, he always thought Sydney was the reason Jarod never disappeared. But, as time wore on, he realized that Miss Parker was the real reason. They’ve known each other since they were kids. The bond between the two was so strong. They’ve had a few rough patches here and there, but the bond they had between each other could never truly be broken. Not even by the Centre, and the Centre knew that. It would make perfect sense for the Centre. Instead of fighting their relationship, they could use it to their advantage and try to manipulate it.
‘Maybe Miss Parker is not even the true target, maybe its...’ Broots train of thought was interrupted by Miss Parker’s voice.
Broots looked up at Miss Parker, who was standing in front of him. She was dressed in a sweatshirt and pajama pants, with her hair tied up into a towel. Broots gave her a dumbfounded look.
Snapping her fingers in front of Broots she asked, “Hello, earth to Broots. Are you with the living right now, or what?”
“What? Oh yeah, sorry Miss Parker, I was just thinking about something.” He scooted over to make room for her to sit on the hearth. She sat down, rested her elbows on her knees and looked over at Broots.
“You thinking, well, there’s a first for everything.” Broots gave her a sad look. “Broots, I know you have other things on your mind. I guess I just couldn’t pass up a little dig on you. Bad habits are hard to break.” She gave him a weak smile. “So, tell me what happened after you left the lake. Did they tell you if Debbie is okay?”
“After the whole lake fiasco, they took me to a rest stop and dropped me off.” He paused and looked over at Miss Parker. “I received a phone call from the kidnapper again. I was able to talk to Debbie. She’s still alive and well.”
Miss Parker let out a sigh of relief, resting her right hand over her heart. “Broots, I’m so glad she’s okay. Did he say anything else?”
“He gave me this new cell phone.” He took the phone out of his pocket and showed it to Miss Parker. “Our plan seemed to work, because he truly believes that you’re dead. He plans on returning Debbie back to me at 5:45 am. The only catch is that I don’t know where the drop off point is. He told me he would call me at 5:15 am, and let me know where to meet him.” Broots dropped the phone back into his pocket and stared off into the distance in front of him.
Miss Parker reached over and put her hand on his forearm. “There’s something else on your mind. What is it?”
Broots got up and started pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. Rubbing the back of his head he answered, “I don’t know Miss Parker. This whole thing doesn’t seem right. I’m starting to think that maybe killing you was a lure to get Jarod back. I mean, think about it. The Centre would do anything to get Jarod back, no matter what. If killing you in the process would assure his return, they would do it in a heartbeat.”
Miss Parker grabbed a hold of Broots’ arm, so he would stop pacing and look at her. “Broots, what are you talking about? This isn’t about Jarod it’s about me. I’m the one they’re trying to kill.”
Broots quickly sat back down in the seat he vacated and looked at Miss Parker. “Miss Parker, the more I think about this, the more it makes sense. They know Jarod checks the mainframe in regular intervals. What better way to grab his attention than by putting out a hit on you? With your life in danger, they know Jarod would come out of the shadows to protect you, even if it meant giving up his freedom. I mean, hell, he’s already done it once. Don’t you remember when you got shot in the back at the airstrip?”
Miss Parker slowly nodded to him. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Now she was the one feeling fidgety. Getting up, she started pacing back and forth, while rubbing her forehead. “Broots, I hate to say this, but you may be right on this. Raines would be able to kill two birds with one stone. He could get me out of the way by killing me, while getting his prized pretender back.” She paused, stopping in her tracks. With a troubled look on her face, she looked over at Broots. “The cell phone, Broots?”
Broots gave her a puzzled look and pulled the phone out of his pocket. “What about it, Miss Parker?”
She came over and knelt down in front of him. “You said the kidnapper gave this to you, right?” Broots nodded yes to her. “Have you checked it to make sure there isn’t a tracking device on it?”
A smile came onto his face. “Don’t worry, Miss Parker. I’ve already checked it. There’s no tracking system on it.” He paused, looking at the phone in his hand. “However, it appears we won’t be able to put a trace on this phone either, when they do call. They’ve covered all the basics.”
Miss Parker stood back up again and took in Broots appearance. He looked so tired. “Broots, I don’t mean to sound mean, but you look like something the cat dragged in. Why don’t you take a shower and change into some dryer clothes.”
Broots gave her a wry smile. “Well, thanks for the compliment, Miss Parker. I’m glad to see you back to your old self.” He got up from the hearth, letting out a yawn.
“When was the last time you had any sleep?” She asked with concern.
Broots let out a soft, tired chuckle. “It’s been so long, I can’t even remember.”
“Well, after you get changed you need to get some sleep.”
Broots eyes widened. “No. I need to stay awake in case he calls.”
“Broots, don’t argue with me on this. If you want to help Debbie, you need to get some sleep, so you can be more alert.” She walked beside him towards the bathroom and continued; “Don’t fight me on this because you know you won’t win. Besides, I’m still your boss.”
They stopped by the bathroom door. Broots let out a deep sigh. “I know your right, Miss Parker. I just don’t want to be left out of the loop when it comes to my daughter.” Stepping into the bathroom, he looked back at Miss Parker. “I...I just want to say thank you for helping me with finding Debbie. Both you and Jarod.” He then closed the door.
Miss Parker turned back around to add another log to the fire. Sitting down on the couch, she thought about Broots’ theory. Everything seemed to fit together. Raines needed a scapegoat for her death, and who better to fill that spot than none other than Broots. Raines knew Broots’ Achilles heal was Debbie. If Debbie’s life was in danger, Broots would do anything to protect her, including murdering his boss.
Miss Parker could feel the anger building in her. She should of killed Raines when she had all those chances, within the past years. If he succeeded, he would come out of this smelling like roses. If his plan would of worked, she would be dead, Broots and Debbie would probably be dead also, and Jarod might have been captured. And God knows what would have happened to Sydney. She was thankful that Sydney was out of town visiting Nicholas, who knows what Raines would have in store for him.
Feeling chilly, she grabbed the quilt hanging on the back of the couch and wrapped it around her. Lying down, she stared at the fire, watching it dance within the fireplace. Lying there she realized something, she was finally free of the Centre. She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. The only way for her to be truly free from that house of horrors was her own death.
Being free from the Centre also scared her a bit for some reason. Maybe because it was the only life she’s ever known. What would she do out in the real world when this was all over? The uncertainty of her future frightened her. She wrapped the quilt more tightly around her. She continued to watch the flames dance in front of her. Feeling her eyelids getting heavier, she fell asleep on the couch.
XXXXXXX
Blue Ridge Lake
Kevin drove his car to the spot where they dumped Miss Parker’s SUV. He knew he shouldn’t question the boss’ orders, but he still had that nagging feeling that things were amiss. Turning the ignition off he got out of the car. It was starting to rain again. Pulling his hood over his head, he went down to the bottom of the hill.
He couldn’t stand taking orders from that hillbilly idiot, Wayne. How he ever became leader he would never know? When Kevin asked Mr. Broots about dead people sweating, he could see the fear and panic in the man’s eyes. He knew Broots was uneasy about something, and he had a good idea on what that something was, he just needed to find evidence to prove his case to his boss. Maybe even knocking Wayne out of the way, so he could become the leader.
When he reached the bottom of the hill, he took out his flashlight and scanned the area. He walked along the shoreline, moving the flashlight about. He was just about to give up when he noticed something. He knelt down to get a closer look. The grass in front of him was indented, as if someone just recently stood there. Moving the flashlight to his left, he saw footprints in some mud. The prints seemed to be fresh, and were human. Getting up, he moved further down. He stopped in his tracks, when he noticed the blood covered fabric. Picking it up, he rubbed it in his fingers. The blood was still wet and fresh. So, he was right. They were being played for fools. Getting up he headed back to his car.
Opening up his trunk, he got out his scuba gear. Taking the equipment down to the lake, he put the gear on and went into the lake. Turning on his flashlight, he swam down to the bottom of the lake. It didn’t take him long to find the SUV. Going to the back of the cab, he pointed his light into the, well-supposed window. Reaching his hand in, he pulled on the body bag. Of course, he wasn’t surprised that it was empty. Taking the bag with him, he swam back up to the surface.
Once he took off his scuba equipment, he reached into his car and pulled out his cell phone. He waited patiently for his boss to pick up. He couldn’t wait to tell the news to his boss. It may be bad news for him, but it was good news for Kevin. His future looked brighter and brighter with each passing ring. After the sixth ring his boss picked up.
“Yes?”
Kevin kept his tone even, trying to hide the joy from his voice. “Sir, I’m afraid we have a problem.”
To Be Continued...
