Next Move, You're Dead - Book 1 of the Next Move, You're Dead Trilogy

by Linda L Barton

  “Damn it, I need to get out of here and cool down,” he growled as he stormed out to his car.

  John had never been so angry in his entire life. First, the cases were not as they appeared, and now Erebus was trying to make him question Kathy’s loyalty.

  “Kathy would never hide something as important like that from me. It’s a lie; he’s just trying to throw me off,” he groaned.

  John hated this feeling. To question Kathy’s loyalty was unimaginable to John.

  I need to clear my head and quit letting that asshole get under my skin! John fought his growing doubts, but the voice kept whispering in the back of his mind.

  John found himself trapped in a thick fog with only the faces of each piece of The Game forming his mind. He had lost complete track of time, or even where he was when he suddenly looked up and realized he was at Leo’s Pub. A feeling of guilt washed over him when he realized he had no memory of the drive from his house.

  “Crap, I need to get to the bottom of this before I do something stupid.”

  John got out of his car and walked inside, wanting nothing more than to escape this nightmare.

  “Well, what a pleasant surprise! Come over here and have a seat,” Leo motioned to John, inviting him to come to the bar where he was mixing some drinks.

  “Are you all right? Damn, you look like you’ve had a crappy day.” Once Leo finished mixing the drinks, he placed them on the countertop.

  “Thanks, as a matter of fact, I have. I sure could use a pick-me-up,” John walked to the bar and sat on the stool in front of Leo.

  “Of course, but are you sure you ought to be starting this early?” Leo teased.

  “This is a bar, isn’t it? I’m here for one reason, and it’s not for you to tell me how I’m drinking too early in the day. Now set me up; I am in no mood to visit today. I need to think.”

  “Sure thing, hey, I am sorry for overstepping my boundaries. I just know that your wife...” the look on John’s face let Leo know he had indeed done just that.

  John cut him off, “My wife has nothing to say about whether or not I decide to have a drink. I’m a grown man and if I want a drink then by God, I will! So, if you have a problem with my being here, I’ll find a new watering hole!”

  John wanted to be left alone. He wanted to think and unwind with a drink. John was not mad at Leo; he was just tired of feeling out of control of his life. A few days ago, he was the master of his destiny, but now he felt like a mouse, waiting for the cat to pounce and devour him. Being out of control was something John could not stomach, so he needed someone to aim his anger at, and Leo was a perfect target.

  “I’m sorry Leo; I’m just having a rough week. I need a place to relax and think. I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you.”

  “Hey, no problem; I understand. Here take this it’s on the house. Go have a seat, and I’ll make sure no one bothers you.” Leo handed John a bottle of his favorite whiskey, with a shot glass.

  John smiled at Leo feeling like a total ass for the way he had acted. He thanked Leo, grabbed the bottle and shot glass then walked to the table in the back corner of the bar.

  Damn, I need to get myself under control, or I’ll never solve this mess. Here’s to stopping that arrogant asshole from killing anyone else.

  John held the shot glass up to his lips, noticing the enticing smell and amber color of its contents. He closed his eyes and in one swallow, emptied its contents. After a few more shots of the whiskey, John mulled over the conversation from the earlier telephone call.

  There is no way Kathy did anything with the investigation after Ray’s death. She was working at the shelter at the time, besides why, would the department include her? If she had offered her opinion in the investigation, she would have told me. John closed his eyes, trying to force the thought out of his mind.

  Kathy was the most honest person John had ever known, and she never said she believed he caused Ray’s death. However, everything said since the beginning of The Game has turned out to be true.

  A sickening feeling washed over John, What if he’s telling the truth? What if Kathy did keep the truth from me? What if she does believe I caused Ray’s death, and then helped in a cover-up?

  The more John thought about it, the more he drank, and the more he drank, the angrier he became.

  Has my entire marriage been a lie? She has said how sad it is Ray’s son will grow up without his father. Maybe that’s a hidden code to let me know she believes it was my fault.

  Everything swirled around in John’s head, and before he knew it, the bottle was empty.

  “Well, there’s only one way to know for sure,” he groaned, pushing the empty bottle aside.

  John knew he would not rest until he looked for the report himself.

  “Leo, thank you for the drinks, but I need to go.” John stood, but the floor seemed to move under his feet making him grab the table for support.

  “Hey, are you sure you’re okay? Do you need me to call a cab?” Leo reached for the telephone.

  “No, I’m fine; I just stood too fast. I’ll see you later,” John steadied himself, and then carefully walked out the door.

  Leo watched John as he walked outside. “I sure hope he’s not in trouble.”

  Once John disappeared out the door, Leo poured another drink and placed it on the tray for the waitress.

  Chapter 21

  Lies and the Cover-up

  By the time John pulled into his driveway, the anger burning inside of him had turned into rage.

  How dare Kathy interfere in my career, and then keep it from me. She had better hope this isn’t true!

  ***

  The drive home was nothing but a blur of burning fury. Once John parked in the driveway, he stumbled out of his car; dropping his keys.

  “Shit, what the hell is wrong with me, I didn’t have that much to drink!” After picking up his keys, John glanced around, wondering if any of his neighbors was watching him.

  John knew he had plenty to drink, but he did not want to admit he was foolish and was drunk again. He steadied himself then went inside the house, straight to Kathy’s office.

  John reached for the light switch then paused a moment. It has to be a lie. I’ve trusted her since the day I met her.

  John wondered if he was acting a fool, but the doubt kept growing in his mind.

  Why am I allowing some sick son-of-a-bitch make me question her honesty?

  John knew there was only one way to settle this issue, and that was to look for himself.

  He turned on the light in her office, and then sat at her desk. John marveled at how organized it was with everything neatly in its place. He had never looked in her desk before, so he felt as though he was invading her private space.

  John sat for a moment, wondering what he should do. Do I really want to look in this drawer?

  He knew she would never intentionally do anything to hurt him, but why did he feel the need to know if she betrayed him?

  John reached for the middle drawer. He held his breath as he slowly opened it, and then looked beneath the stack of folders. What he saw lying there nearly knocked him out of the chair. Tucked safely away was a folder neatly marked JOHN COOPER, just as Erebus had told him.

  John’s hands shook with such force he could barely grasp the folder as he pulled it out of the drawer. The sight of it in his hand caused pain to surge through his body like a sharp dagger headed straight for his heart.

  At first, he thought of returning the folder to its hidden place and just forget about it. Unfortunately, he found himself transfixed on the unopened folder, unable to release his grasp.

  A voice from deep inside of John’s mind cried out, warning him not to open the folder. For if he were to do so, he would release a demon from the pits of hell that would appear to destroy him for exposing its contents.

  John braced himself, hoping for the best as he opened the folder. However, what he fou
nd inside; shook his world to its very core. He found evaluation forms about his actions regarding Ray’s death. There were handwritten notes by Kathy and Tom, clearly showing their belief in his guilt, and their desire to cover up his actions.

  John’s heart raced as he read their words. They both believe I was at fault for not waiting for backup to arrive.

  The notes went on to state clearly his decision not to wait had led to Ray’s death. What was worse, they had both conspired to cover up the facts to save his career.

  John felt sucker-punched and found it difficult to breathe. In one of the notes, Kathy had written she would never stay with a man who had caused the death of his partner because of a personal quest for glory. Kathy had said she would do anything to make sure the investigation cleared John of all wrongdoing. Kathy also wrote she had worked too hard to get where she was, and even though she loved John, she was not going to let him ruin her career because he wanted to be a hero.

  John was devastated. To learn his entire marriage was nothing but a lie was difficult to accept.

  You never believed in me. Your only concern was about you and your career. I’ve been a fool to trust you all these years, Kathy. I must admit you played your part in this deception very well, though. He began to put the folder back in the drawer when he heard a car pull up in the driveway. He stood, and walked to the front window. “Ah, perfect timing.”

  Chapter 22

  Trouble Starts at Home

  Kathy landed in Philadelphia at seven o’clock that evening. She was glad the flight was over because she was exhausted. The only flight available had two layovers, which made it a long and miserable trip home.

  Kathy did not understand how things could have fallen apart in the short time since she left, and she wondered why John had not told her of his suspension. They had always been honest with each other no matter what, so none of this made any sense to her.

  Kathy knew this latest case had been hard on John, and he had spent many a sleepless night worrying about when they would find the next victim. She knew every time they found another body; John would blame himself for not stopping the killer. However, with the arrest, why he would continue to believe the killer was still out there?

  John had never been one to doubt strong evidence, so why would he begin now. What made him question the findings, but more importantly, what drove him to start drinking again?

  After everything he had gone through after Ray’s death, John had promised he would never drink heavily again. He had also promised her he would only drink wine on special occasions as he had on their recent anniversary.

  ***

  On the cab ride from the airport, Kathy thought of how to approach John with her concerns. A feeling of dread overcame her when the cab turned down her street.

  “My house is the second one on the right. That’s it; please pull in next to the car in the driveway.”

  Relieved to see John was home, Kathy wanted to get inside the house as soon as possible. How much do I owe you?”

  “It will be $37.52,” the driver said as he reached to open his door.

  “Here’s $50, keep the change.” Kathy handed him the money and quickly stepped out of the car.

  “Thank you. Would you like me to carry your luggage to the door for you?”

  “No, thank you. Please just set it on the sidewalk; I will take it from there.” She tucked her purse under her arm and followed him to the rear of the car.

  The driver retrieved her luggage from the trunk and set it on the sidewalk. He asked again if she needed any help carrying it inside, but she refused. She thanked the cab driver again, gathered her luggage, and walked to the front door.

  Kathy’s mind replayed the message left at the motel earlier. I sure hope everything is all right, and this is all a big misunderstanding. She was fumbling with her keys when the door suddenly swung open with John standing there.

  “Oh my goodness, you startled me! Oh, good, you’re still up. I was worried you might already be in bed.”

  Kathy was relieved he was awake. The last thing, she wanted, was to wait to find out what was going on.

  “What are you doing home this early? I thought you wouldn’t be home for a couple of days. Did something happen?” John played it cool, as he reached for her luggage.

  “I know, but something came up, and I thought I should come home.” She looked at him trying to read his mood, but he held his emotions well.

  John seemed unusually calm, but she did notice a strange look in his eyes. “Did something happen at your office with one of your cases, and why didn’t you call to let me know you were coming back early? I would’ve picked you up at the airport.”

  John fought to conceal his anger. He knew she was lying to him. So, you wanted to sneak home and catch me screwing up, huh? Well, you’re in for a little surprise yourself!

  Kathy searched her mind for a believable excuse as to why she needed to return early, but she merely stood there, not sure of what to say.

  John was waiting for this opening. “Maybe you came home to do more of this?” He held up the folder he had found in her desk. “I cannot believe you would betray me like this! You’ve been lying to me all these years!” He forced the folder into her hands.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about; I never betrayed you. What’s this?” Kathy’s hands shook as she turned the folder to see it better in the light.

  “Oh, that is rich, Kathy! It was inside your desk drawer, nice and neatly tucked away. I have to admit it was interesting reading and quite informative. I love the part where you were worried about how my mistake could ruin your career. I never realized I married such a deceiving bitch!” John’s eyes burned into her, forcing her to step back.

  Kathy could not understand why he was so upset, but then she caught a whiff of his breath. He’s drinking whiskey again, and judging by his behavior, quite a lot of it.

  “John, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re drunk, and not thinking clearly. It’s not my folder. I have no idea what this is, or where it came from.” Kathy held it out for him, but he shoved it back at her.

  “You’re lying! I trusted you, and now I learn you’ve been lying to me all these years. Besides, so what if I’m drunk! I’m a grown man, and if I want a couple of drinks, I will damn well have them! I’m not making any of this up; the proof of your betrayal is right there in your hands!”

  “I can’t believe you’re going to stand there and tell me you’ve only had a couple of drinks. You’ve had more than a couple, and from what I hear, you’ve been doing it quite often since I left. You should’ve told me you got suspended from work. What’s wrong with you, John?”

  Kathy fought to hold back her tears. She just could not understand why he was acting this way. There was no question; John must be in trouble, and it made him turn to drinking again.

  “My job is none of your damn business. So, who called you: Tom? I bet you two are having a great time with this, aren’t you? Well, sweetie, I’ll try not to do anything to jeopardize your precious career,” the sarcasm dripped from his lips.

  Kathy could no longer hold back her tears. “John, I don’t understand what has you upset. Please, can we just sit and discuss this? I love you, and I would never do anything to hurt you.” She reached out for him, but he jerked away from her.

  “To be honest, I don’t have anything more to say to you. In fact, I don’t want to be anywhere near you. With the way, I’m feeling right now; it would be best if I were as far away from you as possible.”

  John knew if he did not leave immediately, things could very easily get out of control. He shoved her aside without saying another word and stormed out of the door toward his car.

  “Wait, you cannot leave like this, please, John, stay! We need to get this straightened out!” Kathy cried out.

  John got into his car and backed out of the driveway so quickly he had nearly hit t
he mailbox across the street. Kathy stood transfixed and watched him drive away into the darkness.

  “What just happened?”

  Kathy looked down at the folder still in her hand. “What could be inside this to set him off the way it did?”

  She clutched the folder to her breast then walked inside the house. Kathy wanted to learn what had caused John’s rage.

  However, what she found inside took her completely by surprise. “Where did you get this, John?”

  When she finished reading the entire report, Kathy closed the folder and reached for the telephone. She knew it was late, but there was no choice. “Tom, I’m sorry to call you so late, but we need to talk.”

  Chapter 23

  The Downhill Spiral

  John was furious. How could Kathy stand there and deny everything? When the cab had pulled up in the driveway, he could not believe the perfect timing.

  Kathy, you may think you’ve fooled me, but I’m on to you now! All those years I trusted you, but no longer. You have crossed a line of which there is no forgiveness.

  John thought back to the times Kathy had supported him when his job seemed to close in around him, but now he knew it had all been a lie.

  ***

  All John wanted at this time was to be far away from Kathy and her lies. When he left her standing in the doorway, he drove away, unaware of where he was going until a large dog ran into the path of his car. He swerved to miss it, and then slid off the road into a ditch.

  “Great, this is all I need now,” John groaned.

  He steadied himself and then climbed out of the car to check for any damage. He walked around the car and only noticed some slight damage to the front bumper.

  Thank God, no one was around to see that. I need to find somewhere to sleep this off before I get myself into trouble. He looked around and tried to find a familiar landmark. “Where am I?”

  He chastised himself for not paying better attention to where he was going. When he had left the house, all, he was thinking about, was his need to get away from Kathy.

  John climbed back into the car and slowly pulled back on the highway. He had only driven for a few minutes when he noticed a small, lighted sign off in the distance. “I sure hope that’s a motel because I have no idea where I am!” he laughed, feeling every bit the fool.