“What do you mean, 'she was already dead?'“ He asked.
“Her body was left in a pool of blood. Someone worked her over pretty good too before they killed her,” Cyprus said.
Gene looked worried.
“You know who did it, don't you?” Cyprus asked.
“I have a good idea. Tell me, with your knowledge of forensics, how difficult will it be for the police to make an arrest?” Gene asked.
“My guess is even in this backwater they will be able to make an arrest in less than twenty-four hours,” Cyprus said.
“Damn. I was afraid of that,” Gene said.
Cyprus stood quietly while Gene paced.
“Any chance of scrubbing the scene?” Gene asked.
“Not likely. We'd probably get caught in the act if we tried it,” Cyprus answered flatly.
Gene exhaled audibly and muttered “Damn,” again as he started to pace. He also started to chew on a thumbnail.
“We have no choice. I have another assignment for you. We have to eliminate a new threat,” he said.
“Tonight?” Cyprus asked.
Gene looked at the clock. He shook his head firmly.
“It's a risk you'll have to take. You've got to get to him before the cops. I don't think he'll talk but he's never committed capital murder so openly before either,” he said.
“Sir, just who do I need to eliminate?” Cyprus asked.
“Bob Tackett. You know where he lives,” Gene said.
“Is there a method you would prefer?” Cyprus asked.
“Make it quick and as painless as possible, but make sure he dies,” Gene said, wishing he had a drink. “Take men you can trust.”
Cyprus nodded curtly and left.
Even moving as urgently as possible, it was nearly four-thirty before he and two other members of the Raven security detail were in place near the gate of the subdivision in which Tackett lived.
Since it was so late - or early depending on one's point of view - the guard shack by the gate was unmanned. Before approaching range of the security cameras, Cyprus gave the order.
“Now Liam,” as the man aimed a small object that resembled a laser pointer at metal box at the base of one of the cameras.
“Taken offline boss,” the man said.
“Your turn Chris,” Cyprus said.
The second security agent ran to the keypad and plugged in a device. He pressed a couple of buttons and the device flashed twice and the gate opened.
Ordinarily, Cyprus preferred to work alone, travel by foot, take his time, and be sure the job was done correctly. But he was in a hurry. The three got inside a dark Cadillac Escalade and rolled up to Tackett's house, where they parked in the driveway.
“Keep the motor running and watch for anything unusual. You spot something, anything, let me know immediately,” Cyprus said, tapping his ear piece and looking at the agent named Chris.
“Will do boss,” he said.
“Give me one minute. I'll go in through the back. You go in through the front. First one to him takes the shots,” Cyprus said.
“What if he's not alone?” Liam asked.
“Same plan. One in the head and two in the chest. No witnesses,” Cyprus said and then quietly bailed out of the SUV and moved with practiced stealth to the back.
Liam checked his watch.
“I don't know who this asshole is, but this isn't his night. The boss means business,” Chris said.
“All I know is I get $20, 000,” Liam said.
He waited a few more seconds and hopped out of the SUV and made his way to the door. In less than ten seconds he picked both the door lock and dead bolt and stepped inside. Liam pulled his night vision goggles down over his eyes and scanned the room. There was no movement.
He moved toward the kitchen and found it empty. As he walked out, a motion to his right caught his eye. He started to raise his weapon but quickly realized it was his boss.
“Let's move. No one's here,” Cyprus said.
“Where do we go next?” Liam asked.
“Back to the estate. We have no target,” Cyprus answered.
“Boss, we got company,” Chris said over the ear piece.
“What is it?” Cyprus asked.
“Pick-up truck, driver only. Parked behind me. Moves like a cop,” Chris said.
“Stay calm and talk to him. I'll be out in a minute,” Cyprus said and turned to Liam. “You might just collect that money after all. When I go out watch him and for anyone else.”
Smitty raised his .357 revolver quickly and pointed it at Chris, who kept both hands on the wheel. Smitty opened the door with his left hand.
“Kill the engine and step out. Who are you and what are you doing here?” He asked, without taking the weapon off of the security man.
“Are you an associate of Mr. Tackett?” A voiced called from the darkness.
Smitty glanced to his side when he heard the voice and then lunged for Chris. He spun the security man around in front of him and pointed the revolver at his head.
“Step out slowly mister or I splatter your friend's head all over my uncle's lawn.
“Your uncle?” Cyprus said as he stepped out of the darkness with both hands raised.
“You haven't answered my question. Why are you here?” Smitty repeated.
“My name is D.C. Cyprus. I'm head of security for Jack Raven's campaign. Gene Raven needs to see your uncle about a matter of grave importance - hence our presence at such a late - or early - hour,” he said, using his most sincere smile. “I have identification if you would like to see it.”
“Show me. Slowly,” Smitty said as Cyprus produced his security badge and corporate ID.
Smitty's eyes shifted from the ID to Cyprus.
“Would you release my associate now?” Cyprus asked.
Smitty uncocked the hammer and lowered the weapon.
“Sorry. I didn't know who you guys were,” he said.
Cyprus waved him off.
“No need to apologize for being cautious,” he said with another winning smile.
“What were you doin' in the house? Is Gene here?” Smitty asked hopefully.
“Why yes he is. He's in the living room. As I said, he is here on an urgent matter. Where is your uncle?” Cyprus asked.
“I figured Gene would know. He's sleeping off a drunk over at his apartment on Powell Street,” Smitty said.
“Truthfully we just got here ahead of you. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Stone City. Where is that located?” Cyprus asked.
“It's across town. Just go to Main Street, turn right onto Wilson Street and follow it to Gambrel Street and take a left. At the second intersection turn right onto Powell Street. But Gene knows the way. He can get you there easily enough,” Smitty said.
“I do believe I've heard Mr. Raven mention it before. Apartment...I'm sorry, I'm seem to have forgotten,” Cyprus said.
“Apartment 115 at Powell Ridge. So Gene's inside? I'd like to say hello,” Smitty said.
“Absolutely, follow me. Chris, start the vehicle please,” Cyprus said.
Smitty followed Cyprus into the house.
“Why are the lights off?” He asked when they stepped inside.
“Now Liam,” Cyprus said as one quick silent shot struck Smitty in the head. A second and third bullet was then fired into the chest of his prone body on the floor.
Cyprus checked his watch.
“We've got to move. We getting too close to daylight,” Cyprus said as he hurried out the door.
“What about the truck?” Chris asked.
“Liam, follow us in the truck,” Cyprus said.
Chapter Four
Tackett waited nervously for Smitty to return. He sent his nephew over to his house to retrieve some cash he kept in a floor safe in his study. But he had time to sober up a little since the shower.
The seriousness of what he faced started sinking in. The thought occurred to him that Smitty might try to pocket more than the amount he asked. T
he kid said he needed money.
“Well, he ain't getting mine,” Tackett grumbled as he grabbed his car keys.
As Tackett started to turn onto Gambrel Street, another thought occurred to him. If Smitty took some, he would go home firsthand stash it.
He cut the wheel in the opposite direction of his house - he wanted to check Smitty out first.
Thirty seconds after his tail lights disappeared from sight, a pick-up truck and an SUV turned onto Powell Street.
Mae Hatmaker heard a noise next door. Hearing noises at that house wasn't unusual at any hour of the day or night. That awful Bob Tackett was likely the rudest and crudest man she had ever known.
Always drinking, always loud, and women - the number of women that kept company with him.
Although 82 years old, Mae lived alone. Her beloved Harold passed away twenty years ago after a massive heart attack. Her beloved Frank died ten years before that, also from a massive heart attack.
She divorced her first husband, George, but kept an again, off again relationship with him for years until he was killed in fluke accident involving a state highway department mower.
Tackett reminded her of George in many ways — especially when he was drunk.
When she heard the vehicle pull up, she slipped to the window to look out. She saw a man get out of the dark SUV and go around back. A few seconds later, another man got out of the vehicle and went in through the front door.
Neither of them were Tackett. They were too quiet and too respectful. She continued to watch and saw the pick-up truck pull in behind the SUV. She recognized the truck. It was a younger man, someone Tackett knew - a deputy. He had been there many times.
Mae watched as he pulled a gun and got a third man out of the SUV. She couldn't hear the words but saw the younger man talking to a man who had been in the house. She couldn't see his face.
Mae toyed with the idea of calling the police, but since a deputy was there she didn't think it necessary. She breathed a sigh of relief when the deputy out his gun away and walked inside. She was almost ready to go back to bed when two men came out and one got in the deputy's truck. Both vehicles left and she didn't see the deputy leave.
Curious, even for Tackett's house.
She shook her head and went back to bed. Mae was almost asleep when she heard a third vehicle pull into the driveway and heard the garage door opening.
She got up and saw Tackett get out of his car before the garage door closed.
“Lousy drunk,” Mae said as she went back to bed, now too irritated to sleep. She thought about going over there and giving him a piece of her mind but in his drunken state, he wouldn't remember.
Besides, she had tried arguing with him before and it always ended with him slamming the door in her face.
While she stewed about Tackett, she heard the garage door opening again.
For the third time in less than an hour Mae was back at the window. She saw Tackett's vehicle fly out of the garage in reverse. It went off of the driveway and into the lawn and peeled away with a loud screech as it left skid marks on the street.
“That does it!” Mae said as she went to the phone to report a drunk driver in her neighborhood.
***
When Tackett got out of his car he closed the garage door. If the old bitty next door was asleep, maybe the noise would wake her up he thought to himself with a sneer.
He unlocked the door that led from the garage to the kitchen and walked inside.
He flipped on the kitchen light and walked toward his den. He turned the light on in there as well. Everything seemed to be in place.
Tackett approached the safe which was hidden in the floor behind his desk. He quickly worked the combination, turned the handle, and pulled the door open.
To his surprise, there did not appear to be any money missing. Along with several deeds, vehicle titles, and stock certificates was his Ruger .357 magnum revolver.
“Lazy ass kid. No wonder he can't keep a job,” Tackett muttered as he pondered his next move. He needed some cash to give his attorney to make the wheels of justice roll his way. There was a time when $10,000 would have gotten him out of anything. He attributed the increase to the cost of living and the greed of judges. Figuring on $50,000 as a likely amount he started to pull the stacks of $100 bills out and realized he would need something in which to carry them.
Leaving the safe door open he left the den to go find an overnight bag for the cash. He turned on a light in the hallway and walked into the living room. Tackett remember there was a bag in the closet near the door. Just before he got to the closet, he saw Smitty's lifeless body and the terrible wounds in his head along with the blood and tissue splatter on the wall near the closet.
He began to tremble as fear chilled his very soul. Tackett started to scream before the sudden onset of nausea struck. He dropped to his knees and dry heaved several times. His hangover claimed the contents of his stomach hours before, save for the beer he had before his shower.
Shaking from fear and sickness, Tackett crawled to the closet door and pulled out the black leather overnight bag. He forced himself to his feet and drug his suddenly heavy legs back to the den.
He grabbed the revolver and a box of shells before he started quickly tossing stacks of bills into the bag.
His plan was to lay low for as long as he could and then make his way out of the country. Tackett knew Gene was pissed and tying up loose ends. He also knew he had enough in offshore accounts to live like a king in Latin America.
With the revolver tucked inside waistband, he ran back out to the garage and started his car. The garage door barely time to open before he threw the car on reverse and took off.
***
When Cyprus and his men arrived at the apartment complex, Cyprus told Chris to circle the block slowly. If they needed him sooner, he would call. Liam parked the truck in the first available slot.
Cyprus was waiting for him as soon as he stepped out of the truck.
“Nothing cute. We go in and put a few slugs in him and leave,” Cyprus said.
“Understood,” Liam said.
The two of them rushed through the parking lot and found the right apartment. Once again Liam had the lock picked in less than ten seconds. He looked up at Cyprus, who lowered his night vision goggles and nodded.
Liam pushed the door open and Cyprus rushed inside, gun drawn. Liam followed with his Glock 9mm at the ready.
The small house reeked of alcohol. The
Living room/kitchen area was clear.
Cyprus gestured for Liam to check the bathroom in the hall. He did and quickly emerged, shaking his head. Cyprus looked at the bedroom door on the right. He slowly opened the door and walked in. The bed was made and the room looked empty. He carefully but quickly searched the room.
It was empty.
Again he looked at Liam and sent him back up the hall in the event Tackett was hiding and waiting to sneak put under their noses.
Cyprus slowly opened the door for the second bedroom. The bed there too unmade and this room appeared to empty as well. Frustration started to eat at Cyprus.
“Sweep the house,” he said into his cuff mic.
“Copy that,” Liam said as opened the door to the linen closet. The closet in the bathroom as well as any other possible hiding places returned the same result - empty.
“He isn't here,” Liam said.
Dejected and breathing a little harder, Cyprus agreed.
“We've got to move. It will be daylight soon,” he said in disgust.
***
Beau was the first person in the CID Office. He put on a pot of coffee and sat down at his computer. While waiting for it to boot, he reflected on the night before. He had a tough time sleeping. Haley's smile lingered in his thoughts.
Beau felt like kicking himself. He was acting like a teenager. They were both adults and adults who worked together. His thoughts shouldn't be dominated by her, but Haley was different.
He didn't k
now her well but he knew her well enough to know she possessed strong character, forged in tragedy and tempered with her will to move forward. She reminded him of Teri in some ways but in others, Haley was so different. He had never known anyone quite like her. Beau's thoughts came back to the task at hand and he clicked on the folder with the overnight reports.
Nothing really out of the ordinary. A couple of public intoxications, three speeding citations, and — his eyes went wide.
“4:46 a.m. — Complaint of a drunk driver in Barkley Hills Subdivision. Mae Hatmaker of 116 Greenbriar Road, complained that her neighbor Bob Tackett was driving reckless in a red Chevy Blazer through their subdivision. Unit 339 responded to the scene but could not locate vehicle or driver.”
Before Beau could process what he read the door opened and he was greeted by Haley's smiling face.
“Good morning,” she said cheerily.
Beau smiled by reflex.
“Good morning Haley. I want to apologize for keeping you up so late,” he said.
“You didn't. I just got so wrapped in our conversation I couldn't tear away from it,” she said.
“Don't wave off the apology just yet. I have a feeling we're gonna have a busy day. Take a look at this,” he said gesturing to the monitor.
She stepped around behind the desk and leaned over, placing her left hand on his right shoulder. He caught a whiff of her perfume and felt his heart rate speed up.
“I have a feeling you're right,” she said as Marcus walked in.
He had a surprised grin on his face when he saw her leaning over Beau's shoulder.
“I guess I'm the lazy one today,” he said. “What's going on?”
“I think Smitty told his uncle what's getting ready to come down. I can't say I'm surprised,” Beau said gesturing to the monitor.
Marcus stepped around and looked over Beau's left shoulder.
“Somethings gotten into him alright,” Marcus said.
“Let me check my e-mail. Hopefully we'll have some kind of notification from the lab in Knoxville,” Haley said as she went to her desk.
Beau walked over to the coffee pot.
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