Shoot: A Crime Thriller (CJ Sheridan Thrillers Book 1)

by M. P. McDonald

  * * *

  “Hey, Dad. We missed you last night.” CJ scratched his shoulder as he ambled out to his dad’s kitchen. He opened a cabinet and pulled out a box of cereal. “Coco-Puffs, Dad? Really?”

  “I thought they were your favorite?” His dad looked up from the newspaper. A cup of coffee rested near his hand, and an empty yogurt container sat on the table near the other.

  “Yeah, when I was ten.”

  “Oh. Well, a box of Wheaties is in there somewhere, too.”

  “Nah, I’ll just eat the Coco-Puffs since you got them for me.” It had been years since he’d eaten the sweet chocolate cereal and now he was suddenly hungry for them. Just the sound of them hitting the bowl made his mouth water. He drowned them in milk and sat opposite his dad.

  “Sorry about my change of plans, CJ. Something came up and I couldn’t get away. So, how was dinner last night?” His dad folded the paper in half and set it aside.

  CJ hurried to swallow. “Good.” He went on to tell his dad about the steak place and what he’d ordered. “I thought it would be awkward being with them-like a third wheel, but they were nice.” It had taken CJ several weeks to get over his crush on Jessie, not that he'd ever let his dad know about the crush.

  “Yeah, they’re both great people.”

  CJ almost dropped his spoon. Great people? While he agreed with the assessment, his dad never seemed to like anyone. He took another bite of cereal. Well, that wasn’t quite true. His dad was guarded with others. Reserved. “You really like them?”

  His dad shrugged. “Of course. We’ve become pretty good friends.”

  CJ smiled slyly, full spoon poised in front of his mouth. “Speaking of friends, do you have others out here I could meet? Like, say, that woman you mentioned? Lily?” He shoveled the cereal in, digging for another spoonful as he chewed. Would his dad drop the bomb about moving now?

  His dad grimaced. “Sorry. We won’t be seeing Lily…she and I broke it off.”

  CJ set the spoon in the bowl and swallowed hard before he managed, “Aw, Dad. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” So much for his dad moving, but the relief he should have felt didn’t hit him. He was relieved, but also felt bad for his father. Whenever his dad had spoken of Lily, he had always seemed different. Younger, happier.

  “It’s okay. She was a lot of fun, but we were just too different.”

  “I never even got to meet her.”

  “Sorry.” His dad rose, rinsed his coffee cup, and tossed the empty yogurt container away. He leaned back against the counter, arms folded, apparently lost in thought.

  There was an awkward pause as CJ picked up his spoon and stirred the cereal, trying to force some puffs beneath the milk, but they kept popping back to the surface. He thought of something to change the subject, and blurted out, “Hey, Mark told me since he doesn’t need the camera any more, I could take it back to D.C. with me."

  His dad’s gaze snapped to CJ. “What? That would be stupid.”

  CJ raised his eyebrows. “You think so?” Didn’t his dad have confidence that he could do a good job with it? “I wasn’t sure, but I’ve been thinking about taking Mark up on the offer ever since he made it.”

  “That would be incredibly foolish.” His dad's mouth clamped into a hard line.

  “You think I’m foolish?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Well, yeah, you sorta did.”

  His dad shook his head. “You don’t know anything about the camera. I know you got it to work for you in D.C. and I thought that was great. I even think you could help Mark out now and then, but that's not the same as using it every day.”

  CJ swallowed down his anger and tried to reason with his dad. One thing they had stressed when he’d interned with the CIA was keeping your head. He could do that. “I know more than you think I do. I got a lot of information from Mark and Jessie when they stayed with me. You told me all about what happened to him after nine-eleven-and your part in it.” He had to get that dig in, even if he was trying to remain calm. “Despite that, Mark’s saved a lot of people over the years-thousands, I bet. I could do the same. It works for me just like it does for Mark. Why shouldn’t I use it?”

  His dad pushed away from the counter and waved a hand at CJ.“I don’t have time to discuss it now. I have to get to the office.” He stalked from the room and CJ rose to follow him, but changed his mind and returned to his chair. Just like always, his dad didn’t have time for him. Well, screw him. As an adult now, if he decided to use the camera, he certainly didn’t need his father’s okay.

  CJ's cell phone rang and he saw it was Mark. He also noted his dad’s briefcase still sitting on the counter so he knew his father would be back in the room any second to get it before leaving. He answered the phone. “Hey, Mark.”

  A moment later, his dad gave him a sharp glance as he entered the kitchen, now wearing his suit coat. He opened his briefcase and rummaged around in it. Was he stalling to hear the conversation?

  CJ pretended to ignore him and smiled at a suggestion Mark made. Perfect. “Sure, I’d love to demo the camera today. I’ll meet you at your place in thirty minutes.” He ended the call and shoved the phone in his front pocket.

  His dad snapped the case shut. “I think you’re being naive about the camera, CJ, but I guess you’ll have to figure it out for yourself that it isn’t some kind of game like one of the video games you have in your apartment.”

  CJ stood, this time unable to hide the anger. “Yeah, I have video games. So what? They don’t define me as a person any more than your baseball obsession defines you. I played the games to unwind between studying like a fiend. Do you even know I made the Dean’s List every semester? I’m not as stupid as you seem to think I am.”

  His dad sighed. “I know you’re not stupid-in fact, I’ve always known you were incredibly intelligent. Sometimes too smart for your own good.” He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “Listen, CJ, I really do have to go, but will you at least sit down with me tonight so we can discuss it more?”

  So his dad was going to make time for him? Finally? It was on the tip of his tongue to refuse the offer, but instead he shrugged and replied, “Yeah. I guess.”

  Chapter Two

  “Do you think it’ll still work for me?” CJ glanced at Mark as he squeezed off a shot of train tracks. It wasn’t the most picturesque scene, but Mark said it didn’t really matter what he was shooting-if the future photos showed up, they’d replace any of the shots he took.

  “Do you still feel the energy?”

  CJ laughed. “In spades. It zapped the shit outta me when I picked it up this morning.”

  “Well, that’s a good sign. Nobody else I know ever had that feeling-but don’t worry. You get used to that energy and it won’t startle you after a while…I mean, if you decide to keep using it.”

  CJ aimed at the Sears Tower, a few miles east. “I should go up and take pictures from the sky deck.”

  Mark laughed. “Sure, if you want to stand in line for three hours and then pay, go for it. I’ll sit that photo session out.”

  “Nah, I’m just kidding, but I bet I’d get some great shots.”

  Mark was quiet and CJ looked over his shoulder at the other man. His expression was serious as he gazed past CJ to the skyscraper. “You know, one of the bits of ‘evidence’,” he made air quotes as he said it, “they used against me back when they locked me up after nine-eleven was that I had some photos of the Sears Tower in my loft.”

  “So?”

  “The images seemed to prove that another suspect, one who had been a friend of mine, was telling the truth about me. He told the feds that I’d accepted money for taking photos of targets in Chicago.”

  CJ looked at the building in question, then down at the camera. To think that what he’d just done in all innocence could one day be turned against him, gave him pause. Would he have to second-guess everything he did from here on out if he took on the camera and all it entailed? “Wow. That’
s insane.”

  He bit his lip and wondered what else he could photograph. Could any of this be used against him someday? It didn’t seem possible, but he was sure Mark hadn’t contemplated how his actions would be interpreted after the fact. “Did you ever get a chance to beat the shit out of that guy?”

  Mark gave a short laugh. “As a matter of fact, I did. Well, kind of. We both got our licks in.”

  “I bet that felt good to get revenge.”

  “I wish, but it didn’t change the past, so it felt like a hollow victory.” Mark stared at the ground and nudged a dirty rock around with his toe. CJ sensed a lot more went on than what Mark was sharing, but he didn’t push.

  CJ mused aloud, “Wouldn’t it be great if this camera could change the past as well as the future? I could go back and fix mistakes.”

  Mark raised his head. “Don’t go there, CJ. If you start down that path of regret, you’ll find yourself going in circles.”

  Taken aback, CJ muttered, “I was just speculating, you know? I don’t have much I’d change in my own past. No regrets.”

  Mark looked away, his tone weary. “You’re young.”

  CJ kicked a stone, wishing he had something else to vent on when the rock only skittered a few yards away before hitting a clump of weeds. Why did everyone discount his thoughts and feelings just because he was young? “Yeah, I get it; I’m young and so I must be stupid.”

  “Whoa. I was thinking more about my own past and how naive I was. I always wanted to change things, but now, I wouldn’t change a thing in my past. One thing I’ve learned while using that camera is that what seems like chaos in the universe somehow sorts itself out, eventually.”

  He took the camera from CJ. “Looks like you finished off the film. Go ahead and rewind it.” He gave the camera back and ran a hand through his hair. “Listen, CJ, as strange as it sounds, everything that’s happened to me has led me to this place right here, right now. If none of it had happened, we wouldn’t know that you had the same ability as I do. How crazy is that?” Mark smiled and shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe you’ve been the reason all along. And maybe you have someone else down the line that will need you to go down a twisted road to reach him or her.”

  CJ ducked his head. Now he really did feel stupid. “I suppose. If I decide to keep the camera. My dad is against the idea.”

  “Of course he is. What sane father would want their kid to deal with all this shit?” Mark motioned with his hand. “Come on, let’s go back to my place and I’ll show you how to develop the film.”

  CJ trudged after him and climbed into Mark’s Jeep. “I don’t think that’s it. He was surprised when I told him about the CIA internship, but he didn’t tell me not to do it. That’s dangerous, too. Or it could be if I'd turned it into a career like I'd been planning.”

  “True, but your dad knows all about the CIA. It’s not an unknown entity.” Mark wove through traffic, taking a hand off the wheel to gesture to the camera. “That, on the other hand, could be a ticket to all things strange and unknown.”

  * * *

  “Just remember, the camera doesn’t change anything. It only shows you what is probable unless you do something to alter the outcome.” Mark took the photos off the line. CJ hadn’t looked at them yet, but Mark grimaced as he glanced through them. He could make out a body in at least two of the photos.

  “Right.” CJ sighed and crossed his arms. “I’m dreading telling my dad my decision. When I mentioned possibly taking the camera back home with me this morning, my dad said I was foolish.”

  Ah, so that was the problem. Mark was sure it was a miscommunication. CJ was upset more about his dad's opinion of him, but Jim’s knee-jerk reaction to keeping his son safe was to try to forbid him from doing anything dangerous. Obviously, they had some unresolved issues. He could definitely relate to that problem. Mark was certain Jim didn’t really think his son was a fool. “He said that?” Mark tilted his head, an eyebrow quirked.

  “Well, he didn’t exactly say I was foolish, but that using the camera would be foolish. I get the feeling he thinks I can’t handle it. That I’m not prepared.”

  “You’re a damn sight better prepared than I was when I figured out what was going on with the images.” Mark chuckled. “I’m just a photographer. I didn’t have any training whatsoever. It was the ultimate in on-the-job training.”

  CJ smiled. “Yeah, but you were older.”

  “What does that have to do with it? I was about ten years older than you, but you’re still an adult. You’ve graduated college. Hell, people younger than you are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, so age isn’t a factor.”

  CJ’s shoulders straightened. “That’s true.”

  “And you’re in good shape and let me tell you, you’re going to need to be. Sometimes I’m running around like a lunatic trying to get everything done.”

  “I took karate from age seven all through high school.”

  “Really? Well, you’re already better qualified than I am.” Mark smiled when CJ laughed. “No, I’m serious. I think I had one fight in my entire life before I had this camera and that was with a guy on the football team. We were both in full pads so needless to say, we didn’t do much damage to each other. But it’s not like I have to go around fighting people all the time anyway. In fact, mostly it’s just a matter of timing.”

  “Hey, will you grab my drink from the kitchen?” Mark took the photos out to the coffee table. He wondered if he’d dream these or if they were just for CJ?

  CJ went to the breakfast bar and retrieved both their drinks. “I’ve never used karate out in the real world-just in tournaments and stuff. I gave up competing when I went to college, but I still practice once in awhile.”

  “I bet it’s still there if you need it. Like riding a bike. And from what I remember, you were a pretty good shot with a gun.” Looking at these images, he thought that particular skill might come in handy. He took a deep breath and gestured to the photos lined up. There were four of them in total. “Here you go. This illustrates exactly why I do my own developing.”

  CJ’s gaze darted to the images and his face drained of color. “Shit.” Eyes wide, he sat on the edge of the recliner and leaned forward, scanning the pictures. “That’s a woman. A dead woman. An…an almost naked dead woman.”

  “Yep.”

  “And I have to stop it.” It wasn’t quite a question.

  “That’s up to you. You don’t have to do anything. It’s not like you’re gonna murder her.”

  “No, I’ll stop it…I just have to think a minute.” CJ took a long drink of water and then blew out a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he opened them, he appeared calm as he slid the photos in front of him.

  “I just have to study them for clues. Like here, there’s a trash receptacle in the background. I can’t quite see what’s in it, but it looks like a lot of small boxes-like fast food boxes for burgers. This could be behind a fast food place.” He looked at Mark. “Do you have a pad of paper and one of those things you use to look at photos to see them better?”

  “A loupe.” Mark reached over to the end table. He had kept them there when he used the camera for the very same reasons CJ wanted them.

  “Yeah. A loupe.”

  Mark handed him the items and sat back, offering suggestions only when asked. Damn, this kid was already handling it better than he had in the beginning.

  “You know, the pictures have a lot of clues, but the images-it’s like they’re too close to the victim. I wish I had a wide shot so I could see what’s surrounding the area where she’s killed. Even if it was just a clock or something in the background. There’s nothing here except what she looks like and how she dies.”

  “How did she die?” Mark had figured it out from the bruises around the woman’s throat, but he wanted to see if CJ had noticed them.

  “I think he strangled her. See the bruises here?” He pointed them out and Mark nodded.

  “Of course, we can’t see her back.” CJ propp
ed his arm on his knee and rubbed his chin as he scanned the photos a bit more. “She could have a bullet hole or knife wound we can’t see, but I don’t notice any blood around her, except a little on her face, around her mouth.” He tapped the first photo near the woman’s lips. “I bet he came up behind her and covered her mouth with his hand. See how she has blood smudged around it? And I think it looks like she has blood on her teeth, too.”

  Mark studied the woman’s face. “Could be.”

  After several minutes, CJ set the photos aside. “Now what do I do?” He stood and crossed to the window, looking out for a few minutes. Mark allowed him some time to contemplate the scenario. It was a lot to take in.

  CJ turned and came back to glance at the photos again. He repeated the cycle more than once, as if every time he left the photos, he thought of something new he needed to check out. He shrugged and spread his hands. “Any suggestions?”

  “Well, for situations like this, I do a search on the Internet to see if there have been any similar cases. Sometimes there’s a pattern, but mostly it’s something isolated. Or you see if there are any missing person cases matching the description of your body in the photos.”

  “My body? She’s not just a body. She had a life, and-” He pivoted in front of Mark, his eyes narrowed. “She still has a life.”

  Mark pinched the bridge of his nose, wishing he could have a do-over and re-word that last observation. Maybe he had been doing this too long. Was he becoming jaded? “I know, CJ. Sorry. That sounded colder than I intended.”

  CJ bit his lip as he shook his head. “No, I’m just an idiot. I knew what you meant. I’m just kind of freaking out and I feel like I need to go do something, but I can’t yet.”

  “That’s the perfect reaction. It’s what you need to push you through these scenarios. If you weren’t meant to do this, you’d be high tailing it in the other direction. Now, just sit and relax. Besides, your pacing is bugging the crap out of me.” He waved to the chair and was glad when CJ sat, although the guy looked poised to jump back to his feet any second.