There Was a Crooked Man: A Psychological Thriller
Page 35
Tim slid past the garage, staying low and looking for the line bringing wi-fi into the house. Seeing it attached low and entering a basement window, he removed wire snippers from his bag and snipped the ethernet cord. With that problem fixed, he hurried toward the kitchen door.
It had been a miserable day. Jack couldn’t get his head wrapped around his situation and had no idea where he was going to go or how he would survive. The alcohol kept him numb, and he headed toward the kitchen for more whiskey.
Halfway across the darkened room, Jack caught movement outside the window and stopped. Squinting, he could barely make out a form by the backdoor.
Jack reached over, grabbed the knife off the counter, and pushed himself against the wall by the door. He could hear tools working the lock and raised the knife, ready to strike.
The door clicked open, and a man walked through.
Jack’s knife arced and found its mark. The intruder dropped to the floor with a loud thud. His breath gurgled out as he clawed at the blade, plunged deep within his chest.
Jack barely had time to register what had happened when he heard the front door open. Ronnie Kane’s unmistakable voice called out, “Tim? Did you get him?”
Jack’s survival instincts kicked in, and he raced for the stairs, catching sight of Ronnie. The streetlights showed a hint of silver in the right hand.
Gun! Jack’s brain screamed and took the stairs two at a time. Jack slid into his bedroom and heard Ronnie pounding up the stairs. Shit! I’m trapped. Jack looked around frantically for a weapon and spied Katie’s candlestick on the corner table. The only thing of hers I ever liked. Grabbing it, Jack stayed just inside the door, waiting for the right moment.
As Ronnie reached the top landing, Jack sprang forward and swung his weapon, connecting with a sickening thwack. Ronnie fell backward, thumping down the stairs, the gun clattering alongside him. Jack rushed after him, reaching the bottom at almost the same time. He struck two more times until Ronnie laid unmoving.
Jack flipped on the foyer light and stood, looking at Ronnie’s bludgeoned face and the pool of blood around his head. Jack sank to the floor and turned off the light. He didn’t want to see, and sure as hell couldn’t have neighbors looking in either.
Jack crawled to the kitchen, identifying Tim Kane, bloodied and dead just inside the door. “Fuck.” Now what? The action had sobered Jack up, and his mind whirled with scenarios.
Do I get rid of the bodies? Call the police and report a break-in? No, these are the Kane brothers, and I’m associated. I’m screwed. Charges against Jack flittered across his brain: Fraud. Bribery, Double murder.
“This is all because of you, Katie!” he screamed and staggered back toward the foyer. “What am I going to do?” His toe kicked the gun, and Jack picked it up and put it in his pocket without thinking.
“I’ve got to get out of here.” He ran up the stairs, changed his clothes, and grabbed the suitcase he’d filled earlier. Snatching the bottle of Jack Daniels on his way out, Jack pulled Tim’s body into the kitchen and exited.
He spent hours driving aimlessly, brooding, and pounding drinks. His fist slammed the steering wheel, and he lit another cigarette. He remembered Katie’s hearing started at ten and made his way towards the courthouse. Finding a parking space nearby, he slouched low in the driver’s seat, waiting for her to arrive.
On Tuesday morning, Katie was on her way to the courthouse for what she hoped the last time.
A horde of reporters thronged the steps and walkways in front of the building, cameras, and microphones ready. A hum of excitement carried across the crowd as journalists spied the police car approaching.
The cruiser parked, and a guard exited, helping Katie out of the backseat. Montgomery hurried over to walk beside her, while extra police officer, pushed journalists back, clearing the way for Katie.
Questions came from all directions.
“Kathryn, will you plead guilty to reduce your sentence?”
“Has there been a plea bargain?”
“Mrs. Werner, tell us what you feel.”
“Katie? Katie-girl!” a sing-song voice called from the crowd. Katie turned to find her Aunt Susan waving frantically.
Katie released her first smile of the day. A whole entourage from Bluff Creek was with Susan. Don, Maggie, and Nick were clumped together. Colleen and Tanja stood nearby, their arms linked. Katie’s spirits lifted. It’s going to be all right.
Nick began walking through the crowd, keeping pace with Katie. Don followed him for a bit, then realized he couldn’t keep up with Nick’s long stride.
A disheveled man pushed through the crowd, a cap pulled low over his forehead, and his right hand firmly in his jacket pocket. The hurried pace caught Don’s attention. Is that Jack? Don moved closer, following him on instinct.
The man shoved his way to the front of the crowd, getting in front of Katie and the guard.
Katie saw the man and recognized him as Jack. She took in the five-day beard, and the red-rimmed eyes and began to shake.
Seeing Katie’s shocked face, Jack reacted, yanking Ronnie Kane’s pistol out of his pocket.
Don, close behind, caught the glint, and reacted without thinking, propelling himself toward Jack.
Jack pulled the trigger, and the sound reverberated in the confined space between the courthouse and other buildings. The impact had Katie screaming and falling sideways.
As he was ready to fire again, Jack was tackled from behind and fell to the ground. A second shot went off, and all hell broke loose. Reporters screamed and stampeded over one another to get out of the way.
Jack landed on the concrete near Katie, and her brain struggled to make sense of Don Connelly, lying on top of Jack, motionless. Blood seeped out from underneath the two men.
Nick ran into the mix, leaping over and around anyone who was in his way. Taking in the scene as fast as he could, Nick saw Katie move and beelined for his dad. Maggie was right behind Nick, screaming, “Don! Oh My God! Don”
Nick reached his dad, pulling him off Jack. Don blinked twice, then wrapped his arms around Nick. “I’m okay. Go to Katie!”
Police had already dropped to defensive positions, and their own guns were drawn.
“Shooter!” One Cop yelled.
“Everybody down!”
“Lockdown the courthouse!”
With just two feet between them, Jack and Katie’s eyes met and held one last time. As the life-light began to fade from Jack’s eyes, Katie looked at him unblinkingly and whispered, “There was a crooked man…”
It was the last thing Jack heard.
Legs and arms and people and voices were suddenly all around Katie, and she could no longer see Jack. The scene was mayhem and unfolded in slow motion. She was a spectator watching a movie, distanced and not wanting to accept it as reality.
“Katie! Are you all right?” Montgomery shouted in her ear.
Katie’s guard crouched down, putting pressure on Katie’s wound. “Are you hit anywhere else?” He asked, examining her as fast as possible.
Katie shook her head. “What happened to Jack?”
“He’s down. Hang on. We’ve got an ambulance on the way.”
The siren’s wail grew louder until it became the only focus in her world.
Nick and Colleen tried to get to Katie, but police, unsure who was who and whether there were other shooters, shoved them backward, “Stay down!”
Paramedics ran into the melee, whisking Katie into an ambulance. Two more emergency personnel lifted a bloodied Jack onto another stretcher and covered him with a blanket. Seeing his lifeless body, Katie sobbed. “Oh, Jack. What have you done?”
Hours later, a panic-stricken group filled a tiny waiting room at the hospital, anxious for news concerning Katie. A police officer sat outside, keeping the hallway clear of journalists and curiosity seekers.
The doctor came out and shared the results. “She’s doing fine. She took a bullet to the shoulder, but the surgery went well. Sh
e’s resting now and should be able to see visitors soon.” Looking at the size of the group, the doctor amended his statement, “Three at a time.”
When they were allowed, Nick, Aunt Susan and Maggie rushed down the hall and into Katie’s room. Nick was the first one through the door, grabbing Katie in a fierce hug.
“Easy there.” She grimaced and put her hand on her left shoulder.
Nick released her. “God. I’m sorry. I just need to touch you. Jesus, Katie!” He ran frantic hands through his hair.
Aunt Susan pushed forward and kissed Katie’s cheek. “Oh, baby girl. Are you all right?”
Katie squeezed Aunt Susan’s hand with all her might. “I am now.”
Maggie hung back, giving Susan time. When she couldn’t wait any longer, Maggie stepped forward, running her hands down Katie’s hair. “Oh, my God. Katie. I’m so glad you’re all right. You know Jack is gone?”
Katie nodded, and fresh tears rolled down her cheek. “He got two shots off—one at me, and the other struck him high in the abdomen when Don tackled him.” Her voice shook, “How could it have come to this?”
Nick and Susan refused to leave Katie’s side, and the rest of the group came in two at a time, defying the doctor’s rule.
Colleen and Tanja came in, talking fast, “They had us on lockdown for thirty minutes, and we had no idea if you were okay.”
“No one would tell us anything and even took our cell phones.”
“God! We were so scared!” Tanja admitted.
Don and Montgomery entered the room next, and Katie smiled at Don, “My hero.”
“No kidding,” Nick shook his head, “I couldn’t believe it. I see this guy jumping on Jack, and then I realized it’s Dad.”
Don grinned. “Old man’s still got some moves, huh?”
“You’ll be telling this story for years, won’t you?” Katie asked
“And it will get bigger and more dangerous with each telling, too,” Nick laughed but kept his arm slung around Don’s shoulder, ensuring himself all was well.
Don approached Katie, “Don’t even think about blaming yourself. This was Jack’s doing, not yours. Katie.”
Montgomery jumped into the conversation, “Damn straight. There isn’t a judge in the world that won’t grant you a reduced sentence and set you free. Anyone can see the Bastard was deranged, and you did whatever was necessary to escape.”
The house in Forsyth Park was searched, The Kane brothers' bodies removed, the computer hauled away, and the surveillance tapes confiscated. It would take longer to complete the corruption and murder investigation than to dispose of Jack Werner. No autopsy was necessary, and his body was released on Thursday.
A private graveside funeral was conducted on Saturday morning. Three people attended: Jack’s boss Barry, and Fred and Sylvia Werner. Jack’s mom cried. His dad did not.
It took another week to unravel the paperwork, get statements, release Katie from the hospital, and set up the new court date.
Katie arrived with Montgomery and Nick. She’d asked everyone else to wait at home. She was tired of seeing the faces of the people she loved on television.
Judge Knowles nodded as District Attorney Steven DeWitt read the reduced charges. “If all parties agree, I do too, except for the part requiring community service. In this court’s opinion, Kathryn Werner has been through enough. Case closed.”
The gavel banged once, but this time, Katie didn’t jump. Instead, she turned to find Nick.
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to my friends and family, who listened to me as I tried to put all these pieces and parts together into a believable story. Thank you to my mom Deanne Heitkamp, my life-long friend Karen Pemberton, and writing partner Larry Scott who read pages and pages then offered clarity and advice. Thank you to my five special readers who slogged through the manuscript and gave feedback. Thank you to my husband, John, who not only helped me write the details of the vehicle breaking down in this story, but put up with my thousand-mile stares, and less than focused evenings as I thought through changes and edits. Thank you to my children, who are always my champions. I hope the end result makes you as proud of me, as I am of you.
Katrina lives in Westfield Center, Ohio, with her husband, John. They are blessed that their three children, Michael, Spencer, and Deanna
(and her family!) live, work and go to school nearby. The author keeps herself busy working within the community, writing two additional books, delivering motivational speeches, and teaching interactive writing classes.
Other books by Katrina Morgan: These Animals Are Killing Me and Echoes in the Walls. Follow on: Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, GoodReads. Or, visit the website www.Katrinabooks.com