Dead in the Water (A Cal Murphy Thriller Book 4) (22 page)
Read Dead in the Water (A Cal Murphy Thriller Book 4) Online
Authors: Jack Patterson
Tags: #action adventure, #mystery suspense, #thriller
Cal sighed and looked at Sanders. “I agree with you, sheriff. I think there have been enough people’s lives ruined over this unfortunate event. And I believe Mr. Sanders here deserves the same level of grace you extended to Potter.”
“Sounds good to me,” the sheriff said. “And while I’m sure the people of Saint-Parran appreciate your patronage to our little parcel of earth in the bayou, I suggest you both stay away from here. Especially you, Sanders. I want your house on the market by Monday or else I’ll be collecting a ridiculous-sized tax on your property from here on out. Understand?”
CHAPTER 44
THE STORM SPED UP but turned before it crashed ashore ahead of schedule Saturday morning, pounding the coast of Mississippi. The storm touched the fringes of Louisiana, causing some damage Saint-Parran but not enough to earn a mention from the locals.
Cal needed to grab a cup of Louisiana’s best coffee at Café Lagniappe one last time before he returned to Atlanta.
“Good mornin’, Cal,” Gertie said when he walked through the door. “I didn’t think I’d see you here again.”
“I didn’t think I’d see anyone again after what happened last night.” He sat down at the bar.
“You and me both.” She placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.
“You heard about what happened to me at Devil’s Point?”
She shook her head. “I was talkin’ about myself.”
“Did you get in an accident?”
“Worse. On my way home from work last night, Frank Johnson abducted me at gunpoint and forced me to drive him to the airfield.”
“Oh, Gertie.”
“I tried to talk some sense into him, but he wouldn’t listen. And now the poor soul is dead.”
Cal sipped his coffee. “I guess you heard about what happened later then?”
“Honey, you can’t hardly pick your nose without it makin’ the gossip rounds here.”
“It was somethin’ else, let me tell you.”
“I look forward to readin’ your article about it.”
“I’m not looking forward to reliving that experience.”
“I heard that.”
Eager to move on, Cal changed the subject. “At least the storm missed Saint-Parran last night.”
“Thank God for Mississippi,” Gertie said with a hearty laugh. “They always find a way to make the rest of us look better—even when it comes to storms.”
“I heard that.” Cal smiled. “Thank you for all your talks over the past week and the best coffee I’ve ever had in Louisiana.” He tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the counter and stood up to leave.
She leaned on the counter and took his hand, patting it affectionately. “You take care. Maybe we’ll see you around here again sometime soon under better circumstances.”
***
Cal’s plane touched down at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta just before 2 p.m. Though he’d already called Kelly to tell her all about the excitement in the bayou, he couldn’t wait to see her.
Before he took two steps through the door, she leaped into his arms and gave him a big hug.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“I was so worried about you,” she said. “I’m just glad you’re OK.”
“It was quite an adventure.”
“But everything is OK now, right? I mean, you’re back in time to cover that Hawks’ game for Gatlin, aren’t you?”
Cal walked into the living room and slumped onto the couch. “Gatlin gave me the night off. And he thinks I’ve got all I need to write a compelling piece, but it’s not all good news.”
“Why’s that?” Kelly sat down next to him and put her hand on his knee.
“I talked to that literary agent Mike Nicholson this morning and told him everything that happened.”
“And?”
“He doesn’t think there’s a book there.”
“What?” Kelly stared mouth agape. “How can there
not
be a book about this? It’s got everything you could want.”
“Unfortunately, it’s got me.”
“What do you mean?”
Cal leaned forward and ran his hands through his hair. “I’m too much a part of the story. He said it’d sound too self-serving if I told it.”
“Couldn’t someone else write it?”
“Yeah, but that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?”
“It’s still a great story.”
“Yeah, but it’s not a story that is going to get me a book deal so we can get that surgery you need.”
“I’m not sure it matters any more.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, we’re pregnant!” Kelly pulled a pregnancy test stick out of her pocket and showed it to Cal. He stared in awe.
“Are you serious? Pregnant?”
Grinning, Kelly nodded. “Yes, I’m serious.”
“How did this happen?”
“Seriously, Cal?”
“I mean, I didn’t think you could get pregnant.”
“I didn’t either, but I don’t think these things lie.” Kelly pulled out three other pregnancy test sticks out of her pocket and slid them onto the coffee table.
“These are all positive?”
Kelly nodded. “Every one of them one.”
“Well then, we’re gonna have a baby!”
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
EVER SINCE MY FIRST VISIT to Louisiana, I’ve always wanted to write a novel based on this unique slice of Americana. Despite my own experiences in that beautiful state over the years, this project wouldn’t have achieved the depth I hoped for without the help of others who deserve recognition.
The Louisiana Sheriff’s Association helped me craft an authentic representation of the unique duties of Louisiana sheriffs, which differ from most states.
Chip Towers from
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
helped me track down several recruiting stories to enrich the characters.
Don Brown, who helped me years ago while investigating an NCAA violation case, came through again for me in sharing more exciting recruiting tales.
Kelly Morris from
The Times-Picayune
was more than gracious with her time in helping me make sure there was a level of authenticity around Louisiana high school football as portrayed in the book as well as a few other details about the state.
Jennifer Wolf once again helped make this a better story with her deft editing skills.
Dan Pitts crafted a beautiful cover that captures the mystery and wonder of where this novel took place.
Bill Cooper continues to crank out stellar audio versions of all my books — and I have no doubt that this will yield the same high-quality listening enjoyment.
As always, I must acknowledge my wife for her support in urging me on to keep writing.
And last but not least, without you, the reader, who have found my work—and enjoyed it—I never would have trudged on with the arduous task of writing more novels. Just knowing that you’re all out there and enjoying the diversions created by my books continues to inspire me to press on and work diligently to refine my craft.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JACK PATTERSON is an award-winning author and national award-winning journalist living in southeastern Idaho. He first began his writing career as a sports journalist, recording his exploits on the soccer fields in England as a young boy. Then when his father told him that people would pay him to watch sports if he would write about what he saw, he went all in. He landed his first writing job at age 15 as a sports writer for a daily newspaper in Orangeburg, S.C. He later earned a degree in newspaper journalism from the University of Georgia, where he took a job covering high school sports for the award-winning
Athens Banner-Herald
and
Daily News
.
He later became the sports editor at a daily newspaper in south Georgia before working in the magazine world as an editor and freelance journalist. He has won numerous writing awards, including a national award for his investigative reporting on a sordid tale surrounding an NCAA investigation over the University of Georgia football program.
Jack enjoys the great outdoors of the Northwest while living there with his wife and three children. He still follows sports closely.
He also loves connecting with readers and would love to hear from you. To stay updated about future projects, connect with him over
Facebook
or on the interwebs at
www.IamJackPatterson.com
Dead in the Water
© Copyright 2014 Jack Patterson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-938848-49-0
First eBook Edition 2014
Cover Design by Dan Pitts
Published in the United States of America
Previously published as "A Cross to Bear"
Hangman Books
Table of Contents
