Garvey's Revenge

Chapter 39

For their own safety, Jacobs called a neighbor and asked her to watch his kids for a couple of hours. For all they knew this could be a setup to kill Jacobs and Matt. Blow up Jacobs's house while they were in it. Matt tried to get Jacobs to leave and join his kids, but he refused.

It was two minutes before seven o'clock. Lawrence got Carter to bring over the phone tracing equipment. They were set up and ready to go.

One minute till seven, Jacobs's phone rang. Matt answered it on the first ring, "Kirby."

"Don't you mean, Sheriff Kirby? Be proud of what you got. I have to admit, you work good under pressure. I'll have to turn up the heat so I can see what you're really made of." the deep automated voice said.

"What do you want? What will it take to stop all this?" Matt asked.

"I want my life back," the voice said.

It was Marty all right. "What's done is done."

The deep automated chuckle echoed through the phone. The chuckle slowly turned into a natural male laugh. "So, you finally figured it out. Good for you," Marty said. "Sheriff."

"You did this to yourself. Not me! You screwed up your life. And you killed six people because you're a deranged entitled power-hungry monster. You, Ghost, and whoever the hell else is helping you!"

"Oh, Kirby. Those comments are beneath you. And you know better, too. We both do."

Matt looked at Lawrence. Williamson had put in the APB, but Lawrence was wide-eyed at the sound of Marty's voice.

Matt shook his head. "Fuck you," he said through gritted teeth.

Marty laughed. "That was the same thing Joe said to me and I'm going to say the same thing to you that I said to him. Are you ready?"

Matt stayed silent.

"No, Sheriff. Fuck you."

Loud booms came from outside. Matt dropped the phone. Lawrence yanked his headset off. Jacobs stood straight up.

Matt shot out of Jacobs's door. There had to be at least seven, no, ten houses on fire. "No!"

Jacobs and Lawrence appeared behind him.

"He set bombs on people's houses and set them off!" Jacobs exclaimed.

Matt's head was in a fog. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do. They weren't equipped to handle a disaster like this.

"What do we do?" Lawrence asked frantically.

"I . . . we . . . make sure the fire department calls in every man. Tell them to call for assistance from other counties," Matt ordered.

Lawrence got on his radio.

Matt was helpless. What could he do other than watch the blaze?

"I called them. They are on their way," Lawrence said.

Jacobs was clenching his chest at the sight of the fires and smoke.

"Call the station. Tell Carter . . . tell him . . . I want him to stay and supervise. Be there if people call or come in looking for help. Other than him . . . I want every available man out assisting civilians," Matt said.

Lawrence got on his radio again.

"Oh god, Matt. Jesus," Jacobs cried and grabbed Matt by his shoulders. His eyes were wild just like the day when his car blew up with his wife in it. "What if there was a bomb on Bonnie's house?"