Dead Shot (A Cal Murphy Thriller Book 1)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

When Cal came to, the massive migraine throbbing in his head was quickly forgotten. He was gagged and tied to a chair with duct tape. The solitary light bulb hanging inches from his face was blinding. The smell of manure emanated from the dirt floor. Where am I? Why am I tied to a chair?

Cal remembered getting hit from behind and bounding down a hill where he came to a sudden but safe stop. The airbags deployed but he was just fine. He was stepping out of the car when two men injected him with a needle. That was the last thing he remembered. Cal was just now realizing that the needle contained a sedative-and he had no idea how long he had been out. An hour? A day? A week? There was no way of knowing for sure.

Just as Cal was ordering his thoughts, a man wearing a ski mask squatted in front of Cal and began questioning him in a smooth, calm voice.

"Are you Cal Murphy?"

"What is this?"

"Answer my question, please."

"Yeah, I'm Cal Murphy. What are you doing to me?!"

"Please, Cal. Just remain calm, answer my questions and you'll be out of here in no time."

"Whatever, man. This is kidnapping. You're going to jail for this."

"Don't make empty threats and hollow promises, boy. You and I both know that won't happen. The men guiding this venture will never let that happen. So, you better just get comfortable with the idea that cooperation is in your best interest."

Cal gritted his teeth. In a moment like this, restraint escaped him. He usually wanted justice-and he wanted it yesterday. But for all the mystery surrounding the deaths of the three teens in Statenville, he wanted to get some answers before getting offed. This story was not going find its way into print or online anytime soon anyway, so no need to push where pushing only led to trouble.

He decided to play along.

"OK, what do you want me to do?"

"Back off! If you keep digging into the death of these three teens, you're going to write about some things that are going to anger plenty of people. Your safety will be at stake. Your life may be as well."

"I can't back off now, especially when I'm obviously rattling the cage of somebody somewhere."

"You will have a lifetime to spin the tale of the three teens' deaths. Now is not the time to rip open the heart of a grieving community. Wait a few months to disclose what you know and you'll be duly rewarded."

"A few months?! You mean to tell me that you kidnapped me and risked many other things just to tell me that?"

"My motivation is none of your concern. Your concern is following orders. Got it?"

"Yeah. I got it."

"Good. I'm glad we could have this conversation."

With that, the masked man punctured Cal's neck with a needle, injecting another dose of the fast-acting sedative. Cal's vision dimmed, then his head drooped.