The Cleanest Kill (A Jack Murphy Thriller, Band 8) - Softcover

Reed, Rick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1516104595 ISBN 13: 9781516104598

Verlag: Kensington, 2019

Inhaltsangabe

Cop vs. Killer

Detective Jack Murphy never met a cold case he couldn’t crack. This one’s been on ice for 37 years. The prime suspect in a decades-old unsolved murder is about to be named Evansville’s next Chief of Police. The Mayor wants the top cop’s name cleared—and that’s why Murphy and his partner, Liddell Blanchard, are ordered to re-open the investigation. But when the victim’s sister and mother are targeted for violence, troubling new questions arise. Is this the work of the same killer, or is someone else playing a deadly game? The answers lie buried in the past. But no one digs through the dirt like Jack Murphy . . .

Praise for Rick Reed and his novels

“Reed gives the reader a story worth every minute and every penny spent.” —Book Reporter

“Rick Reed knows the dark side as only a real-life cop can, and his writing crackles with authenticity.” —Shane Gericke

“A jaw-dropping thriller.”—Gregg Olsen

“Reed thrusts his story forward to bring us along on a ride we won’t soon forget!” —Suspense Magazine

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Sergeant Rick Reed (Ret.), author of the Jack Murphy thriller series, is a 20-plus-year veteran police detective. During his career he successfully investigated numerous high-profile criminal cases, including a serial killer who claimed thirteen victims before strangling and dismembering his fourteenth and last victim. He recounted that story in his acclaimed true-crime book, Blood Trail. Reed spent his last three years on the force as the commander of the police department’s Internal Affairs Section. He has two master’s degrees, and upon retiring from the police force, he took a full-time teaching position. He currently teaches criminal justice at Volunteer State Community College in Tennessee and writes thrillers. He lives near Nashville with his wife and two furry friends, Lexie and Belle. Please visit him on Facebook, on Goodreads, or at his website, rickreedbooks.com. If you’d like him to speak online for your event, contact him by going to bookclubreading.com.

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The Cleanest Kill

A Jack Murphy Thriller

By RICK REED

KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

Copyright © 2019 Rick Reed
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5161-0459-8

CHAPTER 1

Thirty-seven years ago

It was two days before Thanksgiving and the championship game. Maximillian Alexander Day, varsity wide receiver for the Rex Mundi Monarchs, stood behind the bleachers before practice. This weekend would be the playoff game against their rival, the Central Bears. While the rest of the team was in the locker room, checking equipment, gearing up, grunting and yelling inane slogans, he stood at the mouth of the tunnel, wearing his varsity jacket, well-worn blue jeans, and Western boots. The cheerleaders had taken the field. Practice could wait.

Max watched Ginger lead a cheer and his little Max was cheering right along with her. Ginger was the head cheerleader; Dick was the captain and quarterback of the team. Because of that, Dick thought Ginger was his property. Max hoped he got to play defense in tonight's practice, so he could knock that idea right out of Dick's head. He'd been warned by the coach a couple of times for using excessive force to sack his own quarterback, but it was funny. Dick never saw it coming. Truth was, Max didn't care who he creamed on the field. He didn't even care for sports. He just liked hitting people — hard — and he liked the varsity letter jacket. It was a chick magnet.

He was still dating two other girls but the girl he currently had his eye on was Ginger Purdie. Her copper-colored ringlets bounced around her shoulders and swept across perfect breasts as she led the cheers, urging them to victory. Max felt an urge too.

Part of his interest in her was that she would undoubtedly be queen of the prom. No surprise there. She was the prettiest girl in school. And of course, the king of the prom would be the quarterback of the varsity team: her longtime boyfriend, Richard Dick, aka Greased Lightning. Max was determined to change the buffoon's name to Greased Monkey because Ginger would slip right through the quarterback's hands and be picked off by defensive cornerback Mad Max.

The cheers ended. There was clapping and shouts and hoots from the bleachers above. Max stepped forward in time to watch Ginger bounce and jiggle and whip her curls around until she spotted him. She smiled at him and scurried off the field with every blue-blooded male's eyes following her, but she only flirted with Max. She ran to the sidelines and became part of the usual team enthusiasts. Max waited for her to turn around so he could motion her over. He would chat a few minutes and then change out for practice. When she saw him cut through Dick's offense like a knife through butter, she would see who the real man was.

The tunnel leading from the locker room to the field was right behind him, but Max wasn't worried about Greased Lightning. In fact, he hoped the arrogant asshole was watching Ginger as she brazenly flirted with him. He waved his arms over his head and Ginger turned. She stopped bouncing, her smile faded, and she pointed one of her pom-poms toward him. Max smiled and was motioning to her when something hard struck him in the back of the head. He fell to the ground, but he cushioned his fall with his hands and arms. He'd taken harder hits both on and off the field.

Max pushed himself up to his knees and saw Richard "Greased Lightning" Dick looming over him, helmet in one hand, the other hand bunched into a fist.

Dick was tall with blond hair combed into bangs down into his blue eyes, patrician features, perfect teeth, and always dressed preppy, not even wanting to soil his uniform. For a quarterback, he appeared less strong and solidly built than he did stringy and rangy. He had earned the name Greased Lightning because of his uncanny ability to hit the receiver with every pass while slipping through any defense. Max had watched him throw the ball away to avoid being tackled. And he never tried to run the ball. That made him a coward in Max's thinking.

"Better stay down, Max-e-pad," Dick said. "You and your sister have some lame ass names. Your mom must've been on drugs."

Carl Needham piped in. "Have you seen his mom? I wouldn't let my dog do her. She's a sow."

Carl and his pal Dennis hurled more insults, one grunting like a pig, the other repeatedly making motions like he was rooting in the mud. Needham hawked up a glob of snot and spat it on the ground beside Max.

You had your chance, Dick. Now it's my turn.

Max got to his feet, brushed some grit from the sleeves of his letter jacket, smiled, and deftly broke Dick's nose.

Only Dennis James made a move forward, but was halted by a shake of Max's head.

"Dennis, you're such a numbnuts. If you talk about my mother again I'll tear your head off and shit down your neck."

Max walked away without a challenge while Dick was bent over, hands covering his nose, blood running between his fingers and down the front of his red football jersey. A small crowd had gathered around, pretending sympathy and shock, while some in the crowd mocked Dick and danced around, hands over their own noses.

Max knew he'd be kicked off the team for punching Dick out and wouldn't be played in the championships. Hell, he'd be lucky if he wasn't kicked out of school. If that happened, his parents would ground him for the rest of the year and take away his one pleasure, his Camaro.

He was nearing the edge of the parking lot when he felt a strong hand grip his shoulder, pulling him around. He spun around and kicked Dick in the crotch. Dick fell to the ground. Squeaks like air leaking from a balloon came out of his mouth. Carl and Dennis stood with their mouths hanging open like dutiful minions and Dennis's hands went to his own genitals. Max stared at each of them, daring them to step up. They didn't move.

Max headed for his car. He would at least have one last night of freedom, knowing he'd be grounded for a month. He made it to his car, put his key in, and mimicked a sports commentator. "Oh my! The quarterback has been sacked! The quarterback is down, folks. Dick's dick and his nose are broken. The game is over. Score: Max, one; Greased Monkey, zero."

He unlocked the car and a hand grabbed his wrist. He instinctively ducked, turned, arm cocked, ready to trade punches when he recognized his sister.

"Are you going to hit me too?" Reina asked.

"Let go," he said and removed her hand.

"You can't leave, dummy," Reina said.

"Come on, sis. I'm going for a little ride to cool off. I'll give you a lift home."

Reina's arms crossed her chest. "You're going to be in big trouble. Mom and Dad are gonna kill you, Max. Why do you always do this?"

"Do what?" He sounded hurt. "You mean defend myself?

Should I let him knock me down and make fun of me? Let them insult Mom? He had it coming and you know it."

"And you know what I mean, Maximillian Day,"

Reina said. She was seriously pissed. "You go back and talk to the coach. Maybe you won't be kicked off the team or out of school if you —"

Ginger Purdie interrupted her and caressed Max's face and shoved her ample breasts against him. "Are you okay, Max? Did he hurt you?"

Max grinned at her, keeping a cautious eye on Reina. "I'm not hurt, but thanks for asking. You'd better get back. The team needs you."

Pouting, Ginger said, "Don't you need me?"

Max laughed. "Of course. I'm fine. The team needs your particular talents to give them encouragement, babe. And I think Dick needs some TLC." He gave her a firm slap on the...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Kensington
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2019
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1516104595
• ISBN 13: 9781516104598
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 331
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Europaallee 1; Bad Hersfeld; 36244; Deutschland