BooksBarbecue
Back The Hallows Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“So that would mean Lyle’s the only person that could identify him, right? I mean, he’s known about Lyle for a while, but what if Howard thinks we’re getting close?”

“Then Lyle would have to go.” I put on my sunglasses. “I’m going to head down there and check up on them. Get a unit there just in case, would ya?”

“Sure thing.”

I drove down to Nikyee’s home.

I knocked and no one answered. Looking inside the windows, I didn’t see movement, and when I called Nikyee’s cell, no one picked up.

“Come on, answer. Answer answer answer answer.”

I went around back to see if there was another way in. A back window, which connected to a bedroom, was unlocked. I pulled off the fly screen and crawled inside.

The house was quiet. I went into the living room and shouted, “Nikyee, are you here? Lyle?”

I waited a few seconds but didn’t hear anything. I went into the kitchen. Didn’t look like anyone was home. I would have to wait here until they came back so I could get them somewhere safe. I glanced at the dining table and saw some food, two plates of spaghetti. One of the forks had fallen on the floor and sauce had spattered over the wall.

I felt something just then—a small prickling on my neck—and knew I wasn’t alone.

I turned. “Where are they, Mark?”

He didn’t have shoes on, only socks. He held a black .45 and had a grin on his face as he leaned against the kitchen counter and stared at me.

“Are they dead already?” I said.

He tilted his head to the side, mocking me.

“Talk to me. I’m here. Where are they? I can help you get outa this.”

“Yeah? You can help me, huh? How are you gonna help me? You gonna give me life in prison instead of the needle? Doesn’t seem like much help.”

I swallowed and glanced at the door behind him, wondering if I could make it out of there before he got any rounds off. “How much did he pay you to do it? How much did Nathan pay you to kill an innocent girl?”

“Pfff, there wasn’t anything innocent about her. We ain’t worse the wear with her gone, you ask me.”

“Was it just the thirty thousand? That’s all you got for killing someone?”