Dead End by Jeramy Gates

Author:Jeramy Gates [Gates, Jeramy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: assassins, best selling thriller, best seller, conspiracy, new james patterson, Suspense, best selling mystery, Thriller
ISBN: 9781729740378
Publisher: Timber Hill Press
Published: 2019-02-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“What is it?” Val heard Matt say through the com, and then, after not getting any response: “What’s going on!”

Val ignored him as she followed Carver into the next suite. The vet’s broad shoulders blocked her view at first, and when he turned aside, she caught her breath. To their right, a sliding door opened onto a wide balcony. At each end of the door she saw a series of explosive devices lined up on the floor. They stretched the entire length of the outer wall, seemingly placed at strategic structural points. Wires connected each device to the next in a sort of daisy chain.

“Matt,” she said breathlessly. “We found it.”

Then she saw the body. Val instinctively reached for her gun. The scene looked eerily similar to the death of the Informant. Blood had pooled in a black circle on the carpet around the victim. His bonds were still in place. She did not recognize him. She took a step closer, and only then realized she had drawn her firearm. She holstered it and shot Carver a glance as she stood leaning on her cane.

“Who is that?” she said.

“Raldich,” Carver said, flipping through the victim’s wallet. “Albert F. Raldich.”

Valkyrie circled the victim, studying his wounds. Raldich was dressed in underwear, apparently having been disturbed during the night. Scores of deep cuts marred his entire body. Several fingers and toes were missing. No, not missing, Val realized. They were neatly stacked on the floor next to him.

Carver handed her the man’s wallet. “He has cash in there,” he said. “And business cards.”

Valkyrie pulled out one of the business cards and scanned it, a deep frown creasing her features. She looked up, locking gazes with Carver. “Body armor?”

“Yep. How much you want to bet he’s here for the conference?”

“I wonder if Lester Hurt knew him.”

“Hello!” Matt practically shouted in her ear. “WHAT IS GOING ON?”

Val took a moment to explain the situation. “It’s pretty bad,” she added, staring at the digits piled on the floor.

“So this is what Hurt -the Collector- does?” Carver said.

“I guess so.”

He glanced at her. “That’s a strange answer.”

“It’s just that… he left the eyes.”

“The eyes?” Matt said in her ear. “He never does that. What about the tongue?”

Carver pried the man’s jaw open. “Still there. I take it that’s unusual?”

“He always takes a trophy,” said Matt. “Usually, the eyes or the tongue, sometimes both.”

“Hear no evil, see no evil,” Val whispered.

“What?” said Carver.

“Raldich wasn’t on the Collector’s list... That must be what this means. He took body parts from the other victims to send a message. He was making a point about what they had done to him, and about the way they had covered it up. See no evil, hear no evil. They had turned a blind eye, and he was out for revenge. But this man wasn’t involved in any of that.”

“Then what happened here?”

“This poor fellow must have been renting the room. Lester Hurt simply needed it, so he killed him.”

“And tortured him like this?” Carver said.

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