Killing Red by Perez Henry

Author:Perez, Henry [Perez, Henry]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
Published: 2009-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 34

There were certain key pieces of information which Chapa had kept from Andrews. He had not told him what he’d learned about Annie from Munson down at Night Owls. He had not yet told him about the tape recording, or that he’d gone to visit Grubb a second time this week.

Chapa knew it was time to come clean, and he would do so when he met with Andrews the next morning. That meant he still had a lot to get done with what was left of today.

When he walked into the offices of the Chicago Record shortly after 5:00, he hoped that the folks from the night crew, most of whom he knew only in passing, had replaced his more familiar coworkers. That turned out to be the case, for the most part.

“Stop the presses, the fugitive has come to turn himself in,” Duane Wormley said, looking up from his keyboard with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Chapa started to walk past Wormley’s cubicle, then decided he’d rather do something else. He turned and leaned in close, invading Wormley’s space.

“I had planned on bringing my killing spree to an end, but maybe I’ll make an exception,” Chapa said coldly.

Wormley searched Chapa’s eyes for the punch line, but when he found none the lower part of his face started trembling slightly. Chapa noticed the subtle jerking of the man’s narrow, neatly shaven chin and started laughing in a way he hadn’t for some time.

Zach came out of the copy room. Though he’d missed the joke, he immediately understood that it was on Wormley, and started laughing. The few others who were left all looked over to see what was so funny, and witnessed Wormley’s entire upper body trembling with anger.

Matt Sullivan emerged from a corner office, he seemed confused.

“Mr. Macklin is gone.”

“For good?” Chapa asked, feigning optimism. “Don’t worry, I’m not here for any meeting, I’m here to do my job.”

Chapa slapped Wormley on the back, damn near knocking him into his keyboard, and walked to his office with Sullivan following in his wake.

“You’ve been out of touch, and with that story today, well, there’s been some concern.”

“I can certainly understand that,” Chapa said as he sat down and flipped his computer on. “The story is bogus, it’s already been cleared up with the authorities, and I’m going to make sure the papers that ran with it end up eating some serious shit over this.”

Sullivan raised his palms in a calming gesture as he sat down across the desk.

“Let’s keep our heads, this is not personal.”

“The hell it’s not.”

“The Record will, of course, support you, but I think we need to all have an open dialogue about this situation and the story you’re working on.”

Chapa rocked back in his brown leather chair which squeaked whenever he moved.

“I’ll be glad to meet with you and Macklin, but first I have to finish what I’m working on. I have to see this Grubb story to the end.”

Sullivan sat with his meaty arms folded, competing for space across his chest.

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