Killing the Dead by Paul Ferguson

Author:Paul Ferguson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: www.2qt.co.uk
Published: 2015-03-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Gomez lifted a newspaper from the back seat of a white Buick he’d just parked and was reading the front page when he turned to Joe.

“So what do you think about this crazy fuck who nailed that guy to the cross? Is he sick or what?”

“I didn’t know you could read,” said Joe, grabbing the paper out of his hands.

“It says here he escaped from a nut house,” added Gomez pointing half way down the page.

Joe was curious. He spread the paper over the hood of a nearby Chevy and began to read the lead story that suggested the killer was an escaped madman from Napa State Hospital. According to the article, William Bradley, a thirty-eight year old male Caucasian from the Bay area, broke out of the hospital three months ago following his incarceration for killing two migrant workers on a farm just outside of San Francisco. One of his victims was dipped up to his waist in an acid bath and left to die while the second was buried alive. The newspaper journalist compared the inhuman death of Van Sykes to those of the migrant workers and concluded that only someone with a severely diminished mental capacity like Bradley could commit such a crime.

Bradley’s photograph was front and center on the page. Joe punched the picture. Being compared to a madman didn’t bother him. What really pissed him off was that someone else was getting recognition for his work.

“They know shit,” he said aloud before remembering that Gomez was standing next to him.

“What?” replied the startled Mexican.

Joe had to think fast, “How does some asshole sitting at a computer know who did this? They’ll say anything to sell papers.”

“Bradley did it before, what’s to stop him doing it again?” replied Gomez.

“Read my lips, he didn’t do it,” said Joe in a loud voice.

Gomez backed off as his car-parking buddy was becoming more and more irate. Joe’s chin protruded and his neck muscles tightened. There was evil in his eyes. Gomez always expected the unexpected from Joe, but this was different. For the first time, Gomez was afraid.

It was the end of his shift and, as Joe made his way past the back door of the restaurant, Savage called his name.

“What?” shouted Joe in a voice that was filled with anger.

“You’re fired,” said Savage, his face split from ear to ear with a wide grin.

Joe stopped in his tracks and turned to face his manager, who was standing in the kitchen doorway. “Stop bustin’ my balls,” he said.

“I’m not… here’s your money, get the fuck off the lot.”

An envelope containing cash landed at Joe’s feet.

Joe raised his arms in disbelief. “What have I done now?” he asked.

Savage turned his head slightly to the right and beckoned his girlfriend to come forward. He placed his arm around her shoulder and spoke with a smug look on his face, “You sold a fridge to the wrong fucking Eskimo.”

Joe knew there was no point in arguing. Savage never liked him and it was only a matter of time before they would part company.

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