Justice Overdue: A Private Investigator Mystery Series by Rayven T. Hill Read Free Book Online

journey.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 11
     
     
     
    Thursday, 4:18 PM
     
    VARICK LUCAS had done about all he could to convince the cops he was heading east. And he was pretty sure he’d be ok with this car for now; it would be awhile before anyone reported its driver missing. It would get him to his destination, and then he would have to ditch it.
    The body would be ok in the trunk for a few more minutes. If he got stopped by the law, that would be the least of his worries. He let up on the gas pedal and brought the Honda down to the speed limit. He’d best drive carefully. Of course, he could always kill any nosy cop dumb enough to pull him over, but he’d come so far now it’d be a shame to take any unnecessary chances.
    He touched the gun at his waist, a backup weapon if necessary. He’d already left a lot of bodies in his wake and he only had firm plans for one more before he settled into his life of ease and freedom.
    His plan had necessitated going east, and that meant he was many miles out of his way. Fortunately, traffic was sparse on this stretch of highway.
    He glanced in his rear-view mirror. Satisfied no one was behind, he hit the brakes hard, spun onto the shoulder, jumped from the vehicle, and popped the trunk. Dead eyes stared up at him as he dug in the pockets of the victim and found a wallet. Lucas flipped it open. It contained the usual stuff. Credit cards, driver’s license, and a couple hundred in cash. Lucas could use the cash. He removed the bills, stuffed them into his pants pocket and tossed the wallet back into the trunk.
    He hoisted the body out, dropped it onto the shoulder of the road and rolled it into the ditch. It would be found there before long. Someone in a passing car would be sure to see it. Just what he wanted.
    He glanced down the road. No traffic in sight. He jumped in, spun back onto the highway, and sped away.
    Time now to head north, then back west to get to his destination. He took the next off-ramp, circled around the cloverleaf interchange, and entered a northbound two-lane highway.
    Ottawa stood pretty much north of him, an hour or so away, but he wanted to avoid it. He would take the side roads before he reached the city, and then head west.
    He thought back to more innocent times. He couldn’t put a finger on exactly when his life had changed. Despite his out of control father, Varich had been known as a peacemaker in school. Always the last to fight, and the first to make up. He was the teacher’s pet, and the pride of his mother. Then everything changed. He changed.
    But for better or for worse, he was what he was, and he was going to make the best of it. No use dwelling on what could have been—what came next was all that mattered.
    Two hours later he was just about where he wanted to be as he approached the small town of Sanridge. A red light on the dash told him the vehicle was dangerously low on gas. He didn’t have far to go now, but he would never make it. Wheels ground and snapped on gravel as he pulled in front of a gas pump at a small general store. In a moment, a wizened old man came out.
    Lucas wound down his window, keeping his face covered by the sun visor. “Five dollars worth.”
    “Just five?”
    “Yup.”
    As the man pumped the gas, Lucas glanced around. The only other vehicle in sight was a Toyota RAV4 parked in front of the building. A couple of boys ran around in front of the store. He could vaguely make out someone moving around inside the shop.
    “That’s five dollars, sir.”
    Lucas handed a bill through the window without turning his head, pulled away, and turned back on the highway. Soon, he left the little town behind. Forests lined both sides of the road and everything looked pretty much all the same to him. But he’d been here before and knew the place he was looking for was just ahead.
    He kept an eye on the left side of the road and in a few minutes, breathed a sigh of relief. There it was. A narrow lane, and no traffic around.