THE ALTER: A Psychological Crime Thriller by EJ Nesbeth Read Free Book Online Page A

those responsible for the death of his son. Perhaps that is why Albert died, he thought. Did Bret do it to cover his tracks? Or did the mayor? Maybe Alverez had the personal satisfaction and got his hands dirty, Ryan thought.
    The body was finally laid to rest and a gun salute brought the event to a close. As the crowd dispersed, Bret walked over to Ryan and whispered over his shoulder, "You know, I hate to say it, but there's a silver lining behind this dark cloud. With all this pressure Simpson would have squealed."
    Ryan watched in surprise as his partner walked away. It was not unusual for him to hear insensitive words coming from Bret's mouth, but this was inexcusable. Moreover, it reinforced his suspicions and fueled his distrust.
    Most of the mourners had already left when Ryan walked back to his car. He aimlessly drove around town as there was no one to go home to. He pulled up beside a deli and ran inside to grab a bite then started his journey towards home.
    An unusual sound appeared from beneath the car and he could feel an imbalance. He had his suspicions, but dreaded the thought of what might be wrong. Pulling over was the sensible thing to do, and as he stepped out and into the rain, his fears were confirmed. He had a flat tire. He couldn’t believe his luck.
    “Hey, what’s going on?” shouted a familiar voice behind him. He didn’t notice that a car had pulled over beside him, but as he turned around, he felt equally lucky to see a familiar face. Bret was soon standing beside him examining the damage. “You’re gonna change that in the pouring rain? Just lock it up. Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.”
    Despite his apprehensions, the offer seemed enticing and Ryan stepped into the dry refuge of his partner’s vehicle. Bret drove slowly and seemed more restless than usual. For a while there was silence between them and both seemed contented with the sound of the rain pelting the rooftop of the car and the windshield wiper as it swayed from side to side.
    “Hey, thanks man,” Ryan said breaking the ice.
    “Don’t mention it,” his partner responded. He took a deep breath then continued, “Are you religious, Ryan?”
    “I guess so,” he responded. The question took him back to the odd meeting with Alverez in the cathedral and he began to wonder.
    Bret continued, “I was raised to believe that sometimes you have to sacrifice one man to save the lives of many.”
    Ryan looked across at him. He never viewed his partner as the religious or philosophical type. His tone was forceful and Ryan began to wonder if Albert was the sacrificial lamb whose death would save the city from bloodshed. Then he recalled his earlier words at the graveside.
    Ryan’s phone rang. It was Ava. “Ryan, where are you?” she asked with an urgency in her voice. “I told you Dr. Williams was no serial killer. He was only a scapegoat and now I can prove it.”
    “Tell me about it. Raining cats and dogs out here too,” Ryan responded calmly while trying to give his partner no cause for suspicion.  Ryan’s pretense was enough to reveal just what she feared.
    “Please don’t tell me you’re with Bret Mitchell,” she said anxiously.
    “Oh yea, it’s really pouring," he answered.
    Bret looked at him, wondering at triviality of the discussion and became a little suspicious.
    “Jesus no,” she said. “Ryan, listen to me. Try not to react, but after the mayor's deal with the syndicate, Bret managed to strike his own deal.”
    Ryan looked across at Bret in the driver's seat. His eyes were hungry and blazed in the lights of oncoming vehicles. Ryan's heart began to race as Ava continued her frightening revelation.
    "He killed Albert and now he's under orders to kill you before midnight," she said.
    Ryan became speechless. He looked at his partner and beads of sweat began to sprinkle his forehead. Bret looked at him, glanced quickly at the road ahead, then back at him. He knew something was wrong. He saw Ryan’s