The Quest: Countdown to Armageddon: Book 6 by Darrell Maloney Read Free Book Online

shooting. He wouldn’t be there, of course, to help in the investigation. Rather, he’d put in an appearance and put on a great display of sorrow and anger because after all, John was supposed to be one of his very best friends.
         Then, after other officers at the scene took note of his grief, he would excuse himself to tend to the family.
         He’d say, “I’m probably closer to them than anyone else. They should hear the bad news from a friend.”
         But Robbie wasn’t counting on Chief Martinez collaring him at the scene and tasking him to set up a perimeter to keep the curious out. John was very popular with the community and word spread quickly in the surrounding neighborhoods that he’d been gunned down. Many citizens were there at the scene within minutes, either to lend their support or to get the latest update.
         And they were starting to get in the way.
         Chief Martinez arrived at the scene just as Robbie was headed back to his patrol car
         He saw the hordes of people coming from every direction.
         And they were starting to trample all over his crime scene.
          Unfortunately for Robbie, once the chief decided to put a stop to it, he was the first officer the chief saw.
         “Benton, we’ve got to quarantine this area. Grab two other officers and establish a perimeter. Nothing or nobody except SAPD within one hundred yards in all directions. Get these people away from here.”
         Robbie started to object, then held his tongue. It was important that he appear to be an outsider in this incident. If he protested too much about anything, it could be said later that he appeared to have a vested interest in John’s shooting.
         And that could make people start wondering if he was somehow involved.
         So he held his tongue and did what he was told.
         Inside he was fuming, and he was becoming increasingly desperate to break away from the scene and get to his sweet Hannah.
         But no. It was important he play the game first. Do what he was told. Deflect suspicion away from himself.
         As he gently pushed the public back and tried to answer the questions being thrown at him, he scanned the increasingly-growing crowd for the black man who called in on the radio. He’d sounded older. Not at all like the handful of black kids and teenagers on the scene.
         But there was no sign of him.
         Finally, the citizens were moved back, or were satisfied there was nothing left to see and went back to their homes.
         The perimeter was established, crime scene tape was placed around the area, and the chaotic scene settled somewhat.
         And best of all, Chief Martinez finally left.
         Robbie could now slip away and put the next part of his plan into motion.
         Or maybe not.
         As he was headed back to his patrol car, he overheard two other officers talking.
         “Hey, did the Chief say whether he was coming back?”
         “I doubt it. He said he was going to go notify the family, and to take them up to the hospital.”
         Robbie was careful to retain his composure. It would be to his benefit later on, in the unlikely chance he was ever brought to trial for John’s shooting.
         But he was cursing his bad luck under his breath. And when he was back in his cruiser and out of sight of the other officers, he let loose a stream of expletives and pounded his fist several times against his steering wheel.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    -9-
     
         By happenstance, Tom and Sara were on their way to San Antonio on the evening John was shot.
         But they had no radio. Or wheels, for that matter.
         They’d decided to conduct their search for Sara’s mother on horseback.
         It made sense for several reasons.
         First of all, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office needed Tom’s old Ford Galaxy