Cross Hairs by Jack Patterson Page A
Authors: Jack Patterson
Tags: Fiction, thriller, Suspense, adventure, Crime, Mystery, Nora Roberts, Action, Hard-Boiled, Reporter, trilogy, Deception, james patterson, conspiracy, Lee Child, New York Times bestseller, new release, mystery and suspense, award winning, award, fbi, &NEW, Stephen King, bestselling, cj lyons, Joshua Graham, George R.R. Martin, like John Grisham, John Grisham, popular, Steig Larson, Kindle eBook, like James Patterson, like Christine Kling, deal, newspaper, John Locke, David Baldacci, similar to Dean Koontz, similar to Nora Roberts, winning, like Aaron Patterson, Aaron Patterson, William Landay, punishment, five star review, Millennium, top rated, kindle ebooks, like Lee Child, Andrew E. Kaufman, New York Times best seller, Cal Murphy, like David Baldacci, 5 star review, Amazon eBook, national award-winning, like Joshua Graham, The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest, Dean Koontz, Christine Kling, similar to James Patterson, like Dean Koontz, Stieg Larsson, 5 stars, Steig Larsson, similar to Joshua Graham, similar to John Grisham, Kirk Russell, Dani Amore, Mary Higgins Clark, five stars, similar to John Locke, like William Landay, like Dani Amore, like John Locke, like Nora Roberts
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Cal took Guy’s rare tirades better than most, a sure sign that he might make it at a large daily metro. But today wasn’t one of those days. Cal left Guy’s office red-faced, thoroughly eviscerated professionally.
Cal began wondering what happened to Guy. Was that serious newspaper editor once known as Guy Thompson really left for dead in Utah? As a newspaper man, there wasn’t one ounce of curious intrigue into the previous 24 hours’ strange happenings? Cal had more questions than answers at this point, but he found it odd that his editor was more concerned with his whereabouts than his findings.
Cal sat down at his desk and obliged Guy. He pounded out the cutline and filed it. He spent the next hour working on some re-writes Terry requested for Wednesday’s edition. Most days, Cal didn’t mind Terry’s editing, but Cal was in a mood, thanks to Guy. Must he make my report on the Rotary Club meeting sound like an act from a Shakespeare play?
“Thy edits are complete, my Lordship,” Cal said to Terry in a mocking tone.
Terry furrowed his brow and squinted. The context of Cal’s medieval language was obviously lost on him. He grunted a “thanks” and looked back at his computer screen. But such interactions weren’t unusual for The Register newsroom, known for attracting more oddball personalities than a traveling circus.
By 6:30, Cal began gathering his notes and stuffing them into his briefcase, willing to follow up with some phone calls from home. He hoped to bring something substantial into the office to change Guy’s mind.
He glanced back at Kelly, who was preparing to leave as well. At least the day wasn’t a total waste. Spending it with her and all her spunk made everything else palatable.
Cal broke the silence.
“Ready to do it again tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Today was fun, wasn’t it? But I don’t see how tomorrow could be any more interesting than today.”
Cal then noticed Kelly sliding a small piece of paper with a note scrawled on it.
“Call my cell when you get in your car.”
Cal slid the note off her desk and into his pocket. Maybe I won’t be making some extra phone calls tonight.
The two walked in silence through the alley and into the employee parking lot located behind The Register ’s office building.
Cal threw his briefcase on the passenger side floorboard and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Kelly’s number.
“OK, so we know some crazy stuff is going on and Guy is acting weird, right?” Kelly began.
“Yeah, so?”
“Well, get this. I went to the break room to buy a soda and I saw the door to the outside was cracked. I went over to shut it when I heard Guy talking on his cell phone in a hushed voice.”
“What did he say?”
“I didn’t catch the whole thing, but I did hear him say, ‘Don’t worry. I’ve got those two under control.’”
“You think he was talking about us?”
“Who else would he be talking about?”
“It could be two of anything that he has under control.”
“Yeah, but saying that and talking in a hushed tone so no one could hear him? Plus he was on his personal cell phone standing outside. It was not typical behavior for Guy.”
“That might explain why he’s been acting the way he has toward us. He certainly seems hell-bent on helping us avoid proper treatment of this story.”
“Well, something is up and I don’t like it. I’m starting to get a strange feeling about this whole thing, like we’re rattling the closet door to some big skeletons. And I feel uneasy about what might happen to us.”
“Seriously? Are you scared, Kelly?”
“A little, maybe. I sure would like to have a drink and throw darts at The Mill about right now. You up for joining me?”
Whoa! Is Kelly asking me out on a date? It sure sounds like it.
“Uh, sure. I want to run home and change first and then I’ll meet you there in say, 30 minutes?”
“Sounds like a date.”
Sounds like a date, indeed! Cal thought.
Cal and Kelly headed
Cal began wondering what happened to Guy. Was that serious newspaper editor once known as Guy Thompson really left for dead in Utah? As a newspaper man, there wasn’t one ounce of curious intrigue into the previous 24 hours’ strange happenings? Cal had more questions than answers at this point, but he found it odd that his editor was more concerned with his whereabouts than his findings.
Cal sat down at his desk and obliged Guy. He pounded out the cutline and filed it. He spent the next hour working on some re-writes Terry requested for Wednesday’s edition. Most days, Cal didn’t mind Terry’s editing, but Cal was in a mood, thanks to Guy. Must he make my report on the Rotary Club meeting sound like an act from a Shakespeare play?
“Thy edits are complete, my Lordship,” Cal said to Terry in a mocking tone.
Terry furrowed his brow and squinted. The context of Cal’s medieval language was obviously lost on him. He grunted a “thanks” and looked back at his computer screen. But such interactions weren’t unusual for The Register newsroom, known for attracting more oddball personalities than a traveling circus.
By 6:30, Cal began gathering his notes and stuffing them into his briefcase, willing to follow up with some phone calls from home. He hoped to bring something substantial into the office to change Guy’s mind.
He glanced back at Kelly, who was preparing to leave as well. At least the day wasn’t a total waste. Spending it with her and all her spunk made everything else palatable.
Cal broke the silence.
“Ready to do it again tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Today was fun, wasn’t it? But I don’t see how tomorrow could be any more interesting than today.”
Cal then noticed Kelly sliding a small piece of paper with a note scrawled on it.
“Call my cell when you get in your car.”
Cal slid the note off her desk and into his pocket. Maybe I won’t be making some extra phone calls tonight.
The two walked in silence through the alley and into the employee parking lot located behind The Register ’s office building.
Cal threw his briefcase on the passenger side floorboard and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Kelly’s number.
“OK, so we know some crazy stuff is going on and Guy is acting weird, right?” Kelly began.
“Yeah, so?”
“Well, get this. I went to the break room to buy a soda and I saw the door to the outside was cracked. I went over to shut it when I heard Guy talking on his cell phone in a hushed voice.”
“What did he say?”
“I didn’t catch the whole thing, but I did hear him say, ‘Don’t worry. I’ve got those two under control.’”
“You think he was talking about us?”
“Who else would he be talking about?”
“It could be two of anything that he has under control.”
“Yeah, but saying that and talking in a hushed tone so no one could hear him? Plus he was on his personal cell phone standing outside. It was not typical behavior for Guy.”
“That might explain why he’s been acting the way he has toward us. He certainly seems hell-bent on helping us avoid proper treatment of this story.”
“Well, something is up and I don’t like it. I’m starting to get a strange feeling about this whole thing, like we’re rattling the closet door to some big skeletons. And I feel uneasy about what might happen to us.”
“Seriously? Are you scared, Kelly?”
“A little, maybe. I sure would like to have a drink and throw darts at The Mill about right now. You up for joining me?”
Whoa! Is Kelly asking me out on a date? It sure sounds like it.
“Uh, sure. I want to run home and change first and then I’ll meet you there in say, 30 minutes?”
“Sounds like a date.”
Sounds like a date, indeed! Cal thought.
Cal and Kelly headed
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