Page 68 of Risk of a Lifetime
She followed his instructions, returning with her boots as the last thing to put on.
“Once you get those laced and double-knotted, I want you to put your coat and gloves in the bedroom. Some place easy to grab.”
His decoy phone rang. Caller ID showed Kennett.
“Tell me you got something.” He said into the cell.
“Not much. In fact, some people might think it’s a coincidence.” The rookie paused.
“I don’t like coincidences.”
“Me, neither. Hey, close the door. I’m on the phone.” Kennett mumbled something under his breath.
JB raked his hands through his hair. “Who was that?”
“Evans.” Silence came through the phone.
“He still in the office with you?”
“No, but he’s gonna ask some questions.” Kennett blew out a breath.
“Blame it on me. Now what’d you get?”
“Do the numbers 1-0-3-8 ring a bell with you?”
1038…1038. JB rolled the numbers around his mind. “No. Should they?”
The sound of papers being flipped echoed through the phone. Kennett cleared his throat. “Here goes. The shooting at the bank occurred at 10:38. From what the soda fountain clock that crashed to the floor read after the explosion, that blast occurred at 10:38. And, from what we got off the small timer on Marcy’s brakes, it looked like she had her near-accident at10:30-something. I’m betting that last digit’s an 8.”
His mind reached for anything with a 1-0-3-8 in his past. For sure, the numbers meant something.
“We don’t know what time the guy went in your house last night,” Kennett said.
“Doesn’t matter. He left a better calling card. Ten .38 bullets.” He glanced at Marcy. “Has the sheriff come out of it yet?”
“No. He’s in surgery right now.” Kennett opened the door from the sound of the background noises on his end. “If I come up with anything else, I’ll call. Just so you know,” the rookie whispered, “Deputy Evans has his arms crossed over his chest and is staring straight at me. He’s coming this way.”
“I’m hanging up for now. Keep me informed.” He paced the same route Marcy had minutes ago. “By the way, have you seen Cain around town today?”
“Once. He barely nodded then kept on walking.” Kennett grunted. “This is a private phone call, Evans.”
“JB?” Deputy Evans growled, obviously having strong-armed the phone from Kennett.
JB hated to keep him out of the loop. The man was good. “Yes, sir.”
“If you and this rookie patrolman are finished with your conversation, I suggest you take a look at a clock and figure out 1038 fast.” Evans muttered something in Kennett’s direction, then turned his mouth back to the phone. “Me and the sheriff noticed the similarity in the timeframes late last night. He gave Landon a call to have him check through your office’s FBI files for the numbers. Wanted to see if there’s a link anywhere. Trouble is the numbers don’t hold through on every incident, though.”
“Like what?”
“Like the sandwich with the note to Marcy. That was nowhere close to that time.”
JB floundered for a second. “Did the results on the food get back?”
“Yeah. Nothing. Just Joanie’s food.”
“Makes sense then. He didn’t care about the time.” JB said. “He only wanted to scare her. Show us he’s in charge.”
He could almost see the furrow on the deputy’s forehead. The one the man always got when he calculated case points. “Hey, Evans. Don’t think I’m trying to cut you out of this. I’m just—”
