Chapter 41

Shots In The Dark

Junior Ripley walks into the offices of JMR. Development, Inc. and goes to the inbox where his secretary leaves his mail for him. He shuffles through the stack of letters until he spots a letter from the insurance company that insured the old mill job. He opened the letter and began reading. "Son of a bitch," Junior said. "That bastard was setting me up all along."

"What do you mean?" asks the man who is with him.

"According to the insurance investigators, the old mill project was built with substandard lumber, concrete, and electrical supplies. They believe it was my intention to burn it down all along, and they're refusing to pay the claim. That means that bastard Tommy Smith was planning on screwing me all along. Well he's going to get his."

"He's probably at home," the other man said. "He's not going to be at his office 'cause the police have it all closed up."

"Well let's just see if we can find him," Junior said as he walked out the door.

*****

"Looks like it's all starting to fall apart," Agent King said to Sheriff Pendergrass and Deputy Hart.

"Yes," the sheriff replied. "Seems two of my deputies got involved in a shoot-out with two men a few hours ago. They killed one of the men at the scene, and chased the other about two miles into the woods before wounding him. He's at the hospital now."

"Who were they?" Agent King asked.

"William and Kenneth Knight," the sheriff answered, "but that's not all. We found Simon Gibson's body inside a telephone booth at the Roadside Country Market at Baily road and County Route 1338."

"You think they killed him?"

"It was either the Knight brothers or Junior Ripley. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You're probably right, Sheriff." Agent King agreed.

"Deputy Hart, I want you to get on the radio, and have two deputies meet you at Tommy Smith's house. I think we need to bring him in for questioning."

"What if he doesn't want to come in, Sheriff?"

"Oh, he's not going to want to come in, but you're going to bring him in if you have to break both of his legs."

"That's what I was hoping to hear you say," Deputy Hart said as he ran to his patrol car.

*****

Tommy Smith walked into his study, and set down at the huge oak desk. He reached up to turn on the light, and saw Junior standing in front of him with a gun in his hand. "No need to reach under the desk for that .45 Colt, Tommy," Junior said. "I already got it."

"Junior," Tommy said with a grin. "What brings you here tonight?"

"I thought you'd like to know the insurance company has refused to pay the claim on the old mill."

"Damn. How are you ever going to pay me the half mill you owe me?"

"All I owe you is a bullet in the head," Junior said.

"Now Junior, why would you want to shoot me? I actually lost more in that old mill than you did..."

"Lost more my ass," Junior interrupted. "You sold me cheap junk for building materials. You were setting me up all along. If I hadn't torched the mill, you would have got me anyway."

"Now Junior, it's not like that," Tommy said. "You know what I think?"

"No, what do you think, Tommy"

"I think it was the Knight brothers set us both up. I think they set Simon up too."

"You're full of shit, Tommy. The way I figure it, they were working for you all along. You just had them approach me to make it look like it was me if the law ever got on us."

"That's the way you figure it, huh?"

"That's the way I figure it."

"So what are you planning to do now?" Tommy asked.

"I'm going to start by putting a bullet in your head."

"Will that get you your money back?"

"No," Junior said, "but I can stop you from setting anyone else up."

"There's no profit in that, Junior. Why don't you give me a few days to dig up the cash, and I'll pay you back with interest?"

"I don't think so," Junior said pulling the trigger and firing two shots into Tommy's chest!

Tommy fell to the floor and gasped," I thought you were going to shoot me in the head?"

"I am," Junior said as he walked over to Tommy and placed the gun to his head. "I just wanted you to feel the pain."