Page 52 of Her Final Hours
18
Wednesday, March 21, 2:05 p.m.
The day of reckoning was finally here.
It didn’t take long to track down that dirtbag, Tommy Calhoun. A quick call to the prison to acquire the name of his parole officer, and he soon had an address — of course, he’d had another officer make the call. Someone inexperienced, wet behind the ears, and still in his first year with the High Peaks Police Department. It was easier that way — fewer questions and zero roadblocks.
Ray sat in his Chevrolet Silverado with its darkly tinted windows, the weight of anticipation making his breath harder. Swirling thoughts of revenge and protection consumed his mind as he took occasional swigs from a small steel whiskey flask, hoping it would steady his nerves. A little liquid courage never harmed anyone, he thought. Besides, it was his day off. As for drinking and driving, it wasn’t the first time and probablywouldn’t be the last. His moral warning light had flashed for years; he’d just stopped paying attention to it.
Parked in a heavily populated parking lot outside an apartment block in Saranac Lake, he’d been patiently waiting for hours, his eyes fixed on the entrance.
Beside him on the passenger side, a tire iron lay at the ready, a silent reminder of the violence inflicted upon his sister Maddie. In his eyes, the metal weapon represented Justice — a means to make Tommy pay for his past sins.
Like the fucking grim reaper, he was coming to collect and do what he should have done a long time ago.
The atmosphere in the truck was tense, the engine humming softly, mirroring the intensity of his swirling emotions. The past few months had taken him to a dark place in his mind. Losing Tanya to another guy, a failed suicide attempt, and the debt he could never pay had been lingering over his shoulder. That darkness pressed in on him, mirroring his desire for retribution, a passion that had burned fiercely since learning of Maddie’s encounter. He knew Tommy’s release from prison had unleashed a new wave of fear upon her, and he was determined to end it.
Ray narrowed his gaze as Tommy strolled out of the apartment building. Mostly he had stayed the same. He still looked like a loser, except now his hair was cropped short, and he was sporting a heavy beard. Ray’s heart rate ticked up, his grip tightening around the whiskey flask. Instead of launching a direct attack, Ray planned to follow him discreetly, allowing a few other vehicles to interpose themselves between them.
As Tommy climbed into a beat-up pickup truck and pulled onto the road, Ray maneuvered his Silverado, maintaining a safe distance. His mind raced with a multitude of scenarios, each one playing out in vivid detail. Should he confront Tommy head-on and beat the living daylights out of him, showing no mercy? Orhe could call in some favors from less savory connections, letting them deliver the punishment Tommy deserved. The possibilities whirled in his mind like a storm; each choice weighed with its own set of consequences.
But the obvious pushed through the noise.Wait until Tommy reveals his true intentions. Do it by the book.If he caught him red-handed, stalking Maddie, and pounced when he least expected, he could send him back to prison for good. The notion sent a thrill of adrenaline through his veins. It was the most logical and sound option to expose his nature in the most damning way possible.
Except where was the fun in that?
As Tommy’s truck weaved through the streets, Ray ensured he kept a safe distance, maintaining a delicate balance between tracking and avoiding detection. High Peaks seemed to be Tommy’s initial destination, but at the last minute he changed course, taking an unexpected turn. Doubts crept into Ray’s mind. Had Tommy noticed his presence? Would he return home to the apartment?
Against his better judgment, Ray followed as Tommy drove back into town. To his surprise, Tommy parked his truck and entered a café. Ray stopped across the street, his gaze fixed on the entrance. From his vantage point, he watched Tommy order coffee and sit near the café window.
Their eyes locked momentarily, and Ray could sense the smugness emanating from Tommy’s gaze. He gritted his teeth, refusing to let his anger consume him. He knew Tommy wanted to provoke him, to make him lose control and create a scene. But he was determined to remain patient, to bide his time until the perfect opportunity presented itself.
An hour dragged by; each minute felt like an eternity. Finally, Tommy left the café, climbed into his truck, and embarked on another journey through the streets. Ray carefullytrailed behind, ensuring he wasn’t noticed, but he was sure he’d been made. Tommy’s destination this time baffled him. He stopped outside and entered the Saranac Lake Police Department just on Main Street. Confusion clouded Ray’s mind. What was he playing at?
Suddenly an officer emerged from the department with Tommy by his side. Tommy pointed across the street, directly at Ray’s parked truck. He recognized the officer as Richard Bentley, and Ray’s confusion deepened. He and Bentley went way back, having worked together closely on multiple investigations in the past, sharing a mutual respect. Ray’s instincts told him that something was amiss.
He waited until he rapped on the window with his knuckles before he lowered it. “How are you doing, Ray?”
“Could be better.”
Bentley shifted from one foot to the next. “I hate to say this, but we’ve had a complaint. He says you’re stalking him.”
A bitter chuckle escaped Ray’s lips, tinged with frustration. “Stalking him? So, I guess he conveniently omitted the part about him stalking my sister, breaking into her place, or beating her up?”
“He attacked her again?”
“Not again, but he will if…”
“Ray. Stop. As much as I think the guy is an asshole. He’s done his time. He has rights. If anyone should know that, you should.”
“Rights? Are you kidding me? His only right is the right to my fist in his face.”
His voice grew louder, ensuring Tommy could hear the conversation.
Across the street, Tommy stood with a slimy smirk plastered across his face, reveling in the chaos he’d created. The situation infuriated him, but he knew he had to tread carefully. Heunderstood that Bentley had a duty to investigate the complaint, even if it seemed unjust.
“You know the background on this piece of shit,” Ray continued, his voice filled with conviction.
“I do. And if I had my way, I would let you take matters into your own hands. But…” Bentley trailed off, interrupted by Ray.
