Part One - Brad Kilgore

  Chapter Eight - He was a disappointment.

  Frank shook his head in disappointment, then he said, “At the moment, you don't seem very smart. Do you understand the concept of torture? What do you think I've been doing here? Don’t you see the set up now? You’re a vain, arrogant, ex-bodybuilder with a bad combover, after all. Your world is flash and cockiness. You took a life over a tantrum. Now, it’s my turn.”

  Frank spoke as he waved a gloved hand, “There is no evidence that I was ever here. No one knows that the phone calls are recordings. You won't find any forensics. They won't find anything meaningful anyway. No hair. No fingerprints. No telltale fibers anywhere. The clothes come from local farmers. These are your shoes. Even all the footprints around here will match you and your help. Only you, a rope, and a missing girl. The story will be that you needed the money. Every farmer you tried to screw will say that. So here are the choices; you stole the money and set this thing up. A cover up that has gone bad, or you got nervous and tried to off yourself.”

  Frank watched Kilgore sway and tremble. Soon the only thing holding him up would be the noose around his neck. Time was starting to grow short. He continued speaking, “You did confess to a murder; you might even feel guilty for something. The Attorney General has enough evidence to charge you with several crimes. When the state boys come here and find you, they won't be looking for your mysterious ghosts. As far as the local police are concerned, they will be under suspicion too. They won't be able to help you. Remember the A G has all your records. Even the ones that record your pay offs to the local police. Let's see, that’s bribery, extortion, loansharking, sexual assault...”

  It was barely audible when Kilgore spoke again. “If I'm alive I still win. And I'll find you. When I find you? You're going to pay.”

  Frank didn't pay any attention to him. He continued speaking. “Battery, murder, and the list goes on. Oh, yea. The state boys have your code key. They can read your ledgers. Well, they can read what I sent them. Excuse me, what you sent them. You know, right before you burnt your copies.”

  Kilgore spoke just loud enough to be heard, “Don't you have any balls?”

  Frank didn’t let him finish and said, “You still don't understand. This is only the beginning of what you are going to lose. Don't mistake what I want for weakness or kindness. Today is a symbol, a sign, a message that says what will happen if you don't learn and change. She always hoped you could become a better person. I don't believe this is true. I am offering you this chance because of her. And because I really don't mind torturing you for the rest of your life. But there are some things you need to remember. In the future, anything you or your friends try to do to me gives me the freedom to do worse to you. I will be very plain. I have no problem killing you, but I’m here to cause you pain. You will never feel sorrow or guilt. I don't expect you to. You will learn the cost of your actions. I want you to live and to never forget.”

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  The fat man whispered, “I'll find you...” His voice was cracked and broken. He groaned from an impact to his kidneys.

  “You need to stop interrupting me. She wanted you to have a chance. Not because she liked you. She really hated you. She just had this belief that all people... souls are... were worth saving. But I know where your soul is going.”

  Frank looked into Kilgore's eyes. “And I can cause you a lot of pain before you go. Today was just a taste. It was just between me and you. If you go to jail, think of that as a reprieve or penance. She wanted you to be somewhere where you couldn't hurt innocent people anymore. She wanted to give you that. I wanted to do a lot worse. So, I suggest that you pay this price and then let it go. Forget about today and leave prison a changed man. If she gets what she wanted, I'll leave you alone.”

  Kilgore had very little strength. Still, he spoke with sarcasm and venom. “I'll get out one day....”

  Frank ignored him and continued speaking, “You’re lucky. I love her. I don't own her. I didn't try to own her. If she would have said go, you'd be dead. She's the reason you live. If you and your partner can let it go, I will too. If you two can accept that this is the price for your actions, I will stop. But that is not what I want. If I liked you, I would ask you to take my advice. I don't like you. And I really don't like her father. So, I'm asking you not to take my advice. Please don't. There is only one way you can change. One way for you to serve penance. Only one way you can make amends. Come for me, and I’ll send you there.”

  Frank walked out of the barn.

  “You can't ...” only the fat man heard the rest of what the fat man said.

  Twenty-seven minutes later, the attorney general made a call.

  The State Police arrived just after the first local patrol car arrived. A man was standing on a chair. His hands were twisted up in a rope. They weren’t really tied, and they were easily undone. Another rope was tied to a beam, and the opposite end was around his neck. The emergency call about a suicide was convincing.

  A man named Brad Kilgore claimed it was a set up. Officers nodded, but they didn’t believe him. Maybe, they didn’t care. They had the call recorded. They mumbled about a fire and a dead woman. Someone mentioned he was trespassing.

  A Trooper had been informed about a large envelope of papers and ledgers. The only thing missing were the names of the people who borrowed money from him. But they had evidence of corruption and dozens of other crimes. They would search, but the investigation was nearly complete.

  The local police were not so politely asked to leave. The fat man was handcuffed before he was taken away in an ambulance with a Trooper at his side. Crime scene tape went up.

  Life outside of this bubble went on.