C.: well, d.c. is busy studying for a test he has tomorrow. I think it's just a urine test, but d.c. likes to be prepared. Anyway, hea sked me to write the blog solo today, but I don't feel like doing that. So, I'll just share the first chapter to the manuscripts d.c. mentioned in the blog yesterday. It's the fourth in THE MAGRUDER MYSTERIES SERIES, and it's called A FULL PARDON: THE GRYING OF THE LAW. It looks interesting.
CHAPTER: ONE THE GRAYING OF THE LAW
October 30, 2035; 1730
Josh McCafferty was a prompt person. He had developed an obsession with promptness while he had gone to South America on business. Most Americans view promptness as a sign of respect. The custom of Columbians paying little, if any attention to the time of day drove Josh to distraction. The only person who seemed to pay any attention to the time on his wristwatch was the other American that Josh dealt with in Columbia: the man who had tried to sell him out to the detective he now was to meet. Jay knew that Josh was obsessed with time, so he made sure to be in the right place at the right time.
The small, strange man appeared at the agreed-upon meeting place at precisely five-thirty p.m. on the balmy fall evening. He jumped out of his ancient, green and gray step-side pickup and confronted the detective. He was alone, except for the .223 glock he brandished in Magruder’s face. He wanted to let the detective know that the caliber of handgun he’d chosen to bring to their meeting would penetrate the Kevlar vest Magruder obviously wore under his shirt.
“What's it going to be, detective, the fate of the free world, or your friend’s life? That’s the friend that a decision you made for him sent him to death row in a state that implements the death penalty on a regular basis, and that I’m now in charge of. You have thirty seconds to decide. Then, if you don’t answer, I’ll blow a hole through the left side of your chest, and your friend will be executed in the next forty-eight hours. Three, two, one-”
As Taylor counted to one, Magruder slapped his neck, as if to swat a mosquito away. At the same instant, a .50 caliber bullet grazed the right external branch of Taylor’s carotid artery as the slug buried itself in the trunk of an ancient white oak tree. It was the only tree large enough to stop the bullet in the powerful weapon’s line of fire. The tree stopped the bullet from causing any more damage as it shook at its base even though it was over forty inches in diameter. The knick the bullet caused killed the next potential leader of the free world instantly.
After recovering his feet and his wits, Magruder wanted to make sure that the sinister being was, indeed, dead, so he checked for a carotid pulse. As he did, a “boy in blue,” tapped Magruder on the left shoulder.
“Mr. Magruder, I’m special detail officer Baron Mayes. I’m working in conjunction with the Attorney General and governor’s offices. Come with me, please. The Attorney General of the great state of Texas would like a word with you.” The cop led him to the police cruiser, and Mark Joliet handed Magruder his cell phone that had direct access to the governor’s office. Magruder alerted the acting governor of Texas that the potential future leader of the free world lay dead in a public park.
No sound was heard from any direction as this happened. There was no trace of anyone being within almost one thousand yards of the two men for several minutes. It was suspected that the CIA or FBI had learned what Jay had learned and had one of their snipers do their dirty work after Baron Mayes reported the incident to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s department, but no body was ever found. A deputy constable and special detail officer at the governor’s mansion, though, the Sheriff's department believed, was a believable source, so the sheriff’s department conducted an investigation into the incident in cooperation with the FBI when the governor of Texas had been missing for two days, the amount of time required for someone to be declared missing.
When Magruder returned to the scene of the crime, though, the corpse, along with the ancient vehicle he drove to the park, were missing; along with the cop who escorted him to the A.G.’s car.
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