Double Play Read online

  Double Play

  When the Game of Deceit Can Never be Unbroken

  K. Redd

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2022 by K. Redd

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected]

  First paperback edition August 2022

  Published by Dream Fierce Publishing, LLC

  Book design by Nick Castle

  ISBN 979-8-9861449-1-7 (paperback)

  ISBN 979-8-9861449-0-0 (ebook)

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2022910812

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  I would like to thank my parents for all of the love and support they have provided throughout my lifetime. I would also like to thank other members of my family and friends who have supported me in the publishing of my book. I would like to show my gratitude to Daniel Northington for reviewing early copies of my manuscript and providing guidance. I would also like to thank my editors at Kevin Anderson and Associates and Publishing Life Services and beta readers who helped strengthen my book in every way.

  Prologue

  Sometimes, it is possible to be too conspicuous. People often say everyone is connected to everyone else in the world within six degrees of separation. As a successful luxury and exotic car salesman who drove a flashy car, Ryan Wright was connected to many people—good and bad. He was the salesman of choice for celebrities and high-powered politicians and had a certain amount of flashiness that stood out. Even people who did not know Ryan noticed him as he drove down the street.

  TOMMIE

  Tommie Parker loved everything about cars. In fact, he loved cars so much, he decided to become a mechanic. He fantasized about owning a large collection of luxury and exotic cars one day. However, his life as a mechanic was short-lived as he spent life in and out of prison for petty theft and armed robbery. Frequently accused but seldom convicted, Tommie, nevertheless, had a lot of luck on his side.

  Tommie first noticed Ryan’s car driving down the highway one day after Tommie’s cousin picked him up from his latest stint in jail. He made his cousin follow the car for miles, leading them to the luxury and exotic car dealership where Ryan worked. Sitting parked outside the gates of the dealership, Tommie told his cousin all about several cars at the dealership. He described everything about their engines, safety features, and options until his cousin became annoyed and drove away.

  One day, Tommie scheduled an appointment to meet with Ryan about buying a car. He could not afford any of the cars at the dealership, but he wanted to get a closer look at them and take one for a test drive. On the day of the appointment, Tommie put on his best suit and had his brother drive him to the dealership. As Tommie entered the dealership, he noticed a slight tear in his suit jacket. He immediately felt as if everyone was staring at him and thinking that he did not belong there. The receptionist greeted Tommie and paged Ryan.

  Ryan came out and shook Tommie’s hand. “Hello, Mr. Parker. Can you tell me what type of car you’re looking for?”

  “Well, everything looks great.”

  “Is there a specific make and model you want? Or are you looking for specific features?”

  Tommie tugged at his suit jacket and folded his arm over the tear. “Well, I love cars. I like every make and every model. I really want to test-drive all of them to see which one I like best. It doesn’t matter what I test first.” Tommie appeared oddly giddy, unlike Ryan’s usual customers.

  “Okay, in order for you to test-drive a car, I need to make a copy of your driver’s license and car insurance.”

  “Oh, I don’t have those with me.”

  “That’s not a problem. I can schedule an appointment for you to test-drive a car on another day. Meanwhile, I can show you—”

  “Please, can I just test-drive one today? I don’t need to take it out of the parking lot. I can just drive around the lot.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. That’s not the way we do things here.” Ryan signaled for the security guard to keep an eye on him.

  Tommie became agitated. “You discriminating against me ‘cause of the way I look? You don’t think I look rich enough to have a car like this?” Tommie paced, scrunched his face, and pointed at Ryan. His voice increased in intensity. “I’m gonna report you to the news and my lawyer, and you’ll be sorry you ever treated me like this.”

  The security guard quickly approached Tommie. “Sir, you need to leave now.”

  “You ain’t gonna stop me. I will get a car.” Tommie yelled as the security guard escorted him out of the dealership.

  When the security guard returned, he approached Ryan. “Man, what was that about? You makin’ enemies like that?”

  Ryan shrugged his right shoulder. “I have no idea what was going on with him. That was weird. Must be on drugs or something.”

  MARCO

  Marco Kameron was always a frugal man who worked hard and played by the rules. Although he grew up poor, he was determined to make sure that his future children did not have to experience the hardships he experienced. After college, Marco found a job at a small investment banking firm and made sure he stayed away from his childhood peers who had chosen a life of crime. He married a beautiful, funny, and intelligent woman named Veronica, and, in many ways, he had the perfect life and was happy.

  Marco first met Ryan Wright when he decided to surprise his wife with a luxury car after he caught her ogling one at a local shopping mall. He could not afford a new luxury car, but he knew that many new car dealerships also sold used cars. His wife, Veronica, deserved to be spoiled. She endured a difficult pregnancy along with complications during the birth of their son. In the months following his birth, Veronica showed what a wonderful mother she was in addition to being a wonderful wife. On the day of the surprise, Marco and his wife met with Ryan, who sold them a used, candy red Maserati.

  Three days later, while Marco was on his way home from work, he saw something that changed his life forever. Two blocks from his home, the street was completely blocked off with yellow crime scene tape. As Marco began to reverse his car, he looked up and noticed that a red Maserati was parked askew on the other side of the tape. Marco felt dizzy and faint as he exited his car and darted toward the Maserati.

  “Stop right there!” An officer stepped in front of Marco and grabbed him firmly. “You can’t cross an active crime scene.”

  “Get off me!” Marco roared, shaking himself free. He edged closer to the Maserati and noticed several bullet holes in the car’s doors and windows. Shattered glass was strewn on the ground near the car. A splatter of scarlet stained the driver’s side window. Marco could see his wife’s body hunched over the steering wheel. His legs went numb as he crumpled onto the gravel. “No. No, no, no…”

&
nbsp; One of the officers standing near the Maserati approached Marco. “Excuse me, sir?”

  “My wife. That’s my wife,” Marco said as tears streamed down his cheeks. “And…where’s my son?”

  “I’m so sorry. There was a baby in the backseat. He was also killed.”

  After endless questioning by investigators, Marco was finally allowed to go home. He felt his mind wandering to the bloodstained car window all night. Why would someone want to murder his wife? An overwhelming clutch of anguish sat in his stomach and the shock paralyzed him. The guilt he felt from failing to protect his wife and child ate at his soul. He barely ate or slept, and his humanity dissolved further with each passing day.

  Weeks passed, and the police still had no clues about who killed Marco’s wife and son. Marco was determined to make everyone and anyone who played a role in what happened pay. He became obsessed with avenging the deaths of his wife and son and feverishly made a list of everyone who had any contact with his wife shortly before her death. His desire for vengeance fueled his anger. Everyone responsible for his wife’s death had to die.

  Every day, Marco selected at least two people on his twenty-page list to stalk. He spent hours researching them online before driving to their homes and following them throughout the day. As he drove, his hands ached from having punched walls, tables, and everything within his sight the prior evening. When Marco finally located his target, he clenched his jaw in anger and cried until tears no longer flowed as he scribbled detailed notes about the target onto his tattered notepad.

  Although Marco had stayed away from a life of crime, he knew how to reach many of his childhood acquaintances who had chosen the criminal career path. His body trembled as he spent most of the night contacting everyone who could help with his plans. His daily routine left about two hours for sleep, which usually only happened when he passed out onto the floor somewhere.

  DREW

  Drew Ronstone purchased numerous luxury cars from Ryan Wright’s co-worker, Kale Jones. Kale had no idea what Drew did for a living or where his money came from; he only knew that Drew was a regular customer who paid cash and helped him to compete with Ryan’s sales. Sometimes, Kale bought used cars from Drew to sell at the dealership. The cars were always customized with unique colors, tinted windows, and custom tires and rims. Kale met with Drew at his garage five times per year. One day, Kale called in sick and asked Ryan if he could meet with his longtime client instead.

  The meeting was to take place at Drew’s business after hours; Kale assured Ryan that Drew was a good guy. Ryan was hesitant to meet with a customer he did not know personally, especially late in the evening. However, Kale assured Ryan there were no safety issues and promised to let him keep all commissions from the sale.

  As Ryan walked toward Drew’s massive, multi-car garage, he quickly glanced up at the night sky, focusing on the stars for a few seconds. He always got a little nervous entering late-night meetings, so he looked for ways to calm his mind.

  When Ryan reached the garage, he typed the passcode provided by Kale and entered the garage as soon as the door unlocked. There were eight men standing around a red Maserati. A short, stout man approached Ryan.

  “Ah, you must be Ryan. Kale told me all about you.” Drew approached Ryan and shook his hand.

  “Nice car. Are you buying or selling?” Ryan circled the Maserati, examining the exterior.

  “Come to my office and show me what you got. I’ll have somethin’ ready for you or Kale to pick up tomorrow.”

  Ryan followed Drew to his office and pulled out photos and descriptions of available cars for sale. Drew picked out one vehicle and pulled a stack of cash out of his office safe and handed it to Ryan. Ryan quickly flipped through the bills.

  Drew walked over to his office door and opened it. “It’s all there plus a little extra for your time.”

  Ryan stuffed the cash into his briefcase. “How would you like the receipt?”

  “We work out of trust. You trust I gave you enough money. I trust you will give me what I ordered.”

  Two days after Ryan left, police surrounded Drew’s garage. Shots were exchanged, but the police were able to capture and arrest Drew along with two of his workers. While in prison awaiting his arraignment, Drew called his cousin Tony.

  Tony answered in a husky tone as he coughed. “Hey, Drew, what’s up?”

  “Did you hear about what happened to me?”

  “Yeah, the whole family’s talkin’ about it. Do you know who caused it?” Tony continued to cough.

  “I don’t know for sure, but Alex has been acting strange lately. Also, it happened a couple of days after I met with that other car dealer, Kale’s guy.” Drew looked around to see if any of the other prisoners were watching him. “I think his name was Ryan something. Oh yeah, Ryan Wright. It just seems like too much of a coincidence.”

  “I’ll see what I can find out. You think that Ryan guy might have been working with the police?”

  “That’s what I’m thinking. I worked with Kale for years without so much as a peep from the police.”

  “I’m on it. And Alex?”

  Drew glanced over at the guard standing nearby and lowered his voice. “One of my guys said he was undercover, and he’s been acting funny lately.”

  “Okay, I got you. I will take care of everything, and if you need anything else, just let me know.”

  “Your loyalty will be rewarded,” Drew said before hanging up the phone.

  One

  After spending their entire lives switching places and getting away with it, Brian Wright and his identical twin brother had no idea their lives were going to change forever. Their workday began in a normal way. Every weekday, they spent early morning hours at a fitness center before working together at a California luxury and exotic car dealership where Brian was manager and Ryan was the top salesperson.

  Like many days before, Ryan walked into Brian’s office, tossed his keys onto Brian’s desk, and scooped up the set of keys perched on the desk’s corner near the edge. It was switch day, which meant trading cars, homes, and families for a day.

  “Hey, don’t crash my car!” Ryan said with a sly smile as he slid Brian’s keys into his pocket. His green eyes sparkled as he shot Brian a mischievous look.

  Brian abruptly pivoted toward Ryan. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. When was the last time I crashed a car? You’re the reckless one. Make sure you leave everything as YOU found it.”

  “Hmm… I seem to remember that one time, ten or fifteen years ago. A totaled car and a speeding ticket with your name written all over it.” Ryan turned and walked out of the office.

  Brian jumped out of his seat and leaned forward, plopping his fists onto his desk. “Man, don’t even play! You were the one in the accident, and you’re the one who was speeding!”

  Ryan rushed back into Brian’s office and stood in the doorway. “Well, as far as everyone else knows, it was all you.” Ryan laughed. “And that’s all that really matters.”

  “I’m gonna get you back for that one.”

  Sharon, the finance manager, stomped into the office, sliding in front of Ryan. As she entered, her foot-long curly red hair practically slapped Ryan in the face. “Hey, guys, is everything okay in here?” Sharon turned her head toward Ryan, pushed her overly long bangs out of her face, and squinted her eyes, peeking at his name tag. “Uh, Ryan?”

  “The show’s over. Bye, Sharon!”

  “I’m just… Never mind. I just heard loud voices. Anyway, I’m so glad you guys wear name tags. I wouldn’t be able to tell you apart without them.” Sharon left the office, creating a small earthquake with every step.

  Ryan grasped the door handle and pulled the door closed. “She has to mention the name tags every single day. Doesn’t she know this is your office, so if she sees you sitting here, she should know who you are?”

  “You know she just has to say something.” Brian rotated in his chair and typed on his computer keyboard.

  Ryan unfastened his
name tag and placed it onto Brian’s desk. “I’m just going to leave this here. I’m running late. What time are you getting out of here?”

  “In a couple of hours. Where are you going?” Brian asked without glancing up from his computer.

  “I just have an errand to run before heading home. Don’t worry, I won’t be too late.” Ryan pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and peeked at it before quickly slipping it back into his pocket. “Okay, we’ll talk later.”

  “You know we need to—”

  “I know, I know.” Ryan raised his arm above his head, waved his hand, and dashed out of Brian’s office. Blip, Blip. A text arrived. Ryan reached in his pocket and slid out his phone.

  It was from his wife, Amanda. Don’t forget, we have the counseling session this eve. Let me know if you need the address again. I will be on video. Ryan sighed. He had forgotten all about the appointment with the marriage counselor. He replied, I will be a little late. Feel free to start without me. Ryan slid the phone back into his pocket. Blip, Blip. Ryan sighed as he glanced at his phone again. WTF? He decided to ignore his wife’s last message and headed back to his desk.

  * * *

  It was the end of the day, and the sun was setting. Brian walked outside of the car dealership with keys dangling from his right hand and headed toward Ryan’s carmine red Porsche 911. He approached the car and pulled the door handle. Suddenly, he saw his co-worker Kale jogging toward him flailing his noodle-like arms. Ryan chuckled. He wasn’t sure if Kale was trying to get his attention or if he was doing a crazy dance.