Dead Or Not?

By chuck swope

Jack Snow Agrees To Take A Case Involving An Attractive
Widow Who Says Her Brother Has Been Missing For Ten
Years.
Upon Questioning She Reveals That Her Brother Is
Back But She Herself Questions Whether He Is Really
Her Brother Although Her Mother And Father Believe
He Is.
Is She Right Or Is The Man Purporting to Be her
Sibling Is Who He Says He Is?
Who Is Right?
Jack Intends To Find The Truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: chuck swope
• Release date: Jun 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386933687

chuck swope

Chuck Swope was born in Evansville Ind. But One Day He Announced to his wife they were moving to Las Vegas, NV. They have now been there for years. He likes to bet horse races, read and of course write in the Mystery Genre and Science Fiction Genre. He has also written humor and Children's books under pen names.

Book preview

Prologue

Eric Canyon tooled his new sports car along the highway at 80 mph. This thing really flies, he thought as he pressed down on the gas a little more. The car was a present from his father for being admitted into Eddington U. A prestigious University nestled in the little town of Fallsbrook, Indiana, not too far from the family home in Little Cove Indiana.

Eric noticed a car coming up fast behind him. Wanted to race did he? He depressed the pedal some more. The car behind him sped up.

Give it up, Chump, he laughed. You’ll never beat this little baby.

They went on. The car behind him kept pace. Gotta give the guy credit, he mumbled. The guy’s got balls. He depressed the peddle a bit more. One hundred one. He laughed wildly. His pursuer was still there. Eric bit his lip. Who was this guy? Was this a race or something more sinister? He craned his neck to look around, trying to see if he recognized the driver of the oncoming vehicle.

A mistake!

He began to lose control.

He tried to brake a little, but he hit the brake too hard, and started to swerve.

He fought the wheel for what seemed like an eternity, finally he swerved into the woods that bordered the highway, smashed into a tree.

When he regained consciousness he had a face full of airbag. He began to thank the good lord for whoever invented the safety device. He started laughing at his good luck. He was alive and he didn’t feel as though he was injured.

Of course, it was also my good driving. I managed to slow down this critter a lot.

Then he felt a presence. He glanced to his left. A man was standing there. A man holding a gun.

Alive, Eric boy? You always was the lucky fool.

Rodney? Thank God. This is no time for jokes. Help me out of here.

Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.

Come on. I’m getting mad. Quit the horsing around.

You’re getting mad? That’s too bad. Like I give a shit.

What’s the matter with you, Rodney? Suddenly you’re not my friend?

Not any more, Eric. You crossed the line. You went too far. You’re on my shit list.

What? Hey, was that you behind me?

Yep. You thought I wanted to race, didn’t you? You never could resist a challenge could you?

I’m competitive, so what? It’s no secret. You’ve come in second to me often enough. Is that why you’re making me sweat?

Not exactly. So nature gave you a few more natural abilities. Big deal. And don’t make me gag by telling me you worked at it. We both know that you’re a lazy bum and that you’re just lucky to be born better off than most of us. I understand that, and I could care less. But you just had to cross the line that no man should cross. That’s why I’m going to kill you, Eric.

Kill me? Why? What did I ever do that’s so horrible? I’m your best friend. I stuck by you when others wouldn’t. Now get me out of here. This joke is over. Isn’t it enough that you caused me to wreck my new car?

Rodney laughed. He cocked the gun.

Eric started to sweat. He realized his friend was serious. What’s this line I was supposed to cross? Give me a chance to make it up to you.

You know what you did. You took Suzy from me.

That was her doing, not mine. I’m truly sorry, buddy. I’ll convince her to go back to you.

Too late my friend. His finger tightened on the trigger.

Chapter One

Alden Dax sat back in his chair and stroked his chin. Erin, have you told the police all this?

Of course I have. But it’s a ten year old case and because it didn’t even happen here in Vegas they say there isn’t anything they can do.

I can understand their position. Tell you what, let me bring Jack Snow into this.

Who’s that?

He works for me as a consultant.

Consultant? For heaven’s sake, Alden. The last thing in the world I need is a consultant, unless it’s a psychic or some other kind of charlatan.

Alden sat back in his chair and laughed. He’ll get a kick out of that, being compared to a psychic. But seriously, he’s helped me and my son out of a lot of tight spots and even solved some murder cases.

But has he ever dealt with a situation like this?

No, don’t think so. But he did find a kidnapped little boy not too long ago.

Not quite the same, is it?

No, but this is a pretty unique case, isn’t it? Why don’t you let him take a crack at It?

Would he be willing?

If I asked him to he would. He charges five hundred a day.

I don’t care about cost, Alden. I just want some answers, one way or another.

I understand. Shall I call him?

Sure, why not? When do you think I could speak to him?

I’ll let you know in a minute. Alden picked up his telephone. Margie, find Jack Snow for me."

Erin Blakely and Jack Snow sized up one another in Alden Dax’s conference room. So, Mrs. Blakely, how do you know Alden? You a member of one of his slot clubs?

Heavens, no. I don’t gamble, Mr. Snow, that is, unless you count the stock market.

I do, but go on.

Alden is a dear friend of my father’s. So, I’ve known him as long as he has which is seven years. When we first came to Las Vegas. We had just entered town when we had a flat tire. Alden, a complete stranger then, stopped to help us. When we discovered that we had no spare, Alden drove us to the house my dad and mom had purchased a few weeks earlier, then Alden drove my dad to get a new tire, and well, we’ve all been friends ever since.

Guess you never know how and when you might make a new friend. Okay, Alden says you have a very unique case. Tell me all about it.

Ten years ago, when we still lived in Indiana, my brother disappeared.

And you want me to find him?

Uh, no, not exactly, I’m not sure.

Hmm. Tell you what, you tell me the whole story, this time I won’t interrupt.

That would be quite helpful, Mr. Snow. She took a drink of water and continued her story. "As I said, my brother disappeared ten years ago in Indiana.

My parents searched for him three long years. They hired several private detectives, but no luck. The only thing ever found was his wrecked sports car. But he wasn’t in it or nowhere else to be found. After three years of searching, my mother said she couldn’t stand to remain in Indiana, too many memories of my brother. So dad bought a house in Vegas. He thought that all the gambling and entertainment here would be a great distraction for her and it has."

So I’m still not sure what you want me to do. the consultant said. If all those private detectives you hired couldn’t find your brother, I probably can’t either and you’d just be wasting your money.

That’s just it, Mr. Snow. My brother is back.

Jack jerked forward in his chair. Then what’s the problem? I don’t follow.

"Simple. I don’t think the man