The Disappearance of Jessie Hunter

By Richard Williams

Jessie Hunter is spoiled and always has been. He is in college when his father unexpectedly dies, and he must return home to sort out the family funds. Jessie expects to become lord of the manor, taking over his fathers business and land and becoming the high-powered man his father always wanted him to be. But nothing is as it appears to be.

Jessie soon comes to suspect that his father was murdered and that whoever killed his father now wants Jessie dead as well. He cant be sure why, but he knows hes being hunted and must go on the run. Jessie must place his trust in an estranged uncle he never knew in order to stay alive.

Now in hiding, Jessie leans on others to find safety and answers. But how will this spoiled, sheltered young man be able to solve the mystery of his fathers death? In order to get his life back, Jessie must be strong or end up dead at the hands of his fathers assassin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781475999372

Richard Williams

Richard Williams was the chief sportswriter of the Guardian from 1995 to 2012, having previously worked for The Times and the Independent. He was the original presenter of BBC2's The Old Grey Whistle Test and was the artistic director of the Berlin Jazz Festival from 2015-17. Among his previous books are The Death of Ayrton Senna (1995), Racers (1997), Enzo Ferrari: A Life (2002) and The Last Road Race (2004). A Race with Love and Death is his most recent publication (Simon & Schuster, 2020).

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

HEADED HOME

It was a warm fall day in early October as Jessie drove down a dusty back road ponderings over the last time he had met with his father. Jessie you always drop your major half way through to start something else. Why can’t you keep your mind focused on one thing? You run from one major to another just like you run through girls at school. When are you ever going to grow up? You’re twenty five now, why can’t you act your age?

Dad, it’s not like I’m not still learning something. I’m not you! Why can’t you let me be myself for once?

Jessie blew hard, his palms were sweaty and his throat was getting dry. His dad had more than enough money, why did he have to always bite his head off when he came home?

Jessie knew he was driving too fast and that his dad would have blown his top over it. It was so warm outside that driving at a high speed with the top down allowing the wind to blow over his face felt good. The Mercedes S L 550 was capable of high speeds and there wasn’t anyone else on this hick road.

Jessie took a deep breath, I’ll most likely be jammed into this world that time has forgotten. I’m now at the end of the world here in the northeastern part of Mississippi. Frank owned a large amount of land with several businesses to boot.

Jessie tightened his hand around the steering wheel as he sped down the road. These roads, his dad knew them better than anyone. How could he have driven off the road when he never drove at high speeds? That old Ford couldn’t go that fast.

The sun was beaming down now; it wouldn’t be long before he would be home. What a strange sounding word now. With his dad gone would it ever be home again?

Jessie looked at the sunlight shining through the fall leaves, and the cows in the fields while he kept fooling with the radio.

***

He’s driving too fast for me to get up beside him on this road, it’s way too narrow. I’ll have to wait until I have a better chance. I can catch him driving into town one day and then he will join his old man. The dark blue Chevrolet Camaro Coupes left side was dented in pretty bad. The Chevrolet backed off from following Jessie. T. S. Boswell thought it was foolish to take Jessie out this close to his father’s death. Even though his employer wanted it done soon T. S. Boswell wasn’t in agreement with the idea. Boswell’s hair was tousled as well as his clothes. He had been a cop at one time until he was brought up on charges that he was taking money from drug dealers. However, before the court date arrived, those who could testify were found dead. Rumor had it that Boswell had something to do with it, but there was no evidence to prove it. T. S. Boswell knew what it was like to have heat coming down.

***

The figure sat in a chair with his gaze looking off into the distance. The noise of his fingers drumming on the arm of the chair could have been infuriating. At sixty two his hair was still a bright red color. The brown eyes were set back into his face and looked as if they were too big for the face and his crooked teeth stood out as he spoke. Andrew wanted Jessie’s dad murdered and now he wanted Jessie dead as well. Andrew had paid good money and he hated waiting. He rocked in his chair and yelled curses out loud, pulling his own hair and screaming with spit flying out of his mouth. No servants came to see what was the matter with him. He sat alone in his living room.

***

Standing in the doorway, Les Irwin waited for Jessie to arrive. Nervously, he rubbed his hand through his hair. Even though the police had ruled Frank’s death an accident, Les knew better. Les knew Andrew Sheffield was behind it. Les remembered Frank talking with his lawyers about Andrew and how he was trying to push in on his land. Les thought back to that day when Andrew came over uninvited. Frank, I want that land and I am going to only make this offer to you once. You had better take it before something happens. Really, Frank snapped back. Are you threatening me Andrew? Walking to the door, Andrew turned and looked back at Frank. I don’t make threats. I make promises."

Shaking his head to himself, Les knew that when he told Frank that he needed to call the police Frank wasn’t going to listen. Money, it seemed, could buy just about anything in that sleepy part of the state and now Frank’s death was ruled an accident before the paperwork was even finished. Les stood in the doorway watching for Jessie’s car to drive up at any moment. At least he was praying it would.

***

A small plane landed on an airfield that was on Frank’s property. Only a few knew about the airfield which is why Earl Christopher Hunter used it. Chris had always gone by the name Chris since he was a boy. It was the nickname Frank had given him. Chris carried a letter from his brother in his coat pocket that asked him not to do anything toward anyone who might have been responsible for his brother’s death. Frank’s main concern was for Jessie. Jessie was going to have to be kept safe from Andrew and those he would hire. Chris knew that even if he killed Andrew, he might not be able to stop those Andrew had hired. It would only be a matter of time before Jessie was murdered. Frank asked Chris to do something that seemed impossible at that moment, but Chris, as well as his men, owed their very lives to his brother. He would do whatever Frank wanted him to do, which is why he came into the country this way, without being seen by anyone. Chris had his team off making plans about where they would go and what they had ahead of them. He figured it would take a year. They couldn’t take any more time than that. A year would have to do.

***

About half an hour away from home, Jessie, knew Les would be waiting for him with something hot on the stove. It was high school all over again. Eat now Jessie. You don’t want to go out later to play ball and fall out, now do you? In Jessie’s high school days he had played football, yet when he arrived at college, he decided to just party and live it up. After all, Jessie told a school bubby. We’re only going to be here once. Looking in the rearview mirror, Jessie couldn’t believe how out of shape he had gotten. My God, where have the years gone? Reaching into his right pocket Jessie pulled out a cell phone. Bringing up the contact list, he would see who he would call. There were plenty of girls on this list. Why should he be alone down here?

***

Pacing across the floor, Andrew was tired of waiting to get what he believed belonged to him in the first place. If Frank Hunter hadn’t bought that land before he could get the money together the land would be his now. He wasn’t sure if Frank knew there was oil under that land, and if he did know, why hadn’t he started drilling for it? If Frank’s son didn’t know about the oil he could get rid of him and then the oil would be his. The two thousand acres of land with nothing but pine growing on it should be worth millions by itself.

Andrew picked up the phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. A.S. Rundles had worked for Andrew before helping him clear people out of the way by making them think they were under an IRS investigation. Once he put the screws to them, they always caved in. A.S had been well paid in the past and he had made more than his share of the money off these deals. Now he was going to have to step up to the plate and push this one through to the end. Andrew wanted that land now. Hearing A.S. Rundles’ voice on the other end of the phone Andrew spoke hastily, Yes, I need you to do something for me again. You’ll be well paid for this job as always. I know how long it’s been since Frank’s death, and yes, I know his funeral is tomorrow. What I want you to do is show up after the funeral and put the screws to the kid. If I can get the land that easily, I might wait a year or so before I have him killed. Andrew hung up the phone. He knew A.S. would do it, if not for the money, then because he didn’t want to end up like Frank Hunter.

***

As Jessie drove up the driveway, the house seemed a thousand times bigger now. It was as if the house itself cried out that the master of the house was gone. There was an emptiness about the house, even from the driveway. How would this place ever seem like home now? Sitting in the silence of his car, the big old two story house looked like something you always saw in old movies about the South. He could remember playing in the five rooms and there were always a bathroom nearby in this house, it had four. In his mind Jessie could see his mom and dad walking down the hallway or heading outside on a hot summer afternoon. They loved this old house; it had room enough in it for everyone. His dad always said that one day his brother would show up with some friends and he wanted to have enough room for everyone. This house surely fit the bill for that. Jessie sighed as he got out of the car. He stood there wondering what the next few weeks were going to hold for him.

***

Kicking the ground with his shoes, Chris stood there waiting for the car that was coming to pick him up. Arrangements had already been made for the car before Chris’ plane landed. Once the car arrived, he would head toward Frank’s home. Blowing quietly as he stood waiting, Chris knew Jessie would be there by now. His only hope was that whoever Andrew hired to kill his brother would wait until after the funeral before coming after Jessie.

Looking at his watch, Chris knew he had little time to set things in motion so that he could have everything headed in the right direction. He pulled the letter out of his pocket and reread it again. Holding the letter tightly in his hand, Chris looked up at the sky. Frank, I can’t understand why you think your way is the best way to handle this situation. My men and I could take Andrew out and within a year I could hunt down any other hired gun that might still be out there. Chris stopped at one part of the letter and read it aloud.

Chris I know what I am asking of you is a hard thing to do, but believe me when I tell you that I have prayed over it and I believe if I am murdered it will be the only way to save Jessie and to help him grow up into the man he needs to be. I am counting on you now. You’re the only one I have to turn to. The life of my son is in your hands. Please watch over him and do what I am asking.

Chris knew that before he was through with Jessie, Jessie was going to hate him, but maybe one day he would look back and realize that it was all for his own good. The cell phone started ringing, Hello, yes I made it in and I’m waiting for the car to arrive now. No, no one knows I’m here. As I told you, Andrew doesn’t know anything about me. But he will before I leave. I know, I’m going to do what my brother asked, but I am going to put a little healthy fear in him before I leave. Look the car is here, we can talk later. The car stopped and Chris got in, as the car headed towards Frank’s house, Chris couldn’t help but smile. He knew Kim was worried and wanted to be there with him. He also knew that if Andrew tried anything while she was around, Kim would kill Andrew without blinking an eye.

***

The police radio was down low and Walter Knox was playing his country music while he was making his rounds on the back country roads. That was when he spotted the car coming out of an old dirt road that was on Frank’s land. The car was moving fast and picked up speed as it hit the main road. Man, I didn’t think there was anything back there. That’s Frank Hunter’s land. I wonder who that could be? With the police lights on Walter sped up attempting trying to catch up with the car, but it was no use. Walter thought about calling it in, but instead he made another call.

Hey, I thought you might like to know that I am after this car that just came off a dirt road that was on some of Frank Hunter’s land. No, I can’t catch them, whatever they got under the hood of that car, I can’t match it. Like I said, I didn’t call it in because I thought you would want to know first. Yes, I am trying, but I can barely see their tail lights now. Forget it, I’ve lost them. Ok, I will keep looking. Dropping the cell phone down on the seat next to him Walter kept on driving, seeing only dark roads ahead of him.

***

Deep set lines were fixed across his face as he stared out into the night through the office window of the police office. Who could that be? And why were they here? Claude had questions, but no answers right now. The coffee was still hot as he sipped it. Claude hated being one of Andrew’s boys, but once he sold himself out to him years ago there was no going back. Picking up the phone he dialed Andrew’s number. The phone rang but there was no answer. Taking another sip from the coffee cup he sat deep in thought. Claude picked his phone up again and dialed Walter’s number. Hey, back off of that car, I mean don’t look for it anymore. It might be that guy Andrew was telling me about. Yeah, just forget about it.

***

The car slowed down as Walter thought about what might have happened if he had indeed stopped that car. I could have been shot down like a dog. Shaking his head as he pulled his car off onto a side road, Walter sat there with his hands shaking over what he thought could have happened. Sweat slowly rolled down his forehead. From now on he wasn’t going to stop anyone back here, there wasn’t any good reason he could think of getting killed over something Andrew wanted.

***

Even though he knew Les had a hot supper waiting on him Jessie walked outside to make his call. He looked at the numbers on his cell phone and then he punched the numbers he wanted. He walked slowly as he waited for the voice on the other end to answer. Hello! Jessie is that you?"

Do I have the pleasure of talking with the beautiful Ms. Martha Culpeper?

Jessie I was wondering if you were going to ever call me again. I don’t know why you went back down there in the first place. You could have had your Father buried up here. I know that’s his home, but Jessie, that is where hicks live. Her fist went to her head as the words came out of her mouth. Oh now dear, you know I didn’t mean you. You’re not a hick. Biting her bottom lip, Martha sat there wondering if Jessie was going to speak or just hang up on her.

Laughingly Jessie spoke, Well, you wouldn’t mind coming down here and spending some time with this ole hick, would you?

Why Jessie, you know I would be glad to come and see you. Yes, I can be there in three days, two, if you really want me. Ok, I will be leaving tonight then. Martha knew she wasn’t the only girl Jessie was seeing. But here she had a chance to be with him at his home without those other witches flying around him all the time. "Hmm, maybe I could live down there after all. I heard his dad was loaded, so maybe it wouldn’t be all that bad. Martha smiled.

***

The car lights shown through the windows of the house as it drove up into the driveway. Jessie called out to Les, Hey, were you looking for anyone else to show up? Les walked to the door of the office. I believe it might be your Uncle Chris, Jessie. You remember him, don’t you? Getting up from his father’s office chair, he looked hard at the lights now, his eyes flared. No, can’t say that I do. Tell you what. If it is good ole Uncle Chris, show him in here. I know how to handle men like him. Les made a few steps toward Jessie. He looked into his eyes hoping to find understanding, but all he saw was a wall. Jessie, I think you shouldn’t do anything you might wish you hadn’t.

Nonsense, there was a large smirk coming across Jessie face as he spoke. Show him in, please. Les walked out of the room hoping Chris would remember his brother Frank when he met Jessie and not kill him. Jessie sat there waiting what seemed as several minutes, but was in fact only moments. Chris walked into the room. He was tired and he wanted something to eat. Les said you wanted to see me right away.

Sitting back in the chair as if he was the big man in charge now, Well, hello to you, Chris, my long lost uncle. Now tell me where have you been all these years? I believe you must have been off seeing how much of my dad’s money you could drink up, right? So tell you what, Getting up from the chair slowly as if to make the point he was now indeed in charge of things, Jessie reached into his pocket and pulled out three twenties. Here, this should buy you something to drink on your way home. Walking toward Chris with the money in his hand Jessie was smiling at what he thought was a cute cut to Chris.

As Jessie reached out his hand, Chris caught it and with one rapid move Jessie was flying through the air and landed on his rear. Before he could get up, Chris picked him up and threw him again across the room breaking a lamp. Les ran into the room, and upon seeing what was happening, he quickly left. After being thrown four times, Jessie lay on the floor crying. He had never had anyone do something like that to him.

"You look at me you fat useless prick, if it wasn’t for the fact that I am your uncle, and that your father, my brother asked me