First Killer E-Book

J.a. Jernay

• Herausgeber: J.a. Jernay
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

It’s 1902. Edward Russell Thomas, one of New York City’s wealthiest men, has discovered the pleasures of a new luxury item known as an automobile. While out for his first drive, he commits a horrible crime—and learns that justice comes in many forms.Based on a true story.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Title Page

It’s 1902. Edward Russell Thomas, one of New York City’s wealthiest men, has discovered the pleasures of a new luxury item known as an automobile. While out for his first drive, he commits a horrible crime—and learns that justice comes in many forms.

Based on a true story.

First Killer

J.A. Jernay

NEW YORK CITY

1902

Carrying a riding crop in his left hand and his helmet in the other, the multimillionaire Edward Russell Thomas opened the door of his racing stables.

He wasn’t prepared for what he was about to see.

Before him, the row of fifteen stalls, the ones that he’d filled with the finest examples of fillies and mares, stallions and steeds, stood empty.

Their trough lay empty. The bag of wire brushes hanging from a hook lay empty. The entire room, even the whitewashed walls, was devoid of all the accoutrements that he’d grown accustomed to seeing since he’d purchased this equestrian extravagance.

At the far end of the stables, a teenage boy was washing the hardwood floor with a mop and a bucket of soap.

“You boy,” he said.

The stable boy looked up, startled. He let go of the mop and it clattered onto the floor. He ran across the room towards his boss, straightening his applejack cap and wiping his hands on his dungarees.

“Yes Mister Thomas.”

“Why are my stables empty?”

The boy shifted from his left to right foot, unsure of how to respond.

“Have you hearing problems?” he said.

“No sir.”

“Where are my horses?”

He watched the stable boy’s throat work itself violently, his cheeks suck in and out.

“Spit it out,” he said.

The boy stammered, “It’s just that … my mouth is dry, sir.”

He reached into the inner pocket of his coat and pulled out a flask and handed it to the boy. “Take a drink of water.”

The boy unscrewed the cap and lifted the flask to his mouth. He gagged and spit the liquid onto the floor.

“That wasn’t water,” he said.

“The sooner you encounter the cruelty of the world, the better,” answered Edward. “Now what has occurred here.”

A voice behind him said, “Mister Thomas, I didn’t know you were coming in today.”

He whirled. It was his stable manager, Lloyd. A former jockey, the man topped out at five feet two inches. He stood facing Edward with his hands on his hips.