Chapter 6
After Jake had left the parking lot where he had killed his former boss, he drove through the night until he came to a small diner. Unaware that he was being pursued, but thinking that the police were considering him a hero, he was not in any hurry. When he sat down to get some breakfast, and feeling better than he had in a long time, he happened to hear on the radio that he was the subject of a state wide manhunt.
With disbelief, he listened as the reporter told about the gruesome details that had been discovered. He thought that there must be a mistake because as he had made himself believe, he was everyone’s friend and had ridded the world of a despicable person like Jacobs.
People in the diner started talking about the murder and he was sure that they were all talking about him even though in reality, no one really noticed him. In particular, one trucker seemed in Jake’s mind, to be staring at him with contempt.
Just as the other night, the acid started building up in his stomach, and pain was again immense. He started thinking that the trucker had no right to stare and accuse him of the crime talked about on the radio, when in fact, it was not a crime at all, but a cleansing of an evil person deserving no less than he got.
Jake quickly left the diner, trying not to bring attention to him, but in the process, knocked over his chair when he got up. He hurried out, thinking that the truck driver was pointing and laughing, when in reality, he was busy talking to the waitress, and hadn’t even noticed Caulder at all.
Jake ran to his car, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow, wondering how so many people could be wrong about him. There was only one thing to do. He would have to have a talk with the trucker and set him straight, and then he could let all his friends back at the diner know that they were wrong about Jake.
Jake sat in his car, just like the other night waiting for Jacobs, but this time he was waiting for the trucker. When the truck driver came out and left the diner, Jake followed with the intention of merely talking to him to let him know about the truth about old Mr. Jacobs.
Two days later, when the state patrol found the body on the side of the road, it was apparent that Jake did more than talk to him. As in the Jacobs murder, the face was beaten to a pulp with a tire iron.
When inspector O’Reilly was notified of the murder and he saw the body, he knew that they were after one of the most dangerous criminals in a very long time.
Jake on the other hand, again felt that he had done the world afavor by “talking” with the trucker about how good and virtuous Jake really was. When he thought about this, a smile broke out on his face as he continued on his journey to his new life.
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