Free Kentucky Murders: A Small Town Murder Mystery by Larry Parrott Page A

didn’t sound like he would listen to anything she had to say unless it was what he wanted to hear. So she changed her approach.
    “Tommy, I don’t know. Zack and I just went on one date. We’re just friends.”
    “I saw you hug and kiss him. It looked like more than just friends to me.”
    “Can we talk about this some other time? I’m tired, and I want to go home and sleep.”
    She again stepped forward to go past him, but he grabbed her arm, gripping it tightly almost to the point of pain.
    “I don’t want you to see him again.”
    She shook free and walked quickly away in the direction of her home. Then she stopped and turned to him. “We are over, Tommy. I’ll see anyone I want. Just leave me alone. That’s all I ask.” She turned and hurried away.
    This time he didn’t chase her but called out, “We’ll see about that, Kate.”
    As soon as he was out of sight, she ran the rest of the way home. Hurrying onto the porch, she went inside, closed the door, and locked the deadbolt. She leaned her back against the door and tried to catch her breath. Her pulse was racing a hundred miles an hour.
    She didn’t know what to do.
     
     
    Chapter 16
     
    Zack guided the forks of his forklift into the next pallet and lifted a load of corrugated board. Driving through the cutting room door, he saw a group of men gathered around in a circle watching something happening. Shutting down his forklift, he climbed down to see what was going on. He worked his way through the crowd to where he saw Tommy Ray standing in the middle, looking down at something or someone. It wasn’t until he pushed farther forward that he spotted Max, a dustpan and small broom in his hands, stooping down in front of Tommy.
    “What’s wrong, Max?” Tommy asked maliciously. “You keep spilling it.”
    Without looking up, Max slowly and carefully brushed a pile of paper cuttings into his dustpan. He was trying to ignore the laughing and taunting spectators around him. When he finished filling the pan, he started to stand. Tommy leaned over and bumped him in the arm, causing the pan to slip from his hand, spilling the contents.
    “Oops,” Tommy said nastily. “You spilled it again. Now you’ll have to start all over.” He glanced around at his audience. “Poor Max,” he said with no compassion, while some of the men chuckled guiltily, and others looked at each other like someone should do something. But no one tried to help; nobody wanted to get involved.
    Max, still ignoring Tommy and the others, bent to try again. Zack couldn’t believe how patient he was. Zack stepped forward. “Excuse me,” he said stepping between Max and Tommy. “I’ve got the next load for your machine, Ray. Don’t you think you should get to work on it?”
    Tommy poked a finger in Zack’s chest. “Who the hell died and made you the boss around here?”
    Zack looked down at Max. “Go ahead, Max. Clean it up,” he said. He then turned back to Tommy. “If you want to keep that finger, get it away from me,” he said calmly.
    Tommy withdrew his finger, looked down at Max, and then back up at Zack. His face turned beet red and Zack expected to see steam coming from his ears to relieve the pressure from his hot head. Tommy’s eyes narrowed. “I swear you’re pushing your luck, boy.”
    Zack took a step closer, their eyes staring each other down and their noses coming within inches of touching. “Am I?” He waited a few seconds, turned away, and bent down to help Max with the pile of cuttings.
    “He’s doing fine by himself,” Tommy called out loudly. When Zack paid no attention, Tommy raised his voice even louder. “I swear this son of a bitch is deaf.”
    Zack jumped up and turned to face Tommy. “Who do you think you are calling a son of a bitch?” He stared down at Tommy, who was an inch or so shorter than him. Zack waited.
    Tommy returned the stare for a few seconds, and then glanced quickly around at the other men. Zack shifted his weight to the