Jack Beale 00 - Killer Run

his left, crabbing away from the body. He cried out a second time, and this time there was sound, loud and primal.

CHAPTER 50
    WITH SOME COOKIES and a sports drink in hand, the solitary runner watched the emergency personnel barrel into the school’s parking lot. First to arrive was the Ipswich police, followed by an ambulance and a fire truck. The race director greeted them with much gesturing. With grim faces they hustled past the food tables and followed several animated runners.
    Moments later, a small pickup truck arrived and drove off after them, eventually picking them up just before they disappeared from sight. The runner walked over to the corner of the school and looked toward the front. The ambulance was parked closest to the school, near the corner, with its lights still flashing. His curiosity satisfied, he walked over to where a group of runners holding red Solo cups were standing and asked, “What’s going on?”
    “I heard that someone fell down one of the hills and was hurt,” a woman said.
    Another added, “I overheard that the guy who fell landed on a body.”
    “Hey, look, it must be really serious,” said the first woman, pointing back toward the school.
    A contingent of uniformed State Police Troopers, along with another half-dozen men, some with cameras and others with what looked like large toolboxes, were converging on the finish area.
    “A body?” he asked.
    “That’s what I heard,” said the second. He was a bit distracted as they watched the race director run over to greet the police. After a moment, with much pointing and gesturing, they too headed out across the fields toward the woods.
    “ That was quick. ” He knew that it was inevitable that the body would be found; he just didn’t expect it to happen quite so soon.
    Aloud he simply said, “That sucks.” Then he walked off.
    Runners continued to come off the course in a steady stream, some finishing, while others grabbed a snack or a drink and headed back out on to the course. There was a continuous buzz as everyone who arrived heard the news. He watched and listened and was sitting by the playground when the truck returned. In the back were several EMTs and a runner.
    He watched as the truck drove past the school toward the waiting ambulance. “ He must have been the one who fell and found the body, ” he thought to himself.
    * * *
    Jack remembered screaming. Then there were voices calling down to him from the top of the embankment. He scrambled up toward the voices and arms reached out for him as he reached the top. Questions. Answers. Stunned looks. Someone began running back in the direction they had just come from. More people arrived. There was a lot of commotion and confusion. The same pickup truck that had rescued Sylvie brought Jack back to the finish area, as others guided rescue personnel back to the body.
    * * *
    It was time to go. In all of the confusion, no one noticed as the solitary runner picked up an extra bag and slowly limped toward the parking lot. As he reached the front of the school, he saw the runner who had been brought in by the truck sitting on the back of the ambulance. He was sporting several bandages on his arms and face and looked dazed as he sat staring at the ground. The man kept walking. After all, he had a car to find.

CHAPTER 51
    AS DAVE AND CHRISTOS crossed the finish line, they couldn’t help but notice that there were several State Troopers as well as local police in the finish area. “What the hell is going on?” Dave asked the timer.
    “A body was found in the woods by one of the runners in the race. Word has it, the dead guy was a runner too. They haven’t brought the body out yet.”
    “Holy shit,” Dave mumbled. Then, looking at all the police presence, he thought to himself, “ Well, I guess there won’t be any beers today. ”
    “Hey, there’s Paul. Let’s go see if he knows anything,” said Christos.
    “I’ll be right with you; I need the head.” Dave turned and walked toward the school. As he rounded the corner of the building he could see the flashing red lights of an ambulance and a fire truck, and the blues of several cruisers. When he reached the door to the school he saw Jack, sitting on the back bumper of the ambulance.
    “ Son of a bitch, ” Dave thought to himself. Aloud he yelled, “Jack?”
    Ironically, it was the same ambulance that had taken Sylvie to the hospital. Jack had a wool blanket over his shoulders and was holding a cup of