The God Complex: A Thriller Read Online Free PDF Page A

the boom of the shotgun.
    “I’ll cancel the ambulance then,” suggested Cash to a nod of agreement from Rigs.
    “So you knew the Chief quite well?” asked Rigs, rubbing the end of the shotgun on the gang member’s clothes to clean it.
    “He was like a father to me and his wife was like the mom I never had.”
    “And his daughter?” asked Rigs having pieced most of Cash’s secret past together.
    “Sophie, the girl I was going to marry.”
    “But?”
    “Exactly . But,” replied Cash.
    “Not quite what I was hoping for,” said Rigs.
    “Me neither,” said Cash, looking at the Chief. “First, my father’s dying word was ‘Sophie’ and now the Chief’s dying word was ‘Kyle’ – Sophie’s new guy. I mean, Jesus, rub salt into the wound, guys,” he said more to himself than to Rigs.
    “Where to?” asked Rigs, scooping up whatever weapons he could lay his hands on.
    “Sophie’s place. She needs to know her dad is gone and I’d like to know what’s on this,” said Cash, holding up the flash drive.
    “And then?” asked Rigs, looking at his arsenal.
    Cash nodded, reading his friend ’s mind. “Yes, then we go issue a little payback and see if we can find out what the fuck just happened.”

Chapter 7
     
Santa Cruz, CA
     
    Cash made Rigs circle the area twice before they pulled over. The first time to check the area was clear; the second was nerves. Fifteen years was a long time. For a thirty-five-year-old, it was almost half his life. Sophie had been out of his life for as long as she had been part of it. They had met at the age of five and from the moment he had laid eyes on her, he had planned to spend his life with her. There hadn’t been a day in those first fifteen years that they hadn’t spoken or been a significant part of each other’s life. In the second fifteen years, they hadn’t spoken once.
    “ Can you keep watch?” asked Cash.
    Rigs nodded once.
    Cash walked slowly down the path. The house was, as expected, in darkness, as it was barely 4:00 a.m. He hesitated as he raised his finger to the doorbell . What would he say? What could he say? The Chief was dead, that was what was important about the visit, everything else was irrelevant.
    Cash pressed the bell and felt the fifteen years disappear as the all too familiar ding -dong echoed down the corridor.
    A few seconds later calls of “who’s there ?” accompanied a lot of shuffling around.
    The door cracked open. Cash’s breath caught the back of his throat, his heart pounded and his stomach lurched.
    A tall and powerful young man stood before him . “Can I help you?” he asked in a perfect English accent. The man was exactly the same height as Cash, six foot two, with a very similar build. If Sophie had wanted a Cash replacement, she couldn’t have picked a more perfect example, only he was younger, much younger.
    Cash stepped back and checked the door number . It was the right house, he didn’t need to check, it had been his second home, but the young man had thrown him.
    “I was looking for the Kramers?” said Cash , stepping forward again.
    “Everything okay?” asked Rigs, joining Cash. He had noticed Cash back away from the house. “Holy shit!” he said when he caught a glimpse of the young man at the door.
    “What?” asked Cash and the young man at once.
    “Kyle, who is it?” came a voice from deep in the house, a voice that Cash recognized all too well.
    “You’re Kyle?” asked Cash, his mouth dropping.
    “How old is he?” asked Rigs, the question aimed at Cash but meant for Kyle.
    “ I’ll be fifteen next month,” replied Kyle, not sure who to answer.
    “Cash!” came a breathless voice as Sophie reached the door.
    “Sophie,” replied Cash, gasping for air himself. She was as beautiful as he had remembered, perhaps even more so.
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Is your mom here?”
    She nodded , suddenly wary.
    “Best get her . Rigs, meet Sophie and Kyle, you’re on coffee duty.” Rigs