Previously, Jake traded barbs and nonsensical pieces of dialogue with various side-characters.
Trigger Warning Chapter 22:
Frank McRainy is in a bad mood after diffusing the situation between Cal Granderson and the delivery man who he pulled a stun gun on after wildly escalating the non-event of a situation.
The last time he’d been in for a checkup, the doc had given him the usual “lose weight and exercise more” spiel, but he had also mentioned that it would be a good idea for Frank to manage his stress better and try to stay on an even keel emotionally.
That was easier said than done, especially when you had guys like Cal Granderson working for you. Ganderson was particularly frustrating, because he wasn’t always an aggressive, over-eager idiot. Sometimes he actually listened to what Frank had to say and had the makings of a good cop.
Johnstone, William W.. Trigger Warning (p. 168). Kensington. Kindle Edition.
Sounds like these two have more tension and chemistry than Alessia and Maxim already!
McRainy decides to go chill out and have some coffee with his pal Charlie Hodges (who you may recall was MURDERED a couple chapters ago). Oh man this is clearly going to lead to a wacky Weekend at Bernie’s situation.
After rapping his knuckles on the door a few times without getting any response, McRainey went over to the window. He leaned close to it and cupped his hands around his eyes to shut out the light while he peered through the glass. He didn’t believe anybody was in there. Otherwise, there would have been a light on, the door would have been unlocked, or at the very least somebody would have answered his knock. But his curiosity was great enough to make him take a look.
Johnstone, William W.. Trigger Warning (p. 170). Kensington. Kindle Edition.
Curious about what exactly if he’s sure no one is there? It basically reads as, “he had no motivation or reason for doing this thing but the author had to move the plot forward somehow so. Here we are!” At least give the man an ominous feeling! Maybe his cop senses are tingling!
In the back corner of the room, he spots what he surmises is the heel of a shoe, so he busts in the shed door and finds Charlie Hodges body. Initially, he thinks his friend must have died of a stroke or a heart attack, but soon discovers that his neck has been broken.
Before he can call anyone, McRainy is attacked from behind with a knife, but McRainy manages to fight back.
They flailed and writhed together on the floor, which was smeared thickly with blood by now. This was no carefully choreographed movie fight, where the moves were all graceful and the audience could tell what was going on.
Johnstone, William W.. Trigger Warning (p. 174). Kensington. Kindle Edition.
I feel so seen right now. I don’t know what’s going on. Thank you so much for understanding me, book.
McRainey hit him again, letting his own pain and desperation fuel the vicious blow as he tried to drive the guy’s balls all the way up into his throat. The man spasmed in agony. The knife slipped from his fingers and clattered about six inches along the bloody floor.
McRainey grabbed it, brought it up and then down. The blade penetrated the man’s chest, ripping through muscle and scraping on bone and finally coming to rest with its entire length buried. The man bucked up from the floor again, then his head fell back and with a distinct rattle, air gusted from his throat through his open, gaping mouth.
Johnstone, William W.. Trigger Warning (p. 175). Kensington. Kindle Edition.
I don’t know if I’m nuts here because McRainy has been seriously wounded and is fighting for his life here, but I was kind of bemused that once he had the upper he viciously murdered the guy rather than try to incapacitate him while he called for backup. Especially given a few paragraphs later he’s wondering why this guy presumably murdered Charlie Hodges and is like ‘well he can’t tell me now!’ BUT on the other hand I’m the person who when watching a movie is like OMG JUST DO WHATEVER IT TAKES WHY DID YOU LEAVE THAT OPENING FOR THE KILLER TO ATTACK YOU AGAIN! So I’m really on the fence with this one.
He manages to call for help so it looks like McRainy will live to see another day.
I’m honestly shocked that the doctor’s advice to lessen his stress wasn’t followed up with “but emotional health is BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL NONSENSE and his stress levels would be SO MUCH BETTER is the entire world was armed!!” or some similar screed.
So one of the villains has already been taken out by some random character whose only connection to the plot is being the boss of another random character?