Friday, September 23, 2011

GRIND THEIR BONES TO MAKE MY BREAD found at www.writemeamystery.com

Grind Their Bones to Make My Bread
 
As FBI agent Kristen Tyler hunts an enigmatic serial killer, she confronts her own dark side when she crosses over from administering the law into enacting her own personal form of justice, and fears she is becoming what she is trying to destroy.

Caught up in a deadly game of life and death engineered by serial killers Henry and Judy Pringle, Kristen struggles with being held back by social laws, which protect the couple more than they do the victims. Living in a quiet suburban area and respected by their friends, this husband-wife duo, the masters of manipulation and deception, ensnare Kristen into a deadly game of chess, bringing in their neighbors’ children as innocent pawns to lead her and her colleagues astray at every opportunity. The couple’s cleverness at securing their victims and disposing of their bodies perplexes the authorities but antagonizes Kristen, causing her to pursue them relentlessly and ruthlessly. As her frustration to arrest them builds through a series of misjudgments and embarrassing setbacks, she resorts to desperate means. Isolating herself from her colleagues, she has personalized the conflict so intensely that only one outcome is possible…either she or the Pringles must die.

While chronicling her descent into the dark reaches of her mind, the action-packed, suspense thriller paints her as a stark contrast to Henry as he carefully and methodically plots their inevitable confrontation. As the plot twists and turns giving the reader insight into both of their motivations, her bulldog, tunnel vision pursuit acts as a dramatic opposite to his seemingly carefree, whimsical yet focused approach to life and death, leading to a climax that is totally shocking and unexpected.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

DOG GONE! check it out at www.writemeamystery.com

Normally I give you a synopsis of books on my friend's website, but today I'm departing from that. Yesterday I got some bad news and I was really down. I had time to kill to think, but that's the last thing I wanted to do since all it would mean was reflecting even more on the bad news. I picked up DOG GONE, which I have already read, and started it again. Within a couple of pages I remembered how when I read it the first time I laughed and realized that these guys had a life that was much worst than mine, but they continued on pursuing their dreams anyway. It made me think about things in a different way. Sometimes you need a laugh and a chance to look at how other people are handling adversity. If you feel down, you could do worst than to pick up DOG GONE!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

ADAM'S CHILDREN a vampire novel at www.writemeamystery.com

Adam’s Children

When eighteen year old Jack Niles accidentally discovers a laptop hidden in an old church steeple, he has no idea that he’s stumbled upon evidence that threatens to expose an ancient race of vampires. After uncovering a plot to murder the wives of ex-clergy by making their deaths appear to be accidents, Jack is accused of bludgeoning a handyman and drowning a priest, who possess clues to the murders. To save himself, Jack becomes a fugitive from the police, his only resource a portable travel drive from the dead priest’s effects that he is initially unable to decipher. In search of answers, Jack discovers that vampires are his true adversaries. They are actually descendents of an ancient race of humans, originating from some of the children of Adam and Eve, who mutated into vampires millennia ago. Their survival depends upon protecting the secret that they live among the regular population, indistinguishable from the rest of humanity. In addition, they are not vulnerable to the traditional items found in legends. They have more sinister goals and pursue Jack relentlessly to recover the travel drive, trying to keep him from exposing the truth of their existence.


As Jack encounters one obstacle after another in his breakneck flight around the country, he slowly begins to understand the terrifying magnitude of the plans of the vampires, known only as the Select, and wonders if he, or anyone, can stop them.

Monday, September 19, 2011

MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE action packed novel at www.writemeamystery.com

MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

When the highly moral President of the United States kills his alcoholic wife in a fit of rage in the Lincoln bedroom of the White House on the eve of having to fly to Paris to sign a treaty that is vitally important to the defense of the country, he is so overwhelmed by his guilt that he becomes catatonic. Only three people know fully what has happened: the President’s Chief Assistant, Betsy Trent; Four Star Army General Salier; and Ron Jaluzski, Assistant to the Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Thus begins one of the greatest cover-up operations in the nation’s history. Ron is called upon to create the impossible, the President and his now deceased wife walking together across the White House lawn live in full view of cameras and reporters and getting on Marine One, the Presidential helicopter, in preparation for the first stage of the flight to Paris. With the intense scrutiny, there is no way a double for the President can even be considered; yet, the President’s condition is deteriorating by the minute, the prognosis is poor, and he is unable to move or even respond. If the treaty isn’t signed now, the whole process could fall apart and chaos would reign. Added to the problem is that the Vice-President has spoken out publicly against the treaty and can’t be trusted to sign it without trying to sabotage the peace conference, his ambitions to become the next President fueling his decision-making. The final bad news is what happens if Ron succeeds; how will the debilitated Commander-in-Chief exit Air Force One upon its arrival in Paris and actually sign the document in the presence of world leaders?

          Murder in the White House is a taut, tense action-packed thriller overflowing with mystery and intrigue. As the protagonist tries to navigate through the political jungle and the voracious media to bring about the seemingly impossible, he is so absorbed in the immediate problems he is facing that he loses track of the pending ones. There are surprises and twists leading up to a totally unexpected dynamic conclusion.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

MURDER IN THE LOCKED ROOM at www.writemeamystery.com where the reader becomes part of the experiment conducted by the killer

Murder in the Locked Room 
            The only woman officer on a small town police force whose usual duty is manning speed traps, Melanie Jordan suddenly finds herself thrust into the middle of a puzzling case. Is the richest man in town dead by his own hand, as many prominent experts believe, or has he actually been murdered, as Melanie’s gut feeling tells her? The overwhelming obstacle to her theory is that Walter Braxton Johnson was shot in the head, pistol clutched in his hand, while residing in a totally locked room with no possible way for another person to get in…or out.
          As she investigates the case, other people with close ties to Johnson also commit suicide, and the “person of interest” list from among the survivors continues to grow. Melanie’s superiors chalk up the deaths to “coincidence,” but the officer suspects murder and doggedly follows the evidence. Joining forces with a college student working on her doctorate degree in psychology, Melanie is able to formulate a theory that explains how and why the murder was done. Her dedication and perseverance finally lead to an arrest.
          But neither the officer nor the town is quite prepared for the subsequent trial that follows. The courtroom drama explodes with unexpected twists, turns, and seeming betrayals as the rival lawyers jockey for position with the jurors. Nothing is what it seems to be on the surface, which sets the stage for a surprise ending that both shocks and satisfies the reader, who finds out that he/she has also been part of the experiment going on in the novel.

Friday, September 16, 2011

ALEX-KAZAM AND THE MYSTERIOUS HOLE see more at www.writemeamystery.com

ALEX-KAZAM and The Mysterious Hole

Alex Turner, an eighth grade student, and his ten year old sister, Julia, make an annual summer visit to their grandparents’ home in the Catskill region of New York State. The large house, formerly owned by a famous illusionist, contains many surprises, such as small magic tricks which Alex and Julia use to perform for their parents, visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins at the Fourth of July gathering. This time, however, the youngsters stumble upon a hidden workshop in the barn that holds one of the biggest mysteries…a small, moveable hole that has many strange and dark secrets in its inky black interior.

In their haste to explore their discovery, they unwittingly release a baby dragon onto the world and cause the hole to begin to expand. In trying to contain the quickly growing creature that delights in terrifying the people of the town of Catskill and in attempting to figure out how to stop the enlarging hole, the young people find themselves engulfed in a dilemma of epic proportions. When things seem as if they can’t get worse, a mysterious stranger arrives in the middle of a storm to add further excitement and mystery.

A great story for adults and children alike, ALEX-KAZAM shows young people using creativity and common sense to cope with seemingly insurmountable problems. Venture in to see how they have to expand their minds and their skills in order to meet new challenges in this fast-paced adventure story that opens up a whole new world of discovery.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

ADAM'S CHILDREN a vampire novel at www.writemeamystery.com

Adam’s Children

When eighteen year old Jack Niles accidentally discovers a laptop hidden in an old church steeple, he has no idea that he’s stumbled upon evidence that threatens to expose an ancient race of vampires. After uncovering a plot to murder the wives of ex-clergy by making their deaths appear to be accidents, Jack is accused of bludgeoning a handyman and drowning a priest, who possess clues to the murders. To save himself, Jack becomes a fugitive from the police, his only resource a portable travel drive from the dead priest’s effects that he is initially unable to decipher. In search of answers, Jack discovers that vampires are his true adversaries. They are actually descendents of an ancient race of humans, originating from some of the children of Adam and Eve, who mutated into vampires millennia ago. Their survival depends upon protecting the secret that they live among the regular population, indistinguishable from the rest of humanity. In addition, they are not vulnerable to the traditional items found in legends. They have more sinister goals and pursue Jack relentlessly to recover the travel drive, trying to keep him from exposing the truth of their existence.


As Jack encounters one obstacle after another in his breakneck flight around the country, he slowly begins to understand the terrifying magnitude of the plans of the vampires, known only as the Select, and wonders if he, or anyone, can stop them.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

MURDER IN THE LOCKED ROOM at www.writemeamystery.com where the reader becomes part of the experiment conducted by the killer

Murder in the Locked Room 
            The only woman officer on a small town police force whose usual duty is manning speed traps, Melanie Jordan suddenly finds herself thrust into the middle of a puzzling case. Is the richest man in town dead by his own hand, as many prominent experts believe, or has he actually been murdered, as Melanie’s gut feeling tells her? The overwhelming obstacle to her theory is that Walter Braxton Johnson was shot in the head, pistol clutched in his hand, while residing in a totally locked room with no possible way for another person to get in…or out.
          As she investigates the case, other people with close ties to Johnson also commit suicide, and the “person of interest” list from among the survivors continues to grow. Melanie’s superiors chalk up the deaths to “coincidence,” but the officer suspects murder and doggedly follows the evidence. Joining forces with a college student working on her doctorate degree in psychology, Melanie is able to formulate a theory that explains how and why the murder was done. Her dedication and perseverance finally lead to an arrest.
          But neither the officer nor the town is quite prepared for the subsequent trial that follows. The courtroom drama explodes with unexpected twists, turns, and seeming betrayals as the rival lawyers jockey for position with the jurors. Nothing is what it seems to be on the surface, which sets the stage for a surprise ending that both shocks and satisfies the reader, who finds out that he/she has also been part of the experiment going on in the novel.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

GRIND THEIR BONES TO MAKE MY BREAD found at www.writemeamystery.com

Looking for something that will make you laugh, cry, and cringe...then this is the novel for you! What happens when FEAR has a name?
     
        Grind Their Bones to Make My Bread
 
As FBI agent Kristen Tyler hunts an enigmatic serial killer, she confronts her own dark side when she crosses over from administering the law into enacting her own personal form of justice, and fears she is becoming what she is trying to destroy.

Caught up in a deadly game of life and death engineered by serial killers Henry and Judy Pringle, Kristen struggles with being held back by social laws, which protect the couple more than they do the victims. Living in a quiet suburban area and respected by their friends, this husband-wife duo, the masters of manipulation and deception, ensnare Kristen into a deadly game of chess, bringing in their neighbors’ children as innocent pawns to lead her and her colleagues astray at every opportunity. The couple’s cleverness at securing their victims and disposing of their bodies perplexes the authorities but antagonizes Kristen, causing her to pursue them relentlessly and ruthlessly. As her frustration to arrest them builds through a series of misjudgments and embarrassing setbacks, she resorts to desperate means. Isolating herself from her colleagues, she has personalized the conflict so intensely that only one outcome is possible…either she or the Pringles must die.
While chronicling her descent into the dark reaches of her mind, the action-packed, suspense thriller paints her as a stark contrast to Henry as he carefully and methodically plots their inevitable confrontation. As the plot twists and turns giving the reader insight into both of their motivations, her bulldog, tunnel vision pursuit acts as a dramatic opposite to his seemingly carefree, whimsical yet focused approach to life and death, leading to a climax that is totally shocking and unexpected.

Monday, September 12, 2011

MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE action packed novel at www.writemeamystery.com

MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

When the highly moral President of the United States kills his alcoholic wife in a fit of rage in the Lincoln bedroom of the White House on the eve of having to fly to Paris to sign a treaty that is vitally important to the defense of the country, he is so overwhelmed by his guilt that he becomes catatonic. Only three people know fully what has happened: the President’s Chief Assistant, Betsy Trent; Four Star Army General Salier; and Ron Jaluzski, Assistant to the Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Thus begins one of the greatest cover-up operations in the nation’s history. Ron is called upon to create the impossible, the President and his now deceased wife walking together across the White House lawn live in full view of cameras and reporters and getting on Marine One, the Presidential helicopter, in preparation for the first stage of the flight to Paris. With the intense scrutiny, there is no way a double for the President can even be considered; yet, the President’s condition is deteriorating by the minute, the prognosis is poor, and he is unable to move or even respond. If the treaty isn’t signed now, the whole process could fall apart and chaos would reign. Added to the problem is that the Vice-President has spoken out publicly against the treaty and can’t be trusted to sign it without trying to sabotage the peace conference, his ambitions to become the next President fueling his decision-making. The final bad news is what happens if Ron succeeds; how will the debilitated Commander-in-Chief exit Air Force One upon its arrival in Paris and actually sign the document in the presence of world leaders?

          Murder in the White House is a taut, tense action-packed thriller overflowing with mystery and intrigue. As the protagonist tries to navigate through the political jungle and the voracious media to bring about the seemingly impossible, he is so absorbed in the immediate problems he is facing that he loses track of the pending ones. There are surprises and twists leading up to a totally unexpected dynamic conclusion.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

GRIND THEIR BONES TO MAKE MY BREAD found at www.writemeamystery.com

Grind Their Bones to Make My Bread
 
As FBI agent Kristen Tyler hunts an enigmatic serial killer, she confronts her own dark side when she crosses over from administering the law into enacting her own personal form of justice, and fears she is becoming what she is trying to destroy.

Caught up in a deadly game of life and death engineered by serial killers Henry and Judy Pringle, Kristen struggles with being held back by social laws, which protect the couple more than they do the victims. Living in a quiet suburban area and respected by their friends, this husband-wife duo, the masters of manipulation and deception, ensnare Kristen into a deadly game of chess, bringing in their neighbors’ children as innocent pawns to lead her and her colleagues astray at every opportunity. The couple’s cleverness at securing their victims and disposing of their bodies perplexes the authorities but antagonizes Kristen, causing her to pursue them relentlessly and ruthlessly. As her frustration to arrest them builds through a series of misjudgments and embarrassing setbacks, she resorts to desperate means. Isolating herself from her colleagues, she has personalized the conflict so intensely that only one outcome is possible…either she or the Pringles must die.
While chronicling her descent into the dark reaches of her mind, the action-packed, suspense thriller paints her as a stark contrast to Henry as he carefully and methodically plots their inevitable confrontation. As the plot twists and turns giving the reader insight into both of their motivations, her bulldog, tunnel vision pursuit acts as a dramatic opposite to his seemingly carefree, whimsical yet focused approach to life and death, leading to a climax that is totally shocking and unexpected.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

ADAM'S CHILDREN a vampire novel at www.writemeamystery.com

Adam’s Children

When eighteen year old Jack Niles accidentally discovers a laptop hidden in an old church steeple, he has no idea that he’s stumbled upon evidence that threatens to expose an ancient race of vampires. After uncovering a plot to murder the wives of ex-clergy by making their deaths appear to be accidents, Jack is accused of bludgeoning a handyman and drowning a priest, who possess clues to the murders. To save himself, Jack becomes a fugitive from the police, his only resource a portable travel drive from the dead priest’s effects that he is initially unable to decipher. In search of answers, Jack discovers that vampires are his true adversaries. They are actually descendents of an ancient race of humans, originating from some of the children of Adam and Eve, who mutated into vampires millennia ago. Their survival depends upon protecting the secret that they live among the regular population, indistinguishable from the rest of humanity. In addition, they are not vulnerable to the traditional items found in legends. They have more sinister goals and pursue Jack relentlessly to recover the travel drive, trying to keep him from exposing the truth of their existence.


As Jack encounters one obstacle after another in his breakneck flight around the country, he slowly begins to understand the terrifying magnitude of the plans of the vampires, known only as the Select, and wonders if he, or anyone, can stop them.

Friday, September 9, 2011

ALEX-KAZAM AND THE MYSTERIOUS HOLE see more at www.writemeamystery.com

ALEX-KAZAM and The Mysterious Hole

Alex Turner, an eighth grade student, and his ten year old sister, Julia, make an annual summer visit to their grandparents’ home in the Catskill region of New York State. The large house, formerly owned by a famous illusionist, contains many surprises, such as small magic tricks which Alex and Julia use to perform for their parents, visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins at the Fourth of July gathering. This time, however, the youngsters stumble upon a hidden workshop in the barn that holds one of the biggest mysteries…a small, moveable hole that has many strange and dark secrets in its inky black interior.

In their haste to explore their discovery, they unwittingly release a baby dragon onto the world and cause the hole to begin to expand. In trying to contain the quickly growing creature that delights in terrifying the people of the town of Catskill and in attempting to figure out how to stop the enlarging hole, the young people find themselves engulfed in a dilemma of epic proportions. When things seem as if they can’t get worse, a mysterious stranger arrives in the middle of a storm to add further excitement and mystery.

A great story for adults and children alike, ALEX-KAZAM shows young people using creativity and common sense to cope with seemingly insurmountable problems. Venture in to see how they have to expand their minds and their skills in order to meet new challenges in this fast-paced adventure story that opens up a whole new world of discovery.

http://www.writemeamystery.com/

Thursday, September 8, 2011

MURDER IN THE LOCKED ROOM see it and more at www.writemeamystery.com

Murder in the Locked Room 
            The only woman officer on a small town police force whose usual duty is manning speed traps, Melanie Jordan suddenly finds herself thrust into the middle of a puzzling case. Is the richest man in town dead by his own hand, as many prominent experts believe, or has he actually been murdered, as Melanie’s gut feeling tells her? The overwhelming obstacle to her theory is that Walter Braxton Johnson was shot in the head, pistol clutched in his hand, while residing in a totally locked room with no possible way for another person to get in…or out.
          As she investigates the case, other people with close ties to Johnson also commit suicide, and the “person of interest” list from among the survivors continues to grow. Melanie’s superiors chalk up the deaths to “coincidence,” but the officer suspects murder and doggedly follows the evidence. Joining forces with a college student working on her doctorate degree in psychology, Melanie is able to formulate a theory that explains how and why the murder was done. Her dedication and perseverance finally lead to an arrest.
          But neither the officer nor the town is quite prepared for the subsequent trial that follows. The courtroom drama explodes with unexpected twists, turns, and seeming betrayals as the rival lawyers jockey for position with the jurors. Nothing is what it seems to be on the surface, which sets the stage for a surprise ending that both shocks and satisfies the reader, who finds out that he/she has also been part of the experiment going on in the novel.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

THE SIGN OF THE SERPENT can be found at www.writemeamystery.com

What happens when your nightmare has a name and a smiling face and begins to hunt you like prey…even when you are awake?

When three top television executives are murdered in a relatively short period of time from the bites of three different poisonous snakes, the police send in their top detective to solve this perplexing mystery. All she can come up with is that each victim received the bite from only one fang, and none of the snakes was indigenous to the region where the victims were found. Added to that is the fact that the killer’s fingerprint has no ridges and it’s easy to see why the authorities are quickly stymied.

Behind all of these murders lies a sinister plan engineered by Charlie Sanford, a twenty-five year old wonder boy who has America eating out of the palm of his hand. With his penetrating eyes and charismatic smile, he seduces the country into believing that he holds the key to solving all of its problems. Already a fixture on television, radio, and the internet, he manages to exploit the masses who believe so fervently in him that they press Congress to adopt an Amendment to the Constitution so that a twenty-five year old can run for the Presidency. While Charlie’s stock with the people continues to soar, the detective expands her probe into the ever-growing number of deaths, all caused by different venomous snakes. What she eventually discovers shocks both her and the medical examiner with whom she has been working, and it puts her into direct conflict with Charlie and his ultimate goal.

A taut, riveting mystery thriller, The Sign of the Serpent will keep the readers on the edges of their seats as they uncover the clues along with the detective and begin to wonder if anything can stop Charlie, who has meteorically risen to the untouchable category among the people. There is suspense and heart-pounding excitement on every page leading up to a confrontation that never fails to deliver a gut-wrenching conclusion.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

THE SIGN OF THE OWL found at www.writemeamystery.com

            When Kathy Willoughby and her dog Mack start out on a quest to recover a valuable historical artifact, they never count on the forces working against their success. From the very first moment they set foot on the island that she will use as the base for the exploration, they are being stalked by shadowy figures bent on their destruction. As Kathy tries to unravel the centuries old secret of three words left behind by a dead Native American, she doesn’t realize that she has become the hunted instead of the hunter. The artifact has the power to rewrite history and correct injustice, so it is a threat to many people who would stand to lose substantial amounts of money and power.

 The attempts on her life increase by the moment forcing her to face the decision to go on or go away. Even her dog begins to become frightened by the ordeal when he, too, is attacked.

A wide range of suspects appear on the island, but only one has the real motive to want Kathy dead. Is it the mysterious old lady who supposedly visits the island for old bones to put in her elixir or her hulking son who has his eyes set on an old musket buried among the pines? Perhaps it’s the deputy director who reluctantly gave her permission to go to the island in the first place, or is it the person behind the binoculars that flash from shore? And what about the two men who almost discover her hiding place on the island?

 The reader is taken on a wild roller coaster ride of action, adventure, and suspense as Kathy uses her wits and cunning to reveal the true culprit…but is it too late?

The Sign of the Owl is a hundred page novella that takes the reader on a journey of discovery as the past comes back to bite the present and the future.

Monday, September 5, 2011

DOG GONE! check it out at www.writemeamystery.com

            When Albert Raines assesses his life of sixteen years sorting potato chips on an assembly line and discovers he’s going nowhere, he decides to invest his meager savings into a get rich quick scheme. Purchasing stray dogs from the pound, he figures out a way to sell them for twenty times their worth…maybe. There’s just one hitch in his plan…he and his two friends, Arlo and Moochie, have to create the illusion of a full scale criminal invasion of their small town without actually committing a crime themselves. As their attempts escalate from pranks to home invasion to terrorist attacks on the local dam, the number of dogs they have to purchase in order to eliminate any competition also grows geometrically, and all seventy-nine of them are housed inside Albert’s home. From collecting unbelievable amounts of dog poop to finding a way to feed the growing kennel to learning to tolerate the smell, the men are running around in ever shrinking circles until, one day, they are forced to take in 36 cats, untold numbers of bunnies, a mad-as-hell goat, a belligerent opossum, parakeets, skunks, a 14 foot python, a jabbering monkey, and a mynah bird that loves to scream FIRE! Toss in real criminals, rainy funerals, American Ninjas, and high explosives and you have the makings of a wildly humorous adventure that never stops moving forward. If you’ve ever had “one of those days,” you’ll delight in reading about how Albert is having “one of those lives.”

          “Dog Gone!” is a novel you pick up when you just want to get away from your troubles and laugh; and Albert and his friends will give you a whole lot to chuckle about.  It’s fast; it’s funny; and it’s free (well, almost at only ninety-nine cents).

Sunday, September 4, 2011

The Poll Bearer Part 32 see more novels at www.writemeamystery.com

He pressed the gun barrel more sharply into her back to dispel any notion she might have of making some grandstand play. Knowing she had no choice, she took the gun out and dropped it onto the floor as Emory walked down the steps and stood a few feet in front of her.
“The best laid plans, they say never come off exactly right, do they?” he said tauntingly. “Had you been a better wife, you might have been standing with us rather than against us.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I mean that the members of the company, we’re like a family…a dysfunctional family at times, but a family nevertheless,” Emory said. “Arturo, Bernie, Dennis, and Melinda…we fight and complain but we always stick together. Even Marcus, inept as he is, is still a loyal member of that family. And add Lisa who was our spy in Louis’ camp to that mix. They’re all on the plane behind me.”
She looked up at the windows and could see their faces appear.
“When I had to go to Louis Postadolas for money to save the firm, I knew what I’d be giving up, what we’d all be giving up,” Emory continued; “but at the time his money was necessary and we had no other options. It was always our intention to get rid of Louis and to reclaim what we had. In came Daniel Brent with his scheme to make us a lot of money, so we sat back and let it happen. We waited for the moment when we didn’t need Louis any more, and that time came. We knew Louis was a pig and would never leave on his own accord, so we hatched a plan to get rid of him. We were going to contact his former associates anonymously and tell them he had made a deal with the government to sell them out. Being men of violence, we figured they’d do the job for us. Somehow Slate upset it with his message that he wanted to talk, so we knew we’d have to speed up our timetable. I didn’t tell you anything because I wanted to wait until we succeeded. You never gave me much credit for being intelligent, so I wanted to surprise you. We didn’t know you would get involved and do our dirty work for us.”
Justine couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but the gun in her back made her very aware of how true it all was.
“That money you thought Bernie had transferred for you is still very safe right here in our bank where it’s always been,” Emory said. “And those bodies you left behind, well they’re on their way here right now and there has been no fire to alert anyone. Dennis made sure that the neighbor’s security camera had a nice coating of black paint put on its lens so there’s no chance anybody would know what went on inside that house tonight. The surveillance team that Dan had installed has been informed that their services are no longer required, so there’s nobody around who might check on poor Mr. Slate’s disappearance. And as for Dan, well I’ve had termination papers for him drawn up. When the police investigate, they’ll eventually find out that he was part of the burglary gang they were looking for. They’ll think losing his job drove him to crime As for Louis, I’m not sure anybody will really miss him; but if they do, I’m sure suspicion will fall on his former criminal acquaintances. Oh, and one more thing I thought you’d like to know; none of us mind going back to the old way of doing things before Slate came into the picture. With our new reputation for accuracy, our clients will stick with us while I engineer the sale of the firm. I’ve promised each one of our members a substantial share in the profits. I just wanted to let you know what you’ll be missing out on.”
“Then I’m in the clear,” Justine said. “Why can’t we just go on as we did before? Nothing needs to change.”
“Something has already changed,” Emory said. “You. I can’t trust you anymore.”
Sensing that she had little time left to plead her case, she scrambled for anything that would keep herself alive.
“What about Dan’s brother and that Ron and those other geeks that did the work on Slate? They’re loose ends in your perfect plan,” Justine said.
“Ron and those geeks as you call them have all been promised lucrative jobs within the firm upon graduation, so they have absolutely no reason to say anything about Slate,” Emory said. “Besides, if they did talk, they’d be incriminating themselves for hacking into governmental agencies. Dan’s brother will be in the car that’s transporting those three dead bodies. In fact, I think I hear it coming now.”
The big doors of the hangar started to slide open, and a black van pulled inside stopping near the plane. Two men got out and went to the back where they opened the van doors. One reached inside and dragged a black body bag forward so he could lift it onto his shoulders. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the bag was occupied. The second man did the same, then both men ascended the steps to the pane and disappeared from sight. Within moments, they returned with the first man drawing out another body bag while the second tugged on someone’s bound legs. As the person was pulled forward, Justine could see that his hands were tied behind his back and that tape was plastered across his mouth. It was Richie, Dan’s brother. He too was lifted on the shoulders of the second man and the two repeated what they had done with the first pieces of cargo.
            “We’ve decided to avail ourselves of the jet you ordered and the resort you booked,” Emory said. “We all figure a week’s vacation in some tropical paradise might do us all some good, especially in these stressful times. Unfortunately, you and Dan’s brother and the rest of those poor souls will only be going part way with us. They say the Caribbean is lovely this time of the year, and who better to know that than you. I’m sure that the view from 33,000 feet will be spectacular. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy it as you’re falling. Your other companions will be quickly joining you.”
Emory nodded and Bernie put away his gun and secured Justine’s hands behind her back slapping a piece of tape across her mouth. He then taped her legs together and let one of the men hoist her on his shoulder. She was unceremoniously carried on board and deposited in the small galley in back next to Richie and the bodies.
“Here you are, gentlemen,” Emory said handing envelopes to the two men who had driven the van. “I’m sure you will find more than the price we agreed upon. You will make sure to dispose of the van so that it can’t be found.”
Emory pointed toward the cockpit and then scrambled up the steps followed by Bernie. The door was closed, and the plane started to taxi out of the hangar and onto the runway.
Emory’s first wife had divorced him because she said that he was boring; he wondered what she might say if she saw him now.
Ten minutes later, Flight FNJ156 was given clearance to take off. The plane began picking up speed as it jetted down the runway until its wheels left the tarmac and the nose of the plane pointed sharply upward toward the night sky. Inside the cabin, the dysfunctional family of employees and employer sat strapped in their seats, dreams of a week of fun in the sun staring them in their faces. Two hours later over the deep blue waters of the Caribbean, Mr. Average American, the boy wonder, his brother, the former arms dealer, and the soon to be ex-wife were plummeting through the air while the plane they had been in moments before flew uninterrupted toward its destination. It was the start of a new day in more ways than one. An ocean of money Dan had said; he’d be immersed in an ocean of money. Today, he was half right.



           
           

Saturday, September 3, 2011

The Poll Bearer Part 31 see more novels at www.writemeamystery.com

“You’ve thought of everything,” Dan said trying to play on her vanity.
            “I think so,” she said. “Anything I’ve missed can’t be very important. You know, there’s a kind of irony in all this.”
            “What’s that?” Dan asked.
            “All that data you fed into those computers to find the most average American and it all leads to this crazy lying dead over there…it sure doesn’t say much about the average person, does it?” she said raising the gun barrel to chest level.
            “How about a deal?” Dan pleaded.
            “Deal?” she asked. “What kind of deal are you proposing? I already have money. I’m dumping my husband. I’ve gotten rid of my biggest threat. And I’m about to wrap up the last loose end, you. What kind of deal can you possibly put on the table that might interest me?”
            “What if I could show you a way that all of that would happen but you wouldn’t have to leave the country,” Dan said, hoping against hope that she’d at least listen to what he was about to say. This wasn’t some hero movie where he’d use a karate move or pull out a secret knife or even that somebody would come to his rescue; this was a time where his greatest talent, his ability to persuade people to do what he wanted, had to be working to its maximum.
“I know a way you can continue to live wherever you want,” he said. “Look at it this way. A woman of your class can’t stay cooped up in some banana republic no matter how much like paradise it might look right now. You need to be in Paris and Rome and Cannes. What good is money on a beach with nobody to compliment how fabulous you look?”
He was hoping that she’d see his way even if the reality was that he had no idea how to really make it happen.
“I have a way that you come out of this still owning the company, but we go a new way. We stop doing research for commercials and start making them ourselves,” he said excitedly. The idea didn’t really make any sense, but he was throwing out anything he could think of to keep her off balance so he could somehow make her think he was too valuable to kill.
“Get this,” he said. “We create commercials with subliminal messages in them. We can’t fail. Advertisers will be lining up even more than they are now. You’ll have that ocean of money. The company will be called Justine Edwards, Limited. Get that. Justine Edwards, Limited. It’ll be all you. And I’ll be there to help you make it come true. Imagine if you will. You’ll be one of the most powerful women in America. Of the world.”
Dan was racing through his words trying to think of anything else he could say to buy himself more time.
“I already am powerful,” she said calmly, transferring the weapon back to her right hand. “I have the gun.”
Dan heard the first shot barely as it struck the center of his chest. There was no pain as the bullet passed completely through his body striking the wall behind him. He dropped to his knees, his eyes filled with the burning question WHY. By the time she fired the second shot, Dan’s world had ceased to exist; it was now a black pool and he was being swallowed up in its inkiness.
Justine found a bottle of bourbon downstairs and started spilling its contents all over a throw pillow, soaking it as much as she could figuring there was nothing like a house fire to slow down identifying three bodies. While the world was occupied with putting out a blaze, she’d be sipping cocktails in the private jet at 30,000 feet as it took her from a life she despised to one that held nothing but promise…and one hundred and eighty-six million dollars.
Searching further, she found a twelve inch candle which she stood up on a small plate and lit. She then put the plate onto the cushion of the couch and set the pillow so its edge touched at the six inch mark of the candle. Once she left, the flame would burn down to the alcohol-soaked pillow and ignite it, and it would then set off the couch. She figured only good things for her could happen from that.
Exiting out the back door, she quickly made her way to her car and drove away confident that her plan was succeeding. She looked into her rear view mirror at the one suitcase sitting on the back seat, all of her jewelry inside, sparkling reminders of the life she was leaving and the one she was racing toward.

CHAPTER 26     
The drive to the private airport took an hour even in the uncrowded streets of evening. As she pulled her car to the side of the hangar, she smiled knowing that by now Slate’s house was probably burning to the ground taking the evidence of her crime with it. The headlines tomorrow would scream that three bodies had been found in the ashes, but none of that would matter to her because she planned to be lying on a beach in the Caribbean working on her tan.
She parked the car and left the keys in the ignition knowing that she would never need them again. She took the gun from the seat next to her and slipped it into her pocket. It would find its final resting place deep in the blue waters of the ocean. She also grabbed the suitcase and proceeded to the side door of the hangar. As she walked inside, she saw the sleek white passenger jet waiting in front of her. Walking boldly across the concrete floor, she arrived at the boarding steps just in time to see a man emerge from the plane’s door.                                                                                                                                              “Hello, Justine,” the figure said. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Emory!” she yelled back. “What are you doing here?”
“You didn’t expect to see me, did you?” Emory Edwards said. “You were going to take a trip without your loving husband? My first wife would never have done that”
She stood there stunned. There was no way he could have known about her departure, but there he was, standing at the top of the boarding stairs with an obnoxious smile on his face.
“No good to see you Emory?” he said facetiously. “No how are you. What’s the matter, Justine? Normally you never stop talking, and now you can’t think of a single thing to say?”
Her first thought was to drop the suitcase, reach in her pocket, and grab the gun. There were still enough bullets in it to make her dream come through. Unfortunately, she had not reacted fast enough because she now felt the barrel of another gun being pressed into her back. She turned her head to look over her shoulder.
“Hello, Justine,” Bernie Jackson said holding the revolver. “You’ll do me a favor by taking your gun out of your pocket, carefully and slowly, and dropping it onto the floor. Since I found out that you planned to have me killed, I think you better do exactly as I say or the next few moments might prove to be exceptionally fatal for you.”

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Poll Bearer Part 30 see more novels at www.writemeamystery.com

There was an animal expression on Slate’s face; his eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed as if he were looking at prey and making himself ready to lunge. Dan was petrified, unable to move even though the threat right in front of him was imminent.
            The blood of his victim was covering Slate’s hand and shirt as he pulled the letter opener out of Louis a second time, raising himself up to his knees. Putting his other hand against the hallway wall, he helped himself to his feet and started to walk slowly toward Dan, his intended victim. Finally, acting more on instinct than on reason, Dan started to back away extending his arms out in front of him as if they would somehow stop the savage intensity that he knew was about to befall him. Slate raised the weapon overhead the same way he had done with Louis knowing only nine feet were all that separated him from his goal. He took the first step clearing the wall and positioning himself in the opening of the staircase.
            It sounded like a large bug hitting the windshield of a rapidly moving car; but, in reality, it was the noise made by a bullet passing through a silencer and striking its target, the side of a man’s skull directly in the center of the ear. Slate stopped in his tracks and remained totally still for five seconds until the blood started to run down the side of his head onto his neck. Then, like a tree toppling in the forest, he fell straight forward painlessly smashing himself into the floor, already dead on contact. Once again, Dan just stood there not thinking, just reacting. A moment ago he was about to be killed; now his intended murderer was dead himself. None of this made any sense.
            The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs did nothing to cause Dan to move; right now he was just a piece in a large game that was being played around him. Whatever was to happen next, he had no control.
            The barrel of a gun with a silence attached was the first thing he saw followed by the hand that was holding it. Slowly, the person to whom both belonged stepped into view.
            “Mrs. Edwards!” Dan said aloud recognizing the woman as Justine Edwards, the wife of the company’s CEO. Although he had never met her in person, he had seen her picture on his boss’ desk. “What are you doing here?’
            “Cleaning up some loose ends,” she said pointing the gun at Dan’s abdomen. Looking down at Slate’s prone figure, she continued, “Not a bad shot if I say so myself. All those months at the pistol range served me well.”
            “Thank you for saving me from this crazy fiend, but -,” Dan started to say.
            “Who said I saved you?” she asked. “How do you know I didn’t think it was you I was aiming at? After all, it is dark and the only light is spilling out of the bedroom.”
            “I don’t understand,” Dan said.
            “Look, you fool. Did you honestly think I was going to let you and Postadolas back there take over my husband’s company and rob it blind? You think I endured my failure of a husband all these years just to lose out when the big money started rolling in? Think again. I saw how Postadolas got his foot in the door when my stupid husband needed money. Pretty soon, we were living on his handouts while he was conducting his other business on the side. I was already plotting to get rid of him then you showed up with an idea worth billions, so I sat back and bided my time. See what happens, Justine, I told myself. Maybe this idea will work. Well, it did, but we were still being cut out of the big money. Postadolas was a pig; there was never going to be enough for him never mind anybody else.”
            She shifted the gun to the other hand and said,” Don’t try to get lucky. I’m ambidextrous. I can drop you where you stand just as easily with my left hand as with my right.”
            The last thing on Dan’s mind was to move. Instead, he was hoping that he’d be able to find out what she wanted and to make any promises he could to spare his life.
            “What do you want?’ he asked not knowing any more diplomatic way to ask the question of a person who was pointing a gun at him.
            “Nothing,” she said. “I’ve got everything I want right now. Postadolas is dead. That nut job over there is also dead. Yah, that’s right. I knew he wasn’t the original Andrew Slate but some whacko named Alan Gordon. For a security conscious guy such as yourself, you’d be smart to make sure you shred everything. When you first started, I made sure the custodian that cleaned your office brought me the contents of your waste basket every day. You’d be surprised at what you can find out from people’s trash or would you. Isn’t that how you tracked down the current Slate’s identity? It seems you threw away a very valuable piece of paper with all of the new Mr. Slate’s information on it which I now have in my possession. I knew right away that this whole plan of yours with Mr. Average American was going to fall apart; it was then I began planning when and how.”
            She was talking as if it gave her satisfaction to reveal how smart she was to somebody who wouldn’t be able to tell anyone else.
            “What’s next?” Dan asked, hoping she was going to offer him a deal to keep his mouth shut.
            “Next, I get on a plane to a comfortably warm country with no extradition treaty with the United States. Then, I go to their bank where I’ve already managed to have deposited one hundred and eighty-six million dollars, money taken from my husband’s company’s accounts with the help of Bernie Jackson, his most trusted treasurer. It’s not an ocean of money as you promised Postadolas, but it’s at least a medium-sized lake. It’ll be more than enough to keep me in a luxurious lifestyle for the rest of my life. I’m not greedy,” she said.
            “What about Bernie and your husband?” Dan asked stupidly.
            “Bernie thinks he’ll be joining me in paradise, but I’ve already arranged that some untimely accident will deny him that pleasure,” she said. “As for my moronic husband, well he’ll just have to stay behind and face the music when the authorities come looking for him and asking how he stole his clients’ money.”
            “What about these bodies?” Dan asked stalling for time. “The police find them and they’ll be looking for everybody associated with the company, even you.”
            “Nice try, but that’s why you’re where you are and I’m the one with the gun,” she answered smugly. “When the morning surveillance crew comes on, they’ll be seeing everything normal in this house. I looped previously recorded tapes so that it’ll take them at least a couple of hours to catch on. By the time they get through the food chain of the company’s executives, I’ll be long gone in a private jet winging my way over the Atlantic wondering which gown I plan to wear tomorrow evening.”

Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Poll Bearer Part 29 see more novels at www.writemeamystery.com

CHAPTER 25     
            Dan was certain that Louis would not come armed since he probably figured he and Slate would just be talking and, at most, this was only a business deal that could be settled with words. Besides, Louis’ new image was as a successful entrepreneur, and a gun would be out of the question. Even if Dan were able to escalate the meeting into a confrontation, there was nothing to indicate that he could push it into actual physical violence or that Louis was capable of murder himself. Unless something happened in that house to at least one of the individuals who were now major obstacles to Dan’s own survival, all of this planning and scheming was for nothing. In order to ensure success, therefore, Dan decided to bring a weapon on his own. Hopefully he could induce Louis to use it or…if it came down to the bottom line…he could find it in himself to make sure neither of the two men left that house alive. This was a desperate time for the wonder boy, but the speed with which things were happening actually made it easier for him to arrive at such immoral conclusions since he really didn’t have time to think through the consequences. There was now a sense of desperation which was overruling common sense.
            Arturo Roez, vice-president in charge of sales, was a ruthless bastard who trusted no one and alienated everyone except for the firm’s customers. Dan knew that he kept a small caliber gun in the drawer of his office desk as protection. Since Arturo made bitter enemies with almost every employee that ever worked under him, he felt it necessary to have a weapon at his disposal at all times in case of a confrontation; and he had plenty of those that almost reached the level of violence. He didn’t want to carry a gun on his person, but he was known to keep one in his car and another at his home for the same reasons. It would be easy to get that gun in the office, which Dan was sure would already be loaded, and to take it with him to Slate’s house.
            Since he was the corporate genius, he had keys to everywhere, including places where lesser employees like Arturo thought were safe. It was not difficult to get the gun and conceal it in his pocket as he left the building and started the drive to Slate’s house. On the way, he was trying to think of ways he could push Louis’ buttons to enrage him against Slate. He knew that whatever he did had to be fast before any of the other two men could stop to reason out why things were happening as they were. Finally, he decided that the best avenue he had was to admit to Louis that they had both been deceived and that Slate was a fake and a killer who would drag them both down if he wasn’t stopped. Dan was sure that would set the unstable Slate off; then the only problem was for Dan to get out of the way of what he hoped would be a violent conclusion.
            He arrived outside the house at 10:45, and a black car pulled up in front of him and parked a few minutes later. It wasn’t a limo, so Dan figured Louis had come alone. He saw Louis step out of the driver’s side and come toward his car; but with his focus being directed solely toward the big man, he failed to notice that another car, with its lights out, had stopped two hundred feet behind his.
            Rolling down his window, Dan spoke first.
            “He’s inside,” Dan said. “I checked on the tablet just a minute ago. He’s upstairs in the bedroom. What’s our strategy?”
            He was still totally unaware of the other car where an individual, dressed in dark clothing, stepped out and stood watching the scene transpire between the two men.
            “We go in and see what he wants?” Louis answered. “I look and see if we can still trust him to serve our purposes, that’s all.”
            “But what if he plays hard ball?” Dan asked trying to pour a little gasoline on what he hoped were embers.
            “We deal with that when and if I say we do,” Louis replied.
            “Don’t you think we should have some sort of back up plan?” Dan said trying to prod Louis. “What if he threatens to call the cops? I mean we did bug his place; and that’s illegal.”
            “I’ve dealt with these types of people before,” Louis answered. “Usually it comes down to money. Since he has no idea what kind of money we’re dealing with, his demand will probably be low ball at best. I’ll haggle, bring him even lower, and we all walk away happy. If we find he can’t be trusted, then later something might happen to him. First, let’s try it the easy way and not go off half-cocked.”
            That was exactly what Dan didn’t want to hear. Without a confrontation, only his goose stood a chance to be cooked. He was deciding when would be the right time to tell him about Slate’s checkered past; if he did it now, Slate might not be riled…if he did it inside, then there was the chance for all of this to end happily…for Dan at least.
            “Let’s go,” Louis said. “It’s time.”
            As Dan got out of his car and started to walk with Louis, he still failed to notice the dark figure who had slipped behind a nearby tree and was waiting to follow silently.
            “Let’s use the back door,” Dan said. “I know where he keeps his key.”
            Removing the flower pot, Dan retrieved the key and went to the door, opening it quietly; then he stopped.
            “Here,” he said thrusting the pistol into Louis’ hand; “take this just in case.”
            The suddenness of the action caught Louis by surprise and he instinctively took hold of the weapon. Dan quickly turned to enter the house giving his companion no time to return the gun or even to protest.
            The inside was dark as Dan had witnessed on the tablet, so he took out a small flashlight to navigate the way. Stopping at the foot of the stairs, he whispered, “He’s up there, first room to the left.”
            Slate was, indeed, in that bedroom having moved from the desk when he heard the key turning in the lock downstairs. He had shut off the light and was waiting in the darkness beside the door, his hand firmly clutching the letter opener so he could stab downward.
            Dan started up the stairs slowly leading the way for his companion. He expected they were going to surprise Slate at his desk, and Dan would have time to yell out accusations against him while physically pushing Louis forward so he’d have to defend himself. It was a crude plan but the only one Dan could come up with.
            At the top of the stairs, he motioned Louis to go first whispering, “Let’s just go in and gain the element of surprise. He should be sitting at his desk.”
            As Dan reached around Louis to open the door, both men were instantly confused by the darkness with Louis being the one who occupied to open door space. Slate, seeing only one man, lunged out with the letter opener raised and drove it into Louis’ neck, just above his breast bone but through the soft tissue. From his years of practice with the corkscrew, he knew enough to turn the blade to silence any outcry and to get the maximum killing power. Louis staggered backward as Slate fell upon him drawing back on his weapon and stabbing the bleeding man once again, this time in the heart. The rage and intensity of the moment fed his brutal desires making him lose all awareness of what else was going on around him. It took a few seconds before he looked up to see Dan frozen in position, unable to move or scream from the horror he had just witnessed.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Poll Bearer Part 28 see more novels at www.writemeamystery.com

“He found a camera,” Dan replied knowing that it was Louis’ crew who had installed the surveillance equipment in the first place so the blame couldn’t be easily shifted to Dan.
            “Options?” Louis asked probing to see what Dan was going to come up with to try to rectify the situation.
            “He wants to meet,” Dan said. “He held up a message to the cameras. Meet or he calls the police.”
            Since Louis wasn’t aware of this Andrew Slate’s real background, he couldn’t possibly know that this would be the last possible thing Slate would ever do.
            “You?” Louis asked.
            “Us,” Dan answered, realizing that somehow he had to talk Louis into going to Slate’s house with him despite what he perceived to be the big man’s reluctance to get personally involved. “He wants the top people. I go alone, he makes a request, I have to wait to report to you for a decision. Then he knows something is fishy and we might lose him. You and I go together; we hear what he wants; you make the decision whether to give in or move on. You have a more forceful personality. You can’t send somebody in your place because that person wouldn’t have your authority. You are the only one who knows what’s the best deal. It’s a big ocean of money, so I’m sure you can negotiate for a small part for him if that becomes necessary. Or maybe you have other options.”
            Dan was hoping he was making a strong enough case for Louis to be there, but there was a pause on the other end of the call that was starting to worry him.
            “Even if we make a deal,” Louis said; “won’t that compromise his use to us. I mean we’ve tapped into his natural choices without pressure. If he knows, doesn’t that slant his decision-making?”
            “Maybe, maybe not,” Dan said running a bluff. “That’s why I need you there because you can read people so well. You’ll be able to tell if he’s conning us.”
            Dan was piling on the flattery trying to make Louis seem indispensable to the outcome; he wasn’t sure it was working. Finally, after a thirty second pause, Louis spoke.
            “When does he want to meet?”
            “Tonight at 11:00,” Dan said breathing a sigh of relief. “At his place. I’ll meet you outside at 10:55. You know his address?”
            “10:55,” Louis answered then hung up.
            If everything went according to plan, Louis would arrive alone; at worst, his body guard or driver would be with him. If that happened, Dan had to be sure to make sure the other person was left behind with the car. The trick was to create such an intolerable scene inside Slate’s home that Louis would snap and do something to Andrew. Roughing him up would do no good since that would destroy Slate’s effectiveness as a tester of commercial content. Walking away also wasn’t an option since Louis knew the police were searching for Dan and his brother; if either of them were picked up, Louis knew they’d spill the beans and implicate him in some way. Although he was now a legitimate businessman, his past deeds would still warrant a major prison term. No, if Slate didn’t cooperate, then Louis only had one choice: eliminate him permanently. Of course, there was always the possibility that he wouldn’t stop there and would eliminate Dan as well, but he’d deal with that when and if he was threatened. He was hoping that he could convince Louis that he had another lucrative scheme to make money to make himself too valuable to kill. Ideally Slate and Louis would eliminate each other; but if one had to survive, Dan hoped it would be Louis since he had been able to manipulate him in the past.
            Going to the computer that was used to insert the test commercials, Dan typed a message and sent it to Slate’s screen. It didn’t matter any more that by doing this Slate would realized that he had been played, because that was no longer important. The Mr. Average American plan was dead and couldn’t ever be resurrected with Slate, so there was no need for excessive secrecy.
When MEETING SET FOR 11:00 appeared on the television screen, Slate was surprised. He actually looked around the room to see if anyone were there, then he just sat back and clicked off the set. He got up, walked awkwardly to the stairs holding onto furniture for support, clicked off the downstairs lights, and went up the stairs trying to keep his bad leg straight and not putting much weight on it. When he finally reached the top, he clicked off the stairway light and went into his bedroom and sat at the small desk in the corner. The room was lit by two lights, one on the nightstand next to the bed and the other a small lamp on the desk. Slate just sat there in the chair looking over some papers, his back to the door acting as the bait that he hoped would lure his victim to him. He figured that there were cameras everywhere; and if he acted relaxed, the man identified as Dan would be unprepared for what Slate was actually planning.