Josh Writes

Hi Everyone:

I am pleased to publish chapters 23 & 24 of my novel, RAPE. After reading the chapters, I hope you will comment. As you know, your comments and suggestions influence my revision. If you missed any of the previous chapters, check the archives.

I encourage you to visit my website: joshswritingroom.com/ where you will find, the current short story.

You can also check out my e-published novels. If you find one to your liking, you can purchase it from Amazon.com, or from Barnes and Noble. You’ll find links on the website taking you right to it.

PATH TO A PARDON,

THE EINDHOVEN STRATEGY,

& PALM BEACH STYLE.

These novels deliver hours of reading pleasure. In fact, Path to a Pardon & Palm Beach Style have been reduced, combined they cost less than a movie. You can now purchase two books for what it once cost to read just one.

As I publish each new chapter, the previous chapter(s) are archived, so you can easily catch up. For those who prefer, here is an encapsulated version of the previous action:

PREVIOUSLY: RAPE

Prosperous executive, Gary Sanders, has an appointment at the home of Julia Walsh, the reigning Empress of Palm Beach. Julia’s niece, Oscar winning actress, Miriam West, is visiting and has jewelry to insure.

Miriam accuses Gary of assault and rape. Chief Moore shows Gary a close-up of her facial cuts and bruises. They await the lab report.

Gary’s wife, Carol is furious. She moves him into the guest room.

Reporters who publish stories favoring the actress surround Gary’s home and office. His children are harassed at school and Gary loses his clients and his major companies. Neighbors and friends shun Gary and his family.

Gary’s lawyer, Joe Flaherty sends P.I. Jim Bosley to investigate, and then visits Carol. He finds her parents have arrived and plan to take her and the children back to Boston.

A January court date is set. Bail is set. Carol tells Gary that she and the children are going to Boston to live with her parents.

One of Miriam West’s fans assaults Gary. A neighborhood committee offers money to help Gary sell his home, if his family leaves Palm Beach within 60 days.

Private Investigator, Bosley, learns of Consuela Arista’s termination following Gary’s visit. Reporter, Miguel Gonzales, is already looking for her.

Miguel’s editor helps him find an address for Consuela. She has gone to visit her mother in San Antonio.

Consuela tells her mother that she was in the next room when Gary came to see Miriam about insuring her jewelry and she saw him leave. Now, Miriam is forcing her to help destroy him.

Carol’s parents make an appointment for her to meet with the family lawyer about a divorce.

Bosley meets with ex-girlfriend, Connie, who works for the same newspaper as Miguel and learns the reporter has gone to San Antonio. He offers & she accepts a job running his office.

During lunch at the Sailfish Club, Miriam has too much to drink and thinks about how she advanced her career and what she may yet have to do.

Carol consults an attorney about a divorce. Robert strikes a classmate and is suspended.

Gary and his ex-secretary, Erica meet for lunch at Hamburger Heaven, where she tells him that she believes in him and he should do whatever he must to keep his children.

P.I. Jim Bosley finds an address in San Antonio where Miriam West’s maid may be staying.

CHAPTER 23

Erica crumpled her cloth napkin and placed it on the table; “Boy that salad hit the spot; how is your cheeseburger?”

Gary looked down at the half-eaten burger; “Excellent, unfortunately I don’t seem to have much of an appetite lately.”

She gave the back of his hand a light pat; “I understand. Listen, I know this is going to kill you, but you promised to let me pick up the tab.”

“Okay, but remind me never to let you do it again.”

He waited patiently as she put the change in her purse and then opened the front door allowing her to step out into the bright sunshine. He reached for her arm and looked up just in time to stare into the lens of a waiting photographer’s camera. Gary stuck his palm in front of the lens preventing the man from taking more.

“What’s your name, Miss?” a reporter called.

He tried telling her not to answer, but she blurted out her name. “Come on guys, give us a break. We were business associates. We’re good friends. We simply met for lunch. Don’t make this into something it’s not.” He tugged on her arm and steered her away, but the reporters followed.

“Hey, Sanders,” one called, “how do you feel about the upcoming trial?”

Gary started to answer, thought better of it, instead urged Erica to move faster. At the corner, she turned right.

He said, “I’ll call you,” before trotting to the lot where he’d parked. “Damn it!” he cursed, slamming a hand against the steering wheel. He shook his head, and thought, it’s my own damn fault for picking a place so near the police station with all those stupid flies buzzing around. I sure hope that picture doesn’t make the front page. With my luck, it will, someone is sure to send it to Carol, and true to form, she’ll assume the worst.

The mid-December sun slipped over the western horizon as Gary parked the Maserati in his garage and began unloading the cartons from his office. He carried them into the house and stacked them against a wall in the guest bedroom. No sense unpacking, he thought, as he carried in the last two boxes, if I sell this place, I’ll only have to repack them. Maybe I ought to start thinking about a storage unit.

With a large plastic lawn bag in hand he put on his work gloves and walked out the front door to begin cleaning up the garbage that someone had dumped on the front lawn. I’ll bet they know exactly what time the cops leave. Maybe I ought to get one of those surveillance cameras and catch them in the act. Ah! What good will that do? I need to sell this place.

While working at the office he had called Ned Staudt, the realtor. Ned reminded him that he had only had the listing for a day and that Gary had opted not to put a ‘For Sale’ sign on the front lawn. Gary had argued that the only ones it attracted were nosy neighbors wanting to know his asking price, and others who wanted a tour of the property. He hadn’t mentioned the Standards Committee or those who wanted to see where the alleged rapist lived.

Staudt had said; “I understand your feelings, but we do find that a lot of people drive around and when they see a desirable house for sale they call a real estate office. A sign gives them a convenient number to call. There is an old saying: ‘It Pays to Advertise’. And don’t forget, we’re at the height of the season. There’s no better time to list the property, a number of our winter visitors use this time to shop. They’re looking for an upscale home in a prestige community like Palm Beach.”

He relented and Staudt said, “Excellent, I’ll come by tomorrow and put up one of our attractive signs. By the way, I may have a firm interested in subleasing your office space. I’ll let you know in the next day or two.”

“Thanks Ned, I really appreciate that. I’d hate to pay another month on that space. The sooner I get out from under that lease the better.”

After cleaning up the garbage on the lawn, he felt better about letting Staudt talk him into the sign. Got to sell and move on, he decided. He glanced at his new Timex, six-o-clock, time for the news. Gary entered the kitchen, turned on the small Television set, and watched as he made himself a ham and cheese sandwich to go with the cold bottle of beer he found in the refrigerator. He breathed a sigh of relief when the local news ended without a single mention of his case. The absence of news reminded him that he hadn’t heard any news from the man now wearing his Rolex. He reached for his cell and speed dialed Flaherty’s number; “Hi Joe, it’s Gary, just thought I’d give you a call to see how things were going.”

“I’m glad you did, I had planned on calling you in a bit to let you know that my investigator is on his way to Texas to follow-up on a lead. There may have been an eye- witness to your visit after all. My investigator tells me that Julia fired a maid right after the incident. We think she may have seen something and that’s why they fired her. He has tracked her to the Lone Star State. My investigator will call me in a day or two.”

“Gee, Joe, that sounds terrific.”

“Yes, Laddie, this may be the break we’ve been hoping for. Now whatever you do, don’t breathe a word of this to anyone, not even your wife. Speaking of yer woman, how are things between you.”

“To be honest, Joe, I’m not real sure. She took the kids to stay with her folks up in Boston. She says that she’ll come back for the trial, but my son, Robert is having some emotional problems.”

“I’m sorry to hear about the boy’s problem.”

“Thanks; Carol is going to take him to see a psychologist.”

“And how are you getting along?”

“Okay, I guess. I just cleaned out my office. I have a real estate agent trying to find someone to sublease the space and I put the house up for sale. With my primary source of income gone, my expenses are devouring my available cash. Any chance you’re interested in re-locating your office?”

“I’m afraid not. In my kind of practice it’s best to be near the courthouse, but I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for any prospects. Now Gary, listen carefully; I understand that this trial is nasty business, but you hang in there! If my investigator finds this witness and she has the evidence we need maybe we’ll get the case thrown out. That’ll help to put things right with Carol, but like I said, mum’s the word until I give you the okay.”

“You have my word on it, Joe.”

CHAPTER 24

Gary snapped the lid of his cell phone shut and thought, that Flaherty, he must think I’m a child, telling me not once but twice, with whom I can discuss my situation. We both know my marriage is shaky. If that detective finds a witness to clear me, Carol will have to come back. I’ll have my family back again. I’ll get my contracts back and maybe even some of my clients. I can reopen my agency and give Carol the kind of life we had before all this happened. The heck with Flaherty, it’s my family and my future; he told himself as he reached for the phone.

The big grandfather clock in the vestibule struck seven as Carol put down her tee-cup, blotted her lips with the linen, dinner napkin from her lap and looked into her father’s expectant eyes. She knew the poor dear felt compelled to bring up the subject but she really didn’t want to get into the whole divorce filing debacle right now. Robert’s recent behavior weighed heavily on her mind.

Jenny Howe must have guessed her mind-set because she asked, “Carol dear, how is Robert reacting to his suspension?”

“I don’t believe it’s registered yet. Maybe it will tomorrow when Janet goes to school and he stays here. I’d hoped that his conversation with his father might make a positive impression, maybe it will, it’s too soon to tell.”

Randolph put his napkin on the table, rose from his chair, and suggested that they adjourn to the living room. Once the women settled into comfortable chairs and he poured everyone a little after dinner anisette, he raised his glass and said, “To better days!”

“I’ll certainly drink to that,” Carol said. “This has been a day I’d like to rip from the calendar.

Jenny Howe stared at her daughter, “Yes, I’m sure it’s been stressful. Are you going to schedule an appointment with one of those child behavior experts?”

“Yes, Mother, as soon as possible. I doubt they’ll let him back in school if he doesn’t see one. It’s what’s best for Robert.”

“I suppose so, Dear. You know I never interfere, but I have to say, Carol, that under the circumstances, I don’t think it’s good for our grandson to have these contacts with his father. I know you thought it necessary, but I shouldn’t encourage that if I were you. The sooner he makes the emotional break with Gary, the sooner he’ll get over the anger he’s expressing. I don’t care what any of these people with their fancy degrees and titles may say; I’m convinced that it’s all about the betrayal he feels at his father’s behavior. He’s learned that his father is made of clay and it makes him angry.”

“You may be right, Mother. I just don’t know. I’ll have to discuss that with the psychologist. Robert always worshiped his father. I don’t see how, in good conscience, I can keep Gary from talking to his son?”

“Perhaps by getting a divorce, her father said, as he put down his empty glass. A divorce decree usually spells out each parent’s rightful contacts with their children. And while we’re on that subject, what did you tell Henry Castle today?”

Oh God, Carol thought, I just knew he’d find a way to bring the conversation around to that. She put down her cordial glass; “Henry seems very nice, I liked him and I feel he is competent to represent me, if and when I’m ready to proceed, but I haven’t decided when that will be. And really, Father, I won’t be rushed. Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to look in on my children.”

“Yes of course,” her mother replied.

Once upstairs, she knocked and then opened Janet’s door. She found her daughter reading a history book. She looked up; “Mother, did you know that the battle of Bunker Hill took place right here in Boston?”

“Yes dear, and if you like we can go to Bunker and Breed’s Hill this weekend and see right where it took place.”

“I thought we won the battle but according to this book, the British won.”

“Yes, Janet, technically that’s true, but for the first time they learned that colonists were serious about fighting for their liberty,” she said as her cell phone rang. She recognized his voice right away, asked him to hold while she went to her own bedroom where she closed the door.

“Gary—what’s going on?”

“I’ve got some great news, for a change. The private investigator my lawyer uses has reported that there may have been a witness to my visit at Julia Walsh’s home after all. Right now, he’s trying to locate her. If she saw what happened she might be able to clear me.

“Gee, that’s great news, Gary. When will you know?”

“It’ll probably take a couple of days. Listen Hon, Flaherty wants to keep this real quiet until we’re sure she can help, so don’t say anything to the kids or your folks just yet. I don’t want to get their hopes up until we’re sure. Okay?”

“Yes, I suppose so. I guess it’ll keep for a couple of days, but I think it’s exactly the medicine we need to correct Robert’s thinking and snap him out of the state he’s in.”

“Has he calmed down yet?”

“He’s okay for now. Tomorrow I’ll call around for a good child psychologist.”

“And what about Janet; how’s she doing?”

“She’s fine. She’s in her room studying American history.”

“Let me talk to them?”

“Gary, I don’t think that’s a very good idea right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, at the moment, Janet is okay, she’s settling into a new school but she is angry with you for causing her to give up her home and her friends. And you spoke to Robert earlier today so you know about his behavior and his hostile attitude.”

“Come on, Carol, let me talk with Robert.”

“Oh, okay. Hold on, I’ll get him.”

She left the phone on her bed and walked out into the hallway, counted to fifty and returned. “Gary, he says he doesn’t want to talk to you; give him some time, he’ll come around. Don’t worry; I have things under control. I can deal with him.” She hung up, as she did so, she thought; Well Mother, I hope you’re happy. I just lied to my husband and deliberately kept him from talking with his own children.

Gary heard the buzzing sound from the broken connection and thought; I don’t get it. Robert talked to me this afternoon. What the heck just happened? I call with good news and . . . damn it, now that I think about it; Carol sure didn’t seem excited about the witness. Is it possible she’d rather I not be cleared? Maybe she’d like to see me go to jail. Yeah, that will make it easier for her to get custody. Why didn’t I follow Joe’s advice? Yeah, I never learn, I never know when to keep my big trap shut.