Friday, February 21, 2014



Hi Everyone:
I am pleased to publish chapter 29 of my novel, RAPE. After reading the chapter, I hope you will comment. Your comments and suggestions influence my revision. If you missed any of the previous chapters, check the archives.
          I also 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. Path to a Pardon & Palm Beach Style can be purchased at reduced prices, 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 Miriam, 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. 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 learns Consuela 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. Miriam is forcing her to help destroy him.
Carol’s parents make an appointment for her to see 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 drinks too much and thinks about how she advanced her career and what she may yet have to do.
Carol consults an attorney about a divorce. Robert hits a classmate. He 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 where Miriam West’s maid may be staying.
As they leave the restaurant, reporters accost Gary and Erica. Joe Flaherty tells Gary that Bosley is going to interview a maid who may help his case and cautions him not to tell anyone until he is sure of her testimony. Gary promises.
Despite giving his word to the attorney, Gary tells Carol the good news. She is not impressed and denies him access to the children.
Reporter Miguel Gonzales contacts Consuela and then talks to his editor about getting her to go public with what she knows. They agree on a financial offer.
Consuela tells her mother what she witnessed at Julia Walsh’s home and why she must flee. Her Mother sends her to stay with her sister in Mexico.
Miguel Gonzales is elated as he leaves the Arista home with a taped interview describing what Consuela observed during Gary’s visit with Miriam West. His joy is short-lived when his vehicle is hit, sending him to the hospital in a coma.
P.I. Bosley arrives in San Antonio and fails to gain entry into the Arista home. He discovers that Miguel is in the hospital and during a visit, finds and takes the reporter’s tape recorder.


CHAPTER 29


       Gary put the skimmer down, the last of the leaves were out of the pool and the PH. factor had returned to normal. The water looked inviting, but the weather had turned chilly, too cool for swimming. Anyway, he thought, it looks good for potential buyers and that’s the objective, isn’t it? Only one thing left to do now; wait. Wait, wait, wait that’s all I can do. Wait for a buyer to get rid of the house; wait for the realtor to find someone to pick up the lease on the office space; wait for the trial to be over; wait for Carol to come back with the children; wait for Joe to call with news from the detective. Right, news from Bosley.
Joe had said he’d call in a day or two, but he hadn’t. What’s he waiting for—Christmas? Perhaps he’s forgotten, or maybe he’s so involved in other cases that he hasn’t had time. Well that’s too damn bad, if he’s too busy to call me, I’ll just call him. Yeah that’s what I’ll do all right. He glanced at his watch; it showed ten ‘til nine. Crap, it’s too early. I’ll call him after breakfast.
 He put the skimmer away, turned to admire the clear blue water in his pool, and headed for the back door. With Hannah off for the holidays, he graduated to cook. He made four cups of coffee, sliced and toasted a blueberry bagel and filled a bowl with Fiber 1. The toaster popped up. He drizzled honey over the bagel, and reached for the milk as the telephone rang. Hot damn, I’ll bet that’s Joe. He lifted the receiver, “Hello.”
“Listen scumbag, we don’t need your kind in Palm Beach. I hear your wife and kids are in Boston. Why don’t you join them? Go somewhere, Jerkoff, or go to hell! We don’t care—”
Gary hung up the receiver without letting the man finish. These idiots never get tired, he thought, as he poured milk over his cereal.
With breakfast over, he poured a second cup of coffee and called Joe Flaherty’s office. The secretary put him on hold while Joe finished another call, then the Irishman picked up his call, “Hello Laddie, how are you getting on?”
“I’m not getting anything and that’s the truth.”
“Ah, well, be of good cheer, things are bound to get better in a wee bit.”
“Any news from Bosley?”
“Aye. The lad did call me last night. He says he has the witness’s story on tape and he’s sending it by Express but I no have it in hand. I’ll call you after I’ve had a chance to hear what the lass has to say.”
“Okay, I’ll hang out here; that seems to be all I do lately, just hang around and twiddle my thumbs.”
As Gary put the receiver back, he heard a knock at his front door. Thinking it another one of the neighborhood pranksters, he jerked the front door open. A neatly dressed man of about his own age said, “Mr. Gary Sanders?”
He nodded, became suspicious seeing the paper in the man’s hand; “Yes,” he said, drawing the word out.
The man handed him the paper and said, “You’ve been served. Have a nice day.” He turned and walked away leaving Gary to let the words: Petition for Divorce, sink in.
Well, he thought, it’s been that kind of a day. Why didn’t I see this coming? So, that’s why she didn’t seem enthused about the witness. Closing the door behind him, he meandered toward his den without bothering to turn on a light; opened a bottle of Glen- Livet single malt scotch, and poured three fingers of it into a heavy bottomed glass. He sat in the subdued lighting and sipped, letting the liquid gold warm his tongue and throat. This is one thing I didn’t have long to wait for, Carol’s not coming home.
His chest felt warm and he thought, no wonder they give this stuff to people having a heart attack. It’s strong enough to jump-start an army tank. He refilled his glass and methodically downed it. Carol won’t come, he thought, and then it hit him, what about my kids? He shook his head, knowing and hating the answer. I told her we had a witness but she was indifferent. Damn it I’m just killing time. Where does it get me?
He poured a third drink, and a forth before deciding to call Erica. Pulling out his cell, he speed-dialed her number. She answered on the second ring.
“Hi Gary, it’s so good to hear from you. How are you?”
“I’m fan-tash-tic, tha-s what I am.” He heard the slurring in his speech.
“Funny, you don’t sound it. You’re drinking. What’s happened?”
“Yeah, I had a few, tha-s why I’m fan-dash-tic.” The slurs were getting worse. “Lesh meet for lunch?”
“No I can’t. I just started a new job with Jameson, Jennings and Sheehan.”
       “Ah ha, Lawyers, they’re no fun.”
She giggled and said, “You’re right. Why don’t you call me after five and we’ll figure out someplace to meet for dinner?”
“I’ll call you.”
“Okay, but Gary, promise me you’ll quit drinking. Get some sleep and call me after five.”
He hung up. Erica was right of course, he needed to quit drinking now; he’d had more than enough. The scotch had clobbered him; it’s a mistake to drink it neat. I’ll feel better if I take a little nap—just stretch out here on the couch—snooze a while. After all I can’t call again until after five—another thing to wait for.


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