Dojo Double

by Dave Sypher

  Even while gone, Chris still continued watching out for Shinju. Another man from his unit, Miguel Torres, called Mig for short, had taken over watching after Shinju. At her request, he was teaching her basic combat techniques, including shooting and hand-to-hand methods so that she was better able to defend herself. His lessons had already come in handy several times, and Shinju now considered Mig to be her friend as well as Chris's.

  Making sure her case files were as up-to-date as they could be, Shinju shut down her computer. Alejandro, who had gone to get himself a cup of coffee, came into the office in time to see Shinju packing her purse.

  "Listen up everyone,” Alejandro announced, "Shinny is going out of state for missing persons case in California. As we have done before, we all need to step up and handle a little bit of increased volume in our case loads while she's gone.”

  Tomis Phillips and Rene were out interviewing people and performing a stakeout respectively, so it was Faith, Missy, James, and Enrique who wished Shinju good luck on her case.

  "Make sure you pack plenty of ammo,” was Missy's advice.

  "You be careful out in California,” Faith smiled at her.

  "You should charge extra to cover your expenses,” James advised her. "Gas prices out there are outrageous. Actually, everything out there is outrageously expensive. If I were you, I'd wrap up that case as soon as possible, so you can get out of that state. In any case, you be careful out there, Shinny.”

  Shinju went over to give James a hug. His name was actually Hank Noble, but he’d been living and working under his cousin’s name when he applied to work at Sanchez Investigations. After his cousin was murdered in Texas and Shinju uncovered a murder plot involving Hank's dad, Hank had been targeted by a hired assassin. After the case was over, Hank had still felt it necessary to not only change his name again, but also his appearance. He had undergone plastic surgery to his face, and he no longer wore the Western clothing he preferred. Instead, he had purchased a number of hats and shirts with the names of heavy metal bands on them, and he now wore T-shirts and tennis shoes instead of button up Western shirts and cowboy boots.

  Enrique was a bit more reserved, choosing to squeeze Shinju's hand while saying, "Try not to get hurt this time, Shinju.”

  Smiling at him, Shinju said, "I'll do my best.”

  Chapter three

  Unlocking the door to her townhouse, Shinju hurried inside. After receiving her payments from Sanchez Investigations for the cases she had worked on in Nevada, Texas, and Colorado, she had invested in a monitored home security system. Quickly punching in her PIN number, she deactivated the alarm. Prior to that, she had utilized battery operated alarms for her doors and windows. They had been suggested to her by both Mig and Chris, and they had given her additional peace of mind until she had the funds to switch to a more sophisticated system.

  Closing and locking her front door, she pulled down the green cloth blind on her living room window that gave her privacy at night.

  Going into her kitchen, she pulled down a navy blue cloth blind. She then filled her kettle and put it on the stove. Looking through the glass doors of her cabinets, she decided to use one of her navy blue mugs for her tea. Placing the mug on the counter, she rifled through the decorative large navy bowl she kept on the counter filled with a variety of herbal tea bags. Chamomile appealed to her the most, so she set the bag next to her mug.

  Heading into her bedroom, she pulled down its black cloth blind before turning on the interior light. Pulling her large suitcase out of her closet, she began selecting clothing to take with her on her trip.

  Her kettle began whistling, so she hurried to the kitchen to finish making her tea. Once that was done, she went into her home office and booted up her computer. Opening her browser, she did a search for California CCW reciprocity agreements, and found to her dismay that California would not honor her CCW license.

  "Well, that throws a monkey wrench into the works,” she said to herself. "I wonder what I can use to defend myself while I'm over there?”

  She sat thinking, wondering if she could pick up a large knife to take with her, but then remembering the recent news stories, she realized that the knife would not protect her from the gangs that had begun carrying machetes around in that state. Deciding that she would be better off cooperating with someone confronting her unless they were trying to physically harm her, Shinju opted to lock her gun up and travel unarmed.

  Pulling out the locking cable that had been provided along with her compact Ruger pistol, she read the instructions on how to install it on her weapon, and did so, despite the fact that she was going to hide her gun while she was away. She briefly considered asking Mig to look after it for her, but she didn't know what time she would be coming home, so she knew she would be better off leaving her weapon in her house; that way, it would be available to her immediately upon her arrival home.

  Now that no one could see her by looking in her windows, she took her gun out to her kitchen. In one corner stood a modified shelf unit. She had bought it because it resembled her kitchen cabinets, and with Chris's help, she had added a drawer in place of the taller bottom shelf. Behind the drawer was a false back panel that gave her just enough room to conceal her 9 mm compact Ruger LCP 1 pistol. After she had bought her pistol, Mig had cut a large piece of foam to fit her hidden compartment. In the center of it, he had cut a cavity that was large enough to hold the Ruger, its lock, and her magazines. A set of two extremely powerful magnets locked the panel in place. Shinju had a handheld release for the magnets so that she could quickly and easily remove the panel. Double checking that the cable was locked, Shinju turned her gun and carefully placed it into its foam cavity, arranging the security cable so that she could do so. Once the gun was secure, she inserted her magazines into their cavities before replacing the false back and sliding the drawer back into the cabinet.

  Checking the time, Shinju saw that she could contact Chris while he was on his lunch break. Dialing his number, she didn't have to wait long before he picked up.

  "Shinny! Is everything all right?”

  "Hi, Chris, I'm just fine. I have taken another out-of-state case, and I wanted to inform you of it. It is a missing persons case in Sacramento, California. Two people went out for a hike in Yosemite National Park while supervising some children on a yearly business retreat, and they never came back. The sister of the missing woman has hired me to look into this after the authorities gave up looking for her sister and brother-in-law.”

  "So this is not a murder investigation?”

  Shinju smiled. Chris was concerned about her investigating murders, because bad things had happened to her on prior cases involving murder.

  "I can't say for certain that it's not a murder, but at this point, with no bodies, it hasn't been classified as a murder.”

  "Let me say right now that I don't like this. None of your out-of-state cases has been routine. I also don't like the fact that you're going to 'Commiefornia’ where only the criminals are armed.”

  "I understand, but I also understand what it's like not knowing what has happened to someone you care for. Investigating the murder of my childhood friend gave me a unique insight regarding how important the work is that I do. Hopefully, this will be a simple missing persons case. I plan on speaking to family, friends, and coworkers of the missing couple. I also plan on visiting the location that they vanished from in Yosemite Park. They were on a trail that is rated as easy, and in the middle of summer I would expect that trail to be fairly well-traveled. Since the rangers had to have spoken to anybody else hiking on that trail, I don't think I’ll find any new witnesses, at least none who are willing to come forward, so it will be a good idea for me to search for anything unusual that may provide an answer for my client.”

  "Too bad my work is so busy, or I would go with you. I would ask Mig to accompany you, but I don't think he could go either. Therefore, there are a few things that you need to get. First off is a satellite tracker. People who hi
ke and run in remote areas often carry one with them. That way, if they get lost or injured, rescuers can more easily find them. Make absolutely sure you take hard-soled shoes with you and watch where you step, especially in the cities. You’ll also need bug spray with deet. That will keep the mosquitoes and ticks off you so you don’t get eaten alive and sick. I want you to also carry some meal bars with you. A block of Datrex is good for long-term storage, and doesn’t taste bad, but they’re a bit bland for my taste, so if you get some protein and breakfast bars with fruit, you should be set for emergency food supply for the length of time you’ll be in the woods. Speaking of the woods, you also need to make sure you carry hairspray.”

  "Hairspray? Why in the world would I need hairspray in the wilderness?”

  "Bear spray, with a B as in boy,” Chris repeated. "You need to buy yourself a canister of bear spray. Since you can't carry a gun with you, the very least you need to carry with you on the trail is that can of spray. It's highly unlikely that you will run into a bear, but knowing your track record for getting into trouble while working on out-of-state cases, I would feel much better knowing that you had that with you. Also make sure you take your second phone with you, and please check in with me at least once every twenty-four hours. I want your satellite tracker information so I can monitor that as well, but I want to hear your voice at least once a day so I know that you are okay.”

  Feeling a rush of affection for her boyfriend, Shinju agreed."All right, consider it done. I will make sure I get my hands on a satellite tracker and a canister of bear spray. I will also check in with you once a day. I can’t guarantee it will always be at the same time, but I will certainly try. I think the best time for me to call you will be early in the morning. What time would be good for you?”

  "There's a couple of hours difference between my location and California, so any time in the morning, even if it seems early for you, will be good for me. Keep your eyes open, your equipment on you, check in with me every day, and come home soon, Shinny. Speaking of which, I don't think it'll be much longer before I'll be able to come back.”

  Shinju's heart leaped at the news. The idea of having Chris back in town excited her more than she thought it would. She was polyamorous, but she was currently only dating Andrej, one of the bartenders at Pink Steel, a gay bar in town. Andrej understood that their relationship was an open one, and that Shinju could date and have relations with another man, just as Andrej himself was free to date and have relations with other women.

  "How long is much longer?”

  "I was thinking it could happen within the next year to year and a half. My job here will be wrapping up, and I haven't heard anything that makes me think that it would be a bad thing for me to move back. In fact, have spent so much time talking about how much I enjoy living there, that Reaper says he's considering moving there as well.”

  Shinju smiled. She didn't know Reaper's real name, but she knew that she owed him a real debt. Reaper had taken up a sniper position on her Texas case and had shot and killed the two men who were trying to murder her.

  "You tell Reaper but I owe him a case of beer and a steak dinner if he does that.”

  Chris laughed, "I don't think that is a good idea! Reaper may move out there just for the free food and drinks.”

  Shinju laughed as well, then said goodbye after promising again to check in regularly and to take the equipment with her that he recommended.

  She sent Mig a text as well. "Hi, Mig, I'm going out-of-state on another case. I've already told our mutual friend about my trip, and he made recommendations for equipment I should take with me. I am going to get the items he suggested, and I will check in regularly every day, as requested. I will let you know as soon as I'm back in town, and we can schedule our next get together after that happens.”

  She sent similar messages to her best friend Lora and also to her father, adding to the message to her father that she would be carrying a satellite tracker and bear spray when she went hiking in Yosemite National Park.

  After receiving replies telling her to be cautious, she turned her attention back to her computer, where she went about booking her airline ticket, giving herself the next day to finish packing and buy the items she needed to take with her on her trip.

  Chapter four

  The next night, Shinju was ready for her trip. She had awakened to a delivery man knocking on her door. Accepting the large package, she took it inside.

  Opening the top of the box, she discovered that Chris had sent her a satellite messaging device and a backpack with a built in water bottle system. Inside the backpack was a first aid kit, headlamp, firestarter device, a topographic map of Yosemite park, compass, and a compact personal shelter.

  The letter he’d written told her, "You need to add food like jerky, protein bars, and trail mix, your bear spray, bug spray, and sunscreen to this pack to see you through. I recommend long sleeves to protect you from scratchy plants, pants to protect your legs, long socks, boots for your feet, and a hat for your head. Think you don’t want to wear a hat? Imagine hiking for hours and burning your scalp where you part your hair, how that will feel until it heals. Liberally apply sunscreen and bug spray, and make sure you separate out your hiking clothes from your regular clothing and wash them and the rest of your clothes in hot water and a really hot dryer before and after you get home. That should remove and kill any ticks that survive on your hiking clothing. If it takes you a day or so to wash those clothes, keep the bag holding them in your bathtub overnight. You also need to make sure you shower right after getting out of the woods to hopefully remove any ticks that might have crawled onto your body while you were hiking, especially if you go off the trail into any brush. You’ll need to take cash to pay your park entry fee—look it up online to see how much you need. You also need to read the instructions on your satellite messaging device and make sure its battery is fully charged before you go out, Shinny. And before I forget, take some extra cash with you as well, a couple hundred should do it, just in case.”

  Shinju smiled, then frowned. She texted Chris, saying, "I don’t know why you included the map and compass, Chris. I don’t know how to use those things.”

  "You can at least study the map and learn the basic layout of the park. The compass will tell you if you’re going in the direction you think you’re going, and it will keep you on the same course if needed. I’ll tell Mig he needs to teach you orienteering in the future.”

  Knowing that she wouldn’t be seeing her best friend and local boyfriend Andrej for a few weeks, she dressed for the occasion in a latex dominatrix outfit. Several years ago, she wouldn’t have dreamed of wearing the skin-tight bustier, pants, and boots anywhere, but since the clientele of Pink Steel often wore outrageous outfits, Shinju knew that she would fit right in and not be considered strange.

  Once inside Pink Steel, she dropped by the bar, making Andrej’s eyes go wide when she asked him for a bottle of Flying Skirt, her favorite beer.

  He leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "You need to wear that for me after you get back, you tease.”

  Shinju laughed, running a hand playfully down the side of his face before paying for her beer and looking around for Lora. Andrej was wearing a silk blouse, a leather skirt, platform heels, and heavy makeup, since he cross-dressed for his job at Pink Steel. There were rumors floating around that he was gay and cross-dressed all the time, but Shinju knew that it wasn’t true, and that Andrej only dressed that way to make the bar’s gay clients feel comfortable around him.

  Lora had found a sit-down table in a fairly quiet corner some distance from the noisy dance floor. She was drinking mead and chatting on her phone when Shinju arrived, but hung up shortly after.

  "My girlfriend wants to meet my boyfriend,” Lora smiled, "And I think if they hit it off, we will all take part in girl-girl-boy threesome. No promises or expectations, just hopefully fun for everyone. If we all like it, then we may continue as a threesome.”

  "Hey that’s grea
t news, Lora,” Shinju hugged her best friend who was bisexual and polyamorous. "I know how much you’ve been enjoying your time with both of them. How’s the job going?”

  "We finished the park project two weeks ago, and it was fairly slow until a wealthy family asked us to help their neighborhood turn a dilapidated park into a place where the local families will want to hang out again. The addition of a water feature and plenty of shade will extend the hours the park can be used without people burning to a crisp under the summer sun. The family is the main contributor to the project, and the rest of the families chipped in after they realized they wouldn’t have to foot the bulk of the bill. We’re in the design stage deciding whereto put the water feature. The majority of the rest of park will have some grass, but there will also be two enclosed areas for dogs to enjoy, and a couple of pickleball courts.”

  "Pickleball? What’s that?” Shinju had never heard of the sport.

  "It’s a newer game that combines elements of tennis and badminton. It’s growing so much in popularity around here that many places are asking for courts to be included in their plans.”

  "Weird.”