by Barry Slater
THE
VIOLINIST
BARRY SLATER
Other titles by Barry Slater
JANE THE RIPPER
KUKULKAN
AFTER 2012
Thanks to my wonderful wife for your caring and support, you are my muse. Thanks also to my best man, you truly are the music man.
THE
VIOLINIST
Copyright © 2016 by Barry Slater
All rights reserved
This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without permission.
ISBN-13: 978-1539461999
ISBN-10: 1539461998
Chainsaw Publishing
“Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.”
Zechariah 14:12
THE
VIOLINIST
Dwayne Ellis
“It's been a wonderful twenty-five years,” Dwayne said. He caressed his wife's soft cheek as the couple made final preparations for their silver wedding anniversary.
Even before the outbreak, Dwayne Ellis was no ordinary man. He was a loving husband, a caring neighbor and a trusted friend. But before he had become all these things he was a musician.
He was born to a middle-class family in Redding, California. His father was a park ranger at the nearby Shasta-Trinity National Forest and a part-time firefighter with the Bella Vista Volunteer Fire Department. His mother was a music teacher at Shasta High School and played the violin on Friday and Saturday nights for extra money at the Shasta Mountain Ski Resort.
His mother introduced him to the world of music as soon as he could talk. It was apparent at the age of eight that Dwayne himself had a natural ability with the violin. He was considered a prodigy by the time he graduated from high school and was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music for his amazing talent to make his violin virtually sing to the audience. To him it was more than wood and metal, his violin was his soul pouring out pure energy. The music flowed from his fingertips. It lifted the broken hearted. It diverted the mind from the grind of daily life to a higher plane of existence. The melody of his music filled the concert halls with beauty. If the cords were a visual effect they would be hummingbirds of soul-stirring colors.
It was at Juilliard that he met his wife Jean. It was love at first sight. If music was the sound of his soul, then Jean was the beat of his heart. Her eyes were his muse. In them, he found the music his hands yearned to play.
Dwayne proposed on the following Valentine's Day and the two had a romantic wedding ceremony on October 4th in a small Lower Manhattan chapel. They followed the ceremony with an enchanting honeymoon in Niagara Falls.
Though the years had passed, every time they looked into each other’s eyes they fell in love all over again. Their affection for one another had never faded.
After college, Dwayne accepted a position with the New York Philharmonic and was soon composing Broadway theater classics.
“I can't believe how perfect everything has been for us,” Jean said looking into Dwayne's bedroom eyes. “One of my fondest memories is the night we met.”
Dwayne smiled.
“My friend insisted I meet you. I was so nervous.”
Jean's career was launched shortly after. Schooled at the New York Film Academy, she was offered a position with the Hollywood film industry screenwriting and promoting “B” movies. After the couple moved to Los Angeles, Dwayne began composing and performing in the local Los Angeles orchestras and theater production houses.
Jean was now producing the popular Marvel comic book action hero movies. The Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and even several of Jean's movie productions were now using pieces that Dwayne composed. Once their lives were centered in L.A., they bought the land on Lake Tranquility near Lake Tahoe on which they built their home.
“You have made all my dreams come true,” Jean continued. “The house. Our travels. The habitat. It's as if everything was written in the stars.” Jean's smile faded. “My only regret is that I could not give us a child.”
“I told you not to blame yourself for that,” Dwayne said. “It's not anyone's fault. It's just the way life turned out for us. Maybe it was meant to be. Besides, adoption has always been an option. We could adopt a pretty little princess or a handsome little prince and you could turn them into movie stars.”
Dwayne and Jean's house had just been completed. It had been their dream to live in a fairy tale castle complete with exotic animals in a specially designed natural habitat. The animals themselves had become Dwayne and Jean's children.
“Everyone's on their way,” Jean said. “I can't wait to see the Martins and Captain Jack, my favorite crazy person.”
“Doc Martin is my favorite. I love Jack to death but he can be a little bit too crazy sometimes.”
“He has a dangerous job,” Jean said. “He's my pyrotechnics supervisor. He has to be crazy.”
“Blowing things up on a movie set sounds like a lot of fun, just not something an insane person should be doing,” Dwayne said laughing out loud. “Anyway, it's all good. They both love the animals.”
“They all love the animals,” Jean said. “Are you ready? They'll be here soon. Put on your tie.”
Jean helped Dwayne with his black bow tie.
The celebration was formal. Dwayne wore his signature black tuxedo. Jean wore a form fitting, ankle length silk evening gown and had her long butterscotch brown hair pinned up in a bun.
“You make that black dress look really good.”
“Don't you recognize it? I wore it on our honeymoon,” Jean said with a smile then looked Dwayne over out of the corner of her eye. “You're looking pretty snazzy yourself. If you're a good boy, maybe later you can find out how good I look underneath this black dress.”
“I'll be sure to be good then. Besides, aren’t I always good?”
“Yes, you are. I wouldn't trade you or your music for anything in this world.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Linda, Doc, come on in,” Dwayne and Jean said with a smile as they opened the front door of their new home.
“Happy anniversary you two.”
Doctor Fredrick Martin was Dwayne and Jean's physician. In his tuxedo, with his white hair combed back and his beard neatly trimmed, Doc Martin looked regal. Linda, Doc Martin's wife, wearing a red Vera Wang evening gown, was stunning but caught in a cruel catch-22. She was much younger than she looked. Her drinking and smoking habits had taken their toll, but she was still beautiful, just not as beautiful as she should be.
“Here,” Jean offered. “Let me take your coats.”
“The house is absolutely adorable,” Linda said slurring her words. “May I have another Bloody Mary?” She was past her limit already.
“Of course,” Jean said sympathetically. She could smell the Vodka and Virginia Slims on Linda's breath. “Let's go to the kitchen.”
Doc Martin's philosophy was to let his wife drink and smoke as much as she wanted. To him, Linda had no drinking problem. Linda would get drunk and pass out. Doc would carry her to the car and drive her home. No problem.
“How is Miss Magnolia?” Linda asked about Dwayne and Jean's shy but beautiful tortoiseshell calico cat.
“She's fine. She's doing her usual thing, hiding under the bed while company is over.”
The house, above the ski slopes of east Lake Tahoe, was built to Dwayne's exact specifications. Like a fortress, it was made entirely of cement block and overlaid stone. There was a well inside the basement along with two generators for backup power. The basement and upper two levels were faced with decorative stonework. Counting all three levels, there was
6,000 square feet of living space.
Linda stumbled her way into the kitchen. “Oh my God. Jean!” She gasped as she placed her hand across her chest. The kitchen was exquisite. The floor was finished in Carrara White marble. Maple floor cabinets with polished brass hardware and Crema Caramel granite countertops lined the walls. Above them were maple wall cabinets with beveled stained glass doors. Exposed wooden beams supported the Faux copper tile ceiling.
“It's beautiful. You are one lucky girl.”
“I feel blessed,” Jean said humbly.
Another knock drew Dwayne to the front door.
“Jack. Come on in.”
“Hi everyone.” Captain Jack Frost was wearing his black suit and tie. His closely cropped hair revealed his military background. “Dwayne, Doc, this is Marcie. Marcie, this is Doctor Martin and Dwayne Ellis.” Marcie wore a V-neck white blouse with matching pants, high heel pumps and handbag.
Jean and Linda came out of the kitchen.
“Hi Jack,” Jean said. “You must be Marcie.”
“Marcie, this is Jean, Dwayne's wife. And this is Doc Martin's wife Linda.”
“Nice to meet you,” Marcie said.
“You'll have to keep an eye on Captain Jack. They definitely broke the mold with him,” Jean said.
“I've noticed.” Marcie looked at Captain Jack and smiled.
“I told Marcie about the animals,” Captain Jack said.
“There's still a little light left. Would you like to see them?” Dwayne asked.
“Sure,” Marcie responded with a smile. “I'd love to.”
“Doc, Linda?”
“I wouldn't miss it for the world,” Linda said.
“Bundle up dear,” Doc Martin said. “It's could out.”
#
Outside, the group gathered at the birdhouse inside the animal compound.
“Oh, how adorable!” Marcie said.
Sandy and Pete, two injured bald eagles, were rubbing their beaks together inside their paddock.
“What happened to them?”
“They flew into the blades of a wind turbine. Both broke their wings. Sandy's beak was broken also. We fed her by hand. They are almost ready to be released back into the wild.”
“What led you to build a wildlife preserve?” Marcie asked.
“It was Jean's calling,” Dwayne answered.
“We use them for filming too,” Captain Jack said.
“It also helps to have a family physician who is also a part-time veterinarian,” Jean said as she wrapped her arms around Doc Martin's waist.
“Full-time people doctor and part-time animal doctor,” Doc Martin said raising his drink.
“My God Dwayne. Why all the iron bars on the doors and windows? Are you expecting a siege?” Linda asked looking at the exterior of the house.
“Linda is right. You guys could hold off an army here,” Captain Jack said.
“It's to keep the animals out of the house when they're grazing the lawn,” Dwayne said.
“The timber is cleared a thousand feet from the house and stacked for firewood,” Captain Jack pushed.
“No forest fires or termites,” Dwayne said as he shrugged his shoulders.
“This house isn't going to burn anyway,” Captain Jack said. “Hell, it's all made out of stone.”
“It made the insurance a lot cheaper,” Dwayne said.
“How is Snowflake?” Doc Martin asked changing the subject.
“Great. Her paw is almost healed,” Jean said.
“Snowflake is a solid white snow leopard,” Captain Jack informed Marcie. “She was a circus performer.”
“Really? May I see her?” Marcie asked.
“Sure,” Jean beamed.
The group walked the short distance to Snowflake's paddock.
“Oh my God,” Marcie said covering her mouth with her hand. “She's beautiful!”
Snowflake flattened her ears and yawned, exposing her huge canines. She stretched then gazed at Marcie with her ice blue eyes.
“They have llamas too,” Captain Jack said. “Dolly and Donny.”
“Dolly and Donny Llama,” Marcie laughed. “I get it.”
“This is the most exotic of our animals. We're going to use the ten acres of woods behind the house for our bear.”
“You guys have a bear?” Captain Jack said in surprise.
“A full-grown male Kodiak,” Jean said. “I'm bringing him in next week. He's an acting bear and has been in several major pictures, but he's getting too old to work. The owner wants to retire him. Besides, CG has put real animals out of business. No more real lions or tigers or bears.”
“Who's the owner?” Captain Jack asked.
“Pete Winfield,” Jean answered. “He named the bear Big Johnson. We call him B.J. for short. He weighs almost 1,400 pounds but is gentle as a lamb.”
“As in B.J. and the Bear?” Marcie asked.
“Except B.J. is the bear,” Captain Jack said. “The Bear was a half-pint chimp. Big Johnson is a big freaking bear.”
“I know Pete,” Captain Jack continued. “I helped him train B.J. to work around fire. B.J. is huge. How in the hell are you going to feed the big guy?”
“We've built a grub bed plus there’s thirty-nine more acres outside the compound that we can forage for food,” Jean responded. “That and the prepackaged food should keep everyone fed.”
Linda shivered. “It's getting cold out, Doc.”
“I told you to wear a jacket dear,” Doc Martin said a little testy.
“Let's go inside and get ready for dinner,” Jean said with diplomacy.
#
“OK ladies,” Jean announced. “We have rib roast, boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, and roasted potatoes, stir-fried rice with garlic, Parmesan asparagus and tossed salad.”
“Yummy.” Marcie said with a smile.
“If it tastes as good as it smells then it's going to be extra yummy,” Doc Martin added.
“I'll get the drinks,” Linda said as she swaggered toward the liquor cabinet.
“What can I do to help?” Marcie politely asked.
“It would be great if you could set the table. The silverware is in the top drawer,” Jean pointed. “And the dishes are in the cupboard.”
Dwayne, Doc Martin and Captain Jack made their way to the dining room and took a seat at the table. Dwayne sat at the head of the table and reserved a place for Jean on his right.
The ladies brought the food out then took their seats. Dwayne popped the cork on a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne and poured Jean and himself a glass. Doc Martin poured Linda and himself a glass then passed the bottle to Captain Jack. Captain Jack poured Marcie and himself a glass then put the cork back in the bottle.
“Here's to twenty-five years of marriage,” Captain Jack said.
“And to twenty-five more,” Linda said.
The couples hoisted their glasses then took a drink and smiled.
“Let's eat,” Jean said.
Dwayne carved a slice of roast for Jean then passed the plate to Doc Martin. Jean served herself a helping of roasted potatoes then passed the plate to Captain Jack.
“Marcie, has Jack told you how he earns a living?” Jean asked with a smile.
“Only that he blows things up,” Marcie responded as she took a bite of the garlic rice.
“Only that he blows things up,” Linda scoffed and almost choked on her boiled shrimp.
“How did you get into explosives, Jack?” Doc Martin asked.
“Very carefully,” Captain Jack laughed. “My older brother was the first of my siblings to discover fire and then I faithfully followed suit. We quickly learned if we poured gasoline in the rushing creek behind our house and let it flow downstream and light it then we would have what my brother called a 'flaming waterfall.' Unfortunately, we caught the woods on fire and we had to call the fire department. My dad burned our butts when he got home.
“Our next endeavor was to bomb a yellow jacket nest in the front yard with a Molotov
cocktail. We caught the trees on fire.”
“My God Jack,” Linda said in her raspy smoker’s voice. “And he hasn't changed a bit Marcie.”
“It's a wonder you guys survived your childhood,” Jean teased.
“My brother Jim became a fireman. I went into the military as a demolitions specialist.”
“So what made you so crazy Jack?” Jean winked at Dwayne.
“Pay attention now Marcie,” Linda said as she peeled another shrimp.
“This I've got to hear,” Dwayne said.
“They've trapped me,” Captain Jack said. Marcie smiled as she chewed her food. “Well I think it was the doll heads that did it.”
“Doll heads?” Marcie held her hands up.
“My sister would pull the heads off her dolls,” Captain Jack explained. “She knew that it upset me. I was only three or four. She would chase me with the heads and stick them to my back.”
“And that, my dear, is why Captain Jack is fucking nuts,” Linda said with her dehydrated vocal cords grinding against each other.
“It's nucking futs dear,” Doc Martin said. “Be nice.”
“OMG!” Marcie said wide eyed. “You poor thing. Should I be worried about this?”
“You should be afraid, very afraid,” Doc Martin said. “Actually Marcie, we need men like Jack in case there is a war. We definitely want him on our side.”
Everyone laughed. Linda took another drink. Marcie helped herself to another serving of roasted potatoes.
“Jean,” Doc Martin said. “Anything interesting coming out of Hollywood?”
“I'm going to town next week to pitch a new movie,” Jean replied. “It's something different. It has a lot of potential.”
“Good,” Doc Martin said. “You'll do well.”
The remainder of the dinner conversation was trivial but everyone enjoyed the meal. After dinner, they gathered in the living room. Dwayne lit the firewood he had prepared in the fireplace.