by Ben Ezzell
“One hell of a story,” Bob shook his head. “All of that because of a computer disk?”
“A disk potentially worth several million dollars a year, yes,” Joan agreed. “But, if you’ll excuse me,” she rose reluctantly. “I believe I have a message to deliver.”
8:09 PM
“Since he wasn’t willing to talk to me – at least, not politely,” Joan rejoined the group, looking every bit her age as she sat heavily, “I suppose there will be some questions that have to go unanswered.”
“What I don’t understand,” Nolan raised a glass of brandy, staring at the lights on the banyan tree through the amber fluid, “is why Stafford got involved in the money laundering scheme in the first place.”
“Maybe,” Joan suggested, “because The Greens was losing money? Or maybe just because it wasn’t making enough money. Maybe Alex was just greedy – that’s excuse enough for a lot of crimes. Not that it’s an excuse, of course, but that is the way it is.”
“What I don’t understand,” Roslynn complained, “is where Tanya is. Remember her? What does she have to do with all this.”
“Nothing,” Joan sounded surprised. “What made you think … Because she left? Oh, well, I suppose that could seem a little odd.”
“Okay then, Ms Mysterious,” Bob laughed. “Where is Ms Mygent?”
“Well, she isn’t really. Ms Mygent, I mean. Unless, of course, she wants to be – girls today have so much more freedom than we did.”
“Wait a minute,” Roslynn leaned over the table. “You mean that Tanya ran off with that Australian guy she met the other night? The one from Melbourne? That they’re married?”
“Oh she didn’t meet him the other night,” Joan assured her. “At least, she did but it wasn’t the first time they’d met. And he isn’t from Melbourne. Not in the usual sense anyway although he may have been there sometime.”
“Are you sure of this?” – “How do you know?” – “How do you know where he’s from?” – “Do you know him?”
“Oh dear,” Joan paused. “Which would you like me to answer first? But, no, I don’t know him. Or her either. At least, I didn’t until this week. But I did know he wasn’t from Melbourne because he said so and that made me suspect that he wasn’t Australian either.”
“Wait a minute,” Nolan turned to look at her directly. “You said he wasn’t from Melbourne because … Whoa, he said it just like that? Mel-BOURNE?” Nolan emphasized the second syllable.
“That’s right,” Joan nodded.
“Okay,” Nolan laughed, “yeah, I’ll accept that. Definite evidence. Incontrovertible.”
“Would someone,” Greg asked plaintively, “let the rest of us in on the joke?”
“Sorry,” Nolan gasped for breath. “It really is, you know? A joke I mean. ‘Cause nobody’s ever from mel-BOURNE,” he stressed the second syllable again. “I mean, if they’re Australian, they might be from MEL-bun, but never mel-BOURNE.”
“Really, Joan,” Roslynn protested. “No more evidence that that. One word?”
“Oh, I didn’t say that was all of the evidence,” Joan protested. “There was more – you mentioned some of it at the time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You mentioned how well they moved together. That first night, when they were leaving to go dancing?”
“They did rather,” Roslynn nodded. “I didn’t think about it at the time but you’re right; they didn’t look like strangers at all.”
“And Tanya did take her passport from the safe,” Nolan reminded the group. “Of course, she might have done that if she want to cash a traveler’s check but it is suggestive.”
“Not exactly evidence for a court of law,” Bob considered. “Suggestive, yes, but a little too weak to be called proof.”
“Then maybe,” Joan smiled, “I should offer you one more piece of evidence.”
“Yes?” – “What?” – “Go ahead.” – “Another Sherlockian deduction?” The last was from Bob Maxwell.
“Not exactly a deduction,” Joan admitted. “But the fact that Inspector Taskin talked to them both this afternoon seems reasonable conclusive. He did need her fingerprints, you realize – for elimination? Oh, did I mention? His real name is Daryl Stillwell – not ‘David’ – and he’s from Baltimore, not Australia. And they were married in a Buddhist temple, two days ago.”
“Is that legal?” Greg queried.
“As legal as they want it to be,” Terry advised. “Worked for Mam and me. But, yeah, sounds like pretty firm evidence.”
8:27 PM
“So he was here in Thailand all along,” Terry watched the two Thai officers escort their prisoner to the vehicle, closely followed by the two Americans and more casually accompanied by Inspector Taskin.
“Oh, yes,” Joan agreed. “And, you know, Sarah might have realized that ... if she’d been more familiar with the phone system.”
“Huh?”’
“When she talked to him on the phone,” Joan explained patiently. “She told us then, you know. That she didn’t hear any delay? That it sounded like he was right there? Because he was really – she just didn’t realize it.”
“Can’t blame her for that,” Rosalyn dismissed the matter. “Who would have noticed? But,” she turned to Terry, “I want to know what that you gave Mr. Stafford just now. The papers, I mean.”
“Nothing important,” Terry shook his head. “Just … nothing really.” He turned to look out across the river.
“Terry has a vindictive streak,” Nolan offered. “He just doesn’t like to admit it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simple – it was a photocopy of his article. The one from his Burma – excuse me, Myanmar – visit.”
“You mean…” Bob guessed, then fell silent, grinning.
“That’s right,” Nolan confirmed. “His article on ‘The Prison Rice Diet’.”
“That is cruel,” Rosalyn agreed before adding, “Appropriate though.”
“Oh, he’ll be treated much better here,” Terry corrected. “Thai prison diets are much better that Burmese. I just wanted to give him something to look forward to. He deserves it,” their host concluded angrily.
“Actually,” Joan suggested, “I doubt that Alexander will spend much time in prison here. That is, I believe that our Justice Department wants him – as a witness. Although,” she reflected softly, “he might be better off here…”
Baan Orchid, Sunday, February 11th, 9:21 AM
“Good morning, Sarah,” Bren stood to offer her a chair. “Feeling better?” It had rained late the night before and the morning was overcast and too cool for breakfast on the lanai.
“A little. I guess, anyway.” She accepted the offered seat, reaching for the papaya and lime. “I’m… sorry I …”
“Don’t apologize. There’s no need at all,” Jeffery suggested. “But it looks like The Greens is yours – if you want it.”
“I thought I did,” Sarah shook her head. “Now … maybe I’m not so sure.”
“Joan said she thought you might feel that way,” Bren started.
“So we thought we might have a suggestion,” Jeffery added.
“Because we’re at liberty at the moment…”
“And we do have some capital to invest…”
“And The Greens is only one restaurant…”
“And, if it is losing money, we can turn it around…”
“Or, if it isn’t, even better…”
“If you’re interested, that is…”
“Because we hear San Francisco can be a really fun place…”
“Like Halloween in the Castro…”
“And lots of gay clubs…”
“And…”
DragonTree.com Contents
Other Titles
Mystery Novels,
Children’s Books and FRPG
from Dragon Tree Press
If you’ve enjoyed Cooks’ Tour, here are other titles available at http://www.drag
ontree.com:
Handcrafted Murder
A Death in Memory
Buddy, Can You Spare a Crime
Little Girl Lost
Crime du Vin
Children’s Books (Feminist Fairytales)
Fantasy Role-Play Gaming
Contents
Handcrafted Murder – by Ben Ezzell & Daisy Carson
Murder can take many forms: there’s murder by poison, some favor guns, strangulation has hand-on appeal and electrocution can be popular with the gadget-inclined … but, for some, there’s nothing better than Handcrafted Murder.
In this novel set in the Craft Compound in Brazos City (in Coloncho County, Texas), the victim is unlamented while the suspects run the gamut from an old Mexican grandmother to a variety of craftspeople to an upset society matron and it’s up to Daisy Carson – owner of Miscellaneous Unincorporated – and the wheelchair-bound Jonathan Bell – owner of Bell’s Books – to sift though multiple motives and almost as many crimes before, finally – with the help of a mariachi band – discovering who is the shaper behind the handcrafted murders.
Approximately 70,000+ words.
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Buddy, Can You Spare A Crime?
Buddy, Can You Spare A Crime? – by Ben Ezzell
For several years, Martin Villas has been one of San Francisco’s homeless and unemployed citizens, undertaking odd jobs when offered and eaking out a living selling the Street Sheet. Then, when two friends are killed – one another homeless person and the other an apparent member of the financial community – it’s up to Martin to discover who … and why …
After all, sometimes a bum just has to do what a bum has to do…
Buddy, Can You Spare A Crime? is also available in printed form – ISBN 0-595-21372-3 – through your local bookstore or directly from www.iuniverse.com.
Approximately 87,000+ words.
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Little Girl Lost
Little Girl Lost – by Ben Ezzell
In this sequel to Buddy, Can You Spare A Crime?, Martin faces a different – and very personal – challenge when someone, it appears, is trying to kill a young runaway – Dot –who has been informally adopted by Martin’s girlfriend. When Dot disappears from the hospital, Martin enlists the aid of other members of San Francisco’s homeless as he sets out to discover who is behind the murder attempts … and finds himself embroiled in a much more serious matter.
Solving a murder is one thing; preventing a murder is a harder challenge and Martin will find that he needs a lot more than street smarts to find a Little Girl Lost before she becomes little girl dead.
Approximately 67,000+ words.
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Crime du Vin
Crime du Vin – by Ben Ezzell
Following Buddy, Can You Spare A Crime and Little Girl Lost, Martin Villas is cooped as the ‘road manager’ for a group of San Francisco’s homeless who have been hired as featured actors for a series of hilarious commercials for a Sonoma County vineyard. Quickly enough, what Martin thought would be essentially a paid vacation turns into mystery when they discover a body in a fermentation vat … a body which didn’t get there accidentally.
Set in the wine country to the north of San Francisco, Crime du Vin takes our homeless detective on a high-flying adventure involving hot air balloons, fine restaurants, the wine train, antique cars and a mystery which goes far beyond a simple case of murder.
Approximately 95,000+ words.
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A Death In Memory
A Death In Memory – by Ben Ezzell
Is murder still murder if the corpus remains alive?
Awakening in a San Francisco hospital months after being shot with a bullet through the head, a newly christened Alex Tambeau must discover who he was – or, more properly, who had been killed – must then discover who committed the crime and, finally, since the law does not recognize A Death In Memory only, determine the proper and appropriate retribution.
In the course of his voyage of ‘self-discovery’, Alex finds much that was unexpected but, most important of all, arrives at a unique solution which balances retribution with justice … but justice delivered with a very poetic aptness.
Approximately 110,000+ words.
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Children's Books
Series by Rosemary Lake
Once Upon a Time when the Princess...
... Rescued the Prince
... Beat the Dragon
... Cast the Spell
... Got the Treasure
Each book in the Princess series contains ten or more stories, reading level 4th grade and up. Strong smart girls in old-fashioned fairy tales with lots of magic and comedy. Some of the tales can be read free online at http://www.rosemarylake.com/.
Buy as paperbacks or ebooks from Dragon Tree Press or through Amazon, Half.com, etc.
Booklist
Fantasy Role-Play Aids
Universally Compatible with AD&D, D20, Arduin, etc
Arduin Grimoires IV-VIII by David Hargrave
World of Delos books by Ezzell, et al...
... Handbook of Traps and Tricks
... Dragon Tree Spell Book
... Dragon Tree Book of Artifacts
... Book of Plots
Miscellaneous collections of traps, spells, etc:
... Monstrous Civilizations
... Delian Book of the Dead (includes rules for running your dead characters)
All titles are available in paperback from Dragon Tree Press.
Booklist