by Avell Kro
been dealt with had the pilot not been the son of a senior Cabinet Minister. His exit without
charges had been arranged quickly and Travis found himself out in the cold, thrown into work on
the Circuit with former comrades from all arms of the forces round the world.
The last year had been a journey of intense self-discovery for the tough former SSM, and he had
planned on taking some time out to get his property operating how he wanted it to be. His remark
to Ingoe about living off the grid wasn’t too far from the truth; the attraction was strong, although
he was realistic enough to know that to be completely self-sufficient was a big ask and very time consuming.
He had heifers and chickens, sufficient fruit and vegetables all year round, and a good trade
arrangement with neighbours who ran sheep and pigs. Seasonal hunting helped keep the freezers
full.
But as he watched the Hyundai disappear from sight down the winding country road, Travis knew
without a doubt that he was about to step back into the fold.
He’d let his nephew down before; he wouldn’t do it again.
Chase Investigations#1
Old Friends
Chapter One
The depot was quiet and still at 1am on a Monday, a light breeze flicking the odd leaf or piece of
rubbish across the forecourt where the trucks came in and turned round to be loaded.
A row of semis lined one side of the compound, big and dark and empty, all emblazoned with
Marcus Haulage markings. A security light flickered weakly and cast only a slight glow through the
darkness. The chain link fence rattled and the gate squeaked as it was pushed open.
The man at the gate checked his watch nervously for the fourth time in as many minutes. He
shivered even though it wasn’t cold.
An engine could be heard and a second later bright headlights swept round the corner into the
street and approached the end of the cul-de-sac where the man waited on the footpath by the open
gate. It was an industrial area populated by trade centres and auto businesses and nobody was
around at this time of night.
The lights blinded him as the truck swung easily through the gate and entered the depot,
making a wide half circle before smoothly backing up to the loading bay. This wasn’t a semi-truck
like the ones parked up in a row at the side of the depot, but a smaller delivery truck with no
markings. The man shut the gates and looped the chain through without locking it. He hurried
over to the truck and met the driver and his passenger as they jumped down.
‘Good work,’ the driver told him with a smirk, ‘let’s get to it.’
He was a burly man with greasy hair showing under his cap. He had the strong forearms built
from years of guiding 18-wheelers down the highways and the red nose of a hardened drinker. His
companion was of a similar build but taller, with tattoos discolouring his own forearms. He also had
a spider’s web tattooed on the left side of his neck and several tear drops inked into the skin by his
right eye. He was harder looking than the driver and didn’t speak.
‘Hurry,’ the man who’d opened the gate said, checking his watch again, and the driver sneered
at him with contempt.
‘Just open up, fella,’ he replied, hitching his jeans up, ‘let us do our job.’
The first man unlocked the door beside the loading bay then lifted the roller door. He stood and
watched as the other two men entered the warehouse, turned a couple of lights on and got to
work. Within twenty minutes they had loaded the back of the truck with several pallets of boxes,
replaced the forklift, turned out the lights and locked up again. It was a smooth, efficient operation,
done with minimal fuss.
The driver and his companion climbed back into the truck and the nervous man went to the
gate to let them out. The truck paused in the gateway and the driver wound down the window,
leaning casually out.
‘Cheers buddy,’ he smirked, ‘see ya next time. We’ll be in touch, aye?’
The passenger stared at the nervous man with a blank expression, and the nervous man
nodded glumly.
‘Okay, okay,’ he replied, ‘just go. Just go.’
The driver laughed and the truck moved away up the road. The nervous man wiped his brow
on the sleeve of his jacket, locked the gate again and hurried away into the darkness.
Silence returned to the depot.
Chapter Two
The lady sitting on the red fabric sofa in the corner of the office was well dressed and smelt of
expensive perfume. She appeared uncomfortable, as if she were waiting for the dentist or a
mammogram. She was middle aged and had perfectly styled hair and flawless make up.
The man sitting on the matching chair at right angles to her was twenty years younger, with
broad shoulders and a confident air about him. He had dark eyes and dark hair with a hint of grey
at the temples, a full moustache, and was dressed in casual chinos and an open necked shirt.
He looked up from the notes he’d made on the pad on his knee and smiled at her. It was a calm
reassuring smile, and it eased her discomfort a degree or two. He had a direct gaze and intelligent
eyes, the sort of face that was more interesting than handsome. A faint scar showed at his chin, a
patch where no stubble could grow.
‘Okay Mrs MacNamara,’ he said, ‘is there anything else you can tell me that may help? Any
particular routine that your husband follows that may help me narrow it down a bit?’
She thought for a moment.
‘He plays squash every Monday and Thursday night right after work. He always starts work by
seven and usually gets home about six.’ She frowned. ‘That’s it I’m afraid. I can’t think of anything
else.’
‘No problem.’ He jotted it down, got the name of the squash club from her, and smiled again.
‘That’s it, Mrs MacNamara. We’ll get onto it right away, and give you an update as soon as we
know anything, okay?’
‘How long will it take?’ she asked, and for the first time her voice quavered. She paused to re-
gather herself before continuing. ‘I mean, will I hear from you this week?’
‘It really depends on what your husband does and what we find, Mrs MacNamara.’
He stood and she followed suit, allowing herself to be ushered over to the desk by the door.
‘We’l be in touch as soon as we can, hopefully in the next few days.’
She nodded and he gave her that reassuring smile again.
‘If you can give your deposit to Molly I’ll quickly print off a contract for you.’
He moved to the second desk in the office, which faced the first one across the floor space. Mrs
MacNamara turned to the woman at the first desk-Molly-and passed her a gold Visa.
Molly took it and used it to take an electronic deposit of ten hours work. She was a striking
woman of classical beauty, with wavy dark hair and sparkling, friendly green eyes. She had full red
lips and wore little make up-mainly because she didn’t need to. She had the sort of look that defied pigeonholing. She could pass for a European or a country girl, depending on what she wore. Today
she wore a simple black skirt and silver blouse, elegant and understated.
Mrs MacNamara cast a furtive look at the man as he printed out a contract for her. He seemed
like a nice person but she sensed he was not the sort to mess with. She glanced back at Molly, who
&n
bsp; was smiling at her and holding her card and receipt out for her. Her eyes smiled as well as her
mouth, and Mrs MacNamara felt herself smile in return.
The man came over and gave her a copy of the contract and had her sign his copy. She folded it
and put it in her bag with her card and receipt. Then he handed her a business card and smiled
again. Mol y smiled again too, and Mrs MacNamara felt a little better. She thanked them and
allowed him to hold the door for her.
‘We’ll be in touch,’ he told her, and closed the door behind her.
Mrs MacNamara walked towards the stairs down to the street. She could hear the motorway
behind her on the other side of the building, and the main street of Ellerslie village was in front of
her. She looked at the card in her hand.
Chase Investigations, it said. Dan Crowley, Director. It was a plain white card with blue lettering,
the company’s name in italicised lettering across the top as if it really was chasing something, his
name and title below it in smaller letters. Address and contact details at the bottom.
She tucked it into her bag with the rest of the stuff, and checked her watch. It was 930am.
Nearly time for her manicure.
Dan Crowley passed the notes and contract to his wife and went to the kitchenette off the
office.
‘What do you think?’ he asked as he poured a coffee for himself and a green tea for her. ‘If we
could get a few more Mrs MacNamaras in here with their Remuera cheque books, I’d be happy.’
‘If we get a few more Mrs MacNamaras in here, ‘Molly replied, ‘there won’t be room to move.
You’ve got a full week already, honey, and now this as well.’
‘I’ll give it to old Neil,’ he told her, handing her a tea cup and perching on the corner of her desk.
‘He’s already got a full week as well.’ She clicked open the weekly planner on her desktop and
opened up the tab for Neil. ‘He’s in court for the Shelby theft case today, he’s got the Parker and
Philips fraud, four accident reports due in and he’s got five processes.’ She took a sip of tea and
gave him a plaintive look. ‘What, no biscuits this morning?’
Dan went to the kitchenette and brought back the cookie jar.
‘How about you, could you squeeze it in?’ He bit into a ginger crunch and showered crumbs
down his front. He didn’t seem to notice.
‘I’ll have to, won’t I?’ Molly sighed and frowned at him. He didn’t seem to notice that either.
‘We need to take someone else on though, honey. Neil’s as slow as a wet week.’
‘He is officially retired.’
‘So he should retire properly then. I’m supposed to be part time but I’m practically full time
and you did sixty hours last week.’ She pouted at him. ‘You need to get someone in.’
He sipped his coffee and nodded.
‘You’re right.’ He smiled at her and patted her cheek affectionately. ‘No worries gorgeous, I’ll
sort it out. I’ll talk to Buck and see if he knows of anyone wanting to get out.’
The door opened and an elderly man with grey hair and a beer pot entered, a battered
briefcase in one hand and a copy of the Racing Times in the other.
‘Morning all,’ he said cordially, kicking the door closed behind him, ‘how are we?’
‘We be fine,’ Dan replied with an amused smile. ‘How are ye?’
‘Ye be good,’ Neil replied, taking a seat at the third desk, the one in the corner with the empty
file tray. He opened his briefcase and removed a thick manila folder. He carried it over to Molly’s
desk and put it down with a flourish.
‘Here you go, my dear lady,’ he said grandly, shooting the cuffs of his dark suit and smoothing
his tie. ‘All my files, up to date and complete.’
He looked across at Dan, who was coming from the kitchenette with a coffee for him.
‘I’m retiring,’ he announced, drinking in their surprised looks. ‘Yep, I thought it was about time.
I don’t need to work; I’ve got my pension and not long left to spend it. June’s found a place in
Tauranga and put an offer in, it got accepted over the weekend and we move this week.’
‘That soon?’ Molly looked stunned.
‘That soon,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry to drop it on you like this, but we got the word on Friday night. I
cleaned up my files over the weekend, all the documents are served, the crash reports are done and
photos on the disk, and I’ve done the preliminary work on the Parker and Philips job.’ He glanced
back to Dan. ‘You’ll just need to finish it off, Daniel.’
‘Uh-huh.’ Dan nodded and went to his desk. ‘You’re still in court today, I take it?’
‘Indeed, indeed. The last time I’ll be giving evidence, I should imagine.’ He nodded solemnly. ‘No
more running round playing private eye for old Neil, it’s time for fishing and golf.’
‘And spending quality time with June,’ Molly reminded him.
‘Yeah, that too,’ he conceded.
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Nobody seemed to know what to say. Mol y
looked to her husband, but he remained silent. She felt her cheeks flush.
‘Anyway, I better get to court,’ Neil said eventually, ‘justice waits for no man.’
‘I think you mean time,’ Dan told him.
‘Don’t I know it.’
Neil grabbed his briefcase, took a quick slurp of coffee and was gone, banging the door behind
him again as he left.
Dan and Molly looked across the office at each other.
‘Be careful what you wish for,’ he said.
‘D’you think he heard me?’ she frowned.
‘Probably.’ He groaned and rubbed his face. ‘Now we really need someone. Better book dinner
for four at Luigi’s, I guess.’
‘Ooh, are you taking your wife out for dinner?’ she cooed, making eyes at him across the room.
‘Hmm, something like that.’ He grinned. ‘In company, of course, so you don’t get any fancy
ideas.’
‘Typical. Where’s the romance gone?’
‘He could’ve given us more notice than a day,’ Dan grumbled. He leaned back in his chair and
put his feet up on the edge of the desk.
‘That’s what you get for taking on a contractor,’ she told him, ‘all care, no responsibility. I think
we should take on a permanent employee this time.’
‘Then I’d have to pay them holidays and sick and whatever else they can think of.’ He shook his
head in despair. ‘Just can’t get the staff.’
‘You’ve gotta try first. What about Buck?’
‘What, Buck himself? Na, he’s got it too cushy where he is, why would he give that up?’
‘Being the Ellerslie community cop can hardly be stimulating,’ Molly opined.
‘Not too taxing either, though. He hasn’t got himself in trouble since…well…’
‘Since he stopped working with you?’
‘Exactly.’
His mobile bleeped on the desk with an incoming message. He smiled as he checked it.
‘Mike,’ he said, ‘wants to meet for a coffee urgently.’
‘Wonder who he’s in love with now?’ Molly speculated.
‘You’re such a cynic.’
‘You know it’s true. Ten to one it’s a drama about some woman.’ She gave him a challenging
look. ‘Go on, bet against me.’
Dan shook his head and got up.
‘That’s a sucker’s bet.’ He bent over her desk and kissed her softly on the cheek. ‘And I’m no
su
cker.’
‘No, you’re a hot shot private eye.’ Her eyes twinkled at him. ‘But you know what it’ll be.’
‘Maybe.’ He kissed her firmly on the mouth now. ‘I’ll shoot down and see Buck first, then go see
him then head off and do the Parker and Philips case.’
‘Hey.’ Molly caught him by the sleeve. ‘Maybe Mike wants a job?’
‘You think?’ He considered it for a second then shook his head. ‘Na, can you really see him as a
PI? Doubt it. We don’t do debt collection.’
‘You used to,’ she reminded him, and he shrugged.
‘Yeah, but now we’re chasing better money than that. Any port in a storm I guess, but I’d
rather Mrs MacNamara brought her friends to see us. At least you know you won’t get your head
stoved in investigating a cheating husband or corporate fraud.’
He leaned down and kissed her again.
‘I’ll call you later.’
He left the office, wondering what it was that Mike had got himself into now.
Time Shifters
Michael John Light
Copyright 2018
Novel Preview
Table of Contents
BOOK ONE: GENESIS ............................................................. 4
Chapter One............................................................................... 5
Chapter Two .............................................................................. 6
Chapter Three ....................................................................... 10
Chapter Four .......................................................................... 11
Chapter Five ........................................................................... 18
Chapter Six .............................................................................. 21
Chapter Seven ....................................................................... 23
Pre-Order ................................................................................ 27
Request for Review ............................................................. 28
Author’s Note ......................................................................... 29
BOOK ONE: GENESIS
“That which is knowable is known; that which is not