James Ross - A Young Adult Trilogy (Prairie Winds Golf Course)

by James Ross

  “One of the persons in the society has done something wrong.” DeWitt popped another kernel into his mouth. “Something terribly wrong.”

  “Like what?”

  “There was a rules violation. They handle everything in-house.”

  “How?”

  “I want you to go and witness it for yourself.”

  “Witness what?”

  “How they handle things.”

  “I don’t get it,” J Dub replied.

  “Have you ever heard of the Purdy Palace?” DeWitt had a little bit of excitement in his voice. Even though he was an elder statesman he knew something that the others didn’t. He was eager to share the information.

  “No. I’ve got no idea.”

  Doc felt the need to help out. “It’s a bed and breakfast up on Lighthouse Point.”

  “Yeah. It’s owned by Phillipe Vaugh-Purdy V.”

  “The Purdy beer family?”

  “You got it. They’re naturals for the lawyers.” DeWitt sipped a Walker Red with a splash. He was going a little lighter today. “That family has the money to pay the bills. The attorneys love ’em. It’s fitting that the organization is full of lawyers.”

  “So give me a cram course.”

  “Purdy Palace is where Phillipe lives. Once you drive up there you’ll see.”

  “See what?”

  “That it’s located on the highest bluff on the river. I think it goes up six or seven hundred feet.”

  “That’s as high as the Gateway Arch.”

  “Oh yeah. If you think the golf course is high on the bluff you oughta see this place. You can see the confluence of the Illinois River and the Mississippi along with the confluence of the Missouri River and the Mississippi.”

  “All orders through 336,” was broadcast through the loudspeaker. The guys checked their tickets and headed for the food window.

  “I didn’t know the bluffs went up that high.”

  “This is the highest point along the entire span of the river. That was the original site of the Purdy brewery. The family has lived there for decades. Eight people have died mysteriously in the home over the years.”

  “And you want me to go up there?” J Dub asked incredulously.

  “You’ll be fine. I’m not going to send you into the house.”

  J Dub squirted ketchup and a dab of mustard on his half-pound burger. A forkful of pickles followed. Doc picked up a beef kabob while DeWitt grabbed a boatload of chicken wings. As they sat back down J Dub said, “You’re going to have to backtrack a little for me.”

  “Sure, in time,” DeWitt promised. “FOBS meets there.”

  “In a bed and breakfast?”

  DeWitt coughed as part of a chicken bone got caught in the back of his mouth. His eyes watered. He coughed again. “I…”

  “Are you alright?’

  “Yeah. Sorry.” He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “I mean they don’t meet in the bed and breakfast inn. The brewery has been replaced. The old one sits inside a cave in the side of the bluff. That’s where FOBS meets.”

  “So the secret society, friends of Bighead Southstar, meets in a cave.”

  “Oh yeah. It’s elaborate. You wouldn’t believe it; it’s like a self-contained town.”

  “How can that happen?”

  “Remember that up until a decade or so ago that was where they were mass producing beer. Now it is a micro-brewery, you know a little plaything for Philippe. There is an underground spring that’s a great source for their water. Rail cars deliver the grain into the cave.”

  “How does the train get up the bluff?”

  DeWitt looked at J Dub. “It didn’t go up the bluff. The tracks came in from the back side. There is a lot of farm ground up there.”

  “Okay. I see.”

  “Rice, barley, grain and hops would be barged in. A lot would be loaded into rail cars. The cars would loop around and enter the brewery from the top.”

  “Got it now. That makes sense.”

  “There are waterfalls in there.” De Witt turned to Doc. “You’ve seen water cascading out of the bluffs up along the river road, haven’t you?”

  “Sure.”

  “I guarantee that those streams run through the caverns in that cave.” He stopped to let the information sink in. “There’s a large antebellum chamber up there that houses their meetings.”

  J Dub was puzzled. “Why don’t more people know about this?”

  “It’s very secretive. Their community is private, close-knit and guarded.”

  “Dammit!” J Dub yelled. Ketchup oozed out the back side of his burger and a drop was deposited on his pants leg. “Marcia is going to be pissed about that. I’m making Fred and Pork Chop look good.” He took a napkin and scrubbed up what he could. “How do you know about all of this?”

  Now it was DeWitt’s turn to look incredulously at J Dub. His eyes were piercing. “Put two and two together.” He glanced at Doc. “I’m not going to tell you.” He devoured another chicken wing. “Besides, it isn’t important right now.”

  “I’d kind of like to know what I’m getting myself into.”

  “You will in time. Things will fall together.” DeWitt washed down his food with a drink of Johnny Walker. In a hushed voice he continued, “The main thing right now is that we have to be present for the atonement meeting.”

  “We? Are you going with me?”

  “No, of course not. I can’t. But I’ve got a way figured out that will get you into that meeting.” DeWitt pulled a map out of his pocket. He opened the directions. “This is simple to follow.” He pointed. “Here’s the river.”

  “That’s obvious.”

  “And of course the River Road parallels it.” J Dub watched as DeWitt’s finger ran along the road. “We can take this road to the right, go through this little hamlet and climb up the bluff to the vineyard.”

  “We? I didn’t think you were going.”

  DeWitt continued. “I’ll be going, just not into the cave. I’ll drive you up there.”

  “I’m not going to go into any strange cave by myself. What are you talking about?” J Dub was starting to get a little perturbed.

  DeWitt backed off a little. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be confusing. I just found out about the meeting and you need to witness it. A lot of questions that you have will be answered.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “In the process it could solve the long range problem that you’re facing.”

  “Like what?”

  “The lawsuit that Tanner has filed against you,” DeWitt said matter-of-factly. “You’ll gain a better understanding of how FOBS works.” He let an ice cube roll around in his mouth. “Then I’ll show you what you can do to beat their ass.”

  “I’m still not going into that cave by myself.”

  “Of course, and I don’t want you too either.”

  “Then how do you have things figured out?”

  Doc had finished his meal and pushed his cardboard container away for the waitress to pick up. He placed his left elbow on the table. “Yeah, I don’t think that it’s a good idea to put him in harm’s way.” The vet leaned forward and placed his chin between his thumb and index finger.

  “I won’t. I’m thinking that we can get your right hand girl at the course…”

  “Julie?”

  DeWitt nodded. “Yes. And get the PI and her assistant.”

  “Morgan and Stud?”

  “Sure. The four of you can be on a hiking expedition. You know, exploring a cave on a couples retreat or something like that.”

  J Dub looked at DeWitt like he was nuts. “I’m not going to go into a cave with people that don’t have any experience in cave exploration and possibly put them in a dangerous situation.”

  “I understand,” DeWitt admitted. “But I’ve been in there. It’s not that dangerous.”

  “How did that come about?”

  “Next to the vineyard is a farm field. I know the guy that farms it. He’s a good guy and likes O
tto and Vilhelm.”

  “Your falcons?”

  “Yeah. We were up there flying one day and stumbled into a little opening. After I put the birds up he and I went into it with a flashlight. To make a long story short we hiked for quite a while marking our trail. The cave eventually came into the backside of the brewery.”

  “Really.”

  “Yeah, really. It was quite a walk. We went back another day with experienced cavers. There are Indian artifacts, etches on the walls and everything else that can be associated with a cave. The Indians were up in there centuries before we developed the country.”

  “How far is it?”

  “To the site?”

  “No,” J Dub answered. “How far into the cave do we have to go to reach the backside of the brewery?”

  DeWitt got fidgety. “It’s not bad. It’s a nice walk. Plenty to see.”

  “How far?”

  “We marked it and measured it.”

  “Come on, how far?”

  DeWitt stammered, “It’s right at a mile, give or take a little.”

  “A mile!”

  “Shhhh!” DeWitt whispered.

  “I’m not going into any cave with three people that aren’t experts.”

  “Look,” DeWitt interrupted, “we marked it with red flags and yellow ropes. I’ve been in there with experienced cavers. You can’t get lost.” He reached into his pocket and produced another drawing. After unfolding the piece of paper he said, “I know that this is a little crude but the long and short of it is that after two lefts, you make a right.”

  J Dub looked at the paper.

  “There will be several places in the cave where you’ll come to a fork in the path. You stay to the left two times then the third time you go to the right.” DeWitt pointed to the map that detailed the innermost points of the cave. “Then you stay to the left two more times and the third time you veer to the right again. That happens four times until you get to where you need to be.”

  “And where will that be?” J Dub asked.

  “You’ll be looking into the staging area where the hierarchy of FOBS prepares for the meeting. After that by moving about fifteen feet you’ll be able to look into the main chamber. That’s where they will be conducting the meeting and you’ll be able to witness the atonement.”

  “What will that involve?”

  “I’m not going to tell you.” DeWitt purposely paused. “But you’ll understand how they operate. I want you and Julie and the PI to film it. Then get out of the cave as quickly as you can and get me the tape. We’ll save the golf course for you.”

  “You sound so confident. How do you know so much?”

  “Just trust me.” DeWitt’s eyes locked onto J Dub. “I know.” J Dub studied the guy that he had recently met. Doc was a trusted friend. The pro valued the introduction. He looked at the vet for advice.

  Doc simply nodded his head.

  “Okay. When do we get Julie, Morgan and Stud?”

  “Tomorrow,” DeWitt stressed. “We have to get things planned out.”

  CHAPTER 83

  It wasn’t important who Morgan Purler was working for, what she knew or who had recently hired her. Her online name was kittypurrs4u and she had been contacted to work undercover on an online sex site. J Dub had coached her husband Opur since he was a teenage prodigy. When Morgan became pregnant her role on the street had been reduced. After giving birth the stay-at-home mom took her secretive work to the cyber world.

  Stud, christened Glen Arnold Burns, was her undercover partner. His role was more active on the street. If she needed protection, then he was by her side. Their online shtick wasn’t too far removed from their actual situation. What would the world do without little white lies?

  J Dub had no idea that Willard Butts of the ARDC in Springfield existed let alone Jake Russell with the Judicial Inquiry Board in Chicago. He was a golf pro that was pre-occupied with making sure that his customers were happy and enough money went through the cash register to pay the bills. If he knew that anything was going on behind the scenes then he sure played stupid. But J Dub was very interested in learning why DeWitt Tracy was so fascinated with seeing him succeed in Judge Buchanon Porter’s court against Tanner Atkins.

  Julie jumped at the chance to help her boss when the opportunity was presented to her. Dusk had settled in. The course was closed. The parking lot empty except for the vehicles that were owned by J Dub, Julie, Stud and Morgan.

  Julie was dressed in fashionable khaki shorts, a light brown shirt and hiking boots. She looked like the perfect date for her lanky boss. J Dub wore jeans and a dark t-shirt. Morgan and Glen Arnold wore dark clothing. For those that didn’t know they looked like an item as well. The foursome was apprehensive as they sprayed bug repellant over the exposed parts of their body. The unknown future pumped adrenalin through their veins.

  Rain started falling just as the foursome took a seat in DeWitt’s SUV. It was equipped to handle a driver and five passengers. Doc sat in the front. “Is this going to affect our outing?” J Dub asked as the pavement got slick and the wiper blades flapped back and forth across the windshield.

  “It shouldn’t. You’ll be dry in there.”

  “Will the water be running through the cave?”

  “No. There are plenty of collection areas that catch any run off.”

  “Is it ever going to stop this year? It seems like the guys have been playing lift, clean and place all spring.”

  DeWitt drove the SUV off the golf course property, down the bluff and onto the state highway. The headlights reflected across the rain-slick pavement causing elongated reflections. “You know what the plan is if anyone happens to question you.” J Dub shook his head in agreement. “Just tell them that you had a cave exploration trip planned for weeks. Predicting rain that far out was impossible.”

  “Tell me about the Purdy Palace,” Julie said. “J Dub said that you mentioned several people had died there.”

  “Yes. Eight. It does have quite a history,” DeWitt started the story as he pointed the vehicle toward the River Road. “St. Louis became a large manufacturer of beer in the early to mid-1800s. Philippe Vaugh-Purdy started the brewery back then. What is known as today’s palace was the original home high on Lighthouse Point. The area thrived on the manufacturing of beer and many of the breweries capitalized on the caves that were located in the bluffs up and down the river because they provided natural refrigeration.”

  “So that is why they chose that site.”

  “One of the reasons. I’m sure that travel on the river and shipping was another reason. Anyway, the beer business may have been financially lucrative for the family but it wreaked havoc on the personal lives of those that benefitted. One of Vaugh-Purdy’s sons had gone off to fight in the Civil War. He was wounded and came home, only to die in his bedroom.”

  “He was the first?” Julie asked. Morgan and Stud sat in the back and enjoyed the storytelling. It was easy to listen to DeWitt. His grandpa-like distinction added to the ambience.

  “Number one,” DeWitt confirmed. “Then the old man was caught having an affair. Soon thereafter his mistress was found hanging in one of the rooms.”

  “Was she murdered?”

  “Public opinion thought so but the death was ruled a suicide.”

  “Money was talking way back then it sounds like,” J Dub suggested.

  “Could have been.” DeWitt slowed as traffic in front of him came to a stop. “We don’t need this. We’re running tight on time as it is.”

  “What time do we need to be there?” J Dub asked.

  “We need to have you at the back entrance by ten. You’ll need a good eighty to ninety minutes in there to get to the staging area and set up.”

  “That’s if everything goes okay.”

  “It’s not tough. Just don’t spend a lot of time sightseeing. The atonement meeting starts at midnight.”

  “You’ve told us about two of them,” Julie said, “then what happened?”

&
nbsp; “Philippe the first’s wife filed for divorce after the news of the mistress came out in public. They found her body at the bottom of a flight of stairs.”

  “Coincidentally I guess,” J Dub speculated.

  “She was murdered!” Julie said.

  “Nope,” DeWitt corrected. “Her death was ruled accidental.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “It’s interesting to go up there and tour the home,” DeWitt pointed out. “They have signs posted in the rooms where a body was found. Then they go into the reason and cause and how the coroner ruled.” Traffic started to back up and they slowed again.

  “What’s going on up there?”

  “It looks like the River Road is down to one lane. Local traffic only. Cops are out directing traffic.”

  “There’s been a lot of rain up north. The Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa have all gotten soaked.”

  “And it’s on its way down to us.”

  “At least it stopped raining on us now,” Doc said.

  “But the fog is rolling in,” DeWitt replied.

  “Are we going to be able to make it on time?” J Dub asked.

  “I hope so. I wasn’t counting on all of this.”

  “Tell us about the others,” Julie said. “Three down and five to go.”

  “One of the sons, I think it was Philippe the third, had a heart attack. They found him in his bedroom.”

  “That’s innocent enough.”

  “But his father was so distraught a couple of years later that he swallowed a revolver.”

  “He shot himself?”

  “Yep, blew his head off in the master bathroom.”

  “Was the family nuts?”

  “A lot of people seem to think that the business of alcohol contributed a lot to the strife of the Vaugh-Purdy family,” DeWitt admitted. He crept along in the one lane that was open after the patrolman waved him through. “If this water gets any higher they’ll close the road.”

  “It probably shouldn’t be open now,” Doc replied.

  “They’ve been watching it. I think the crest already happened and it’s on its way back down.”

  “You’re up to five,” Julie said. Her curiosity had been piqued. “I want to find out about the other three.”

  DeWitt loved talking about the Vaugh-Purdy family and the history of Purdy Palace. He had done extensive reading about the family. “Number six was a dinner guest that was poisoned.”