The Gypsy Queen: A Matt Preston Novel (Matt Preston Series Book 3)

by Paul Shadinger

  The Gypsy Queen

  by

  Paul Shadinger

  A Matt Preston Novel

  The Gypsy Queen

  Copyright © 2017 Paul Shadinger

  All Rights reserved

  IBSN – 13:978-1544640907

  Title ID: 7002146

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Ellen Campbell

  Cover Design & Formatting by Kevin G. Summers

  Also by Paul Shadinger

  Fiction

  Houseboat (2016)

  Code Name: Crescent (2017)

  A Matt Preston Novel

  I dedicate this book to everyone who has read my other novels and still encouraged me to keep writing. None of my books would exist without everyone’s words of inspiration and support. Positive words and feedback are food to an author and I cannot begin to describe the number of banquets that so many of you have provided. I would like to make a list but I fear I might forget somebody and all of you were so instrumental in getting the Matt Preston series written. Thank you for your support.

  All of my books are as always dedicated to my wife, Sandy. She saw things in my scribblings that I never saw, it was through her reassurance I was able to get these novels written. I cannot underestimate the importance she has had in so many ways so that Matt Preston and his various adventures are seeing the light of day.

  And finally, all of my books are also dedicated to all of my beloved Cocker Spaniels. Each one has given me stories I brought to my books. I thank my little Buttons who started me on this journey and who became Blackjack in my first novel. I will always miss you little one and I know someday I will see you over the rainbow.

  Please note: The Gypsy Queen is a work of fiction. That means my timelines and facts do not have to add up. This novel is all made up. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, or are use fictitiously. Any resemblance to an actual person living or dead, events, locales or timelines are entirely coincidental. If you have issues with any of the stories please reread the first line in this paragraph.

  Paul Shadinger

  June 2017

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About The Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  It was getting to be late evening and I’d had my fill of poker. I was tired and I wanted to go home. However, tonight had also been an evening of nostalgia and sadness for all the players at the game. We had left one chair at the table empty to honor one of the original members who’d recently passed away. We all knew Dick had been very sick, so his death wasn’t a total shock, but since he’d been with us from the beginning, his absence was noticed more than normal. I’d been the one who invited Dick to our first game since we had been childhood friends and I knew of his love of poker. I knew he’d jump at the opportunity.

  I wanted to leave the game earlier, but I also wanted to pay my respects and had stayed longer than I planned. As I sat looking at the empty chair, I fondly recalled my old friend. I missed Dick. I tried not to think of all the friends I’d lost over the past couple of years. It seemed more and more were dying each year and even though I felt great, I wondered how much sand was left in my hourglass. I took a deep breath and decided to play one last hand.

  I shouldn’t complain since tonight had been a good night for me poker wise because I’d won several nice pots. I’d like to think it was Dick on my side helping me out for bringing him into the group. When you’ve been the winner during the evening it’s considered poor form to be the first to leave a game. And this evening, I’d been the big winner, by far.

  When I first arrived at the game, I’d told everybody I would need to leave by 1:30 since my friend Gladys got off work at two, and I’d promised to pick her up. That’s two in the morning by the way. Normally Gladys only works during the day, but two gals had called in sick, and one more had quit, leaving a large hole in the staff at the club. Gladys is an exotic dancer and the club where she works is called Robbie’s. Because of how long she’d been dancing, and the stability she brings to the group of girls, she’s considered the manager of the troupe.

  Dick must have still been looking over my shoulder since my luck was hanging in there and when we put down our hands, I’d won another nice sized pot. I leaned back in my chair and looked around the table at the other eight players who had showed up this evening. I cleared my throat and started to hem and haw, “Ahhh… guys, you all remember I told you I had to leave by 1:30 to go and pick up Gladys?” Several of the players nodded. “Well, I know this is really bad manners and all, but I need to leave.”

  I was surprised when there was no complaining. A couple of the guys said they had lost enough for one evening, and we all stood up. David Wheeler lifted his glass, turned to the empty chair and said, “To Dick. We’ll miss you.” The rest of us raised our glasses and said, “To Dick.” When the glasses were empty, they were all placed upside down on the table. I waited a moment, and as the others prepared to leave, I picked up my glass and put it in the sink. Then I cashed out.

  I was headed towards the door when I noticed one of our regular players was following me. His name is Ralph but we call him Randy Ralph. The English people use the word randy in the place of the American word horny. Not that our group was fancy or anything, but the alliteration of ‘Randy Ralph’ seems to flow better than ‘Horny Ralph.’ And if there was ever a person who could be called randy, or horny, it was Ralph. He was always looking for sex.

  I may be considered a womanizer, but several of the other players think he really has a problem. But my attitude is, to each his own. There’s a country and western song by Rodney Carrington about titties and beer, two of Ralph’s favorite things. At one of the games, one of the players made a joke about how Ralph should have that song as his ring tone on his cell phone. Without batting an eye Ralph replied, “Oh, I already do.” Another player called bullshit and Ralph took out his cell and asked someone to call him. Yep! That’s Ralph’s ring tone. Are you starting to get the drift here regarding his proclivities?

  Ralph is a skinny guy with sandy blond hair and bright blue eyes. My guess is he’s in his late forties, but I really have no idea. Other than a bushy moustache and a ponytail, he doesn’t really have any outstanding features. If you were to meet him, the next time you saw him you might think he looks familiar, but you wouldn’t even remember where you met him. That is,
if you’d never seen him naked. Just to be clear here, I have never seen him nude, but I’ve heard stories. I’m not about to ask him to show me, but according to those who have witnessed it, he is of an impressive size. I’ve also heard on more than one occasion he has been turned down once the lady saw what he was packing. But as I said, these are all rumors and I have no desire to find out firsthand how true they might be.

  Ralph followed me outside and I turned to him, asking, “Something I can do for you, Ralph?” I couldn’t believe how difficult it was not to say Randy Ralph. Everybody calls him that behind his back and I’ve even heard a couple of the players actually call him that at the table. Ralph just laughs and my buddy Scott and I wonder if Ralph doesn’t think that the name is a badge of honor or something. Outside of computers and poker, his main drive in life is women. If possible, not just one woman in an evening, but several.

  Our poker games have no written rules, but an unofficial rule is no women — we’ve never invited a woman to play. Most of us know if there was a woman at the table, poor Ralph would be so intent on getting her horizontal it would be impossible for him to concentrate on his cards. So, to keep the woman, as well as us, from being embarrassed, we just don’t invite people of the female persuasion. I know I’m in no position to point fingers when it comes to women and all, but I still think Ralph may have a problem when it comes to sex and the ladies.

  Ralph had stopped and was looking down at the dirt, scuffing at it with a toe. He looked back up at me and then started, “Well, you know I have this new gaming software that’s going live in the next few days?” I agreed since everybody at the table knew about the program as it was all he could talk about. “There’s a favor I’d like to ask of you.”

  “A favor? What kind of favor, Ralph?” I had to admit, my curiosity was piqued.

  “I need for you to find somebody for me.”

  I don’t know why, but I was amused at his request. “I guess my first question is why are you asking me? And my other question would be, who do you want found, Ralph?”

  “Well,” Ralph’s face colored, “you know why I’m asking you Matt. Don’t be stupid.”

  Even as I shrugged my shoulders and held up my palms, I had a feeling I didn’t like where the conversation was headed. “Okay Ralph, call me stupid. Help me out here, why are you asking me to help you?”

  His voice took on a slight edge as he replied, “God damn it Matt. It’s because of all the stuff you do, or did, or… shit Matt, you know! Please don’t make this so difficult.”

  Now I was sure I knew where this conversation was going, and I wanted to see if I could nip it in the bud, so to speak. “Stuff? Like what?” I tried to have the picture of pure innocence on my face.

  “Matt, you’re starting to piss me off. Stuff! You know, like finding Tubs’ daughter when she disappeared, and then the football player you were accused of killing, but you ended up walking away without any problems. And what about all that shit that happened up on Ross Island?” He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me “You have ways to get, well, stuff done.”

  It wasn’t that I didn’t like Ralph, it was more like I wanted to put Ross Island and the problems I had due to finding Bill’s daughter, away for good. From all that Ralph was both saying and implying, I could tell this was not a conversation I wanted to have. Ralph needed to find somebody else. “Ralph, as far as help is concerned, the police, or a private investigator can help you even more. Besides, I’m not licensed to do what you’re asking me to do. Go to the police, go ask them. Or like I said, hire a real private investigator.”

  He implored, “Well, this isn’t really like that. This isn’t something I can ask just anybody to do. This is totally unofficial and,” Ralph paused a moment as he considered his next comment, “this is personal, extremely personal!”

  “Extremely personal, huh?” He smiled weakly “But you can ask me?” I asked pointedly.

  Ralph had a hurt tone in his voice as he replied, “I thought we were friends?”

  I shrugged and replied, “To a certain extent, I guess we are, or at least good acquaintances. But I still fail to see why you came to me?”

  Ralph started kicking the dirt again. “There’s nobody I can talk to about this.”

  “And why do you feel this way? Why can you tell me and nobody else?”

  “Well, the guys at the table all know you have a couple of lady friends. Women seem to like you and,” Ralph paused and I could tell he was getting exasperated with me. “Well, I thought you would understand, you know, like man stuff.”

  I thought to myself about this man stuff and I really didn’t think I was in the same arena as Ralph when it came to man stuff. I couldn’t believe the next words coming out of my mouth. “Okay, Ralph. Tell me what’s going on and I’ll let you know if I think I can help.” As soon as the words had left my mouth I just knew I was gonna’ regret saying them. But it was too late now.

  Ralph took a deep breath and the words came rushing out. “Thanks Matt, I need you to find a woman for me.”

  I know my voice jumped a couple of octaves as I blurted out, “A woman! Shit-o-dear Ralph, I’m not a pimp! Why do you need me to find you—”

  Ralph started waving his hands in front of his body. “No, no! It’s not like that at all. I need for you to find a specific woman for me.”

  “Are you serious? Fuck, Ralph, you get more pussy than anybody I know. You know we call you Randy Ralph?” He looked sheepish. “So, what’s this shit I have to find YOU a woman?”

  “No Matt, not just any woman, a specific one. A very specific woman.”

  “Well, since you want a specific one, why can’t you find her?”

  “The main problem is time. I just don’t have the time. Right now, the program my company developed is going live and I have to be there almost 24/7. Tonight is the first night I’ve taken off in several weeks. Hells bells, Matt, I haven’t even had time to get laid for a couple of weeks. This is the biggest thing my company or I’ve ever done. This has the possibility of taking me from well off to uber-rich. Matt, I’ll pay you for your time.” I knew Ralph owned a software development company and he did something with games. I also knew he was already richer than God. If his new company was going to do what he thought it was, I was impressed. The problem is I doubted if I could help him find his lady, and even if I did, I wasn’t going to take any money for it.

  To stall for time, I told him, “Tell me about your problem.”

  “Oh God, thank you Matt, thank you…”

  I held up a hand. “Stop, Ralph. Just because I’m willing to listen doesn’t mean I’m willing to help you. For now, I’m just going to listen.”

  Ralph vigorously nodded as he started in to explain, “I met her a few months ago at the International Computer Gaming software seminar in Orlando. We sat next to each other at the banquet dinner the first night and we hit it off from the start.” The look on his face, and the way he talked about her was like a kid describing Christmas. “Matt, she’s brilliant. One of the best minds in the business I’ve ever met. All I had to do was start to describe a problem my company was working on and she grasped the concept as well as having constructive ideas about the coding and all. She really is something.” I noticed the faraway look in his eye and I waited for him to return.

  “Anyway, the next morning, as luck would have it, we ended up sitting next to each other in a class. I really had a hard time paying attention to what was going on.” I thought to myself if there was a chick sitting next to Ralph, of course he was going to have a hard time listening to anything except his twanger getting hard. “And when lunchtime rolled around, she asked me to have lunch with her and I did. The next thing I know we’re having dinner and she invites me to her room—”

  I interrupted, “Just like that, she invited you to her room? Wow Ralph, you must really have a great line to get ‘em to jump in the sack with y
ou like that.”

  As long as I have known Ralph and as raunchy as some of the conversations at our poker games, I’d never seen him turn so red. He was totally embarrassed. “It was kind of luck and we were joking around is how it happened.”

  “And are you going to enlighten me or do I have to beg?”

  “As we talked, I don’t remember how it came out, but she made a comment how climaxing for her was very difficult. She’s thirty-four and she told me that satisfaction just didn’t happen.” I was desperately wishing now I hadn’t asked and that he would move on to a new subject.

  “When she told me that, I’d had a couple drinks and I was feeling no pain, and I shot my big mouth off. I told her I could make her climax, and that it was a guarantee.” He looked down at the ground. This was a Ralph I’d never seen.

  Looking back up at me, he continued, “I couldn’t believe I’d said something like that to her. She really is a very classy lady. Then she asks me what if I couldn’t make it happen. I told her for her not to climax just wasn’t possible. I said I had no doubt I could make it happen. She laughed and then she said this was something she wanted to see. I thought it was a good thing at least she was laughing. When we got to her room and started to make love, I pulled out every trick in the book. And once we were ready and I was inside of her, she was screaming and—” Ralph must have seen I was going to stop him and thank God, he stopped when he did.

  Wherever Ralph had going on in his mind, he got that far off look on his face again and I could tell his memory was a good one. “Oh Matt, she’s amazing. She has a body that,” Ralph moved his hands through the air outlining a feminine shape and he grinned at me funny. “Matt, she’s one very sexy woman. Her breasts are firm and large and when I play with her nipples they get fat and—”

  “STOP!” I shouted. I didn’t mean to be so loud. I didn’t know what to do to stop him. This was info I didn’t need. “Ralph, pictures of you and a lady friend are things I really don’t need or want playing in my head. You’ve already told me way too much. Okay? I believe you that she’s one stone cold fox. I believe your first time together was great and you fulfilled on your guarantee. Please, can we just leave it at that and move on without the vivid description?” I implored.