Bert and Norah:
Into the Light
Bernard H. Burgess
“Bert and Norah: Into the Light,” Copyright © 2019 by Bernard H. Burgess.
All Rights Reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Cover designed by Kristy Kennedy-Black, ideacreativeservices.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Bernard H. Burgess
Visit my website at www.facebook.com/Coywolf.publishing
Email:[email protected]
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing: July 2019
Coywolf Publishing
ISBN-13 978-0-9600069-1-5
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book and story to my grandchildren and great granddaughter. This story touches upon the mystery of this thing called love and how it transcends time and distance and even death. I hope that my writing, and this book especially, can connect my life to theirs as the years pass. Hopefully, long after my own journey into the light.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: The New Hire
Chapter Two: Red Lodge
Chapter Three: Summer
Chapter Four: Digging up Bones
Chapter Five: Nebraska City
Chapter Six: Other Things
Chapter Seven: Church
Chapter Eight: A New Day
Chapter Nine: A Deepening Mystery
Chapter Ten: Baffling
Chapter Eleven: Seeking Clues
Chapter Twelve: Friday
Chapter Thirteen: Revealing
Chapter Fourteen: The Well
SNEAK PEEKS BACKWARD
SNEAK PEEK FORWARD
Chapter One: The New Hire
Bert Lynnes knew that Wyoming Governor Sam Patterson had called it correctly. After the last two high profile and highly publicized cases, the requests for help from his company, B & N Investigations, were increasing. By the end of November 2017, Bert felt the pressures of having a successful business. He’d known that he might not be able to keep up with the growing demand and might have to expand his company one day. It was just coming sooner than expected. Bert did the math and was compelled to hire another private investigator. In addition to Norah’s continued presence and assistance, they were going to need more help if they were to maintain their reputation for excellence.
Albert, Bert as he was known, leaned back in the chair at the kitchen table of his Cody, Wyoming, log cabin. He rubbed his chin as he stared out the kitchen window into the mountains to the north of his house. Bert loved those grey and brown mountains of this part of Wyoming, just to the west of Cody in the North Fork Valley leading to Yellowstone Park. They were beautiful, rugged, dangerous, and spiritually uplifting, all at the same time. He considered this mountain valley the major steppingstone which led to the designation of Yellowstone as the nation’s first national park.
He wondered if his former career as a military officer had really prepared him for the demands and challenges of having his own private investigation business. He could lay down a deadly trail of bullets on an enemy, and lead soldiers into danger, but could he build a successful small business? When those doubts surfaced, he would remember what his paternal grandfather used to say: “It doesn’t cost any more to dream big.”
A glance at his small library shelf bolstered his confidence. One of his favorite books, also one of the smallest books he owned, always seemed to provide that mental boost when he needed it. James Allen wrote one of the most amazing little self-help books ever published, as far as Bert was concerned. He opened “As A Man Thinketh” to page 17. He read part of a paragraph: “Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.” He read on and focused on the last two sentences. “Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.”
He closed the book and placed it back in its place of honor at the head of his self-help group. It was time to get his actions in harmony with his thoughts. It was time to call upon the wisdom of his spirit wife, Norah, and get the ball rolling.
Bert was blessed with the gift which allowed him to both see and communicate with this beautiful spirit of his lovely wife and companion. He had always adored her from the first time they met. Fate had brought them together at the same moment in time on a hiking trail in a state park in Minnesota. The beauty of the changing leaves that October morning was matched by the beauty of the shapely, red-haired, young woman with the bubbly personality and lovable sense of humor. From the first word she said to her last, he fell head over heels in love with her. To this day, that memory and her spirit held his undying love. He would love her beyond his own grave.
They had many years together, good years. She followed him through most of his twenty years in the Army, and during their transition into civilian life. However, those years passed far too quickly. When the unexpected medical condition hit like a bolt out of the blue in 2016, it was guaranteed to negatively impact their fledgling investigation business. The full impact hit a few months later, though, when that beautiful life was snuffed out in an instant. Bert was left stunned, numb, and unsure about anything, including his own life.
Just when the darkest time seemed too dark to go on, something miraculous began to happen. A previously unknown and undeveloped gift began to bring Norah back into his life. He began to not only see her spirit frequently as a full bodily manifestation, but he could also communicate telepathically with her. Her spirit became the new version of his wife and his business partner. She still possessed her own gift of psychic insight and was able to continue adding this dimension to their investigations. Not even death could break the bonds of love and devotion which they shared. She chose to remain attached to his world instead of moving on to the next dimension. She chose an indirect path toward the light. Love bound their two worlds together into a present reality shared by both.
Their world was also shared by Missy, their coywolf companion and tracking animal. At three years of age, her reddish-grey coat was thick, full, and beautiful. She weighed about 45 pounds, just a little larger than most of her wild cousins. However, as a well-trained sidekick to Bert, Norah, and the business, she ate a little better than they did. Since her rescue as a tiny pup from a Wisconsin hillside, she had become an integral part of both their family and the business.
Bert turned to his spirit wife and they discussed how best to find another investigator. An ad in the paper might get responses, but it wasn’t going to be easy to find someone with the temperament and aptitude for this type of work. Investigation work could be tedious;
demanding mentally, emotionally, and physically; and was at times potentially dangerous. It wasn’t for everyone.
Norah suggested that they put an invitation on their Facebook and website pages and attempt to pull from the realm of people who followed or were already familiar with their business. These people crossed all walks of life and were from all over the country. They soon began to get a few inquiries from a spattering of people familiar with their business.
Bert began to line up a few interviews from several promising inquiries. The first was a 25-year-old man from St. Joseph, Missouri. This lad was the cousin of one of Myrtle Kennedy’s friends. He
didn’t get beyond a telephone interview. The young man just didn’t sound very mature nor did he seem to have the temperament that Bert wanted. He was a “thanks, but no thanks.”
An older man, in his forties and from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, seemed over the phone to be mature and well grounded. They even arranged to meet roughly halfway between their locations, in Chadron, Nebraska. After that personal interview, though, Bert was left with the impression that this fellow, although probably capable, wanted to do it only for money. Not the right reason for this work, Bert knew. Another no.
He and Norah again reviewed the inquiries. One caught his eye, a female who was working for a PI company already. The name, Rebecca Abigail Thompson, had not caught his attention during the first screening. He wasn’t seriously considering a woman for this job, anyway, believing there were too many potential issues with a female investigator. He wanted someone he could eventually just let go and not have to worry about. As he looked over Thompson’s resume, though, he was impressed with her writing skill and apparent intelligence. It didn’t hurt that she already worked in the field so would know by now what she was getting into. She listed her residence as being in Wellington, Wyoming. He wasn’t sure where that was. It didn’t matter, right now. Norah thought it might be good to have a female on the team, because a woman could bring a fresh perspective to their cases. So, Bert sent an email to Thompson inviting her to give a call.
That evening, Bert received a call from Thompson. “Good evening,” he answered her initial greeting, “this is Bert Lynnes of B & N Investigations. How are you doing tonight, Miss Thompson?”
“Doing well, Mr. Lynnes, thanks for asking and thanks for giving me a chance to compete for your position there.”
“I see that you already work as an investigator for another company. Why are you wanting to change?” Bert was a little suspicious when someone wanted to change companies.
She replied matter-of-factly, “I like the work, but not relating well with the people I’m working with and for. I’m getting the impression that it will be a long time before I’m trusted to take on cases. I got into this line of work because I want to work, not just be a pretty fixture in an office. I like to explore and investigate challenges, and I want to solve them, Mr. Lynnes. I expect to learn but I don’t want to sit on the sidelines. I’ve looked into your company since you helped the Governor get his daughter back. I would like to first learn from you and then be an asset to your company.”
Bert liked what she was saying, but he was wrestling with a feeling that he somehow knew this woman. How could that be, though? “Where are you now working, and how long have you been there?” He asked.
Thompson answered. “I work for Cowboy Investigations out of Cheyenne, and I’ve only been with them about three months now. I know I probably don’t have all the experience you’d like to see.”
He reassured her, “Experience isn’t the major criteria for us, Miss Thompson. We can train you. Your attitude and temperament and aptitude for this kind of work are what we consider important. How old are you and are you married?”
She laughed, “Well, Mr. Lynnes, I’ll forgive you for asking a woman for her age, this time.” She laughed again. “I’m 43 as of last month, and I recently finalized a divorce from a ten-year marriage that was a mild disaster. I hope we can just leave it at that. Not my favorite subject.”
“No problem,” he answered, “I don’t need to know that. Do you have any recommendations?”
“Does Governor Patterson count?” she asked. “I also have several from people who worked with me in prior jobs.”
Bert sat in stunned silence for a few seconds, digesting her words. “Governor Sam Patterson gave you a letter of recommendation?”
She laughed again, “Yes, he really did. I talk with him sometimes several times a week and we’ve become good friends.”
He sat quietly for a few seconds, as Norah nodded in agreement. “Well, Miss Thompson, the Governor is also a friend of mine. If he recommends you, then you’re a serious candidate. How about we meet in a few days in Caspar. That’s about halfway between Cheyenne and Cody, where I’m headquartered. Today is the 5th of December. How does Friday, the 8th, work for you; maybe around 2:00 that afternoon?”
She seemed to be checking her schedule before replying. “Yes, that should work okay with me. Just call me when you’re getting close and tell me where to meet you. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
Bert was somewhat confused by this candidate. He felt a little bit of familiarity yet couldn’t figure out how he could possibly know her. He didn’t know anyone named Thompson. “That sounds good, Miss Thompson. I’ll see you on the 8th then, about 2:00 that afternoon. Take care and thank you for your interest in our position.”
They hung up. Bert turned to Norah, who had been listening to the discussion. Well, what do ya think?” He asked.
“She seems intelligent, witty, and wants to do this type of work. I think you should definitely interview her and see how it goes,” Norah replied.
“Yeah, might be a diamond in the rough,” Bert suggested. “I’ll see how she handles herself in person on Friday.” He turned his attention back to the several requests for help that they’d received today. “We can sure use some qualified help, I’m beginning to realize,” he told Norah.
They studied one request in particular. It was intriguing in that it didn’t seem to involve someone missing or a white-collar crime of some kind. A mother in Red Lodge, Montana, was experiencing strange things with her seven-year-old daughter. Her husband didn’t want to make a big deal of it. The mother, however, felt that the girl needed help. She didn’t know what was needed but was asking if B & N Investigations might investigate it. Bert looked at Norah and they both shook their heads. It wasn’t the kind of case they would typically take. They put it on the back burner for now. Bert emailed the woman back and said they might be able to get to it in January.
There was another case involving a child custody dispute which they could do the following week. While not their preferred type of investigation, it was one of those they had to take now and then to pay the bills. It probably wouldn’t take more than two to four days to document the involved child’s living conditions. It just required video surveillance. Norah and Missy could probably stay home. Bert messaged that new client and began to make arrangements.
***
Friday, December 8th, arrived with grey sky and a bitter wind. Snow flurries were possible but otherwise the weather should be reasonably good for Bert’s drive to Caspar. It would just be a cold 18 degrees with a wind chill around zero. At his home outside of Cody, Bert rechecked his winter travel bag. He always double checked this emergency and survival gear before any significant drive in the winter. Caspar was nearly a four-hour drive from Cody, and anything could happen on Wyoming roads in the winter. Better safe than sorry.
Bert scurried around the cabin, getting coffee and a light breakfast, tending to Missy’s needs, and chatting with his spirit wife. Despite the obvious barrier, they still had many good talks about a multitude of things. This morning, as Bert was getting ready to leave, they started talking about the small town of Meeteetse. Its name came from an amalgamation of Crow and Shoshone phrases, one of which meant “meeting place.”
Situated at the bend in the road which marked the departure from the long agricultural valley and entry into the hills, Meeteetse was about thirty minutes from Cody on Bert’s route. He lamented about the closing of the old Cowboy Bar and its Outlaw Café. However, he also enjoyed stops at the Elkhorn Bar and the Chocolatier. A host of characters were associated with the rich history of this rugged cow town. Butch Cassidy, Marty Robbins, and Amelia Earhart are among the well known to have connections with the town. Amelia even lived south of there for a while. Whenever he had the time, Bert loved to take a pause and learn a little more about the history of that place. The drive this morning would not provide him the luxury of time.
At the same time,
Rebecca was also leaving Cheyenne for her travel to the interview in Caspar. Like Bert, she also carried an emergency bag with the basics for survival. She brushed back her shoulder-length blonde hair, adjusted her light green pants suit, and tossed her black, lined leather coat over the seat. She would exchange her winter boots for the more business-like dress shoes once she arrived in Caspar. This interview made her more nervous than she cared to admit. It could be that dream job she was hoping to land at some point in her career as a PI. Anyone could see that she was a “looker,” mesmerizingly beautiful. They had to know her, though, to discover that she was also intelligent and very driven to succeed. She focused her blue eyes on the road as she proceeded north on Interstate 25.
Rebecca always enjoyed the beauty of this winding and hilly interstate highway. It traversed the transition between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain foothills region. The mostly open hills and valleys were dotted with small stands of cottonwoods along the various creeks. The occasional antelope, also known as pronghorn, could be seen grazing not far from the road. Shortly after leaving Cheyenne, she passed through the small town of Chugwater.
She’d been doing her homework on her new residential state, and she was surprised to learn that Chugwater was known for the nearby vertical sandstone cliffs, once used as buffalo jumps by the first Americans. Legend has it that the name came from the sound made by the buffalo hitting the water below the cliffs. The cattle and ranching history of Wyoming had a link to Chugwater, where the railroad became a conduit for cattle heading to the Omaha stockyards. A rodeo bucking horse, Steamboat, was raised on a Chugwater ranch. Ridden by Chugwater ranch hand, Clayton Danks, at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in 1909, the picture of this horse and rider became the logo for the state of Wyoming. To this day, the legendary ride is depicted on the state license plates, one of which was on the back of Rebecca’s black Dodge Hemi, extended cab, pickup. This logo also represents the University of Wyoming.
Into the Light Page 1