THE TUBES

Charlie Wyre wiped his brow and looked into the rear view mirror of his Land Rover. He was not looking into the thirty-five year old eyes of an exited prospector, but the fortyish leathery face of a man who spent too much time in the sun. His once bright eyes were not wide with anticipation, but squinty with a far off look. His hands were rough and knotted from digging, and his body instead of holding its once strong posture slumped. If it wasn't for the knowledge he held he would be sad at the stranger that looked back at him.
Charlie left the city and his friends about three years ago to find his fortune out in the desolate sanctions of the Mojave desert. Although he missed the human interaction at first, he soon learned that the solitude was a driving force to find his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Many deemed him as mad, an idiot on a dead end trip. He wiped his forehead once more and put his hand to the vents expecting to feel the cold air but felt nothing. He looked at the control for the air-conditioning and let out a amused grunt. The switch was in the off position, he chuckled as he flicked it on and closed his eyes momentarily as he felt the rush of cool strike his moist face, the small beads of sweat sucking up the air. He had forced himself to get into the habit of keeping the A/C off for long trips feeling that it used too much gas up to run the contraption. Charlie took his tired hands off of the wheel and looked around at the flat country, boulders and stones littered the arid landscape, looking like some careless hand had strewn them about haphazardly. He thought about all the people who told him that the desert was dead, all that could be found was, and he was a fool to think different. Will they be surprised when he retires on nothing. He smiled then stopped, the heat had chapped his lips, a sore had formed exactly in the middle of what once was a gleaming smile that had caught him more than one pretty girl. But that was over he would find one and settle down, go back to the city and live out the rest of his days full and care free.
Charlie was still fantasizing about his life when he caught a flash off of something in the distance. Being out in land that stretched as far as the eye could see made it difficult to gauge how far away it was, but he had dealt with this for three years and guessed that it was about two or three miles off. He sped up keeping an eye on his target bumping over the rocks and small shrubs, now at a steady sixty miles per hour. He set his odometer, a little game he played to kill time, and pushed on, the cool air giving him new life. As he got closer he saw that it was another Rover stuck in a soft spot, these seem to occur in the strangest of places and he has been the victim of a few himself, but when he got stuck there was no good Samaritan to help him out. He glanced at the odometer and saw that it was closer to four miles and swore, wrong again, but getting better. He pulled up to the Rover that was up to its axles in the fine sand and stopped. Looking he saw that there was no one in the driver’s side. He hoped to God that the fool whoever he was hadn't decided to walk for help. " Hello?" He walked over to the passenger side and looked into the seat, no one. " Damn fool tried to walk." He said to himself, as he looked to the sun then the small thermometer mounted on the dash with what looked like Velcro. " Hundred thirteen, well he won’t be hard to find." Charlie walked around to the front of the car.
" I sure won't." A voice came from under the truck.
" Hello?" Charlie bent down to see a man lying in the sand in a hole he had dug. " How's it going?" Charlie was slightly amused at the sight.
" Oh, not bad she seems to have made herself a nest."
" I can see that." Charlie hoped that the man was talking about the car and not a pregnant woman that might have been a passenger.
" Charlie, Charlie Wyre?" The man slid out from under the car and stood. " Jesus its good to see you."
" Joe?" Charlie looked into the dark eyes of Joe Blacktoe, a Navajo he met about six months ago. Rumor was that he had been banished from the small reservation that he lived on. There was no known reason why, it seemed that banishment was grounds for silence by the ones that did the actual banishing. It was funny seeing him here, ever since he started to stumble onto something Joe Blacktoe seemed to be making appearances at the strangest places and this was by far the strangest.
"Yea, what brings you out this way?" Joe moved away from the Rover and closer to Charlie.
" Oh just out for a drive." Charlie looked at his strong face that seemed to be unaffected by the harsh sun and dry air. He was about twenty-five, in good shape and stood about an inch shorter than Charlie's five eleven.
" Great, good thing you decided to drive this way." Joe put his hand out and Charlie shook it apprehensively. " Got some chains?"
" Yea in my truck." Charlie turned realizing that he was being stupid and that the guy really was stuck. " Hang on." He was almost to his truck when he heard Joe step closer and felt something hard in his back.
" I think we need to have a talk." Joe stepped back and Charlie slowly turned with his hands half up.
" We can talk, but you don't need a gun to Chat." Charlie looked at the nickel plated forty-four aimed at his chest.
" Well, the conversation I want to have might need a little help."
" What might that be?" Charlie felt old once more.
" I know you found something out there." Joe motioned to the open desert behind Charlie with the gun. " I want to know what and where?" He stepped closer.
" If I did indeed find something I sure wouldn't tell you." Charlie snapped.
" You see now is the part where I persuade you." Joe pulled the trigger; the thunderous sound was deafening at such close range, the bullet hit the fender of the Rover creating a gaping hole. Joe took the opportunity to hit Charlie who was looking at the car in shock, striking his jaw with the butt of the gun. Charlie instantly went down, the pain surging to his face. " Now lets try again." Joe stood over Charlie.
" Like hell!" Charlie grabbed a handful of sand and threw it into Joe's face. Joe brought his hands up and Charlie hit him with all his might, sending Joe down and the gun about three feet away from where he landed. They both scrambled for the weapon but Joe was younger and faster, snatching up the gun and gaining control of the situation.
" Old man you are as stupid as you are ugly."
" I guess I am." Charlie said as he rubbed his hand and looked at the ground.
" Now we're gonna talk." Joe flung the passenger door of his truck open and pulled out a bag. " This." He said as he opened the bag and extracted the biggest snake that Charlie had ever seen. " Is a Mojave green, the deadliest of the desert snakes." He held it by the throat showing off its three-inch fangs. " He will make you beg to tell me anything."
" Kill me you will never know anything." Charlie spoke not taking his eyes off of the menacing creature.
" Well, let me tell you a little about this guy." Joe brought the snake within inches of Charlie's face. " His venom strikes the nervous system, you loose all control. Not only will you piss your pants but you will shake and feel cold, your vision will start to blur, then the pain will take over, it is so excruciating that you will do or say anything to make it stop." Joe stopped and reached into his pocket. " Just to help." He held up a syringe with two little needles. " I will inject three times the venom into the bite by hand."
" You’re a sick bastard." Charlie was already shaking at the thought of this thing sinking those fangs into his flesh.
" But." Joe held up another syringe. " This is anti-venom, it will stop all the pain and save your life, all you have to do is answer me." Without warning Joe plunged the fangs into Charlie's leg. Charlie let out a cry as he looked on in horror. He tried to move but couldn't as he watched Joe carefully insert the needles into the fang holes.
" Jesus." Charlie's eyes were wide and he felt dizzy.
" Just tell me where?" Joe put the syringe back into his pocket and watched.
" Go to hell." Charlie started to shake then vomited. His sights were focused on a smiling Joe Blacktoe. The pain shot through his body; unable to even speak he closed his eyes and lay down. Joe bent down and felt Charlie's neck for a pulse.
" Come on old man." He half heatedly said as he pulled his hand away from Charlie feeling nothing. " Shit." Joe stood and backed away getting the whole view of Charlie lying still, his face contorted in a mask of pain and death. " Venom is a little stronger than I thought." Joe hoisted the bag that held the snake up and into the back seat of Charlie's truck. He figured that Charlie wouldn't need it any more. Besides there might be something important as to what but even more importantly, where he got lucky. He fired up the Rover and immediately smiled. Finding one of these things where the air-conditioning actually worked was a treasure in among its self.
Pulling away he took one last look at Charlie, he was wondering if what Charlie had really found was to die for. He turned his attention back to the desert floor. The small trailer that he was living at was about a hour drive from where he was and he settled back, he would take a better look at the contents of the car when he got there. Joe was a few miles from where he met Charlie when the Rover jolted violently, he opened his eyes realizing that he had dozed off and looked around. He had hit one of the larger of the rocks that surrounded him and made his drive more of an obstacle course. Everything seemed to be fine; he must have just run over it. What he didn't notice was that the bag with the snake in it was not sitting on the back seat anymore, but had been thrown against the back of the driver’s seat, then landed on the floor. The drawstrings that held the top closed loosened slightly, there was no sign that the snake was moving until a forked tongue shot like a little red bolt of lightning from the small opening. There was some movement, not enough to be detected but enough to slowly work the drawstring a little looser, then as if by magic the snake’s head appeared hovering just above the floor. The rover bounced and bucked but the snake stayed steady, it slithered out moving under the seat of the Rover, lashing out with its tongue furiously. It senesced something, warmth, as it moved toward the heat it came out from under the seat by Joe's feet.
Joe was concentrating on the terrain and had not noticed the large green snake appear out of nowhere. He was looking to his left when he caught movement in his peripheral vision and looked down at his feet. " Jesus!" Joe looked at the long thick body and held his breath. He knew that he had to stop and get out of there. He looked up and swore as the wheel of his truck hit a large rock sending him out of control. His feet flailed as he tried to stay calm, the snake was airborne for just a second and landed on Joe's leg. Feeling movement and slightly confused it defended itself against its attacker, sinking it's fangs into something soft again and again, it wouldn't stop kicking. Joe looked at the snake and could feel the effects of the venom already, he was in pain and confused, the car had come to a halt. Joe just sat there looking at his beautiful green killer as the pain overtook him.



I



The ball landed on the green and rolled three feet past the pin, Off in the distance a figure finished raking the sand from the trap. He stood looking over the lip of the trap squinting to see if the ball had indeed landed on the green.
" Great shot Mr. Staples!" An exited voice blurted out. The boy was looking at Alex staples with a wide grin. Alex stepped out of the trap and smiled back.
" Thanks Eddie, if it wasn't for your suggestion to use a five wood I would have never made it." He looked down at the boy.
Alex stood a solid six one, his broad shoulders sometimes gave the impression of an additional two or three inches. He had a tanned good-looking face, ice blue eyes, and a smile that would melt even the coldest of hearts. Eddie liked Alex; the other caddies teased him relentlessly, as well as some of the members, it wasn't his fault that his face was riddled with acne. He had gone to a dozen dermatologists but all gave the same result, more acne. Everyone seemed to notice and make note of it except for Alex he would personally ask for Eddie, even if it meant taking some ribbing from the other members, but Alex would not budge Eddie was his man. When Alex needed advice he would ask Eddie, Eddie at first was not sure about carrying clubs for the best, well second best golfer at the San Diego Country Club, but soon all his fears were gone. This gentle giant, as he called him, was a friend no matter how mean others were he was there.
Eddie Handed Alex his putter and took the five wood, placing it back in the bag. " I think you got him today."
" Well." Alex looked towards the green. " If I don't, I sure scarred the hell out of him." Alex and Eddie both laughed.
" Lucky shot Staples." Burt Fields, the quote un-quote club pro, looked over at the two laughing heartily. " You and pimple boy can laugh but this is it.”
Unfortunately, he was right, this was it, Alex had challenged Burt to a match, he finally had it with Burt's mouth and knew that someone had to shut him up. Alex and Burt were tied at three under; the tie was a fluke, brought on when Alex eagled the seventeenth hole, he did this by obtaining a lucky bounce off of a sprinkler that landed about seven inches from the pin. If not for that little piece of metal he would have been in the creek that ran parallel to the green. Burt's ball was closer and both were at the eighteenth looking at birdie puts.
" I hope that asshole misses." Eddie made a face and looked down; Alex shot Burt a stare then looked at Eddie.
" Hey." Alex put his hand on Eddy’s shoulder as they walked. " He's just nervous that he is going to blow it in front of all his friends he invited out to see him stomp on the gentle giant and pimple boy." Eddie looked up.
" How did you know that I called you the gentle giant?" His voice was a little defensive, afraid that Alex would be mad at him for such a nickname.
" It's a small club and Burt has such a big mouth." Alex smiled. " Let's show him that we don't need the talk the talk, cause we walk the walk." Alex held out his hand and Eddie slapped it.
"Yea."
Eddie and Alex approached the green, Eddie stopped and waited as Alex walked over and looked at his ball, Burt was standing in front of the small crowd that had formed at the eighteenth hole. Alex stood, walking over to Eddie.
" Hey Eddie." Alex said in a low voice, as he polished his putter with the towel that hung on the side of his golf bag. " Where did he get all these people, he put flyers out on windshields?"
" No, that's how he gets his friends." Eddie laughed.
" You’re away Staples, so you’re up." Burt half yelled, to let everyone know that his ball was sitting pretty.
" Thank you Burt." Alex walked over and bent down searching for the best way to play the steep contours of the green, he had only three feet; normally he would just put through it. Today however he was going to use the safer approach and putt wisely. Alex stood and lined up with the ball.
"Put it in Alex!" There was a yell from the crowd; Alex looked in the direction but saw no one.
"Hey, quiet please." Burt looked at the crowd harshly, If the yell had been for him he would have kept his mouth closed, but it wasn't.
Alex looked at the ball, then the cup. " Come on baby, just take an easy ride to a happy place." He whispered and swung back striking the ball true on his follow through. The ball moved up hill, almost coming to a stop as it bent around to the right. Then a little jump left, at the hole the ball slowed dying on the edge of the cup, hanging there, it teetered then fell hitting the bottom of the cup with a hollow sound. Now Alex was happy, as well as the rest of the small crowd. They cheered and whistled, until a frustrated Burt held his hand up angrily. Not many of the members liked Burt. He was good, he also figured if he was better than any one else at golf, then he was better than anyone else in life was. This caused a lot of resentment by others that he had and has belittled in the past. Burt, as with all people good or bad, had a little following of wannabe jerks, which were yelling for everyone to shut up.
" Don't choke you asshole." One of Burt's many fans shouted.
Burt placed his ball back on the green and looked at the shot. It was only a couple of feet, one that he had done a hundred, even a thousand times. He noticed that the midday sun was a little hotter than usual, pulling out a towed from his pocket he wiped his forehead. This was it; everyone would see him win or fail. He lined up and struck the ball. The shot went wide and long.
" Shit!" Burt yelled then hurled his club across the green and it landed, digging in and leaving a big hole of torn turf. Burt stopped realizing where he was and turned to face the gallery, all were silent; one by one they turned and walked away, his wannabes as well.
" Hey, it was an accident." Burt walked after them talking. " The club slipped." He stopped when the seeing the president of the club emerge from the tide of people and stop in front of him.
"Well Eddie." Alex looked down at his caddie. " Time to go." They walked past Burt and the president; Burt gave Alex a help me stare instead of helping Alex held out his hand. " Good game." Alex waited until Burt took it and shook it weakly, then turned and headed for the clubhouse, Eddie put Alex's clubs on the rack outside the club then shook Alex's hand.
" Thank you."
" See you next week." Alex turned and entered the screen door,
Inside a cool breeze was provided by two large ceiling fans, the clubhouse was bright with lights and helped along with the picture windows that looked out over the eighteenth hole. A couple of people were sitting at the long oak bar that extended out in a horse shoe shape, about two thirds of the way out into the room. When Alex entered the two at the bar smiled.
" Nice game." One stood and shook Alex's hand.
" Yea, you really did the club a favor by shutting Burt up." The other man stood as well and took a sip of his drink.
" Thanks, it was some to do with luck, but I'll never admit to it." All three laughed.
" Mr. Staples." Alex turned to see a Joey, a young man that worked in the club walking towards him. He was still holding a towel that he was using to polish some of the clubs that were displayed to the left of the picture window.
" Yes?" Alex met Joe half way as he leaned on one of the posts that held gloves and other paraphernalia.
" There was a call for you earlier this morning." Joe paused as he dug in the pockets of his pants. " Here it is." He handed the paper to Alex as he spoke. " A Bob Rath called and asked you to meet him at work at one." Joe went silent.
" Great." Alex thanked Joe and put the paper in his shirt pocket. He bid farewell to the men at the bar as he looked at his watch, it was eleven-forty, turning he exited the opposite end of the club.
Outside he was met by the heat once more and looked in the direction of the sun. Chuckling he went to his car popping the trunk. He thought it odd that Bob would want to see today, especially at work. For one it was Saturday and on the other hand Bob knew that Alex hated the morgue.
Alex had met Bob several years ago when he was called in to identify the bodies of his wife and daughter. Some guy had jumped a curb and they were killed instantly. He was called in to the morgue, the last place that he would ever see his family again. Bob took a liking to Alex; he saw the pain and wanted to help. Bob and his wife Judy decided that they would help as much as they could. Dinners and parties, even sending him birthday presents. Judy somehow never forgot his birthday. In essence through a tragedy Alex gained two friends. He jumped into his car heading for the Morgue.
The Morgue was located down town; the traffic was light so Alex decided to take the scenic route. He got off route five south at First Avenue and headed up to Sixth. This way he could see what was going on at Balboa park. There were the usual people out enjoying the day, a few homeless scattered here and there, but all seemed happy. Why shouldn't they be, Alex looked up at the sun that was beating down relentlessly, it was the perfect day for the park or the zoo. This was not the perfect day to spend inside the morgue. He puled gown G street and onto twelfth. The morgue parking lot had only a scattering of cars and he saw Bob's right away. Alex parked about three spaces down from Bob's car and got out and stretched, his shoulder was a little stiff, but h could live with it.
Just inside the door he started to feel the light-headedness that he attributed to the banks of fluorescent lights that hung and hummed about eight feet over him. The place was clean and smelled of disinfectant. He walked down the hall to Bob's office and knocked on the door gently.
" Bob?" Alex waited but there was no answer. He tried again. " Bob?" Still there was silence. Slowly he turned the handle and peeked his head into the office. He looked around and saw that the desk was empty.
" Alex." Bob's voice came from behind and Alex jumped.
" Jesus." Alex turned and half-jumped to face his friend. " You trying to give me a heart attack." Alex took a big breath.
" Sorry, I forgot you have a little phobia about where I work." Bob laughed and walked into his office.
" Little phobia?" Alex followed Bob in and sat in front of his desk looking at the walls covered with gruesome pictures. He noticed three bottles sitting on a shelf with what looked like organs floating in them.
" Sorry your big problem." Bob sat and followed Alex's line of vision to the bottles. " I see you found my new acquisitions." Bob looked back to Alex. " They are." A motion of Alex’s hand cut him off.
" I don't even want to know, I collect rocks and those don't look like rocks. Alex turned his attention back to Bob. " So why did you call me here?"
" Well," Bob stood and walked around to where Alex was and leaned on the edge of his desk.
Alex could se on his face that this was not good news. He noticed that he looked older. The wrinkles had gotten deeper and his shoulders slumped knocking a good inch off of his five -eight frame. He was only a year from retirement and it looked like he needed it.
" I got a call from a friend of mine at the Barstow Hospital last night." Bob paused and shifted uncomfortably. " He had a man come in DOA, it was Charlie Wyre."
" Jesus," Alex looked down as he dragged his hands down his face and let out a sigh. " What was the cause of death?" The words came hard as his memories of he and Charlie started to churn in his head.
" Snake bite." Bob spoke as he pulled a chair from the side of his desk and sat directly in front of Alex. He was bitten by a Mojave Green."
" That's impossible." Alex stood and walked to the window that looked out to the parking lot and stared at the slow moving traffic. He turned and made his way back to where Bob was sitting. " He was an expert, he always has a kit on him." Alex felt an intense headache coming on and went to the water cooler.
" Alex even the best get caught off guard sometimes." Bob stood and took the paper cup from Alex and filled it handing it back he spoke. " They called late and since he was a San Diego Resident, I said that I would drive out and retrieve the body." Bob stopped mid sentence then changed his words. " Charlie."
" When do we go?" Alex crumpled the cup up and tossed it into the basket that was overflowing next to the cooler.
" Alex I am going, I just wanted you to know." Bob walked over to his desk and picked up a folder.
" He was a good friend and he should have a friend to be there."
Bob looked at his watch. " Well it's almost one, we'll leave at one thirty."
" Good that will give me time to get a fresh change of clothes, why don't you pick me up." Alex left half running. Bob sat down and started getting paper work together.
Alex made short time of the drive back to his first avenue apartment, a stucco two-story structure that could have easily been dragged down rout five from Mexico. He hastily slipped the key into the deadbolt then the latch and entered. He touched the metal part of a lamp that was sitting on an end table and it filled the dark room with light. The lamp was a gift from one of his friends, Ted Ford, Ted felt that this was the perfect, adding a bit of class to Alex's small place. At first Alex thought that it would sit in the closet but he had to find a place for the lamp to be seen for Ted's sake. The end table was free and it has been there ever since. He sat heavily in the left corner of a six-foot long black leather couch and put his hands over his face giving a great sigh.
Charlie was a good friend, he got up and walked over to a painting of a schooner and stopped. He gently picked it up off of the hanger that held it to the wall and turned it over, and read aloud.

To Alex and Mary,
Congratulations and may you both be forever happy and healthy.
Your friend, Charlie

A tear dropped from Alex's cheek as he read and it landed on Charlie's name spreading out into a dark stain. He wiped his eye and set the picture back up onto its hanger and smiled. He could still see his Charlie at his wedding holding the picture over his head, rocking it back and forth making swooshing sounds. Looking at his watch he realized that he needed to get changed, Bob was going to be there any minute. He took one more look at the picture then disappeared into his room.
At two Bob and Alex were on the highway cruising along at a steady eighty. The trip was going to be long, about five hours they both were silent. Alex sat quietly watching the traffic then dozed off into a much-needed sleep.
" Hey, Alex." Bob spoke softly.
Alex awoke and looked around; the land was flat and dreary. " Yea." He stretched his arms and looked at Bob.
" We're here." Bob opened his door and stood stretching.
" Already?" Alex got out and did the same.
" Yup, you were out cold for the whole exiting drive." Bob closed the door and yawned.
" Well," Alex looked at the entrance to the Barstow hospital. " I guess I was."
He and Bob entered the emergency doors and walked up to the reception area. Looking around it was clear that they were about five years or more behind the times. Bob saw Alex looking around.
" Not the wealthiest of communities and unfortunately it reflects heavily on the hospital." He glanced around then back to the reception area.
" May I help you?" A pleasant voice made both men's heads turn to see a slightly hefty woman coming through a door that said staff only. " I'm sorry," She wiped some crumbs off of the front of her uniform and smiled. " I was having dinner."
" That's quite all right." Bob smiled. " My name is Bob Wrath and this is Alex Staples, Josh Thompson in pathology is expecting me."
The woman looked at a ledger and then back to the two. " Oh, yes you are here to pick up that poor man." She sighed. " Follow me." She stepped around the counter and walked away, Alex and Bob quickly caught up and silently followed. They all stopped at a door marked Pathology with Josh Thompson's name painted under the word. She gave a knock then opened the door. " Bob Wrath is here to see you." She smiled and stepped aside for the two to enter then closed the door behind them.
Josh Thompson was a tall man a bit taller than Alex was, he was uncomfortably thin and had a sunken face and big eyes that were made even bigger by the thick black frame glasses that he wore. Alex was almost positive that if someone walked up to him when he was asleep they would think he was dead.
" Bob how the hell are you?" Josh put down what he was doing and strode over covering the large room with only three exaggerated steps. He shook Bob's hand then looked at Alex. It was clear to Alex that he and Bob were probably the same age give or take two years. " I didn't think you needed a body guard these days." He smiled showing large white teeth.
" This is Alex Staples a good friend of mine." Bob said while he chuckled.
Josh thrust a bony hand in Alex’s direction and Alex shook it. " Alex the pleasure is all mine."
" Alex was also a very good friend of Charlie Wyre's."
" Oh," Josh's face turned sad. " I am so sorry about this, It is good of you to come.
" Thank you," Alex let Joshes hand go.
" There are some particulars that I am going to need to discuss about the body." Josh paused then looked at Alex. " The, ah, Charlie’s condition." Josh was stumbling over his words.
" Josh it is quite all right I am interested in how he died as well and would like to hear about it and see the body." Alex smiled hoping that it would take away some of Josh's worries.
" Alex was a homicide detective for about fifteen years in San Diego." Bob piped in.
" Well, then shall we proceed." Josh was obviously relieved at his potential blunder and continued in a more professional manner. " Charlie," He looked at Alex still slightly apprehensive about using Charlie's name. Alex shook his head yes then he proceeded. " Was brought in yesterday. He was found out about thirteen miles north east of the Kingpin bar. The reason I use the bar is that there are not many landmarks in that direction and most know of the bar. He Had been bitten by a Mojave Green, one of the most venomous of the rattle snake family found in the desert. He was brought in at five o'clock and was pronounced dead. Upon first glance I noticed that he had sustained a contusion to his jaw, this was probably from falling on the fender of the Land Cruiser that he was using for transportation." Josh opened a folder and handed out a enlarged picture of the scene. It showed Charlie lying in a contorted position next to the driver side fender of his truck. " He was bitten in the leg about three inches down from the knee on the outside, the snakes fangs just misses the shin bone and penetrated deep into the tissue.
" There is no shade here or anywhere I can see?" Alex looked at the picture then at another one that showed more of the scene and some background. " Where did the snake come from?"
" Yes quite true." Josh stepped a little closer and looked at the picture. " These snakes have a way of finding their way into vehicles, wheels or any crevasse that they can fit. Some ride for days before emerging. We had a case just here some time ago when a trooper brought a Lady in and as he opened his door a rattler fell from the underside. No one was hurt but is shows that they seek shelter wherever they can find it. This one might have hitched a ride for miles or days and Charlie stopped got out it fell down and he was bit by a confused scared snake." Josh opened a door and waved for the two to follow. As he walked down the hall he continued talking. " The odd thing about this bite was that Charlie’s leg was inflamed two times as much as I have seen in any other bite case here. The swelling tells me that the amount of venom still present at the time of death must have been higher than normal. There was enough venom in his blood stream to be lethal to two or three more people.
" Jesus." Alex exhaled at the thought of his friend suffering out in the desert alone with no help.
" Alex we took a sample of his blood and there was three if not more times the usual amount of venom.
" What if it bit him multiple times?" Bob asked not knowing about snakebites.
" That was a possibility, We checked the body for any more bites but that was the only one. The mystery being that when a snake bites it injects a certain amount of venom, other bites suffered after that can have the poison in it, but the snake can not produce in that short of time the amounts that were in the blood of the victim." Josh opened a door and the three walked into a cooler, at least Alex knew it as a cooler. It was where they stored bodies in the morgue. It was cool and there were a multitude of silver doors about three feet by three feet stacked on top of each other.
Josh walked to one that had a tag on the front that read Wyre and pulled the latch open, the door swung noiselessly to the right, a slight steam like when you breath hits the cold air in the fall shot out then disappeared. He grabbed handles inside the door with both hands and pulled. The shelf slid easily and as noiselessly as the door extending out to display a body covered with a white sheet. The shelf stopped and Josh walked to the side.
" Alex since you are here and knew Charlie, although we had Identification we need you to confirm." Josh spoke slowly and waited.
" That is one of the reasons I'm here." Alex's voice was solemn and low.
Josh grasped the end of the sheet that was covering the head and peeled it back exposing Charlie's face and the top part of his chest. Alex looked at the familiar face then looked over across the table at Bob then back to Charlie.
" That’s Charlie." He took the sheet pulling it back over the contorted face of his deceased friend and let out a sigh. " Let's see the leg." Alex walked to the other end and lifted the sheet exposing a bruised almost deformed area where the bite had occurred. Bob and Josh shot each other quick sad glances and moved to view the area in question.
The leg was so bruised it was almost green. It was evident by the shininess that some fluid had still been oozing out. Alex stared and then walked away.
" This is it, an extreme case, but death was due to a venomous snake bite. Without immediate medical supervision there was no way, especially with the severity of this one, that a man could have survived this trauma." Josh put the sheet back in place and pushed Charlie’s body back into the cooler. All three slowly walked back to the front room silently.
"We can set you up in the motel that we use to accommodate visiting doctors." Josh paused looking at his watch. " It’s getting to be late afternoon and it’s a long drive."
" What do you think Alex?" Bob looked at Alex who was still in deep thought. " Josh that will be great." Bob decided that they didn't need to push it.
They shook Josh's hand and left for the motel that was about a hundred yards down the street from the hospital. It was a small place; the center was a office and registration area. From this center part extended a two story structure that gently curved giving the whole building a pleasant horse shoe shape. Alex and Bob entered the front door and walked to the desk. Josh said that he would call and make the arrangements.
" Howdy, need a room." A rather large but happy man appeared from the other side of a one way mirror.
" Actually its rooms." Bob stepped forward and smiled. " Josh Thompson called and made arrangements for us."
" Oh yea, I just got off the phone with him as you two were walking in." The man snorted and turned grabbing two keys with his sausage like fingers. He threw them down on the counter. " Room three twelve and three thirteen. It’s around back and you can park your car right next to the stairs." He hobbled over to the door to his little office. " Just call if you need anything."
Bob and Alex walked to their rooms and entered falling immediately asleep.


The next morning Alex was awaken by a sharp rap on the door to his hotel room. He opened his eyes and looked around. “The room was probably much nicer in the dark.” He mumbled as he swung his legs over the queen-sized bed. Alex stood and walked the five steps to the door and opened it.
" Morning." Bob walked in handing Alex a cup of coffee. " Jeez looks like you got the presidential suite." He laughed.
" If this is the presidential I hate to see what they put you surfs in." Alex flipped the top off and was greeted by a familiar aroma.
" If I remembered right you took only cream and you don't like it stirred up." Bob looked over his friend. " You should hit the shower and we will go to the hospital, if we make good time we should be back home by six tonight." Bob turned and left chuckling at his presidential suite joke. Alex took a sip of his coffee and made a face, placed the cup down on the dresser slash television stand slash desk and went into the box-like bathroom.
Bob and Alex pulled into the hospital emergency driveway at nine on the nose. They walked in and found Josh. " How did you sleep?" Josh smiled.
" Great, you really put visiting doctors up in that place?" Bob made a face.
" Oh yea, only the best in town for them." He laughed. " I have everything all set."
They went to the morgue and Charlie’s body was in a black bag lying on a gurney. There was a tag on the zipper and Alex picked it up, it read Wyre DOA
" Alex I just have to go back and sign some paper work then we can get going." Bob left with Josh and Alex found himself standing alone in the morgue. He started walking around peeking at things. when he saw another body bag across the room. He walked over to it and was just about to lift up the card when two paramedics came in; Alex quickly turned feeling slightly guilty about sneaking up on this dead guy.
" Hey buddy how’s it going." One of the paramedics spoke to Alex.
"Fine, what happened to him?" Alex pointed over his shoulder with his thumb to the bag in the corner.
" Snake bite." The guy walked a little closer. " Some campers found him yesterday. Its funny it was only about three or four miles from where that guy was found." The paramedic pointed to Charlie's bag. " Yea and he was all swollen up like him too." He stopped talking to heft the body off of the gurney onto a sliding table. " Strange there has to be one hell of a snake out there to cause swelling like this." He slid the counter into the wall and it closed with a thump. " Well gotta go. " They each got a gurney and pushed them through the door.
" Alex you set?" Bob's voice startled him slightly and he jumped. " Sorry, I should make more noise. This place does it to me too.
" Yea lets go." Alex turned and shook Joshes hand. " The paramedics just brought in a guy that was swollen up like Charlie."
" Yep, he was." Josh looked at Alex trying to figure out what he was trying to say.
" You think that they could be related?"
" No, its the time of year, everyone is getting bit. I think that the only relation you would find is that they were both bit by snakes." Josh patted Alex on the shoulder. " It was a pleasure meeting you and I'm sorry it was not under better circumstances." He looked at Bob. " I'll talk to you sometime soon." Josh turned and left.
" Alex I think your mind is working over time. Let’s get out of here." Bob grabbed the end of the gurney and wheeled it to his car Alex helped load Charlie's body in and they left heading back to San Diego.
" I just can't believe that Charlie would get bit and not have his kit or try to save himself somehow." Alex looked out the window and sighed.
" Alex." Bob pulled the car over and put it in park. " Alex, I know it's not easy to accept but accidents happen, even to the best of us." He put his hand on Alex's shoulder and smiled. " I guess this is my fault, I shouldn't have let you to come."
" No, I'm glad you did." Alex fell silent, Bob put the car into drive looked into his side mirror and pulled out.
The drive was a bit longer than the trip down, Alex wasn't sure if it was that Bob was driving slower or it was the fact that he had the body of one of his best friends in the back. They pulled into the city morgue and unloaded the body, wheeling the noiseless gurney into the room of small doors that bodies were stored in.
"Bob." Alex stopped after they had slid it into its cubbyhole and closed the door.
"Yea." Bob spoke as he looked over some paper work.
" I need to ask you to do me a favor." Alex stood silently as he watched Bob writing down the time of arrival. Bob stopped and looked at Alex.
" Let me guess, you would like me to perform an autopsy."
" Yes, something feels wrong. The fact that another guy was brought in with the same type of swelling and amounts of venom still present that are above the doses that usually occur in snake bites seem to be too coincidental."
" Alex." Bob paused and let the clipboard rest on his thigh. " I will do this for you but I don't think it will tell you anything out of the ordinary."
" Well it would help me rest better if you did."
" O.k., I will fit it in tomorrow, stop by in the afternoon and we'll go over the results.
"Thanks, it means a lot." Alex and Bob shook hands and Alex left sadly knowing that the drive back to his apartment on First Avenue was going to seem longer than the ride back from Barstow.
He jumped into his car and pulled out thinking of the times that he and Charlie had and how they are gone now; times that can only be memories. He pulled into the back alley behind his place and got out pausing. " Charlie what the hell happened?" He looked up into the sky in hopes the answer would somehow be revealed; when none came he unlocked his door and entered the darkened apartment. Flicking on the lights the first item he saw was a picture of a schooner in high seas. Alex walked ver and pulled it off the wall reading the inscription on the back once more, Alex felt a knot fill his throat as he walked over to a long black leather couch and sat picture in hand. Mary had died six years ago in a car accident and now Charlie, this picture was now the only momento that survives from them. Alex stood and walked over to the wall where the picture had been hanging and placed it back on the hook. He turned and wiped his eyes. Looking around he realized that the picture was now the most valuable possession that he could ever have. He sat on the couch and remained silent for a while collecting himself enough to make calls to Ted Ford and John Lanchero and let them know that their good friend had passed. Alex slid the phone over and looked at it. He was about to pick up the receiver when the small metal mail slot in his front door, which he rarely used, clanked open startling him. A bunch of envelopes and some magazines silently slid through the slot and landed on the floor with a dull thud. He stood, knowing that he was procrastinating and picked up the mail along with a bundle from the day before. Sitting back down he began looking through the pile tossing the junk mail, which made up most of the bulk into a small waste can that sat next to the couch. There was nothing unusual except for one piece of mail that struck him odd. A letter from the bank of San Diego, he didn't recall ever having an account with the bank or even doing business with them, but it was addressed to Alex staples. Alex put the other letters on the small oak end table next to the phone and sat back the leather squeaking loudly. Ripping the letter open he unfolded it and read.

Dear Mr. Staples,
We are sending you this letter to inform you that the rental on your safe deposit box is over due. Please respond immediately or we will have to lock the box until payment is received.
Sincerely,
Tracy grant
Senior Vice President of Collections

Alex read the letter twice and sighed trying to remember if he had rented a box. No, he would remember that. He decided that he would call Ted and John later, he would go down to the bank and straighten this mess out, it would help take his mind off of Charlie and the present situation for a little while at least. He folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope as he headed for the door. Jumping into his car he pulled out his keys and stopped. He looked at his keys then the letter in his other hand. Alex sat for a second then remembered that Charlie had given him an envelope a while ago and told him to hold it for him, as he recalled it had felt like there was a key in it.
Alex went back inside trying to remember where he has stuck it. This could be nothing but them who knows, he rummaged around for about a half-hour until he came upon the envelope in a small secret drawer in then center of his desk. Alex let out a little smile knowing that he should have looked there first. He took a letter opener that was the shape of a small sword that was given to him by Ted Ford and sliced the top open. The only content in the envelope was a key. He walked over to the couch where he had left the letter from the bank and read it once more, looked at his watch. The bank was open for another half-hour. Slipping the key into his pant pocket he folded the letter, put on a light leather jacket and headed out the door.
Alex pulled into the parking lot of the Bank of San Diego and saw that the usually full lot was now only peppered with a few cars and he figured that at this close to closing time it was most likely bank employees getting their last minute duties done. Entering the main lobby through the two mirrored doors he found that there were no lines and he walked to the first window. A smartly dressed woman was counting a stack of new one hundred-dollar bills and stopped as soon as she saw Alex’s shadow come over the money. She slid it into her drawer and looked up with a smile that said thanks for making me loose my place. “ Hello, how may I help you?” She pushed the drawer in as she spoke.
“ My name is Alex Staples and I just received this in the mail.” Alex pulled out the letter from his coat pocket and handed it to the teller. “ I would like to pay this fee and retrieve my contents if I may.” Alex spoke as the woman read the letter.
“ That should be no problem, please follow me.” The woman turned and spoke to another teller. “Janice could you watch the counter I’m going back to the boxes.” The woman nodded and the teller came around to the outside. “ My name is Tracy.” She smiled and Alex could feel that he was getting the once over. “ If you would please follow me we will settle up do a little paper work then go back to the safe deposit boxes.
“Sounds like a plan.” Alex smiled flashing a set of bright teeth. They entered a small office that was decorated almost in the same gaudy way the lobby was and Tracy glided into a leather chair behind a large oak desk. Alex could not help but notice that Tracy liked to work out, and it was not hurting her one bit.
“ Now Mr. Staples I will first need an ID.” She smiled and waited as Alex extracted his license and handed it to her. “ Thank you she took it and looked at the picture and then to Alex and handed it back. “ Sorry it’s just a standard procedure, you never know who might try something.” Alex smiled as he placed the card back into his wallet.
“Yes I’ve heard these type of things happen,” Of course his time as a homicide detective on the San Diego police force helped him realize this but it was good they checked anyway. Alex took out a hundred-dollar bill that he keeps in his wallet for emergencies and handed it to Tracy. She wrote paid on the letter and excused herself to go get some change. Alex watched her leave and wondered if the slit of her skirt that went up almost to upper mid thigh was proper dress for a Bank employee, not that he cared he rather liked it. Tracy returned and handed Alex his change counting it out into the palm of his hand, she smelled nice.
“If you will follow me we will get your box.” She smiled and turned, Alex smiled as he followed and seriously thought about changing his accounts to this bank. Tracy and Alex entered a large room through a steel grated door that they had to be buzzed through and she produced a key, she turned to Alex and looked at him. Alex looked at her and smiled and just stood there smiling. “ Mr. Staples.” She had a nice voice and it seemed to roll off her tongue.
“Yes, Tracy.” Alex continued to smile.
“Your key.” She held hers up in front of him and dangled it.
“ Oh, Alex turned bright red as he fumbled for his key and handed it to her then turned and looked at all the boxes lined to the top of the room. He was hoping that his face would stop burning before he turned around. Tracy put the keys in and turned at the same time and the door popped open. She slid the short box out of its cubbyhole and turned without a word and walked out, Alex sheepishly followed.
“Here you are.” She set to box down on a table in a small room and faced Alex. “ When you’re all set just hit this buzzer. If you need anything just call.”
“Thank you.” Alex smiled and watched as Tracy left and closed the door. “ God what an idiot!” Alex grunted as he sat down. He decided that it was best if he just concentrated on whatever was in the box instead of how he made a complete ass out of himself in front of Tracy. Alex looked at the box then slowly opened the long hinged lid and stared at the contents confused. There were only two items in the box, a micro cassette recorder and a small manila envelope. He picked up the recorder first and looked there was a tape and he pressed play. Charlie’s voice broke the silence.
“ Alex how ya doing. If you are listening to this I’m either in big trouble or I’m dead. I don’t have much time so here it is.” Alex stopped the tape, he thought he heard some footsteps outside the door, then they passed and he pressed play once more. “ I finally did it, the Desert is alive once more, and better yet it’s all there for me.” While Alex listened he opened the manila envelope and poured the contents into his hand. He immediately stopped the tape and looked at what he was holding.
“Jesus Charlie.” He muttered as he rolled what looked like a raw diamond in his hand. “ What the hell did you get yourself into?” Alex cocked his head once more; he thought he heard the same hard-soled shoes outside the door once more. Deciding that it would be safer to listen to this at his house he put the diamond back into the envelope and took the recorder and put it into his pocket as he buzzed Tracy. She appeared in a couple of minutes and smiled.
“You all set?”
“Yes thank you.” Alex stood and walked out noting that her shoes were soft soled.
“ If we can be of any service in the future please give me, us a call.” She smiled and blushed slightly.
Thank you I will.” Touché Alex thought as he surveyed the footwear of all he could see in the bank. He bid his farewell and walked out the door to his car. Looking around he saw that there were a few less cars in the lot and began to think that he was being a little paranoid. He pulled out his keys and was about to unlock his car when he caught sight of two men in long coats behind him in his car window. Alex waited and watched but they had not veered from the b-line course headed in his direction and he began to get a little edgy. He thought it would be best if he went back into the bank where there were more people then looked to the bank door. It was about a hundred feet away and the men were about fifty. He made an exaggerated gesture like he had forgotten something inside the bank and headed for the door in a casual yet quicker pace than usual. He could now clearly see the reflection of the men in the mirrored door of the bank and their pace had picked up as well. He thought about running to the door, it was only about twenty feet away, he reached for the handle and safety a feeling of relief swept over him as he felt the cool metal of the handle under his hand. Just as he was about to open the door he felt a big hand come down on his shoulder and he froze.
“Hey buddy?” A gruff voice spoke close to his ear. Alex turned quickly ready to fight for his life if need be. He faced the two men back against the door. They were dressed in old coats and one had gloves on with the fingers cut out of them and both were sporting at least a three if not four day beard. “ You got a dollar?” Alex stood a little straighter and the same sense of relief swept through his body as when he felt the door handle. They were bums looking for a handout. He was so happy he thought about giving them the diamond, but settled for giving them each a five. “ Thanks!” They looked at the money then to Alex then to each other. “ Thanks a lot.” They turned and walked away happier and ten bucks richer. Alex walked back to his car and got in and took a breath as he watched them go into a liquor store and come out a few minutes later with two large brown paper bags.
“Enjoy guys.” Alex smiled and started his car. He decided that he would wait until he was home to listen to, he wanted to give the tape Charlie made his full attention. He pulled up to his apartment and stopped making sure that he had the recorder and the diamond he jumped out of his car and started walking towards the back door. He had pulled out the recorder and pressed the play button, Charlie’s voice once again started going.
“ I found it, sixty-four.” Alex pressed the button and stopped the tape as a bicyclist slowly rode by and looked at him. Alex watched the guy pass then shook his head. This was making him a little more paranoid than he had thought. He was about to turn from watching the man on the bike when her heard a familiar phrase that sent chills up his spine.
“You got a dollar?” He turned to see the two bums that he had run into at the bank standing in front of him, he was looking at what they were looking at and saw that it was the recorder in his hand. Before he could pocket it the one with the fingerless gloves swung hitting Alex hard just under the chin. Alex’s head snapped back and sideways and he went down, the small recorder flying from his hands. He shook off the blows dizzying force and stood quickly unleashing with a kick to the mans groin. There was a painful grunt and he went down. The second one was going for the recorder and Alex dove timing it so he would land beside the guy and gave him a sharp elbow to the throat. This only momentarily slowed his assailant’s movements and Alex felt a sharp pain in his kidney where the man punched hard. The man grabbed the recorder and started to run. Alex held his breath and began to peruse him. It was hard to run but he was gaining. The guy rounded a corner and Alex jumped up onto the deck of the apartment ran and dove landing hard on the man’s shoulders bringing him down. There was an audible crunch as his face met the pavement and Alex knew that his jaw had been broken. The recorder had skidded and came to rest on the grates of a storm drain, Alex got up and walked over, bending down he grabbed the recorder just as he felt a piercing pain rip through his shoulder. He let go of the recorder and it fell down the drain, into the running water below. Alex fell on top of the grating in pain as he watched it sink and disappear. He rolled over to see the gloved bum standing over him with a three fifty seven magnum handgun aimed right at his head. Alex lay his head back and closed his eyes, knowing that he was about to suffer the same fate as Charlie.
John Lanchero had been at work in the homicide division of the San Diego police department when he caught sight of a file that had just been brought in. The name on the cover made his heart jump, Charles, Wyre. He and Charlie had been friends for many years, long enough that it was almost inconceivable that this was happening. He grabbed the file and leafed through it, looked at his watch and went to his captain’s office. “ Hey Cap.” John looked at Cap sitting behind his desk. He was a very dark black man of average height and had the start of a well-fed stomach. His hair was slightly graying and he had his ever present White Owl cigar protruding from his small mouth.
“ What do you want now?” Was all the response that John got, even though he hadn’t talked to him or asked him anything in at least three days.
“ I have to cut out early, and I’m going to take this with me.” He held up the file with Charlie’s name on it.
“ You think so, let me see that.” Cap got up and walked around his desk striding with a purpose, there was no wasted motions with this man. He grabbed the file and leafed through it. “ What the hell you want this for, it’s closed.” Cap leaned on the desk and blew a cloud of smoke.
“ I know this was a good friend of Alex’s and mine. I don’t know if Alex knows yet.” John took the file back.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Cap stood once more. “ O.k., you leave, but I want you’re butt back here an hour early tomorrow.” Cap turned. And walked back to his chair and sat down. “ And John give Alex my best.”
“Thanks, you know I will.” John left and headed for Alex’s. He was driving up First when he heard a shot, pulling up he saw a man on the ground and another standing over him with a gun. John jumped from his car and in the same motion pulled his forty-four magnum with a nickel-plated barrel took shelter behind his door and yelled freeze. The man with the gun looked up and started to bring his gun up towards John, John yelled once more but the man would not stop and he fired creating an instant hole where the man’s heart used to be. The body lifted off the ground and met the side of the building behind it fell to the ground and a pool of blood instantly formed. Still holding the gun he aimed it at the two that remained and moved in closer. He looked at the guy in the long coat as he was examining him he heard a familiar voice.
“ Don’t you think you should start carrying a smaller gun.” Alex sat up, wincing from the pain in his shoulder.
“ Jesus Alex.” He said with amazement, John turned around.
“ Don’t do that, he’s the other bad guy.” He pointed to the man on the ground.
“ Oh, him.” John put the gun away; “ He will be asleep for a while, What the hell happened?” John walked over to Alex and looked at his shoulder. “ Clean exit, you’ll live.” Sirens could already be heard.
“Let’s just go to the hospital and I will tell you there.” Alex stood, other officers arrived and John gave sergeant Olsen a clean cut guy who was in John’s eyes one of the most honest cops he had ever met, charge and left for the hospital.
John had the department call in and get ready for Alex, who was feeling a bit weak from blood loss to be admitted, as he pulled out into the traffic with lights flashing. Alex looked down on the seat beside him and saw Charlie’s file and picked it up. “ Oh, sorry, I was stopping by to show this to you.” John was silent as Alex went through it momentarily forgetting that he was shot and bleeding all over john’s car. He read through the report and saw that Bob had done the autopsy and found that there had been smooth tubular marks deep in the wound, reading further the doctor that he and Bob had met had called in and another case was brought in with bites all over his legs, The guys name was Joe Blacktoe. He also had in his possession a syringe with needles that fit the marks in the wound. He was also found in Charlie’s jeep about three miles away. They had deduced that Joe had killed or murdered Charlie and accidentally killed himself, Case closed.
“ Sorry, bad timing.” John was silent. Alex sat quietly and looked at the file then closed it.
“ I was mugged.” Alex decided that John didn’t need to know the story and it was probably better if he didn’t.
“ What?” John turned to Alex.
“ Those guy’s, back at my place tried to mug me.” Alex looked out the window.
“ Well, I guess they would have killed you if I hadn’t shown up to show you this, see Charlie still knows how to keep us alive and out of trouble.” John slapped Alex’s knee and smiled.
“ Yea, he sure does.” Alex sat silently for the rest of the trip to the hospital wondering what Charlie had gotten him into.
At the hospital John pulled up to the emergency doors and helped a woozy Alex onto a waiting gurney. Almost immediately Alex was surrounded by Lois one of the nurses who had gotten to know both John and Alex quite well through the department, And Cap who had been in the dispatch room when the call came in. Alex looked up at Lois who as usual was not smiling at her bloody friend. Alex noticed that she looked tired, She had gone on a diet and shed about thirty pounds, which made her look great but he could see that the effort to keep it off was a battle. Cap on the other hand was his usual dismal self.
“ Alex what happened?” Lois’s voice was calm and as always soothing. She spoke as she peeled back his blood soaked shirt to expose a hole where the bullet had entered.
“ Oh, the usual, I was walking home and someone shot me.” Alex half-winced in pain and half smiled.
“ Well, your lucky that the guy is a bad shot.” Lois was not amused at his little joke, since she had known Alex he had been shot up more than anyone she knew and he was always the same, making little jokes about potentially serious situation.
“ Alex why can’t John just go to your house instead of either killing someone or ending up at the hospital?” Alex looked at Cap who was not smiling. Lois stepped in between Alex and Cap and looked up Cap.
“ When he is in here he is my patient, any other time you are welcome to talk to him but for now leave.” Lois looked at Cap sternly. She and Cap were always butting heads and as usual this was no different. Alex and John were sure that they had something going on the side but neither ever dared to mention it.
“ But, I.” His voice trailed off as Lois pointed a finger at the door. Cap turned and stormed out. John looked at a woozy Alex and winked.
“ And you too, take your winks outside.” Lois pushed John out the door and closed it. “ I swear, you need to find more friends.” Lois shook her head and smiled.
“ Why don’t you just ask Cappy out?” Alex smiled weakly.
“ Alex what are you saying?” Lois stopped what she was doing and looked down at Alex.
“ Come on, enough is enough, ask the guy out. John and I approve.” Alex tried to sit up a little but Lois put her hand on his chest and pushed him slowly back down. She was blushing now.
“ And how long have you two been talking about this?” Lois kept firm, but gentle pressure on Alex’s chest.
“ Did I say that, It must be the blood loss.” Alex knew that he had spilt the beans.
“ Oh, I’d say you did, but usually I’m not strong enough to hold you down with one hand, so I think I will take advantage of it.” Lois smirked and listened to Alex give a big God help me sigh.
John and Cap sat out in the waiting room on two orange plastic chairs. They had gone to the cafeteria and bought a couple of coffees “ What did you say to her?” John looked at Cap as he blew on his coffee then took a sip.
“ I didn’t say a thing.” Cap was a little melancholy; Lois was the only person that John knew that could put Cap in that state.
“ Maybe it was your tone, I mean Alex was shot.” John was taking this opportunity to play a little game with Cap.
“ It wasn’t my tone.” Cap was about to take a sip then he looked at John. “ O.k. you've had your fun, now drop it.” Cap was back to his gruff self. John took a sip and sat back happy with himself. “ Can you tell me what happened?”
“ I can only tell you what I saw when I drove up.” John stirred his coffee and watched the steam rise of the top of the hot liquid. “ I pulled up and the guy had a gun on Alex, I yelled freeze and he went for me, end of story.” John shrugged.
“ What was going on?”
“ Alex said that the guy well, the two guy’s were trying to mug him.
“ They had a lot of balls, muggers aren’t accustomed to mugging people in broad daylight on the sidewalk of a main street.” Cap took a sip and looked at the old TV. up in the corner of the waiting room, it had an old rerun of green acres on with the volume turned down.
“ True, but most muggers aren’t exactly rocket scientists either.” John was watching the TV. as he spoke.
“ Well, we’ll run the names through the computer and see what we come up with, It’s never just clear cut when Alex is involved.”
“ Hey, what the hell do you mean by that?” John took his attention off of the show and looked at Cap. “ Alex was one of the best homicide detectives we had, he still feels the department let him down on that shooting.” John was turned in his seat, facing Cap now.
“ I didn’t mean it that way, If I could I’d still have him on the force.” Cap put his cup down and caressed his forehead with his hands and brought them down over his face then looked at John.
Three years ago Alex was in a situation with a drug lord named Carlito Legas. He ended up shooting him and the IA investigated it as an avoidable shooting. Even though it was good. Cap thought that there was something fishy about the whole investigation and decided that to uncover any shadiness that might be going on he would have Alex lure them in by taking the fall. Alex was unaware of this and when all was said and done was fired over the shooting. Cap found that the IA guys on the case were dirty but there was no way to prove it of get Alex back. He still blames himself for things going wrong and loosing a good cop and a good friend do dirty dealings. Alex forgave him, but Cap still holds himself responsible for the whole mess.
“ Alex has this thing about trouble finding him, and that is what made him so good, if the trouble found him, he would bring what ever it was to light.” Cap stood and drank the last of his coffee and threw the cup into the trashcan next to the men’s room door.
“ Cap things went wrong.” John stood as well. “ Alex knows that you were just trying to clean out the bad apples.”
“ I know, I know.” A door opened and Lois came walking out and both men approached her.
“ He will be fine, as usual.” She spoke to both of them but gave John a I know something and your in big trouble mister look. John looked down. “ He will need to rest and have his bandage changed.”
“ Can he go home?” Cap Asked.
“ Yup, but he better stay at Johns for a couple of days, so you can take care of him.”
“ No problem, I’ll go call Carmen and tell her.” John turned and headed for the phone wondering what Alex had told Lois that got him in trouble.
“ I’m glad he’s alright.” Cap smiled at Lois.
“Yea he’s seen worse.” Lois all of the sudden felt like she was in high school. Cap turned to leave but Lois grabbed his arm. “ Cap, would you like to get something to eat later?” She flushed a bit as she asked.
“ Ah, yea that would be great.” Cap was caught off guard, but thrilled at the invite and had to suppress a smile that could easily go from ear to ear. John walked back over and saw the two of them talking awkwardly then knew why he was in trouble and what his momentarily anemic friend had said to Lois.
“ Hope I’m not interrupting?” John smiled.
“ No, no everything is fine.” Cap said almost defensively. “ So I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yea, you can pick me up around eight.” Lois let go of Cap’s arm and walked away with a little more spring in her step.
“ Carmen said she would be happy if Alex stayed with us.” John spoke to Cap through a wide smile. “ Hey.” He was cut off.
“ Don’t say a thing.” Cap looked at John. “ I want to see a report on my desk first thing in the morning.”
“ You sure first thing.” John was about to speak when Cap sternly pointed at him. “ Ok, first thing.” John held his hands up and Cap walked away.
About ten minutes later Alex walked out of the two gray swinging doors of the emergency ward. He had a sling on holding his right arm tight to his chest and smiled when he saw John. “ I think I may have blabbed our little secret to Lois.”
“ Oh, you mean the one about her and Cap?” John said nonchalantly.
“ Yea, maybe she just thought I was babbling.” Alex sat heavily in a chair next to John.
“ Oh.” John took a deep breath. “ I don’t think so.” He looked at the TV.
“ What do you mean?” Alex sat straight and adjusted his sling, wincing slightly in the process.
“ It might be their date at eight tonight, or the death stare she gave me but I think she heard you loud and clear.” John smiled and looked at his shoes.
“ Date!” Alex stood. “ She asked him out on a date.” He laughed.
“ Yup and he accepted.” John stood and grabbed his empty coffee cup.
“ That’s great.” Alex laughed.
“ Yea, we will celebrate out victory at home. You are going to stay with us for a couple of days. I called Carmen and she is expecting us.” John turned and headed for the exit, with Alex following.
“ Alex you be careful out there.” Lois spoke as she came through the doors.
“ Yea, you too.” Alex and John both chuckled.
“ Go on get.” Lois said with a smirk.
“ Their perfect for each other.” John whispered to Alex on the way out the exit.
“ I heard that.” Lois’s voice flowed behind them.

Alex and John pulled into John’s driveway, it was about six and Carmen was planning on serving dinner at six-thirty. Alex got out and looked at the stucco exterior of the building. It had been freshly painted and it looked as though there had been a lot of landscaping done recently. “ Well, I see that you have become a new man.” Alex was talking about John as a pre Carmen man. He was the typical bachelor. Things just didn’t get picked up, most of the time it looked as though he had slept in his clothes, and he was unhappy. Now that Carmen was in his life, he had done a complete three-sixty, he looked at his friend; it was defiantly for the best.
As they started up the drive the door opened and Carmen came strolling out. “ Well, Butch, Sundance, I was hoping you would get here before dinner.” She walked over and Gave John a deep kiss and Alex a peck on the cheek. “ Alex I would really like it sometime if you would come over for a social visit instead of to heal.” She laughed and turned and the three walked into the house. Inside they sat in the living room and Carmen brought out a bottle of wine and some crackers.
“ Thank you.” Alex said as he was handed a glass of wine. He looked at Carmen and smiled. She was about five- five and well proportioned. She was in a red dress that brought out her light cream color brilliantly. He was happy that John was finally with someone that he approved of. It was even better that it was with a good friend and co-worker in the department.
“ So, what happened this time?” Carmen sat on the arm of the red leather couch exposing a set of shapely legs which John immediately rested his hand on. She was used to Alex and John getting themselves injured, she has accepted it and let John do his job but hoping that he would return every night still wore on her nerves. Alex on the other hand, even though not with the department any more, was usually right beside John. It was sort of a good cop ex-cop team.
“ He got held up outside his house.” John took a sip of wine.
“ Yea if it wasn’t for the lone ranger here I would have been more than mugged.” Alex held his glass up in a cheer to John.
“ Ooh, my man once again to the rescue.” Carmen kissed John on the cheek.
“ Alex has saved my ass more than once, I figured that it was a good time to repay him.” All three clinked glasses. “ Cap met us at the hospital.”
“ That must have been fun.” Carmen made a face, she liked Cap but his disposition was a bit much at times.
“ Actually it was.” Alex winked at John.
“ You gonna let me in on your little secret?” Carmen said as she poured more wine.
“ Not yet.” John took a cracker and put a slice of the cheddar cheese on it and ate it in one bite.
“ Fine, I hope the couch is comfortable tonight.” Carmen got up and headed for the kitchen.
“ Alex has the couch, I think I will have to sleep with you, again.” John took another sip of wine. Carmen turned and pointed a finger at him then went into the kitchen.
“ Why does everyone keep doing that to me?” John made a face of disgust as he spoke.

Kevin Randall better known to his friends as Hacker sat in the Kingpin lounge in Barstow. He got the name Hacker from when he worked in the slaughterhouses in Chicago. He was in charge of hack sawing the ribs up on the steer carcasses; he was fast and efficient. Kevin hated it and even hated the nickname more. He was fired one day after a fight over the nick name came to blows and with one swift motion took off the index finger of a co-worker with his saw. He felt that being fired from that job was the best thing that ever happened to him. He moved out to the desert to get away from the city and all the jerks that lived there. It wasn’t long after that he met a Indian guy named Joe Blacktoe. They became friends and ran together, causing some problems in the desert, those being robberies. They would scope out tourists that wanted to experience the thrill of panning for gold, follow them then take their hard-earned trophies. It wasn’t much but they considered it fun. One day Joe followed this guy, they later found out that his name was Charlie Wyre, he had made some type of find but they couldn’t figure it out. Joe got a little exited and ended up killing the guy and himself in the process.
Hacker looked around the dingy interior of the bar. It lacked everything, charm, cleanliness, and sometimes beer. But it worked for him. No tourist would be caught dead in here. He was sitting alone when the door opened and the light from the outside flashed through out the bar, a light wind stirred some dust up. The door closed and a tall clean cut man walked over to the bar and sat heavily about two seats away from him. It looked as though the bartender, a chubby man with a perpetually red face knew him. They chatted and the stranger got a scotch. Kevin thought hi-roller and watched with some interest. They were now deep in conversation and he caught a name that threw him for a loop. The stranger was talking about a couple of strange snakebite cases, and he said Wyre. Trying to be nonchalant as possible he went to the small Pit Boss gambling machine that was closer to the two and dropped a quarter into the slot. Both men looked away from their conversation at him. He forced himself to look directly at the machine in intense concentration. His ploy worked, the men turned and continued their conversation and Kevin was now well within earshot. He pressed buttons absently as he listened. He found out that the dead guy was from San Diego, and two other guy’s had come to pick up the body. The coroner’s name was Bob Wrath and the other guy was a friend of Charlie’s. Bingo, he thought if he was a good enough friend to come all the way out here he might know what Charlie had found. Kevin got up abruptly knocking the stool that he was sitting on.
“ He’s a sore looser.” The bartender commented.
“ Yea.” The other man walked over and picked up the stool. He glanced at the machine and saw that the guy hadn’t even finished his game. He turned the machine towards the bartender and smiled. “ The idiot didn’t even finish his game. He pressed a button and a three showed on the screen, adding up to a twenty-one. The machine shrieked and a bunch of quarters flooded out of the bottom. “ Should I try to find this guy.”
“ Naa, keep it, it must be your lucky day.” The bartender poured another scotch.
Kevin heard the game come to life and swore. He could have really used the money, but if all was as that guy said, then he might never need money again. He jumped into his black mustang and disappeared into the night.

Alex woke the next morning and groaned, the pain in his arm was like a hot poker burning his flesh. He sat up and looked around with tired eyes. The house was empty. He figured that John and Carmen had already headed off to work, looking at the clock he saw that it was Ten. They had probably left at eight. He stood and felt a little woozy and sat again. Alex looked around and sighed. This being shot thing was getting really old. He took a few breaths and stood fighting off the dizziness then walked to the fridge. On the door was a note left for him. He pulled the note from the door and read it.

Alex, we are at work, if there is anything you need give either Carmen or I a call at the station. Other than that relax. Lois said it would be a couple of days until your body healed enough for you to get shot again, Just kidding. But please take it easy.

-John-

Alex smiled and opened the door, pulling out the orange Juice he found a glass, poured some and sat down at the kitchen table. He looked around at the neat interior of the house then slowly pulled out the small manila envelope that was in the safe deposit box. Using his good hand he opened it and dumped the diamond onto the hard surface of the table, it hit with a tingling sound, picking it up he examined it closely. To him it looked like a hunk of glass except for the sharp flat areas or as he recalled from his geology 101 classes facets. He spun it between his index finger and his thumb noting that the edges felt sharp. Taking his glass he guiltily looked around then brought one of the sharp edges along the side creating a deep gouge. “ Charlie where the hell did you find this.” He said out loud. He put the diamond or what he was pretty sure it was down and drank some of the juice then held up the glass and looked at the mark once more. Getting up he steadied himself and walked over to the phone and dialed.

John was sitting in his office; a small enclosure that held three tall file cabinets, a straight backed metal chair with well flattened cushioning on the seat and a standard gray metal desk. He was situated behind the desk with a haze of bluish smoke hovering inches over his head. Carmen had asked him to stop smoking and he said he would. This was his first cigarette of the day and he had gone from about two to three packs a day, to less than a half. He felt that this was a good start. Cap walked into the office and sat heavily on the chair, he was holding a file.
“ What the hell are you doing?” He looked at John who had one foot up on the second drawer of the desk and he was looking at the crack in the ceiling that ran from one corner to almost the middle of the room.
“ Hey, I went from many cigarettes to very few, I’m just enjoying what little I have.” John looked at Cap and smiled contently.
“ Well I don’t mean to disturb your blissful time but we have to Talk.” Cap tossed the file on the desk and it slid to the edge.
“ What’s this?” John took his foot from where it was resting and pulled the file closer to him and opened it. “ Arthur Johnson.” He read out loud. “ Age forty-two, height six foot one.” He scanned the cover page and read on as he flipped it. “ Arrested for five counts of armed robbery, three counts of battery, arson, bank, robbery, and attempted murder. Sounds like he’s been a bad boy.” John looked at Cap. “ Why did you give this to me? Did he kill someone?” John sat back and took a long drag off of his cigarette.
“ No, he’s the guy you popped.” Cap waited for a response.
“ The bum from yesterday?” John sat up a little straighter.
“ Yea, sort of an odd record for a mugger, wouldn’t you say.”
“ Just a bit.” John looked through the folder once more with renewed interest.
“ I’m going to have this guy and the other one we have in custody checked out a little more, you don’t think Alex has gotten himself into something he feels we don’t need to know about do you.” Cap sat forward and rubbed his hands together.
“ Alex, no, he would have told me.” John crushed out his cigarette. “ I’ll ask him but I think it’s just a coincidence.” John handed the folder back to Cap.
“ His address is in Barstow.”
“ Maybe he’s a drifter, with that record I wouldn’t stay in one place too long either.” John stood.
“ Could be, but, you never know.” Cap stood and walked out. John looked at the half-smoked cigarette and shook his head.

Alex hung up the phone and went back to the kitchen table. He had called his good friend Ted Ford and asked if he could talk to him in the morning. Ted had a tee time set and asked Alex to play. Alex had explained about his hurting his arm but Ted insisted he was going to play and Alex was welcome to ride along. Alex agreed and would meet him at the country club, figuring that Carmen and John would be busily working at that time.

Kevin Randall looked at his watch, Jess Farrow was late. He had convinced her to let him use her car and some of her dad’s old surveillance stuff. Jess’s dad had died two years ago in a car accident. He was a private eye and from what Kevin had heard a pretty good one. Jess couldn’t part with all his equipment and put it up in her attic. Kevin and Jess had been seeing each other on and off for a while and he always found himself going to the attic and fiddling with the old equipment. As every kid dreamed of when they were little, he thought it would be cool to be a private eye. Well with this Alex character being the only lead to what Charlie had found, it was his turn to live his childhood fantasy. He was thinking of how he was going to go about this when a blue van came gunning into the lot where he was waiting, a big plume of dust following. It came to a stop with a slight skid and Jess jumped out. Kevin looked at her and smiled, She was a beautiful girl with red hair and a tight body. Jess was wearing a halter top and short cut off jeans. She bounced over to Kevin and kissed him deeply then looked into his eyes with a forlorn look.
“ Thank you for the van, and no you can’t go.” Kevin said in a low gravely voice.
“ Come on Hack.” Jess’s voice sounded as good as she looked. She took her index finger and traced the buttons on the front of Kevin’s plaid shirt.
“ Hey, Kevin stepped back, This is serious and I don’t want to have to worry about you.” He straightened his collar and looked at the van. He knew that he had to keep her here but she had a way of making him cave easily and he wasn’t going to let it happen this time.
“ Fine.” Jess turned seeing that her usual manipulation was not working. “ But give me a hint of what you are doing.”
“ I can’t yet, but I will call when I get there and as things go I’ll keep you informed.” Kevin walked over and tried to kiss her but Jess turned her head. He put his hand on her cheek and slowly turned her so she was facing him. “ Promise.” He kissed her gently and she smiled.
“ Promise.” Jess looked at him.
“ Promise.” Kevin pulled the keys for his car out and dropped them into the palm of her hand. “ Take care of her.” He looked at his car.
“ I will, be careful.” Jess turned and ran to the car, it roared with life and she took off spitting up sand and dust. Kevin watched the car disappear into the wavy desert distance then got into the van and pulled away.

When Carmen and John got home they were greeted at the door with a wonderful smell coming from inside the house. Alex opened the door and the two stepped in. “ Hi, mom, dad, your home early.” Alex smiled as well as John and Carmen seeing Alex covered in an apron, his arm and sling creating a bulge in his chest.
“ Well, I hope the meal will taste better than the chef looks.” John hung his coat up on the wooden rack by the door. Alex looked at his outfit and frowned.
“ Don’t laugh, I’m thinking of having a suit made out of this print.” He looked admiringly at the apron covered with pots and pans.
“ Wow, you’ve been busy.” Carmen was already in the kitchen looking in the various pots and pans on the stove. Then she saw the sink piled high with dishes. “ Or did you already have the party.” She looked at Alex.
“ Oh, don’t worry John will take care of those.” Alex slapped John on the back and smiled as he joined Carmen in the kitchen.
The three of them sat down to a wonderful meal of roasted chicken with stuffing and garlic mashed potatoes. After dinner Carmen and Alex sat in the living room and sipped wine while John who now dawned the apron was busily scrubbing the dishes and making a bit more noise in the kitchen than was needed. “ Honey, if you have a minute could you get us some more wine.” Carmen smiled and winked at Alex, she was enjoying this a little too much. John emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of Merlot and smiled. He was covered with water and left wet footprints on the wood floor as he walked over.
“ Yes mam, and if there is anything else your humble servant can get for you while he scrubbith’s the dishes just ring your little bell.” John poured the wine. “ And sir if you need anything please ask before I decide to ring your little neck.” John filled Alex’s glass and walked back to the kitchen and proceeded to pound on some pans.
“ Maybe I better go help dry.” Alex stood and quickly walked to the kitchen.
By the time all the dishes were washed dried and put away it was about ten and all three were standing in the kitchen. “ Tomorrow its take out.” John looked at both Carmen and Alex and smiled. “ Alex buys.” He looked at his watch. “ Well we got a lot to do in the morning, I’m going to hit the hay.” He kissed Carmen and snapped the dishtowel at Alex then went to bed.
“ Me too, good night, and thanks for the great meal.” Carmen gave Alex a kiss on the cheek and followed John. Alex put his glass in the sink and went to his couch and lay down.

The next morning Alex pretended to sleep while Carmen and John went through their morning rituals. They were out the door by seven. As soon as the car was gone Alex sat up and yawned. His shoulder was a bit stiff but it was nothing that a hot shower couldn’t fix. He showered being careful not to get his wound to wet and go dressed. It took a little longer than he thought it would but for only using one hand he thought he did pretty well. He looked at his watch and headed out the door, knowing that driving hid standard was going to be a task in itself. Alex learned how to deal with shifting by using his leg for steering. He pulled into the country club parking lot at eight fifty-five.
“ Alex you didn’t drive yourself?” Ted Ford’s booming voice filled the lot. Alex looked over and saw him strolling in hid direction. Ted was about five years older than Alex’s thirty-five, His once close cropped black hair was now longer and it was more salt and pepper with two very distinct shots of gray just above the ears. It made him look ten years older and that is what he attributed to his financial success, he once said that if you look older people treat you with more respect and trust your judgement a little more. For him that was defiantly true. He now owned a multitude of businesses in the area and as John said had more money than God.
“ Well, why not, gonna have to drive sometime.” Alex got the rest of the way out of the car and stood up straight adjusting his sling. Ted came over and shook his hand with an iron grip.
“ I’m glad you made it, my other two had to cancel.” He shrugged.
“ Well that’s good I really need to talk to you alone.” Alex closed the door and both men started walking to the cart barn.
“ Really.” Ted paused and looked at his friend. “ Sounds serious, you in some sort of trouble?” He started walking again.
“ Let’s talk on the course.” Alex fell silent as they got the cart and headed for the first tee.
The course was sparse with golfers, well what Alex could see of it; this was good. He and Ted made small talk about Sandy who had left him and moved to Georgia, a subject that he rarely talked about since it was not on good terms. Ted wanted to know all about John and Carmen. He had been kept well informed since Carmen’s sister worked as a head tech in one of his genetic research facilities outside of town. Cathy and Ted were as well involved but neither had a lot of time to go visiting. Around the ninth green the subject of Charlie came up and Ted was wondering what had really happened. Alex told of the story and how he had gone to Barstow to retrieve the body and this led to the mugging bringing Ted right up to date.
“ Alex Staples getting mugged.” Ted looked at Alex. “ Getting sloppy in your old age. I could remember when we were kids you could tell me what people behind you were wearing for shoes at the mall. I never thought you would loose that uncanny perception of knowing what was going on around you all the time.” He shook his head.
“ Well.” Alex paused. “ That is sort of why I have come to you.”
Ted had his one wood in his hand and was about to swing then stopped. He walked over and put it back into his bag and walked over to Alex. “ O.k. spill it.”
“ I didn’t exactly get mugged.” Alex stood pulling the small envelope out of his front pocket. He explained the whole deal to Ted leaving nothing out, the bank the cassette all was said. Then he handed the envelope to Ted. Ted opened it and poured the contents out into the palm of his thick hand. Without saying a word he held it up to the sun and looked scrutinizing it.
“ I can see why someone would kill for this.” He rolled it in his fingers. “ This is what Charlie had found?”
“ I think there are more, and where ever he found it is a mystery to me since the tape went the way of the coocoo.” Alex sat hard on the cushion of the cart and it made a hissing noise as the air was pushed out. “ But whoever tried to kill me must think that I know.”
“ Well the first thing to do is authenticate it.” Ted slipped it back into the envelope and handed it to Alex.
“ That’s why I came to you. If you can get some of your guys at the exchange to look at it maybe we can start to pinpoint where the hell he got this from.” Alex stuck the diamond back into his pocket.
“ I can call a meeting of the executives tomorrow, it will be just a few select people, so we can keep it quiet.” Ted pulled his one wood out once more and continued to play. He hit the ball and watched it sail in a straight line and land about two hundred –seventy-five yards out. He replaced the club and sat next to Alex. “ Have you told John about this?” Ted pushed the gas pedal and the motor kicked on.
“ No for now I would rather leave him out of the loop. He is still a cop and it could slow things down.” The cart began to move and they bounced down the course in the direction of the ball.

“ Cap I don’t know where he is.” John sat down behind his desk and folded his arms agitatedly.
“ Jesus he’s staying at your house, he wasn’t supposed to go anywhere, so where the hell is he!” Caps voice was loud and to John’s ears irritating.
“ Maybe he is in the shower.” John snapped back.
“ I asked you to ask him about this guy last night.” Cap was waving the folder with the name of the dead guy on it in the air wildly.
“I got home and forgot.” John pulled out a cigarette and searched for a pack of matches in his coat.
“ Well when you get home no matter what he has cooked, ask him. This could be a lead into something.” Cap stormed out of John’s office and slammed the door.

Kevin Randall pulled the blue van into the parking lot of the San Diego Medical Research Center. He decided that the best place to start his search for Alex staples was at the ME’s offices. He pulled out the small note pad that he bought at a local drugstore and looked at the name at the top of the list. “ Bob Wrath.” He said out loud to himself. He got out of the van and looked around. Then walked the front door and entered. A receptionist was sitting in the middle of the lobby, busily filing her long orange nails.
“ May I help you?” She stopped mid file and smiled.
“ Yes I’m here to see Bob Wrath.” Kevin smiled politely.
“ Is he expecting you?” She looked at a list on her desk. “ Mr.” She stopped and looked up at Kevin.
“ Ahh, Johnson, Henry Johnson.” Kevin smiled hoping that he didn’t stammer too much and cause some suspicion. He felt stupid; of course they were going to ask for a name.
“ I don’t see your name on the list.” She shuffled a couple of papers around and looked up with a painted on smile.
“ Well, it’s un-expected, If you could tell him that it has to do with Charlie Wyre I’m sure he will see me.” Kevin folded his arms in front of him and sighed, trying to look agitated.
“ One moment please.” The receptionist stood and walked though a pair of metal doors at the far end of the lobby. Kevin watched wondering if he should get out of there. He decided against it and waited looking at the pictures on the walls while he did. In a few moments the doors swung open and a gray haired man that looked to be in his fifties followed The woman. “ Mr. Johnson.”
“ Yes, Kevin looked over at the two of them.
“ Mr. Johnson, Bob Wrath.” Bob stuck out a beefy hand and shook Kevin’s.
“ Henry Johnson.” Kevin smiled once again, bingo. “ I was a friend of Charlie’s and have some things that he wanted his friend Alex Staples to know.” Kevin waited for a response.
“ Alex is not here.” Bob was slightly confused. “ He was a friend of Charlie’s but doesn’t work here.” Bob looked Kevin over and fell uncomfortably quiet.
“ Is there any way that I can get hold of him.” This was not going well and it looked as though Bob was getting suspicious. If this was to go right he needed both in one place, to shut Bob up and get information from Alex. “ Well, what I have is probably of interest to you as well. If you could call Alex and have him come down at around.” Kevin looked at his watch fleetingly. “ Six, I would appreciate it.” Kevin smiled.
“ I think I could handle that.” Bob looked at the receptionist that was sitting back at her desk. “ Could you give Alex a call and let him know that A Henry Johnson would like to talk to him about Charlie at six, here tonight.”
“ I’ll do that right away.” Came a happy reply.
“ Then we will talk tonight.” Kevin shook Bob’s hand and left quickly. Kevin sat in the van and put his head on the wheel. He knew that he had screwed up. It was good to get the two of them together in one spot, but the problem still remained of keeping them quiet.

Alex and Ted shook hands, Alex jumped into his car and left deciding since he was close to his apartment he would swing by, get the mail and check his messages. He pulled up to the curb and looked at the spot where he had been shot. Getting out of the car he walked over to the storm drain hoping that the recorder would be there. As he thought it was long gone. He walked up the front stairs and pulled out his keys. He noticed that the lawn needed to be mowed, and the hedges that lined the front of the small yard were looking a little scruffy. He would call the landlord and have the caretaker come out and give the place a makeover. He opened the door and walked inside. He flicked on the light and sat down. The place was quiet and he felt like he had been gone for a week instead of a day. Looking over at the pile of mail on the floor he reached out and picked it up. He pushed the message button on the answering machine and listened as he went through the mail. There was nothing of interest; the same went for the messages, until the last one. It was from Bob Wrath’s receptionist. A guy wanted to talk to him about Charlie. Alex stood and looked at his watch. It was three and he had a few hours to kill. He opened some windows and sat back down looking at the picture of the ship that Charlie had given him. He hoped this mystery man whoever he was would shed some light on this whole thing. He took his sling off and rotated his arm. It felt pretty good. Since it was basically a flesh wound it would heal pretty quickly.
Alex opened his eyes and focused on the clock on the opposite wall. “ Five-thirty.” He stood and looked in the mirror. As expected he looked like he had just woken up. “ I look like hell, but I feel great.” He smiled at himself and walked out the door. He pulled into the lot at the ME’s office and parked. This was an unusual time to meet, he was sure that they closed for business at five. Looking around he saw Bob’s car sitting alone. He got out thinking that whoever this guy was late. Alex opened the door to the reception area and looked around. “ Bob?” He said half yelling it, no answer. He stood for a second and looked at the doors that led back to the offices and the freezer. Alex did not like this building one bit. He put his hand on the metal door and took a deep breath, reading himself for the smell of formaldehyde and other strange odors that come along with death. He pushed the door open and stuck his head in. “ Bob.” No response. Alex walked in slowly and felt the usual dizzy feeling that he gets there. He walked down the hall that was lit dimly by some utility lights. He saw that Bob’s office light was on, he walked to the door and peeked in. As soon as he saw Bob something felt wrong. Bob was in his leather chair leaning back; his body was slightly in a shadow cast on him by the large gray filing cabinet to his left. Alex took a step closer and looked around the room. “ Bob.” He spoke softly as he cautiously looked around. Alex approached Bob and saw immediately the large red stain on his chest. At once all the muscles in his neck tightened as he put his fingers on Bob’s neck, No pulse. He reached for the phone just as he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. He stepped sideways and felt the air displaced by something. He turned to see a man in a mask winding up for another swing, this one connected with Alex’s forearm as he tried to block it. Pain shot through his body as he hit the floor and rolled out of range towards the door. He stood and threw a rabbit punch at the man and heard a grunt as his fist hit solidly. The intruder lost his momentum and Alex took the opportunity to let a kick fly that caught him low on the ribcage. There was a yell of pain and Alex backed up as the man hit the floor. He put himself between the door and the man; he was going to make sure that he didn’t have a way out. Alex took one step closer and stopped. There was an un-mistakable sound of the cocking of a hammer. The intruder stood painfully and aimed the weapon at Alex.
“ Alex Staples?” The voice was hoarse and full of pain. “ You better give me some information or you will be joining your friends soon.
“ What kind of information?” Alex took a step back towards the door.
“ One more step and I’ll blow your knee off.” The man stepped closer to Alex.
“ Hey, let’s just relax.” Alex’s mind was going a mile a minute. He realized that this guy didn’t want him dead, which was a little comfort, of course going throughout life with no knee override his relief at the time. In the distant night sirens could be heard, and they were getting louder.
“ Shit!” A muffled voice said. “ I guess we will have to finish this later.” The man walked over to where Alex was standing and without warning pistol-whipped him on the head. Alex went down and watching the man who walked out the door. He turned his attention to the body of Bob then all went black.
Kevin Randall half ran and half limped back to the van and got in. He leaned back and pulled the blood soaked mask from his face. His jaw hurt and the pain in his stomach was excruciating. He slammed his fist on the dash and swore. He had planned on going in and giving them a little scare. Get what he needed and leave. Bob was talking to him and started asking some weird questions he reached for the phone and Kevin panicked and pulled his gun. “ Damn.” He let out a breath and started the van. He hadn’t counted on Alex being so big or quick. This whole thing was a mess. Now he would have to do a little surveillance to try to get what he needed. He started the van and pulled out passing three cop cars, lights flashing, as he drove down into the heart of the city.
Alex awoke and focused on a man’s face about a foot away from his. He immediately grabbed him by the arms and threw him over against the filing cabinet and stood quickly ready once again to fight for his life. From behind he felt two more people grab him and bring him back to the floor, he fought them but to no avail, then he heard a familiar voice.
“ Jesus!” John’s voice boomed inside the room. “ Let go of him, Alex it’s alright, relax.” John’s face came into view.
“ John?” Alex spoke as the others around him backed away.
“ Yea.” John bent down over his friend and smiled.
“ What the hell?” Alex sat up and put his hand on the back of his head where he had been hit; there was a welt the size of a golf ball.
“ Take it easy.” John gave Alex a hand up. Alex looked around and saw that all work in the office had stopped and they were al looking at him. Alex looked around and saw two EMT people helping up one of their co-workers that Alex had sent across the room, there was a small cut under his eye where he had hit the edge of the cabinet.
“ Oh, Jesus sorry.” Alex walked over to the technician and put his hand on his shoulder. The guy looked at him and forcibly flung his hand off and walked away with the other two in toe. The Tec’s walked through the door as Cap was coming in; Cap looked at the cut under his eye then entered the office.
“ What the hell just happened?” He looked around at the silent people standing around. “ We have work to do.” A flurry of activity once more started.
“ Alex woke up and saw the Tech, he must have thought it was his attacker, he sort of threw him across the room into that.” John pointed to the cabinet.
“ Christ.” Cap shook his head. “ Alex what the hell happened here.” Cap walked over and leaned on the desk. Alex walked over to the window and peered out into the night. He turned and told them the whole story, well, most of it. He left out the part about his meeting with the mystery man and about the connection to Charlie but for the most part he seemed to satisfy John and Cap. “ You sure you’re not leaving anything out?” Cap gave Alex a disbelieving look.
“ Why would I do that?” Alex stared back.
“ Well, from where I stand, I see two guys dead and you are in the middle of both.”
“ The first guy was mugging me.” Alex held his hands up; he was starting to get a little frustrated with the captain.
“ We did a back round check, John was supposed to ask you about it last night.” Alex turned and looked at John.
“ I forgot.” John shrugged. “ You know dinner and stuff.”
“ Well.” Alex hurt and he had no time for this.
“ The two guys the, one in custody and the one John plastered to the wall were from Barstow. Cap took a deep breath and waited for a response.
“ Barstow?” Alex tried to sound surprised.
“ Yes Barstow, and I think there is a connection to all that has been happening since you brought your friends body back. So far there’s been two deaths and I feel that you might be the key to what is going on.” Cap walked to Bob’s desk and picked up a file and handed it to Alex. Alex looked at it and saw Charlie’s name on it. “ Seeing this only substantiates my suspicions. I need you to come clean with this.”
“ I can’t.” Alex said softly as he looked at the name, realizing that two of his friends were now dead.
“ What?” Cap stepped a little closer to Alex.
“ I can’t.” Alex looked up and gave the Cap a steely stare. “ I Can’t because I don’t know what the hell is going on.” Alex put the file on the desk and shook his head.
“ Then let us help.” John pushed the file over and sat on the edge of the desk; he pulled out a cigarette and fingered it.
“ Alex if you are in danger you need to let me, us know. You of all people should know that if you don’t the only way we can look at this is that you are hindering a police investigation.” Cap was calm and sounded sincere.
“ Give me some time, when I figure out what is happening you will be the first to know.” Alex shook his head.
“ Clear the room.” Cap looked at all the Tec’s working in the office. “ Now!” Everyone hastily exited. “ So while your figuring out why two people are dead how many more are going to die, three five. Maybe you!” Cap was pacing.
“ Look there is nothing to tell.” Alex’s voice was loud but in control.
“ Right, there is always nothing to tell!” Cap stopped pacing and was toe to toe with Alex. “ I’ve got two murders that just happened, there is obviously nothing to tell!” Cap was at full roar the veins in his forehead were bulging with such force Alex thought they were going to explode.
“ Give me time or take me in!” Alex gritted his teeth, John could see his jaw muscles tighten, he knew Alex was on the edge of cold cocking the captain.
“ Hold it.” John stepped between the two and felt if he was entering into a dogfight. “ Cap give him time, Alex you find out what the hell is going on and soon.” John looked at his two friends who were prone and ready to rip each other apart. “ This shit isn’t going to get us anywhere.”
“ God danm you two.” Cap walked away and looked out the window. “ You have three days, at the end of those three days you better come clean or I will take you in.” Cap turned and pointed a slightly shaky finger at Alex.
“ Deal.” Alex pushed by John and walked out into the hall where all the Tec’s were standing silently backs against the wall. Cap followed.
“ Don’t just stand there do your frigging jobs!” He barked out and left with a line of profanity following him.
“ You guys haven’t seemed to loose that wonderful love hate relationship that I admire so much.” John put a hand on Alex’s shoulder and Alex turned.
“ Don’t start I’ve had a bad couple of days.” Alex growled John let go of his shoulder and held his hands up.
“ Sorry bad timing.” He smiled slightly. “ Where to now?”
“ You’re going home and I’m going to see Judy Wrath.” Alex ran both hands through his blond hair and sighed.
“ I can come.” John leaned on the wall and looked absently at the clock above Bob’s office.
“ No, I have three days to figure this out, and that means you give me some room as well.” Alex looked at John.
“ But..” John was cut off by a wave of Alex’s hand. “ Ok, o.k. it’s your show. Let’s hope it’s not your funeral.” John pushed himself off the wall and walked away.
“ Let’s not.” Alex pushed off of the wall and slowly walked down to the exit.

Alex pulled up to Bob and Judy’s house on Coronado Island; He sat in the car breathing deeply. He got out of his car and started the walk up to the house. He saw a curtain pull back and Judy’s face appeared at the window. She went to the door and opened it. Alex could see her silhouette standing in the door. She took one step out and saw Alex’s face and ran to him.
“ Alex.” She took him by the arm. “ Are you alright?” Here come in, Bobby should be home any minute.” With that Alex looked deep into Judy’s eyes and took a long breath.
“ Judy.” Alex looked away bringing the palm of his hand onto his forehead.
“ Alex, what is it?” Judy’s voice all of the sudden became shaky. “ Please your scarring me.” She put her hand on his moist cheek and turned his face to hers.
“ Bob… Bob was killed tonight.” The tears rolled freely down Alex’s cheek as he looked into the terrified eyes of Judy.
“ No, No, Alex it’s not true!” She started to shake. “ No, you’re lying!” She started to cry. “ He’s coming home.” She stepped back and took a sobbing breath. “ Tell me he’s coming home.” She stepped closer to Alex and started hitting him on the chest. “ Your lying, he’s coming home.” She was barely audible through the tears as he hit Alex with all her strength. Ales stood and let her. As he cried for her and Bob. Judy stopped hitting Alex and collapsed into his chest, She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face; her body shook as she cried. Alex put her arms around her and held her tight rocking her.
“ Shhh.” Alex tried to regain control of himself.
“ Oh Alex.” Judy felt her legs go limp, Alex caught her. Picking her up he walked to the house, setting her on the couch he placed a pillow under her head. He looked at her, she had fainted. He sat down in the chair beside her and put his face in his hands and let it all out.

“ Oh God.” Carmen put her hand to her mouth.
“ Yea, I asked if he needed me to go with him, but he said it was something he had to do for himself.” John sat heavily at the kitchen table.
“ Poor Alex.” Carmen walked over and sat on John’s lap.
“ Poor Judy.” John leaned his head on Carmen's shoulder and she stroked his hair gently.
“ What’s going on, how is this happening?” She looked at John.
“ I think it has something to do with Charlie’s murder. Those two guys that mugged Alex were from Barstow, and that’s where they went to get Charlie.”
“ Does Cap know?” Carmen stood and sat in one of the other chairs at the table.
“ Yea, but Alex won’t tell anyone, he wants me to stay out of it as well, until he finds out what is going on.”
“ Two people have been killed, two of his friends.” Carmen said disgustedly.
“ Alex doesn’t know why, or at least won’t tell us why.” John stood and walked to the window and stared out into the night at the lights on Coronado Island. “ Cap gave him three day’s to find out and if he doesn’t he’s gonna hold him for interfering with a police investigation.” John turned and looked at Carmen.
“ That’s insane.” Carmen stood and walked over to John. “ He can’t tell you anything if he doesn’t know anything.”
“ Unfortunately I think he does.” John shook head and looked down.
“ That’s a shitty thing to say.” Carmen’s voice was icy. “ You have been his best friend since childhood, he wouldn’t hold back from you.” Carmen walked away and sat on the couch in the other room. John stood at the window and took a breath.
“ That’s what scares me.” He said to himself.

Alex opened his eyes and sat up, he stretched and winced. Hid head throbbed and his shoulder was stiff. The couch where he had put Judy was empty. He stood and looked around. “ Judy?”
“ In here.” A weak voice came from the kitchen. Alex walked too the door and looked in. Judy was sitting holding a coffee mug in both hands, in front of her was a plate with scrambled eggs on it pushed forward a fork was lying on the plate. Judy saw Alex looking at it. “ I thought I was hungry.” She pursed her lips and a tear fell to the table. Alex walked over and sat close to her. She set the cup down gently and leaned on him. “ He never hurt anyone.” She sniffled and waved her hands around.
“ I know.” Alex just held her as she cried.
“ Alex.” She sat up and looked into his eyes. Alex looked back at her seeing the pain in her face and bloodshot eyes. “ You find who did this, you find them and kill them.” Her voice was hoarse from crying but the anger was clear enough.
“ I will find who did this, and why.” Alex put an arm around her and squeezed.
“ My Bobby is gone.” She didn’t cry she just looked down. “ I think I want to be alone for a while.” Judy stood and took her plate and dumped the eggs in the sink, then steadied herself on the edge of the sink.
“ Judy.” Alex was cut off.
“ I know, but please let me be for a while.” Alex stood and walked over to her and gave her a hug.
“ If you need me you know how to reach me.” Alex kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
Alex jumped into his car and looked into the rear view mirror. He looked terrible, his eyes were red and he looked like he hadn’t slept for days. He looked at his watch and decided that he would head home catch a quick shower and go to the diamond exchange and see Ted. Alex pulled out of Judy’s driveway and onto Ocean Ave heading across the bridge and to his apartment on First Avenue.
Kevin Randall hung up the phone. It was mid morning and he stood wearing just a towel he plodded into the bathroom and shaved. He had called Jess in Barstow and let her know that things were not going as well as he had hoped. He left out the part about killing Bob, realizing that she would freak out and probably drive to San Diego to see if he was all right. Kevin realized that he now was a killer. the thought sort of made him feel invincible. He was a renegade, this should have worried him but it didn’t. As a matter of fact it was a little thrilling.
He got dressed and sat on the single bed in his motel room and looked around. He picked up the gun that was sitting on the bedside table next to the bible the motel had provided and looked into the mirror. He smiled back at his reflection. “ Alex has no idea what he’s in for.” He pointed the gun at himself and pulled the gun back like it had kicked when he shot that other guy. He put the gun in the back waistband of his jeans and turned so that he could see it in the mirror. It felt good; maybe he had finally found something he was good at. He looked closely at the cut on his jaw that he got when Alex had hit him. Rubbing it he winced. “ Bastard.” He turned grabbed his leather coat and walked out the door.
Alex pulled out onto First avenue and drove along, his mind was busily trying to figure out what happened when he had to hit the brakes when a blue van ran a stop sign. The van screeched to a stop, Alex made eye contact with the driver then put the car into first and pulled around and continued along muttering to himself about what had just happened.
Kevin Randall sat stunned in the van. He couldn’t believe his luck; Alex obviously didn’t recognize him. A horn beep behind him and he looked back. Leaning out the window he gave the car behind him the finger and pulled through the intersection and drove on. He went up one street and pulled down a road he hoped would intersect with First Avenue. He was happy to find it did and looked for Alex’s car. It was about three cars ahead of his and he saw him pull into a driveway. “ I’ll, be dammed.” He watched Alex get out and go to a door then disappear. He got out of the van and checked his gun. Feeling confident he started walking toward Alex’s apartment. He was about to cross the street to his place when a undercover cop car pulled into the no parking zone in front of his apartment and a guy jumped out and went into Alex’s place. Kevin watched with interest for a few moments then looked at the road signs and headed back to his van. He was thinking that it was good a cop showed up. It was pretty stupid to try something here in the daylight. There is still a lot to learn about being a killer. He chuckled and jumped in the van, pulled out the Nikon camera that Jess had lent him and put on the two hundred-mm lens. “ Smile your on candid camera.” he clicked a picture of the apartment, the police car and the road signs.
“ Hey buddy.” John sat on the couch and looked at Alex who was sipping orange juice from the carton.
“ John don’t start.” Alex closed the container and put it back in the fridge.
“ I’m not here to start anything, Carmen and I are just worried that’s all.”
“ I know.” Alex walked into his room and took his shirt off.
“ How’s Judy doing.”
“ Awful.”
“ Alex I’m not here to try to get anything out of you.” John got up and walked to Alex’s bedroom door.
“ Good.” Alex’s voice was hollow through the thin wood door.
“ Right now I’m not a cop, I’m you friend.” John heard the shower start. “ Damnit Alex don’t leave me hanging.” John leaned on the frame of the door and sighed. The door opened and Alex stood looking at John in a towel.
“ I wouldn’t if I didn’t think I had to, give me the three days and in that time if I need your help as a friend and not cop you’ll know.” Alex closed the door.
“ I guess that’s the best I can hope for.” John exited Alex’s house and got into his car not aware that a camera was watching his every move.
Alex got dressed and picked up the envelope with the diamond in it. He put it in his pocket grabbed his keys and left.
“Hello.” Kevin pointed the camera at Alex and shot a few pictures. “ Don’t forget to lock your door.” He shot a couple of more and put the camera down.
Alex pulled out of his driveway and drove past Kevin’s van. Kevin crouched down and saw Alex pass him in the rear view mirror. He waited for a few minutes then jumped out of the van and headed for Alex’s apartment. Looking around he walked up to the door and knocked. Getting no answer he reached into his pocket and pulled out a door pick. With practiced precision he made a couple of slight movements with his pick and the door swung open. He peeked into the darkened interior. Knocking once more he entered and closed the door. He didn’t know how long he had so he made a cursory sweep of the inside then pulled out the camera. Snapping off a series of pictures. When he was satisfied he began to rifle through drawers not quite sure what he was looking for but sure he would know it when he found it.
Alex pulled into The parking lot of the San Diego Savings Bank and looked around. He thought it odd that Ted’s exchange was the top floor of where this mess all seemed to start. He walked into the lobby and pressed the elevator button. The doors opened and he entered, they were about to close when a hand reached through and stopped them. The doors parted and a middle aged man in a three-piece suit entered. “ That was close.” He smiled at Alex as he straightened his sleeve.
“ Yea, where you going?” Alex had already pressed the button for the top floor. The man looked at the lit up button then to Alex standing ready.
“ Looks like the same place you are, Sam Peterson.” The man held out his hand and Alex shook it.
“ Alex staples.” Alex looked at the eight hundred-dollar suit Sam was wearing and suddenly felt a little out of place in his Jeans and bomber coat.
“ You a member of the Exchange?” Sam gave Alex a once over.
“ No, just meeting someone.” Alex smiled as he felt the elevator start to rise.
“ Oh.” Sam fell silent for the rest of the trip. Alex silently swore at Ted for not telling him to dress accordingly. The elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal a elegantly decorated foyer. Sam stepped off. “ Nice to meet you.” He gave a smile and started to walk away.
“ Feeling is mutual.” Alex stepped off and looked around. All the people in the lobby, there were about eight were dressed in expensive suits. When Alex made eye contact they just nodded a how ya doing, you lost type of greeting. A door opened and Ted came out. All the men, which Alex figured were the members that Ted said he was going to call, walked over and shook his hand. A couple looked in Alex’s direction and said something to Ted. Ted looked to Alex and smiled.
“ Alex, glad you made it.” He walked over and gave Alex a big handshake.
“ Your still a bastard.” Alex spoke low.
“ But that’s why you like me.” Ted smiled knowing that Alex felt out of place. “ Everyone, I would like you to meet Mr. Alex staples.” The entourage of the rich and famous made their way to the two men. “ Alex and I have been friends since childhood, as a matter of fact he helped me start the exchange.” All the faces on the men turned to surprise.
“ Well, it’s a pleasure to know you.” An elderly man stuck out his hand and gave Alex a firm handshake. “ George Feldstine.” Alex shook his hand.
“ Yes we met, we had a pleasant conversation in the elevator.” Sam smiled slightly embarrassed.
“ It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.” Alex shook every ones hands and looked at Ted. Knowing that even though he just pointed out that the top floor of the bank was for sale one day when he and Ted were driving past. No one else knew that this was the extent of his helping start the Diamond Exchange. Ted had a way of knocking you down, but when he picked you up you were even higher than before, Ted gave Alex a wink.
“ Shall we go to the conference room?” Ted walked to a door and opened it. The members followed by Alex filed in. Alex looked at Ted as he passed him still holding the door and smiled, Ted shrugged and followed. Alex watched as the men gathered around the long mahogany table and sat in what looked like Chippendale chairs. In front of each sat a red felt cloth and placed along the top of the cloth was a box that Alex figured to be about eight inches long. Ted strode in and sat at the head of the table and motioned for Alex so take a seat at the other end. Alex sat looking down at the red felt and the box that was in front of him.
“ Gentlemen Mr. Staples has brought a very interesting sample in. He showed this to me the other day on the golf course and I asked him if it would be o.k. If I brought you all together to study it and help Alex shed some light on his little gem.” Ted looked at Alex and nodded. Alex extracted the manila envelope from his pocket and poured the contents into his hand. “ Since we are all together, I thought this would be a good exercise. You will each get a chance to study the specimen then explain to Alex using your particular area of expertise in the diamond field, what you think and feel about this piece.” Ted sat back and looked at Alex. Alex handed the diamond to Sam Peterson who was the first man sitting to his right. Sam pulled out a jeweler's loop from his pocket and studied it; he then opened the box to reveal a set of stones that ranged in color to an almost brown to clear white. He handled it then passes it on. This went on until the specimen made its way back to Alex. “ George Why don’t you start.”
“ Alex, my area in the diamond industry is a historian. With that I am going to give you a short history on the discovery and subsequent mining of diamonds.” George sat a little straighter. Diamonds are funny, Although we see there are concentrated occurrences it is still a mystery on how they actually did form. The theory that is most accepted is that the diamond was created deep within the Earth’s crust almost at the edge of the mantle. In this area it is felt that the carbon that makes up the diamond was subjected to intense heat and pressure, Now this pressure and heat changed the carbon in a process called metamorphism. Since the changes took place at such a deep level it is logical to assume that volcanic activity, or the flow of lava to the Earth’s surface was the main means for transporting the metamorphosed stone to the surface. The reason for this thinking is that if a diamond were to travel slowly up through the crust to the surface it would cool slowly, in turn other changes could occur. One of them being returning back to the carbon phase. The force and speed of explosive lava would bring the stones to the surface so fast that a rapid drop in temperature would not allow the crystal to endure any more changes. This is the main reason that diamonds are found in what are called tubes, these are formed by the lava cooling on the outside, if you think of worm holes in dried mud, the diamonds would be found in the walls of these worm holes. Since the diamond has such strong properties they can withstand elemental and historical climatic and erosive activities that would devastate other materials. It is that that makes the exact origin of the diamond almost impossible to pinpoint.” George sat back happily.
“ Very nice George.” The others agreed and nodded in agreement with George’s description. Alex sat silently, impressed with the history of the small stone he was holding.
“ So when they say diamonds are forever, they aren’t kidding.” Alex looked at the stone.
“ Leland.” Ted looked at a short wiry man with large glasses. “ Could you tell us of the occurrences of diamonds.
“ I would be happy to.” Leland smiled at Alex; his voice sounded like it came from a man three times as large as he was. “ Diamond mines as with any other precious stone migrate, by that I mean that digging will start in one place and another larger cache will be found and so forth. The first real mining of diamonds was done in India. This carried on for a few centuries, it wasn’t a big find but it was all that the entrepreneurs that funded these digs could find. In the early eighteenth century diamonds were discovered in Brazil. At that time such a large cache of diamonds was found that India all but became obsolete in the diamond recovery market and Brazil became the single largest world supplier of diamonds.” Leland stopped and adjusted his glasses then continued. “ This is what I mean by migration. In the mid to late nineteenth century deposits were found in South Africa. There were such vast amounts of diamonds that children were said to have used them as play objects. One child actually had tied a piece of string around what was to be later estimated as a twenty-one point seven carats diamond.” Leland laughed. “ He was pretending it was his pet.” He chuckled then composed himself. Alex could see that this was a man who either enjoyed his work or had a bit too much time on his hands. “ Sorry it always strikes me a little funny. Anyway, South Africa then became the major world supplier.”
“ What happened to Brazil?” Alex asked the question surprised at his interest.
“ Brazil was still producing a good amount of diamonds itself but it was minimal when put next to the African mines. Since the beginning of the twentieth century many more deposits have been found in places such as Angola and Zaire. Zaire is responsible for at least sixty percent of the worlds production, but most of the stones that are excavate are industrial, used on such things as drilling bits for oil rigs and sharpening apparatuses. Places like the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Guinea have also hit small deposits. Now it is Tanzania, which holds one of the largest deposits found in the world. And the Solviate union, well formerly the Solviate Union is the second largest producer of diamonds. They have also occurred in Guyana, Venezuela; some have also been found in Borneo, as well as China. Most recently they have started excavation in Australia.” Leland looked at Alex.
“ So there are numerous mines. What about America?”
“ Far as I know their have been no discoveries.” Leland smiled and fell silent.
“ I think he means that the possibilities are quite small, the amount of explosive volcanic activity in North America is not historically significant enough to bring stone up from deep within the crust.” George spoke as he lit a cigar.
“ Alex would you care for one?” Ted opened a box and showed it to Alex.
“ No thanks, but I’ll take one for John.” He took one and put it in his shirt pocket.
“ Shall we continue.” Ted once again sat back, cigar in hand and motioned to Marcus Howe. A tall balding man, that looked to be in his late forties or early fifties. Marcus cleared his throat and started to speak with a gravely voice that made Alex automatically rub his throat.
“ Alex, as you know the diamond is one of the most valuable and precious stones on the market. It’s value being followed at a close distance by rubies and emeralds. The value of a diamond however, is found using a very, well, seemingly complex grading system. The basis is known in the industry as the four C’s, those being carat, cut, color and clarity. The lesser of these in the true value of a diamond is the cut, for most it is a purely cosmetic shaping of the stone. Now as to weight, diamonds of three thousand carats have been found, but for the most part heavy diamonds in the rough, which is what you have, are rare. Even rarer are heavily cut diamonds. You have heard of heavy cut diamonds such as the Tiffany and others. These are rare because most diamonds when cut will loose upwards of sixty percent of their original weight. That is why a diamond that you see in a store that is one carat can be considerably more in cost to one of the same quality that is .9 carats. This is because the size of the rough diamond was big enough to cut and produce a carat.” Marcus stopped and rolled the tip of his cigar around in the ashtray creating a perfect point on the end then continued. “ Color is a major player in value as well. If you would be kind enough to open the box in front of you.” Alex reached over and flipped the cover up and saw that there were diamonds in the box lined up with letters in front of them from D-M. “ This is what we call a master set, it is a system used by the main trading centers all over the world to distinguish the coloring of diamonds. A diamonds value can be determined by color using this scale. As you see there it goes from a yellow stone to a perfectly white. White is the most valuable, the exception is if a stone is perfectly yellow, or canary. These can be as valuable as a white stone.”
“ So I would put this up against these to determine color.” Alex picked up the stone and ran it along the others while the men at the table silently watched. “ It looks like it sits at H or even I.” Alex looked at Marcus.
“ You are correct.” He closed his box. “ That would make it, as to color a very valuable stone. Now purity, Purity is the absence of inclusions. Inclusions are small bits of carbon that are still present in the stone. Looking at it by eye or using a 10x jewelers loupe does this, you saw Sam use it on your stone. We grade this on a scale of vvs, or very very small inclusions, vs very small inclusions, si, and so on. Some stones are littered with inclusions we call those p1, p2, p3 stones, these hold almost no value.”
“ Here take my loupe and look at your stone.” Sam handed Alex his loupe and Alex studied the stone.
“ I don’t see much.” He turned the stone in his fingers as he peered at it. “ Just a couple of little specks, almost too small to see with this thing.” He looked up and put the diamond on the felt and handed back Sam’s loupe.
“ Good, from what I saw you’re correct as well. This stone would be a vvs clarity, and an I coloring. Its weight we measure with these small calipers and it looks to be.” Marcus took the stone and squinted at the marks on the calipers. “ 2.2 carats.” It’s an excellent specimen and if cut right worth thousands of dollars.” He handed the stone back down the table to Alex.
“ I don’t mean to pry.” Sam looked at Alex. “ But where did you find such a nice stone?”
“ Would you believe me if a friend of mine found it in the California Nevada area.” Alex thought better of saying the Mojave desert.
“ What!” Leland burst out. “ That’s preposterous.”
“ From what I heard it is but that’s where this came from.
“ My God.” Sam said. Alex thought he sounded a little nervous. “ Are there a lot?”
“ I don’t know, I just came to find out if it was real.” Alex put the diamond back in the envelope. “ Gentlemen thank you for your help, and this was most interesting.” He stood and shook their hands, looking at the stunned looks on all their faces.
“ Alex can I talk to you in my office.” Ted stood and walked out of the room. Alex followed.
Sam Peterson looked at his watch nervously, he knew he had to call his boss and report what he had learned. He listened to the rest of the member’s chatter about the possibility of a diamond mine being discovered in the United States. As a new member he thought it would be detrimental to his standing with the others if he just left. He talked and opinionated his feelings, although at the moment his feelings were more of dread. Finally he was able to break away and head to the elevator. He looked at the shiny doors and decided that he would go down the stairs and out a side door. He turned and hurriedly pushed his way through the heavy metal door that led to the stairs.
Kevin Randall was happy with his reconnaissance mission at Alex’s place. The only thing that bothered him is he didn’t know where the hell Alex was. Kevin was driving down into the city thinking that he probably should have taken the time to follow Alex instead of go through his house when he looked to his left and had to take a double take. There sitting in the parking lot was Alex’s Mustang, or one that looked like it. He pulled out his notebook and looked at the plate number of Alex’s car that he had written down. “ Son of a bitch.” He muttered. It must indeed be his lucky day. He pulled up to the curb in a no parking zone in front of a small Mexican restaurant called Lopez Cocina. He jumped out and walked casually across the street. Kevin was about to look into Alex’s car when the side door of the bank burst open and a man wearing a three piece suit ran to the curb took a quick look for traffic then darted into restroom on the back edge of a Mobil station. This got Kevin’s attention and he decided to check it out.
Sam Peterson shut the door of the bathroom and pulled out his cellular phone. He dialed frantically as he pushed one of the stall doors open and locked it behind him.
“ DeBeers, New York.” A pleasant voice came on the line. “ How may I direct your call.” There was a pause.
“ Janie, this is Sam Peterson.” Sam loosened his tie.
“ Oh, hello Mr. Peterson, What can I do for you?”
“ I need to talk to Roger.”
“ I’m sorry Mr. Allen is in a conference right now.”
“ This is important.” Sam hesitated. “ It’s an emergency.”
“ But..” Sam cut off Janie.
“ Now Janie, I need to speak to him now.”
“ O.k.” There was a frustrated sigh. “ Hold on.” Sam heard music fill the earpiece. While Sam was waiting he heard the door to the bathroom open; Sam put his feet up and sat on the back of the toilet. The door wiggled, he put his hand on the mouthpiece of the phone. “ Just a minute.” He said and he heard the door of the bathroom open and close once more.
“ Sam this is Roger, what the hell, you dragged me out of a very important meeting.” Rogers’s voice was annoyed.
“ I’m sorry but there is something very important you need to hear.” Sam said nervously.
“ Well, spill it, I don’t have all day.”
“ I think there has been some kind of diamond discovery in the California Nevada area.” San went silent.
“ What, where the hell did you hear this crap.” Rogers’s voice was full of amazement and disbelief.
“ I know it sounds crazy but this guy came in, his name was Alex Staples and he had a diamond, raw diamond, I vvs, he said his friend found it and there might be more.”
“ Jesus Christ, did he give you a location.”
“ No.” Sam waited for a response but there was a long pause.
“ Keep this quiet and wait for me to get back to you, and I want you to watch every move this Staples character makes.” Rogers’s voice was low now and he sounded tired.
“ Yes sir.” Sam listened as the phone on the other end hung up. He placed the phone back into his jacket pocket and stood up. Unlocking the door he opened it to find himself staring at a man in a mask holding a gun. “ What the fuck.” Sam felt nauseous.
“ Step out of the stall.” Kevin spoke through the mask; he had opened the door to leave and decided he would stay. The guy in the stall was on the phone and when Alex’s name came up he slipped the mask out of his pocket and put it on.
“ Here have all my money.” Sam pulled his billfold out and set it on the sink.
“ I don’t want your money.” Kevin pressed the gun to Sam’s forehead. “ I want information about Alex Staples.”
“ What?” Sam’s words came out with a rush of air.
“ I’ve been watching him and it seems that now you have the information I want.” Kevin cocked the hammer back on the forty-four magnum.
“ Oh, god.” Sam fell to his knees. “ All I know is what you heard.” He felt helpless as he sat on the floor.
“ Who was that on the phone you were talking to.” Kevin now put the tip of the barrel on the top of Sam’s head.
Sam looked up in horror, he didn’t say a word just looked at the dark hole that he now knew was going to take his life. “ Fuck you.” Sam stood and faced Kevin.
“ Your too brave for your own good.” Kevin hit Sam with the butt of the gun and Sam once more went down. Kevin knew that a shot would bring the cops so he took out a hunting knife and grabbed Sam’s head and pulled it back at the same time pulling the knife along his throat. Kevin backed up and heard a gargled whimper then Sam hit the floor. He reached down and pulled the phone from Sam’s pocket and hit redial.
“ DeBeer’s, New York.” He pushed end and threw the phone on the floor, watching it shatter into tiny pieces. He swore pulled off his mask and shoved it back into his pocket, took the bill fold and exited the bathroom scanning the area to see if there was anyone around, then walked calmly towards his van.
“ California Nevada area.” Ted sat behind his desk and shook his head. “ If this is what Charlie stumbled onto, Jesus.”
“ Yea, it is.” Alex stood and closed the door to Ted’s office. “ But the problem is I don’t know where it is, at least three people have died, and someone thinks that I know where to find all these diamonds.” Alex sat heavily in the chair. “ Cap is on my back, John say’s he’s not but he’s pissed at me because he thinks that I am hiding things from him, which I am. And it’s all because of this.” Alex held up the small envelope.
“ Sounds like something right up your alley.” Ted snipped off the end of a cigar with what looked like a small hand held guillotine.
“ It might be, but good friends are dying over this.” Alex put the envelope back into his pocket.
“ You need to get out and do some real work on finding this before more people get hurt.” Ted sat up, he knew Alex as one of the most gifted detectives that he had ever known. “ “ Buddy its all up to you.” Ted was doing what he had done since childhood, pushing his friend to the edge. And the edge is where he is best.
“ Ted drop it.” Alex stood.
“ Call me if I can be of any help.” Ted stood and watched an infuriated Alex walk out of the office and disappear onto the elevator. “ He sat down feeling like a heartless asshole, but he knew that now Alex was going to go on the offensive.
Alex walked past the conference room and all talk ceased. He looked in; all eyes were on him, he noticed that Sam was not present. Pushing the elevator button he stepped on and was thankful when the doors swooshed close. He walked out into the sunny afternoon and looked around. He was going to have to work to find out where these diamonds were and who was after him. He was heavily in thought when he noticed a blue van sitting in the front of the restaurant across the street. It looked like the same one that ran the stop sign, Alex had half of mind to go over and let that asshole have a piece of his mind. But he opted to just get into his car and drive back to Judy’s house and see how she was holding up.
Kevin sat up and watched Alex’s car turn a corner. He could have sworn that he was staring at the van. Did he know that Kevin was watching? It was too close and too coincidental, Kevin decided that he would dump the van and get another mode of transportation. He thought about following Alex but he realized that he now knows the blue van and decided to work on getting another car instead. He pulled out into traffic and headed for his motel, the ticket that was on his windshield blew off and got lost in the mid day traffic. He pulled into the motel and parked grabbing all the equipment, hoping that Jess would understand.

Roger Allen hung up the phone in his large window office. He sat on the ocean side of the tall skyscraper where the DeBeers New York office was located. He stood at the window and looked at the lights that twinkled far below him. It was eight PM and he had just called an emergency meeting of his executive staff. He looked into the window and saw a transparent reflection of himself staring back. He thought he looked old, the bags under his eyes seemed to be growing daily. He ran his right hand through his thinning hair and yawned. Maybe if he got a little more sleep that would help, he looked at his ample stomach, and then again he probably should add some exercise to his schedule as well. He was lost in thoughts of when he was younger, healthy and better looking when the buzzer on his intercom sounded. He took one last look at the sad specimen in the window and turned. “ Yes.” He spoke softly.
“ Mr. Fielding, Winger, Thurston, and Lambs are here to see you.” A perky voice came over the small box.
“ Good send them in.” Roger spoke with more power in his voice. He thought briefly about Gena, the secretary from heaven as he affectionately called her. In his younger better days he wouldn’t hesitate to ask her out. The door opened and the four men walked in and stood in front of the desk. “ Glad you all made it.” Roger smiled and looked at the four men, his office was now holding the heart of the New York DeBeers power. Dan Fielding, a man of average height and build with jet-black hair spoke first.
“ It’s not often that we get called for emergencies.” He smiled showing a perfect set of teeth. “ What’s up?” He sat in one of the four overstuffed chairs that Roger had set in front of his desk. The others remained standing.
“ Gentlemen, please take a seat.” Roger looked at Dan who was already seated. The kid was a whiz at what he did, but he was young and still had a little maverick in him.
“ I hope it’s not a real emergency.” Todd Thurston spoke up; he had a low voice full of authority. He was in his mid forties but was probably in the best shape he had ever been, He had suffered a break down due to stress and his doctor had put him on a program of heavy exercise. “ I have a racquet ball game in an hour.” Roger put his finger on the intercom button.
Gena, call the club and cancel Todd’s game.”
“ Right away.”
“ Does that answer your question.” Roger looked at the four men none said a word. “ Sam Peterson called today with some disturbing news that could be potentially detrimental.” Roger walked to the front of his desk and stood leaning on it. “ As you know he was sent down to check out a small diamond club called the Diamond Exchange, run by a guy named Ted Ford. During a meeting today he, and a few of the members met with a guy named.” Roger picked up a piece of paper he had written on. “ Alex Staples, now Staples had a raw I vvs diamond of about two point two carats. Staples claimed that a friend of his found it in the California Nevada area.”
“ He’s full of shit too.” Jack Lambs the oldest of the group at sixty-five snorted.
“ Sam, He’s probably got the story wrong again. Remember when he thought that there was a ring of people smuggling diamonds through candy stores, yea, they were selling them on the black market and getting them there disguised as rock candy.” Todd laughed and it rippled through the four men.
“ Sam maybe so but it is his job to investigate these things. I have never heard him like this.” Roger went back behind his desk and sat.
“ Of course he’s nervous.” Jeff Winger said. “ If indeed there is a discovery, no matter how remote the chances, it could cause a major shift in the diamond market.”
“ How’s that?” Jack Lambs broke in.
“ Imagine if there was a discovery of a large deposit of diamonds in that area. Diamonds from America, Jesus people would kill for them.” Jeff stood. “ Major exports of diamonds would vanish, South Africa, Tanzania, those mines would feel the hit like a bomb. Americans would want diamonds from America.” Jeff sat obviously in deep thought.
“ Jesus, whoever had control of that would rule the market.” Dan Fielding said in awe.
“ Not only that what about the market, we carefully limit the amount of diamonds that go out to the public. What if these American stones flooded the market our store of diamonds would be all but worthless.” Roger spoke and all were quiet.
“ So what do you suggest?” Jeff looked at Roger.
“ I just wanted to give you guys a heads up on the situation, I have Sam looking deeper into this and Alex Staples. I will call him tomorrow and we will meet again. What you have heard here does not leave the room, it could blow up and if indeed it’s true we have to find a way to stop it or take control.” Roger stood and bid the men farewell. They all left each silent with heave thoughts about what they had just heard. Roger went back to his window and looked out hoping that this indeed was another of Sam’s wild goose chases.
Alex and Judy sat at the dining room table. Judy’s eyes were bloodshot but she was not in tears. She had for better or worse spent the day in tears. Alex had returned to her house and found he deep into paper work. They sat and chatted for a while, when the conversation started to wane Judy returned to looking over Bob’s will. She had told Alex with a smile that she was going to get all the paperwork straightened out right away. That’s what Bob would do. Alex excused himself and walked into the other room. He wanted to see the news, he knew that the police would have released the stories details tonight. He grabbed the remote control and pushed the on button. He pressed the volume button so that the sound was just barely audible, he didn’t think Judy would want to see or hear this story. The young woman that was reporting was standing outside the city morgue. Alex slid off of the couch and crept closer to the TV. it was a bit hard on the eyes but he could now hear her speak. She was giving the story clearly and it was pretty close to what did happen. She finished her bit; Alex was about to turn off the news when he saw another man holding a mike, and standing next to him was Ted Ford. He grabbed the volume and turned it up. They were talking about Sam Peterson. Sam was found dead in the Mobil station’s bathroom across the street. The reporter gave the approximate time of death and Alex’s mouth dropped. Sam was killed right after the meeting at the Exchange; as a matter of fact Alex was probably talking to Ted at the time in his office.
“ Alex, anything good on?” Judy’s voice broke into the room.
“ Nope just shutting it off.” Alex hit the off button and set the remote on the small table next to the couch. He leaned back and went through the whole meeting, nothing. The most recent deaths now are Bob and Sam, what the hell did they have in common?” Alex wasn’t sure, but he thought these deaths were somehow related. He knew Bob was killed probably due to the connection to Charlie. Sam had no connection to Carlie that he knew of, there was something they would both have to have in common. Alex sat and thought for a few minutes, then a chill ran up his back. Alex realized that he was the commonality, they both knew him. “ Holy shit.” Alex spoke to himself.
“ What did you say?” Judy asked as she came out with a glass of wine.
“ Nothing, I was just thinking to myself.” Alex smiled at Judy then stopped smiling. He looked at Judy and stood.
“ What?” She self-consciously touched her face. “ Alex, what’s wrong?” She stood still looking at Alex staring at her. Alex stood and walked over to the phone and dialed.
“ You’re going on vacation.” He turned and spoke as he listened to the phone ring.
“ I don’t want to.” Judy set her wine down and sat on the edge of the couch.
“ I’ll explain in a minute.” Alex heard a pleasant voice on the phone.
“ Hello, this is Joan.”
“ Joan this is Alex.”
“ Alex!” Joan’s voice filled with happiness. “ How are you, God it’s been months since I heard from you.”
“ Joan, I need a big favor.” Alex’s voice was steady.
“ Oh, is everything alright?” Joan’s voice was now the same as Alex’s.
“ There’s been some trouble out here.”
“ What kind of trouble?” She was a little frantic now. “ Should I come over?”
“ No, Charlie Wyre and Bob Wrath have been murdered.”
“ Oh, Jesus, I’m so sorry.” Alex could picture Joan with her hand over her mouth. “ How’s Judy?”
“ Not too good I’m here now.”
“ What can I do?”
“ I think somehow that I may be being followed, and another guy named Sam Peterson got killed last night. The only thing that the three had in common was me.” Alex paused.
“ Alex you need to get out of there.” Joan was loud and Alex pulled the receiver from his ear. He looked at Judy as he did the fear on her face showed that she understood.
“ I can’t, But I need you to have Judy as a guest for a while until I find out what the hell is going on.” Alex looked at Judy again and she now had her wine in her hand taking a long sip.
“ Sure, that’s no problem, but you should come out and let the police deal with it.” Joan was calmer now.
“ Joan, I can’t.” Alex sighed.
“ Dammit! Alex I only have one brother and we only have each other!” Alex could hear the start of tears in her voice.
“ Joan listen to me.” Alex waited until he thought she was listening. “ People are getting killed, my friends, I can’t leave.” He started pacing. “ I’m going to get Judy on a plane today, I’ll call you with times and flight numbers.”
“ Alex be careful.” Joan silently whimpered. “ I love you.”
“ I love you too, I’ll call.” Alex hung up the phone and looked down.
“ Alex is this true?” Judy asked holding an empty wineglass.
“ As far as I know, I was just in a meeting With Sam Peterson about fifteen minutes before he got killed. Judy put her hand on her chest she could feel her heart beating strongly. “ I’ll arrange the tickets and your going out to Vermont to stay with Joan for a while.” Alex picked up the phone once more.
“ I’m going to go pack.” Judy got up, wineglass down clumsily and it fell over. She picked it up and placed it on the table then hurried into the bedroom.

Roger, Paced around his office with his hands on the top of his head. It was a bright morning, He had come in at about three am and watched the sunrise over New York. The news about Sam Peterson had been brought to his attention when his phone rang at one that morning. He sat behind his desk and put his hands over his tired eyes. “ I guess you were onto something Sam.” He slapped the top of his desk and looked around. It was time to make a decision, a decision that he hoped that he would never have to make
DeBeers being what it is has lots of pull in the financial communities, with that pull comes the pull in shadier parts of business as well. Roger had never dabbled in the latter, and swore to himself that he never would. That was until one of his people were murdered and the knowledge that he now possessed the entire future of the international diamond market. He picked up a pencil and held it in his fist with the sharpened end sticking out. It came down to his vow to himself or the future of Debeers, what the hell should he do. He brought a beefy thumb across the pencil and it snapped the broken end falling to the center of the blotter on his desk. He threw the other end down and pulled his keys out from his pants pocket. “ God help me.” He muttered as he searched the key chain. He unlocked the bottom drawer on his desk and hesitated. On the bottom lay a brown leather-bound address book. His predecessor had given it to him and told him that this was to be used only in the worst of emergencies. Roger picked it up remembering the words said to him when he was given it. “ Let’s hope it is never needed.” He muttered as he placed it in front of him on his desk and opened it.

“ Alex was here?” John put his hand on his forehead and exhaled loudly.
“ He came in and had a meeting with some of the members, Sam was here at the meeting as well.” Ted Ford was sitting behind his desk rolling a cigar between his fingers.
“ Jesus Ted.” John looked at him.
“ Jesus what?” He asked me about something important and thought a meeting with some of the members would help.” Ted stopped twirling the cigar and cut the end. “ You want one, Cuban.” Ted smiled slyly.
“ Yes and I didn’t hear that.” John took the cigar and snipped the end. “ You know I should confiscate all of these.” John pointed at the cigars.
“ Hell, you smoke enough of them.” Ted lit John’s cigar and smiled.
“ What was the meeting about?”
“ You know I can’t tell you.” Shrugged.
“ O.k., not as a cop but as an old dear close friend who is also a good friend to Alex, who grew up with the two of you and does not want to see one of his friends that he thinks is in serious danger.” John was cut off.
“ Enough.” Ted held up his hand. “ You say Alex is in some sort of trouble?”
“ All these murders are people who were associated with Alex, Sam was last seen alive when he was at the meeting with Alex.” John stood and looked around the office, then continued. “ All this started with Charlie’s death, I think Charlie left something with Alex or told him something that has put him and the people around him at risk.” John sat again and took a long puff on the cigar feeling the silky smoke fill his mouth.
“ He didn’t say anything to me about being or feeling that he was in any danger.” Ted spoke as he watched the plume of blue smoke settle in the air over John’s head.
“ Join the club, Cap gave Alex three day’s, which are up shortly to find out what is going on. If he doesn’t Cap will hold him for interfering with a police investigation.”
“ That’s not the best move.” Ted stood walked around and sat on the edge of the desk. “ Here’s the story off the record.” Ted looked at John.
“ Off the record.” John held up his hand like he was taking an oath. “ People are dead, I just don’t want to see Alex that way.”

Kevin Randall walked slowly circling the city blocks reminiscing about the feel of the knife going through the businessman’s throat. He saw it on the news and laughed. Another skill, to add to his talents as a killer. He stick his hands into his pocket’s and casually strode past the store fronts, then he remembered why he had taken this walk in the first place. Moving closer to the road he started looking at the cars parked up and down the curb. He would have to get one that didn’t stand out either as being too flashy or too old, something in the middle. He was trying to decide what he needed when he saw it, sitting alone in an alley across the street. A Honda Civic, gray, it looked like it was a recent model but not new. He walked over and looked around, there was no one watching it, as a matter of fact at that moment there was no one around. Looking in he saw it was a standard, He could deal with that. There seemed to be no alarm so he went to work. His friend Joe Blacktoe used to steal cars for the day and go joy riding, Joe taught him everything there was to know about making quick entry into a car. In seconds he was in, he pulled the wires from under the dash and with a few snips and twists the car came to life, He backed out and headed down the road back to his motel thinking about where to dump the van.

Alex waved as the plane departed. He had bought the tickets and by the time that he was off the phone Judy was ready to go. He walked over to the bank of phones and found a free one and called Joan letting her know what time the plane would arrive and the flight number. She once more tried to convince Alex to go to Vermont but as before he declined and said he would come visit when all was cleared up. He went out to the lot jumped into his car knowing that his next destination was going to be a hot shower and a much-needed nap.

“ Harold Jennings office, how may I help you.” A pleasant voice brought Roger back from his thoughts. He had the little book opened to the number to Harold’s.
“ Yes.” Roger cleared his throat. “ Excuse me, this is Jack Jones, is Harold in.” Roger pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his brow that suddenly had gotten moist.
“ Is he expecting your call?” There was a pause.
“ No but if you could just let him know I’m on the line I’m sure he will want to talk to me.” Roger felt his voice quivering and hoped that the woman on the other end didn’t.
“ One moment.” There was about three minutes of boxed music then a highly authoritative voice came on.
“ Jack, it’s been a long time.” Harold’s voice was full of cheer.
“ Well, I just thought I would see how you were.”
“ I’m good how’s the wife and kids?”
“ Their fine, little Johnny is growing like a weed.” Roger was reading from a page in the book. “ He made the team and is a starter.” A drop of sweat fell in the middle of the page and he quickly wiped it up.
“ Great, hey you never call unless you need something, what’s up pal.” Here it goes Roger thought.
“ Well, I heard you have become quite the entrepreneur, and I have a job that might need your expertise.” Roger looked around then back at the book.
“ I have an unknown cog in the wheel of progress and was hoping we could meet to see if you could straighten it out.” Rogers’s heart was in his throat.
“ I don’t see why not, what are friends for.” There was a pause. “ I have to go I’ll be in touch.” The phone hung up and Roger listened to the dial tone wondering how Harold was going to get in touch.
Roger slowly hung up the phone and leaned back in his big chair and sighed. What had he just done? He opened the bottom drawer where the book had been and extracted a bottle of single malt scotch. He opened the cap and picked up a glass then put it down and took a great swig, letting feeling the deep burning sensation over take his body. He took another large pull on the bottle and realized that he now was connected. He flipped the small book closed and looked at it. All his life he had done it all by the book, honestly, fairly. He picked it up and dropped it in the drawer by the scotch. “ Those who live by the book die by the book.” He half smiled leaned back and closed his eyes.

Alex woke up and looked at the clock. It was early afternoon and he was supposed to report his findings to Cap or be held for obstructing justice. He sat up and chuckled at the little predicament he was in and walked to the kitchen for some orange juice. He grabbed the carton and shut the door and jumped slightly. “ John, you scared the hell out of me.” Alex opened the cubbord and grabbed two juice glasses.
“ I came in and you were asleep so I was reading in the living room.” He took a glass from Alex and sat at the Kitchen table and took a sip. “ You ready to let us know what’s going on?” John set his glass down and leaned back in the chair, balancing on the back legs.
“ Oh, Cap sent you over to bring me in.” Alex sat as well.
“ No he has no idea I’m here, he expects you to walk into his office sometime tonight.” John leaned forward and the legs of the chair hit the floor with a thump.
Then why the sudden interest?” Alex ignored the sound of the chair, knowing that John was doing it to drive him crazy. Alex and John had gone around and around about keeping all four legs on the floor, now John just does it to drive him nuts.
“ I was over at the scene where Sam Peterson got killed.” John waited for a response of surprise but it didn’t come.
“ Yea I heard about that, what a shame.”
“ Yea he was just an innocent man on business and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” John took a sip ready to drop the bomb.
“ What did he do?” Alex took a sip and cleared his throat.
“ Oh, not much he was a spy, well not a spy but a plant for DeBeers, you know to keep an eye on the handling of diamonds outside the cartel. The funny thing about this was that we found his phone on the floor all smashed to pieces. We got guys working on finding the last number he dialed.” John tipped his chair back once more and waited. He looked at Alex who was speechless. “ My guess is that he had an important call to make.”
“ Sam worked for DeBeers?” Alex’s mouth went dry despite the sip of juice he just took.
“ Yea, funny isn’t it.”
“ Why is it funny?” Alex looked at John.
“ I had a long interesting talk with Ted.” John leaned forward and the chair came down hard. “ Alex, you got to level with me.” John stood. “ Ted told me about the diamond, Charlie and his discovery, I’m, well both Ted and I are worried that you got yourself into something bad.” He pulled his chair over and sat directly in front of Alex. “ People are dying and these people all have you in common.”
“ You figured that out too.” Alex looked at John and half laughed.
“ It wasn’t real hard once I talked to Ted.”
“ The thing is I don’t know anything, what Ted told you is all I know.” Alex stood and John did the same. “ The only thing that is certain is that I am being followed by an unknown person who thinks that I know where Charlie found this diamond. I sent Judy to my sisters because I was afraid she was next.” Alex set his glass in the sink and turned to John. “ If Cap takes me in there this won’t get solved and more people may die.” Alex shook his head. “ Jesus, DeBeers.” Alex said as he exhaled loudly.
“ I don’t know what he said but something’s up. He may for all we know right now have been mugged.” John put his glass in the sink.
“ Yea, well my gut tells me different.” Alex slammed his hand on the edge of the sink and the whole kitchen seemed to shake.
“ Let’s go in to see the Cap, we’ll tell him what’s going on and work on this together.” John took a step closer and Alex looked up.
“ I can’t and you know I can’t.” Alex stood straighter.
“ Alex.” John looked down and took a breath, we have been friends forever.” He hated what he was about to do but felt it was for Alex’s own safety, he had to take him in.
“ John don’t do this.” Alex took a step away from the sink and looked at his friend.
“ Alex I..” John was cut off by Alex’s fist that struck him just under the Jaw. The punch sent him to the floor where his head hit solidly and he was out cold.
“ I’m sorry buddy, it’s for your own good.” Alex went and got a pillow from his room and placed it under John’s head and brushed his hair out of his face. “ You’ll thank me for keeping you alive.” He walked to the phone and called the police station and asked for Carmen.

Harold Jennings stepped off of the plane at the San Diego airport; he glanced at his watch not noting the time and looked around. After his phone call from DeBeers he had cleared his schedule for the next two weeks and told his secretary that he was going on vacation. He drove over to the DeBeers building and met with a less than happy Roger who gave him any information that he had pertaining to Alex Staples. Then with a little help from some friends he accumulated quite a bit of information on Alex Staples including history pictures addresses and phone numbers. To his surprise it was easier than he had expected, since it was all accessible in the San Diego police files. He had dealt with ex-cops before; He walked to the rent a car counter and picked up his keys. He was walking to his car thinking about Roger, how that nervous little man became president of DeBeers was beyond him. Although he did have the balls to call him. Harold jumped into the silver Mercedes’ and drove off looking forward to his up coming job.

Kevin Randall reached into the driver’s side window of Jen’s blue van. He pulled down on the automatic shifter and it fell into drive and the van started moving. He had to jump to get out of the window and not run over his foot. He stood back and looked around, there was no one around and he turned his attention back to the van that was picking up speed. He watched it go over the cliff and disappear the engine gunning as it went over. There was a loud crash and then a splash as it bounced once off of the rocky ledge below then entered the Pacific. He walked to the edge and looked down, the van was floating and steam was pouring out from under the van. He had opened all the windows to help it sink faster and he watched as it was swallowed up by the frothing water until there was nothing but a berrage of air bubbles. He turned and walked away, stopping he picked up the license plated and continued on. Kevin had checked into another motel and would take a cab there where his new car was waiting; he would switch the license plates and continue on his search for Alex and his fortune.

Carmen walked into John’s house and stopped dead in her tracks. John was lying on the kitchen floor out cold or at least she hoped. His head was resting on a pillow and there was a towel she could see that was filled with Ice sitting on his jaw. She dropped her purse and ran over to John and bent over him. “ John.” She said softly, there was no response. “ John.” She spoke a little louder and put her hand on his forehead and pushed his dark hair back. John responded to her touch and moved slightly. He slowly opened his eyes and focused on Carmen.
“ What are you..” He stopped mid sentence and put his hand on his Jaw pushing the towel off and it hit the floor and ice spilled out of the corners. John jumped slightly at the sound of the cubes hitting the wood floor.
“ Hey relax, it’s just ice.” Carmen bent down and gently kissed him.
“ What happened?” John sat up and looked around. “ Where’s Alex?”
“ He left, He called me at the station after he knocked you out.” Carmen was talking almost in a whisper.
“ Alex did this?” John got up and steadied himself on the back of one of the kitchen chairs.
“ He said it was the only way to keep you safe and out of this.” Carmen walked over and spun one of the chairs around. “ Here sit.” John did as he was told still in shock that Alex had hit him.
“ Jesus.”
“ John he felt terrible.” Carmen was trying to stay calm knowing that Alex’s friendship with John was in dire jeopardy because of this.”
“ I don’t care about this.” He stood on wobbly legs and looked at Carmen. “ He has to be in something pretty deep or dangerous to pull a stunt like this.” John rubbed his swollen jaw deep in thought.
“ John he hit you.” Carmen was shocked at John’s reaction.
“ Yea, did he give any hint where he was going?” John sat again, he leaned down and put the ice back into the towel and placed it on his chin.
“ No.” Carmen looked at John and realized how good of friends he and Alex were, if a friend had done that to her she would never have forgiven them.
“ Cap is going to go through the roof.” John looked out the window then saw the calendar and stood. “ What is today’s date?”
“ What?” Carmen walked over and looked at the calendar.
“ The date, what is it?”
“ Its Monday may twelfth.” She looked at John. “ Why?”
“ I know where he is.” John threw the towel into the sink and headed for the door.
“ John where are you going?” Carmen grabbed her purse off of the table and followed.
“ To the graveyard, you drive, I’ll explain on the way.” John hopped in the passenger side of Carmen’s car and they headed for the San Diego memorial graveyard.

Harold Jennings studied the files that he had amassed on Alex and something leapt out at him. Today was his deceased wives birthday. “ It can’t be this easy.” He muttered to himself. Harold thought he would drive to the graveyard and see if indeed Alex was there, he knew many people that made yearly trips to see passed loved ones on special days. He headed down route five and pulled off the highway and to got on the road that led to the graveyard. He came within sight of the, what looked to be hundreds of stones all new looking surrounded by an immaculate lawn that seemed to flow over the undulating area creating almost a wave effect. There was a parking lot situated on the crest of one of the hills, Peter parked and surveyed the cars that were scattered about the lot. There were about ten, Harold pulled out a picture of Alex’s car and compared it to the others, It was sitting alone on the far side of the lot. He opened the door and stepped out popping the trunk as he closed the driver’s door. Walking back he pulled up the rug liner and opened up the top to the sunken area where the spare tire was supposed to be. He pulled out a stainless steal case that was slightly larger than a standard briefcase and set it aside. He then extracted a Minolta Maxim 7000 camera a grabbed his two hundred-mm lens. Pulling off the seventy-mm lens and carefully setting it down he put the telephoto lens on and closed the trunk as he surveyed the yard. Walking down one of the numerous rows he saw a group of three standing around a stone, he put the camera to his eye and zoomed in, looking once more at the photo of Alex he scanned the crowd, no Alex. He continued walking.

“ Where are we going?” Carmen wrinkled her brow and took her eyes off of the highway to look at John who was massaging his chin.
“ To the San Diego cemetery.” John sighed. “ Today is Alex’s wife’s birthday, he has not missed going to her grave for the six years that she has been dead.” John watched a car pass slowly then continued. “ If he is planning something then he is defiantly going to see her and talk about it. Take this exit.” John pointed to an off ramp.
“ You think he is there now?” Carmen slowed and pulled off the highway.
“ Maybe, it’s the only chance we have.” John’s cell phone shrieked and he jumped slightly. “ Oh, great this is probably the Captain wondering where the hell I am with Alex. “ Lanchero.” John answered in a quiet voice.
“ John this is Cap where the hell are you and more important where the hell is Alex?” He was not yelling as usual but his voice was irritated.
“ Well, we sort of hit a slight snafu.” John looked at Carmen and winced.
“ A snafu?” Cap was not almost yelling he was now at a full-blown holler. “ A snafu is getting cream filled instead of jelly, not loosing Alex who is the whole key to these killings!” Cap paused; John was now holding the phone away from his ear. Carmen looked at John, wide eyed. “ I want you and Alex here now!”
“ Cap he’s missing.” John spoke sheepishly into the phone.
“ Missing, Jesus he’s your friend you find him or I’m gonna put an APB out on him and have his ass dragged in here in cuffs.” Cap was running out of steam, something that usually happens when he blows his lid.
“ I’ll try but you know Alex he can disappear at the drop of a hat.” John looked out the car windshield and saw Alex standing by a grave holding a bouquet of flowers. “ If I find him I’ll try to bring him in.” John hung up and looked at his friend.
“ Well we found him.” Carmen started to open the door but John put a hand on her elbow.
“ Wait.” Both sat watching as Alex put the flowers down in front of the grave and knelt. When Alex stood John stepped out of the car, Alex turned his head slightly as he heard the car doors slam.
“ You’re a hell of a detective.” Alex turned and faced John and Carmen.
“ What the hell is going on?” John walked up and stood toe to toe with Alex.
“ I’m sorry about the jaw, but I don’t want you involved. I was hoping that I would be gone before you figured out where I was.” Alex looked down.
“ Cap called and it sounds like he has a wild hornet in his pants about you. He threatened to put out a call on you and have you brought in.”
“ I can’t believe you hit John.” Carmen stepped in front of John and slapped Alex. John stepped between them ready to grab Carmen and pull her away from Alex.
” John.” He put his hand on John’s shoulder. “ It’s o.k. I deserve it.” Alex’s cheek was already turning red where Carmen had slapped him. “ Carmen I did this to protect you and John. What ever is happening I seem to be the key.”
“ Then come to the station with us, we’ll figure a way out together.” John stepped back and looked at the grave.

Harold Jennings was camped behind a large monument and watching the whole scene through his camera lens, every so often clicking off a shot. He riffled through his notes but found nothing about these two people that showed up, he would research them when he got back to his hotel. He saw some more conversation then the two got back into their car and sped off leaving Alex alone. Alex walked to his car and got in. Harold pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. The phone rang twice and Alex picked it up.
“ Hello, tough little spat. Your wife probably is turning in her grave about now.” A husky voice filled the earpiece of the phone.
“ Who is this?” Alex surveyed the area around the grave then started to pan around the yard. Harold slid behind the monument.
“ Don’t bother trying to find me.”
“ What do you want?”
“ We have some mutual friends that are interested in something that lies in the California Nevada area.
“ Really what is that? Alex was still looking around.
“ Oh, don’t insult me, just let me have what you know and I will leave.”
“ How many more will die if I do let you know?” Alex was looking at a small group of people around a grave as he spoke.
“ I’m not in that group, they are reveling in the memories of lost ones just like you were. That is until that slut came over and slapped you. Who is she an ex-lover come on do you think your wife would approve.” The voice was calm and icy.
“ What makes you think I want to give it to you.” Alex continued looking around and pulled his nine-millimeter Beretta from his glove box and put it in his lap.
“ The people I work for are not going to let this go, I will get the information one way or another.” There was a pause then the phone went dead.
“ Hello, hello?” Alex slammed the phone down on the seat and sat wondering how this mystery person knew where he was.

“ Will you please stop saying that.” John looked at Carmen. They were about five minutes from the police station and Carmen had been letting John know that he and she were going to get fired as soon as they told Cap that Alex is not coming in. They parked and entered the front door. As soon as they walked in the place went silent. John looked around. “ What’s going on?”
“ Cap has been yelling about you and Alex for the last hour.” Olsen a young red-faced officer spoke up.
“ Great.” John said under his breath. He headed for the stairs with Carmen in toe ready to face Cap. “ John knocked lightly on Cap’s office door, the knock echoed through the unusually quiet department.
“ Get your ass in here.” The voice broke the silence and John pushed the door open and stepped into the office closing the door behind him. “ John, Carmen.” Cap tilted his head to Carmen and she smiled slightly. It seemed that Carmen’s presence was keeping his temper in check John now knew why he loved her. “ Now, you better have a damn good reason as to why Alex is not standing here with you.”
“ Cap, I talked to him and he feels that whatever is happening is connected to him or something he knows.” John sat.
“ If so he should be here now.” Cap pulled a chair over for Carmen then went and sat behind his desk. “ He of all people should know that he is impeding a police investigation and withholding important evidence.”
“ He knows, the major flaw in the whole thing is that he really doesn’t know what this is all about.” John shifted in his chair.
“ I can see that both of you are worried about his safety but…” Cap stopped speaking and got up looking at John’s jaw that was bruised. “ What the hell happened to you?” He stood and looked at the bruise.
“ Alex hit me.” John pulled out a cigarette and twirled it in his fingers.
“ O.k. that’s it I’m putting an all points bulletin on Alex. He is gonna be brought in, its obvious that he has gone over the edge.” Cap walked to his desk and picked up his radio mouthpiece. Before he could speak John leapt from his chair and put his hand over it and pulled the plug.
“ You can’t.” John was still holding the dangling plug.
“ Let go of this, don’t cause problems for yourself.” Cap pulled on the cord but John held firm. “ Detective let go of the cord.” Cap stood, he was face to face with John.
“ I can’t allow you to do this.” John’s voice was a bit shaky and Carmen thought they were going to fight.
“ I am going to, and you better let go of the cord this instant.” Caps face was rippling with anger as he spoke.
“ Give him a chance, please.” John stood straighter and held tight thwarting the Captains effort to gain control of the cord.
“ John I’m warning you.”
“ I’m telling you.” They stood at an impasse.
“ Olsen, Harrow, get up here now!” Cap yelled not taking his eyes off of John’s
“ Carmen, lock the door as you go out, and stall them.” John could already hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Carmen locked the door from the inside and stepped through closing it.
“ Carmen what’s going on?” Olsen was trying to look through the frosted window of the captain’s office.
“ Everything is fine.” She leaned her back against the door.
“ Your gonna have to step aside.” Harrow young muscular rookie put his hand on her shoulder.
“ Don’t touch me.” She threw his hand off.
“ Carmen, please move aside.” Olsen said nervously, he and John were good friends and knew Carmen well through his relationship with John.
“ Charlie, let them hash it out.” Carmen stood fast ready to fight.
“ Mam, either you move or I will have to move you.” Harrow stepped closer.
“ Officer please back off.”
“ If that’s the way you want it.” Harrow reached out, this time with the intention of moving Carmen. Carmen pressed her back firmly on the door ready for Harrow.
“ Stop!” Olsen put his hand on Harrow’s shoulder and pulled him back. Both Harrow and Carmen looked at Olsen. “ Cap, is everything under control in there?”
“ Yes just stand ready.” There was a short silence then he spoke again. “ Do not touch Carmen.”
“ Olsen you better make that clear to Harrow.” John’s voice was forced but the point was clear, Harrow backed off.
“ John there are officers out there. Don’t make this difficult.” Cap was calm but still stern. He had never seen John like this in the fifteen years he had worked for the department.
“ Give him a chance, he gave the department a chance during the Legas trial and the department screwed him, don’t do it again.” John let the cord go and it slapped gently on the top of the desk. Cap looked at it then to John.
“ O.k.” Cap put the mouthpiece down and sat behind his desk. “ I want to know what’s going on and be kept informed, if this backfires its Alex’s ass and yours.” Cap leaned back and drew his hands down over his face. “ Now get the hell out of here.”
“ You won’t regret it.” John turned and opened the door; Olsen and Harrow were standing to the side. He looked at Olsen and nodded, then he and Carmen left as the two officers went into Cap’s office.

Kevin Randall sat silently on one of the long wooden benches located under a large corkboard that held a multitude of wanted posters. He looked down at his shoe as John and Carmen walked out the door of the police station. Kevin had figured, since he was becoming an expert killer he now felt untouchable. He now had the ability to walk into the police station and be a bystander with no fear. Kevin had come here to get or try to get information on Alex; he got more than he had bargained for. Alex was on the run; no one knew where he was or what he was doing. Kevin stood and walked out the door of the precinct; he was smirking as he jumped into his newly acquired car. He knew where Alex was going, that bastard was going to the Desert. He pulled onto route five north and headed for Barstow knowing that Alex was doing or would be doing the same shortly.

Alex looked at his watch as he drove in the direction of his apartment. He watched as a police car came up behind him and the lights came on. “Shit” He knew there would be trouble, Cap had probably put an APB out on him. He was about to hit the gas when the car pulled out from behind him and with lights and sirens blaring sped past and disappeared down the road. Alex let out a breath; he shook his head and realized that the first place the police and John would look for him would be his apartment. He decided that he needed another place, he was thinking of where he could go when he passes by the hall of records. Pulling into a parking lot of a small convenience store he looked at the building then pulled out the diamond and looked at it. If indeed Charlie found this out in the desert then there would be a slight chance that he may have had a deed to a mine. It was a long shot but right now anything was possible. Alex exited his car that he had parked by some trees in the shade out of sight of the main road and went into the building. A sharply dressed woman sat behind a large desk.
“ May I help you.” She had a smooth voice.
“ Yes, I’m looking for a deed.” Alex looked around at all the shelves of files. “ Would this be the right place.” He knew it was but decided to play dumb.
“ Yes, you found it.” The woman stood. “ I will need you to sign in.” She pushed a large log in front of him. Alex signed Charlie’s name and smiled. “ O.k. Mr. Wyre Now how can I be of service?”
“ I need to see a deed that is under my name, I seemed to have lost it and you should have a copy of it in your files.” Alex smiled
“ Let’s see.” She typed in Charlie’s name and looked at the screen on the computer. “ Oh, here it is, that’s funny?” She looked at Alex. “ It was moved upon your request, to Barstow.”
“ Oh, god what an idiot, now I remember.” Alex put the palm on his hand on his head and laughed.
“ It was moved about a month ago to the deeds department” She smiled.
“ I swear if my head wasn’t attached.” Alex shook his head.
“ That’s all right it happens.”
“ Thank you so much.” Alex turned to leave.
“ Excuse me Mr. Wyre.”
“Yes.” Alex turned.
“ You might want to let your partner know that you found it.”
“Partner?”
“ Yes a.” She looked at the screen. “ Alex Staples.” Alex stood stunned; Charlie had put his name on it.
“ Will do.” Alex quickly turned and left more confused than before.

Harold Jennings watched as Alex exited the records building wondering why he was there. He made a note of the time, something he started doing just incase it came in handy. He watched as Alex’s car turned onto First Avenue heading down town and pulled out wondering what he was up to.

Alex sighed as he pulled into the fifteenth street army navy store. The last time he was here he roughed up the slime ball owner pretty bad. Of course he was dealing illegal arms and running a child porn ring out of the back of his shop. Alex got out of his car and entered the front door. Walking slowly up and down the isles of surplus he started gathering items that he was going to need for his trip to the desert. He was reaching for a small lamp that straps on the forehead when he heard someone behind him.
“ Can I get you anything?” The gravely voice was all too familiar and it belonged to David Packard.
“ Not at the moment.” Alex turned and looked at the little fat man with the ever-present unlit cigar dangling out of his lips. David stepped back when he saw that it was Alex.

A few years ago when Alex was on the force he busted David for Child porn, during the search of the store he came upon a cache of weapons that the army would have been proud of. He cut a deal with David to give him the supplier in return for a light sentence. He was about to make the bust on the supplier when he was accused of using excessive force that resulted in the death of a drug dealer. David was never tried and Alex lost his job, needless to say David was not happy to see him.

“ Staples, What the fuck you want?” Packard hissed pulling the cigar from his mouth.
“ David, not happy to see me?” Alex put his things on a rack and stepped closer.
“ I’m still healing from the last time you dropped in.” David backed up slightly.
“ You still got the cameras back there?” Alex looked behind the counter.“ It’s none of your damn business.” David moved closer to the counter. I helped you last time now we are even.”
“ Not by a long shot.” Alex picked up his things. “ But I’m just shopping this time.” Alex stepped forward pushing David out of the way as he walked by. He put his things on the counter and looked at David. “ It will be charge.”
David walked slowly behind the register and looked at Alex who just smiled at him. “ What you turn a new leaf towards me.” He rung up a couple of Items.
“ Not a bit, I’m just a customer right now.” Alex reached behind his back and David flinched, he watched as Alex brought his wallet out and extracted his credit card. “ Jumpy.”
“ Fuck you.” David grumbled then continued ringing up stuff.
“ Oh, by the way, I need a couple of guns.” Alex walked to a small door beside the counter.
“ I knew it.” David was very calm as he opened the door; he still did not know what Alex was up to.
“ Thank you.” Alex stepped into a room that was covered with wall to wall arms. “ I see your keeping in stock.” He walked to the wall and grabbed a Uzi, two Glauk nine millimeters and extra clips for all three weapons. “ Ammo?”
“ Over here.” Packard watched helpless as Alex filled a gym bag with ammo and the guns and two grenades. He looked at Packard then the gym bag. “ They’re on the house.” David leaned against the wall in defeat.
“ I knew you would see it my way.” Alex walked out of the room and signed his charge receipt. “ See you later.” Alex walked out to his car and opened the trunk, throwing his purchase in he drove off headed for the Mojave Desert.

Harold Jennings watched as Alex drove off and was curious at to what he had loaded into his trunk. He got out of his car and entered the army navy store turning the open sign to closed on the front door. David Packard was picking up some of the clothes that Alex had knocked down when he saw him. “ Were closed.” He gruffly said still fuming about Alex’s visit.

“ I know.” Jennings said in a low voice. He walked toward Packard. Who stopped what he was doing when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up. “ I took the honor of putting the closed sign on the door.”
“ What do you want?” Packard stood as straight as he could finding it hard to show attitude to this stranger. He had dealt with a lot of guys like this but this one felt different more dangerous. David started slowly walking to the counter where he had a handgun hidden. Jennings cut him off as he put a hand on a rack of navy p-coats.
“ Where are you going?” He smiled.
“ I, I’m doing inventory.” Packard’s voice was a bit shaky.
“Really?” Jennings with lightning quickness leaped over the counter and felt under the counter pulling up the gun. “ That’s odd, if I wasn’t mistaken I would have thought you were going for this.” He clicked the cylinder open and looked at the six rounds in the chambers then snapped it closed and aimed it at David.
“ What do you want, take anything.” David felt sick.
“ I’m not here for any of this garbage.” Jennings waved the gun about the store. “ I’m here wondering about an old friend.”
“ Who.”
“ Alex Staples, do you know him?” Jennings came around the counter.
“ Who.” Packard was caught in a dilemma; he was scared of this guy but petrified of Alex and knew the shit would hit the fan if he said anything.
“ Come now, I just saw him leave with a bunch of stuff he got here.” Jennings pointed the gun at David’s knee. “ What did he get? Where’s he going.”
“ I don’t know?” David looked at the clod eyes behind the gun and decided screw Alex this guy was going to kill him. “ He got a bunch of clothes and ropes and stuff like that.” David looked around nervously.
“ And what’s he doing with that stuff?”
“ I don’t know?” There was a loud shot and David’s knee disintegrated, he went down with a yell and looked at his knee. “ Jesus!” He put his hands on his knee and felt the warm blood seeping through his fingers, looking up in horror he tried to speak but the pain was too much.
“ Now, let’s try again, what was he doing?” Harold aimed at the other knee.
“ No, god!” David screamed automatically putting his hand on his good knee like he was protecting it. “ He, he came in and wanted stuff.”
“ What kind of stuff?” Harold was calm as he spoke.
“ The things I told you, and guns… lots of fire power, it was like he was going to be taking on an army.” David took a big breath. “ He was acting crazy… that’s all I know.” David started to whimper.
“ Did he say where he was going?” Jennings cocked the hammer back.
“ No, I swear, he just got the stuff and took off.” David looked down then back at the man standing over him, he realized that he was going to die. “ Please, no.” his voice was drowned out by three shots into the chest.
“ Thank you for your cooperation.” Harold put the gun on the counter and walked away calmly got in his car and drove off.
David Packard lay on the floor; he felt no more pain, as he looked around his vision blurry. In a last attempt he dragged himself behind the counter leaving a trail of dark red blood. With all his effort he attempted to get the phone grabbing at the cord that hung limply over the edge of the counter. He got hold of it and pulled, the phone came crashing down onto top of his head as well as Alex’s charge slip. He looked at the phone and caught sight of the slip beside it and picked it up. “ You bastard.” He hissed and crumpled it in his hand then closed his eyes.
John was driving to Alex’s apartment to try to find some clue to where he disappeared to when the call came in. Someone had heard shots come out of the army navy store on fifteenth, John made a U-turn and headed downtown knowing the store was run by David Packard, a premiere scum wondering if he had finally made a deal that he paid dearly for. Pulling up to the store he saw that officers had already taped off the scene. John stepped out of the car and ducked under the tape. He was met by officer Ron Durgan, a barrel chested man who was one of the officers that assisted John and Alex on multiple raids on the store for child porn and arms.
“ Hey John, bring back memories.” Ron shook John’s hand and smiled.
“ Yea I forgot how ugly you were.” John laughed. “ What’s up?”
“ Looks like our old friend David finally got his just deserts, he took three in the chest and one in the knee.” They both started walking through the door. “ No sign of a struggle, looks like someone was looking for some info and when they got it capped him.”
“ Any witnesses?” John looked around the interior of the store as he spoke.
“ Just then woman who heard the shots, she said there was one then the others came about ten minutes later.” Ron walked over to where the ME was taking pictures. “ The way I figure it was the guy or guys shot his knee out then finished it when he got what he wanted.
“ Ouch.” John said as he looked at where David’s knee used to be. You guys find anything yet?”
“ Yea the murder weapon.”
“ That was quick.” John raised his eyebrows.
“ Don’t be impressed.” Ron picked up a bag and handed it to John. “ It was Packard’s, the one he kept under the counter.”
“ Hey John, his hand is balled up.” Hews said as he clicked a picture of David’s hand.
“ You got some gloves?” John bent down and looked at David’s hand, the edge of a piece of paper was protruding from it.
“ Hews, get a pair of gloves for John.” Ron bent down and studied Packard’s hand as well.
“ Thanks.” John took the gloves and put them on. He carefully took Packard’s fingers and opened them. “ Well David what was so important that you had to grab.” John took the paper by the edge and stood, he and Ron looked at it, Ron’s mouth dropped open and he looked at John.
“ This is bad.” Ron choked out.
“ Get me a bag!” John yelled. “ Ron, you say nothing until this is investigated.”
“ You got it.” He said quietly as he looked at the charge slip signed by Alex.
“ Go over this scene with a fine tooth comb, I am going to see the captain.” John sealed the bag and walked out of the store feeling a bit shaky.

“ You find him and bring him in!” Cap’s face was bright red as he turned and looked at John, the bag with the charge receipt in it dangling from his fingers. “ He was given three days, he has not come in, he is in the middle of three or more murders.” Cap took a breath. “ And now it looks as though he has finally snapped and may have killed Packard!”
“ This only proves he was there.” John was sitting as he spoke. “ The lady said that she heard the shots about a half hour later than the time on this slip.” John stood.
“ That doesn’t change the fact that Packard was holding the slip in his hands. If you have a better reason then you better talk fast.”
“ I don’t know.” John held out his hands. “ Maybe this or these people came in after Alex left and Packard is trying to let us know Alex is in trouble.” John sat again.
“ You know as well as I do that David Packard hated Alex and wouldn’t help him even if his life depended on it.” Cap sat in his chair and slumped back.
“ So maybe he grabbed it to make Alex look guilty.” John sighed and put his hands on his face.
“ John I can’t take this chance, if Alex did or didn’t do this evidence is right here, I have to bring him in.
“ Let me find him.”
“ No, I tried your way and he knocked you out, as far as I am concerned he is out of control and I have to consider him armed and dangerous.”
“ What!” John stood. “ That’s insane, you know as well as I do that Alex would never shoot anyone without due cause.”
“ No, this is out of hand and it has to stop, we have dead people on our hands and Alex is the key.”
“ I will not have any part of this, he is innocent and in trouble. You get us involved some rogue cop is going to shoot him.”
“ Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I will do all I can to make sure he is apprehended without being injured.”
“ What the hell is wrong with you, he’s our friend.” John stood.
“ He is and I’m doing this for his own good, if he is innocent everything will work out.”
“ Bull shit!” John pulled out his badge and tossed it on the desk.
“ What the hell are you doing!” Cap stood and looked at the badge.
“ I’m helping a friend who is in danger.” He pulled out his gun and emptied the rounds on the desk. “ A friend that has saved both our butts and we owe more to than we could ever repay in this lifetime!” John turned and walked out slamming the door. The whole station was silent as he walked down the stairs; John was halfway in the car when three officers walked up to his car. “ What!” He looked at the three.
“ If you need us we are with you, Alex is our friend to.” Olsen looked at John.
“ Yea we owe him as well.” Chuck Mason spoke and the others nodded.
“ Your still cops.” John went to close the door but Olsen stopped it.
“ Not now.” He unpinned his badge and tossed it on the ground, the other three-followed suit. “ We’re with you.
“ This could mean you job.” John was not yelling anymore.
“ If we can help Alex it’s worth it.”
“ Get in.” John unlocked the doors and the three entered and the car drove off.

Cap stood at his window watching the scene in the parking lot and sighed. “ Good luck.” He said to himself and turned to the radio putting an APB out on Alex staples, wanted for murder.

Carmen stood at the door of the department and swore under her breath. She went to her desk and grabbed her coat got her car and took off knowing she was going to be involved as well.
Alex sat in his car and looked at the radio in amazement. He knew that Cap would want to find him and the threat of having an APB out on him was real. This was no surprise; the fact that the APB was out on him for murder shook him up a little. “Jesus Cap.” He muttered and looked at the map beside him with Barstow circled.
Harold Jennings looked at his radio and sighed, he realized that with the cops looking for Alex as well it would put a little crimp in his plan. Harold looked at his files and found the name he was looking for. Charlie Wyre. “Well Charlie I think your friend Alex is going to be joining you shortly.” He looked at the map on the seat next to him and traced his finger up to Barstow.
Alex entered Barstow five hours later and looked around. He had called and made reservations at the same motel that he and Bob had stayed at. Grabbing his key he headed for his room to get some much-needed rest.
The next morning he was up early and planned out his day, the first stop was to the hall of deeds. He entered a small semi-dilapidated building and walked to the desk and rang a small bell that was placed next to a sign in pad. Glancing over the recent names he saw none that he recognized.
“May I help you?” A voice startled him and he looked up to see a woman that looked to be in her mid to upper sixties.
“ Yes I need to get hold of a deed for a mine that I had sent up here from San Diego.”
“ When was this done?” The lady was all business.
“ A few weeks ago I can’t remember the date.”
“Sighn in.” Alex did as he was told and the woman not paying much attention to him spun the book around read the name then looked up. “ Mr. Wyre.”
“ Yes.” Alex suddenly realized that this woman may know Charlie.
“ If you will come with me.” Without hesitation she turned and headed for a computer, sat in a chair and started typing. Alex followed and looked on over her shoulder. “ Here you are, Charlie Wyre and Alex Staples.”
“ Excuse me.” Alex was so surprised at hearing his name he almost yelled.
“ Something wrong?” She looked at Alex.
“ No, I forgot Alex was on my deed.” He mumbled. “ Silent partner.”
“ Well, you better let your silent partner know you had it transferred up here.” Her voice was a little harsh.
“ Don’t worry I will let him know right away.” Alex smiled weakly.
“ I’m sure you will.” The woman replied with doubt in her voice. “ Follow me.” She was up and on the move again. “ This is where you should find it.” She pointed to a file cabinet. “ Please leave it at the desk when you are done and I will re file it.”
“ Yes mam.”
“ I am not a mam.”
“ Sorry.” Alex felt like he was in fifth grade and automatically looked down. The woman walked away shaking her head.
After about fifteen minutes of going through countless deeds Alex pulled out Charlie’s deed. He read it and still was in awe that his name was on it as half owner of the mine. Alex figured that Charlie must have known that something was going to happen to him to put Alex on and not tell him. He read over the deed trying to figure out where in the desert it could be located. He pulled out some more but they were as unhelpful as Charlie’s was. Alex brought the deed up to the front desk and waited for the woman, who was busily doing nothing, to notice him. She finally turned around and looked up at Alex with a expressionless face.
“ Are you all set?” She did not smile or move.
“ Yes but I was wondering, is there a map of the location of different mines?”
“ There was about thirty years ago. But it was lost.”
“ So there is no record of the mines?” Alex was amazed.
“ Most, if not all the mines around here are dead, meaning they are not used. Since they are dead the town and desert commission decided that it would be a waste of the tax payers money to pay someone or some company to re-establish each mines designation.”
“ In other words, when people buy these mines they have no idea where or what mine is theirs?” Alex was shocked.
“ That’s what I’m saying, now it is just a novelty, so you can say you own a mine in the desert.”
“ So other people could own this as well if they bought a deed?”
“ Oh, no, these are the original deeds, we don’t make up false ones, we just don’t know where the mines are.”
“ Your job is to over look the safety of deeds to dead mines.”
“ Yes, so when people like you come around with stupid questions I can answer them.” Her voice was cold. “ This is still a state designated Job, As long as the mines are here, this job needs to be filled.”
“ Thank you for your time.” Alex put the deed down and walked out in disbelief.

Kevin Randall looked at his watch as Alex walked out of the deeds building. He walked to his van and got in keeping a close eye on Alex who started his car and drove off in the direction of the open desert. He got out and walked into the building. While Kevin was watching Alex he failed to notice a man at a pay phone across the street. If he had been observant he would have seen that he was watching Kevin watching Alex. Harold put down the phone and walked across the street to the deeds building curious as to who this new player in his little game was. He entered and looked around; ringing the bell he waited but got no response. Cocking his head to one side he could just make out whimpering and it seemed to be coming from the back office. Pulling out his Beretta he made sure that the chamber was full and placed it in the pocket of his coat. He stepped behind the counter and began to make his way towards the back.
Kevin was about to run his knife across the old lady’s throat when the bell on the wall of the office sounded. He looked out to the desk and saw a tall man stepping over the desk and disappear. “ What the?” He mumbled to himself and looked into the frightened eyes of the lady. “ You wait here I’ll be right back.” With that he slammed the butt of the knife into her right temple and she went down like a wet rag. Kevin exited the office putting the hunting knife behind his back in the belt where it would be easy to extract. As he walked out he spoke. “ Sorry, I was busy in the back.” No answer. “ Is there anyone in here, as I said I was in the back.” Nothing. Then he heard movement, pulling the knife from his belt he crouched down. “ O.k. we’ll do it the hard way.”
Harold was walking along the back wall when he heard Kevin yell there was no reason he could think of to answer whoever this was so he continued to move silently to the voice. He saw feet under what looked to be a conference table and chuckled, this guy was trying to hide from him. Then he saw a flash from the blade of the knife; this guy was also stupid. He pulled out his gun and put it to his side.
“ Sorry, I just need to find some papers.” Harold spoke as he moved closer.
“ We’re closed for the day.” Kevin snuck around the table to try to get a better view of this intruder.
“ Are you closed because Alex was your only customer?”
“ Who?” Kevin felt a tinge of panic run up his back, how does this guy know Alex.
“ Come on, you were watching him and I was watching you.” Harold moved to the open office door and peeked in seeing the old lady on the floor. “ It’s a neat little game I play.”
“ And what kind of game is that?” Kevin looked at the knife, he knew how to use it he would be fine.
“ The kind I’m hired to play.” Harold knew this would throw him.
“ Hired?” Kevin spoke softly to himself. If this guy was hired he was a professional.
“ Who hired you?” Kevin stepped behind some files and peaked around the corner. There was no response; Kevin wiped the sweat that suddenly appeared on his forehead. “ Maybe it’s the same people who hired me.” Kevin crouched down; he could hear his heart beating.
“ Probably, come on out and let’s see if it’s the same people.” Harold saw Kevin’s shoe about ten feet away.
“ Yea that’s a good idea, I’m over by the office.” Kevin was shaking now and readied his knife.
“ Well, I’m right behind you.” Harold said in a low voice. He had snuck around the back of the files and was standing not four feet from Kevin’s back. Kevin spun around startled and started to stand and move to Harold but stopped in his tracks when Harold raised the gun. “ No, it can’t be the same people, you only have a knife and I have a gun.” Harold smiled.
“ Who are you?” Kevin forced out.
“ I’m the last man you are going to see alive.” Harold coolly said.
“ Wait we can work together, find Alex…” Kevin was cut off.
“ Apparently you didn’t hear that I was under the employment of others.”
“ Well, I’m pretty good…maybe they need someone else.”
“ No…as the old saying goes, you brought a knife to a gun fight.” Harold smiled and pulled the trigger twice.

Alex was pushing seventy down one of the few paved roads outside Barstow, he remembered meeting Charlie in a small out of the way bar called the Kingpin lounge about an hour north. The lounge was a dive, the kind of place that Charlie would hang out, out of the way and full of locals. He was trying to remember the names of a couple of prospectors that he met but they seemed to have slipped his mind. He stopped for some coffee what was claimed to be the last store for one hundred ten miles and decided it would be a good idea to get some gas as well.

“ John, all he told me was that they were found in the California Nevada area.” Ted ford sat looking concerned in his office at the top floor of the San Diego bank building. John Lanchero, Olson, and two other officers faced him and he saw that they were not wearing badges.
“ Cap put an APB out on him and we need to find him before any other cop does.” John was fingering one of the expensive cigars that he took from a box on Ted’s desk.
“ Well, we know they came from Charlie, last I heard he was somewhere in the Mojave near Barstow.” Ted looked up in thought. “ He mentioned in a letter about a place called the Kingpin Lounge.” He looked back to John. “ I think that will be our best bet.”
“ Our best bet?” John smiled slyly.
“ Well, why should we be cramped in your car when I have a rather large four wheel vehicle.”
“ If you guys are still in.” John paused and saw nods. “ I want you in civvies and ready to roll in one half hour.”
“ You got it, but you drove us here.” Olson looked at the others.
“ Take my car and meet us back here.” John tossed Olson the keys and they left.
“ Ted this is pretty serious.” John said gravely.
“ When is it not with Alex.” He lit the end of John’s cigar then lit one himself.

Alex looked at his watch as he pulled into the sparse parking lot of the Kingpin lounge. He gave the dilapidated looking place a once over and shook his head and smiled. “ Charlie you always knew the best hangouts.” It was about eight when he walked in the door and was met by dim lighting and stares from the few patrons that were huddled over the bar. Talking ceased as he walked over and stood at the end waiting for service. After a little more than sufficient time the bartender broke away from the murmuring that started up again and made his way to Alex.
“ What can I get you?” His voice was gravely but pleasant.
“ A Heineken please.” Alex sat on a stool.
“ Heineken.” The bartender smiled and one of the patrons looked over and smiled. “ We don’t have that, all we have is bud, and whisky…. Deliveries are few and far between out here.” He opened up a cooler and pulled out a Bud.
“ That’s fine.” Alex smiled. “ I guess you’re a little off the regular delivery root.”
“ You could say that, most of the time Frank.” He pointed to one of the men in the little group who looked over and waved. “ Brings in the beer when he goes to town. Glass?”
“ Bottle is fine.” Alex holds it up in a mock cheer to Frank.
The bartender went back to wiping glasses and Alex sipped on his beer. Frank, Frank… that was it he was one of the guys that Charlie introduced him to. Alex was working on his last name for a while then it popped into his head, Hutchinson, Frank Hutchinson. “ Excuse me.”
“ Need another?” The bartender stopped wiping glasses and looked up.
“ No, not yet.” Alex pointed to Frank. “ Is that Frank Hutchinson?” He said in a low voice.
“ Maybe, who wants to know?”
“ My name is Alex Staples, I was a good friend of Charlie Wyre's, I came to visit him once and he introduced us.” Alex took a longer than normal sip of beer.
“ Just a minute.” The bartender walked over to the group of men and they stopped talking. Alex could hear low talking then the man that he thought was Frank Hutchinson looked his direction, Alex smiled slightly and Frank looked back at the others. He then got up grabbed his beer and walked over.
“ Alex Staples, rings a bell.” He stuck out a beefy hand.
Frank, we met a while ago when Charlie and I were in here.”
“ Yep, how is Charlie?”
“ You haven’t heard.” Alex stood. “ Charlie was killed.”
“ Yea, snake bit.” Frank sat on a stool.
“ Snake bit, but murdered as well.” Alex remained standing.
“ What.” Frank put down his beer and looked like he had been hit with a hammer. Others looked over.
“ I came up and retrieved his body, I thought it odd that Charlie would be killed by a snake so I had an autopsy done.” Alex sat. “ Someone had injected him with three times the amount of venom that a snake delivers.”
“Jesus Christ, do you know who did it?” Others started to move down the bar to listen.
“ Yea a guy by the name of Joe Blacktoe.”
“ Son of a bitch! I knew he was nothing but trouble the first time I met him.”
“ He’s dead as well, The snake got him and he died of exposure.”
“ Good, it’s too bad he didn’t buy it before he got Charlie.”
“ Since Charlie’s death two others maybe more have been killed, all of them connected to Charlie who think that somehow I know about something he found out here.”
“ So they whoever they are, are after you?” Frank picked up his beer.
“ Unfortunately.”
“Why you telling me this?”
“ Cause you are the only one that I know and I have nowhere else to turn.” Alex stood.
“ Well if they want you dead then we better get you somewhere out of the public eye. Joe I’ll take both checks.” He turned to the others. “ If anyone comes in here looking for Alex, you never seen him. Joe this goes double for you, you take a bribe I’ll personally find you and I won’t be happy.” Frank looked at all whom nodded and turned back to Alex. “ Let’s go.” Frank and Alex walked out. It was getting dark and a chill had crept up. “ Follow me to my house.”
“ I’m right behind you.” Alex jumped into his car wondering if this was a good idea or not.

“ We are on our way to Barstow.” John was driving with the four others in the car; Carmen was on the other end of the phone. “ No, you stay there and find out what the captain is up too.” He hung up and looked at the others. “ We’ll get rooms at a place just up the road and find Alex in the morning.
Harold Jennings signed in using a false name and identification and the man gave him his key. As he turned he almost bumped into a man with three other men waiting to get some rooms. “ Sorry.” Harold spoke slowly as he looked into John Lanchero’s eyes.
“ My fault, I was crowding you.” All of them laughed Harold did the same. He walked out looking back once more, he knew who John was from Alex’s files. But did John know who he was; was he playing it cool? Who were those others? Harold went right to his room slightly distressed at this new situation.

The next morning Alex awoke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, he looked around at his surroundings and saw that he was in what most would call a shack. Frank’s house was built of what looked like any material that he found in the area. He walked into the kitchen which consisted of a wood stove a table and three chairs. There was a oven set over in the corner piled high with old pictures and rock specimens.
“ Morning.” Franks voice came from the outside, Alex looked around and saw that there was no wall on the left side of the house and Frank was moving in his direction. “ It’s not much but nobody will find you.” He pointed to a tarp. “ I put your car under there incase any prying eyes did make it over this way.”
“ Thank you.” Alex poured some coffee and walked out into the sun.
“ Now tell me what happened to Charlie and how is this connected to you.” Frank turned and started to walk away from Alex. “ We’ll sit in the hanger, it’s a little bit more comfortable.” Alex explained all to Frank on the way to the hanger, when they entered both were silent, Alex looked around.
“ Wow.” From the outside it looked as thrown together as the shack he spent the night in, but the inside was in complete contrast. There were oriental rugs on the floor, the inside was finished in oak and it looked as though the furniture was that of fine antiques.
“ Like it?” Frank smiled. “ It has taken me years to get this old place to look like this.
“I would have never guessed.” Alex ran his hand over a highly polished table.
“ Coffee.”
“ Yes, black.”
“ Now if what you are telling me is true, and these people think that you know where Charlie’s find is, you are in as much trouble as he is or was.”
“ True, and since I have no idea, except for a deed to a mine that exists in the past.” Frank cut him off.
“ No those mines do exist, the problem is where it is located.
“ Well, from what I have seen the Desert is pretty vast and the odds of finding….” Alex was looking around as he talked and stopped seeing a picture hanging on the wall. He walked over and looked closer. The picture was of mines, old mines in the Desert. He reached up and wiped some of the dust from one and stared.
“ Great old pictures aren’t they.” Frank joined him, then he saw what he was looking at, there were numbers under the mines.
“ What do you see?” Frank was staring at the numbers as well.
“ These are numbered, Charlie said sixty four.” He turned to Frank. “ Do you have any more of these pictures?”
“ Yea all over the hanger.”
“ Let’s see if we can find a mine with the number sixty-four under it.” They both put their coffee down and went to work.
An hour later Alex put down the last picture quietly and sat in a chair at the table, Frank was already sitting and looked at him. “ I went through all I could find.” He sighed, “ Nothing.”
“ Me too, are you sure you don’t have any more.
“ I think I put up all that, wait!” Frank’s eyes lit up. “ The house.”
“On the stove, I saw a stack of junk and some looked like framed pictures.” Alex leaped out of the chair and ran to the house Frank not far behind. Frank came through the door to see a smiling Alex, holding a picture. Alex turned. “Bingo.”
“ My dad always said packrats have treasures.” Frank looked at the picture with Alex. “ We found it, now what?”
“ We have the picture, now we find it.” Alex looked at Frank.
“ And how do you propose we cover the Desert.” Frank spoke slowly as he followed Alex’s line of vision. “ Oh no, that was a long time ago.” Frank was looking at the old BI-plane that he had uncovered to use the tarp to hide Alex’s car.
“ It works doesn’t it?” Alex started walking to the plane.
“ Yea, I have always kept it in working order.” Frank followed. “ I haven’t flown in years.”
“ Then there is no time like the present to get back into the saddle.”
“ But…”
“ They say it’s just like riding a bike.”
“ I never learned to ride a bike, especially six thousand feet in the air.” Frank looked at the old plane.
“ Frank, we are so close, this picture is the mine. All we have to do is fly around and match the mouth of the mine with the picture.”
“ That is an old picture, whose to say that the mine mouth looks the same now as it did years ago?”
“ Then we look for landmarks, things that would not change in thirty years.” Alex leaned against the plane.
“ It hasn’t been flown for ten years.” Frank said in a last ditch effort.
“ Really?” Alex continued to stare at Frank.
“ O.k., but if we go down it’s not my fault.”
“ If indeed we go down, let’s make sure it’s close to the mine.” Alex walked to his car and pulled out a leather coat and some sunglasses. “ Shall we?”

Ted, John and the others checked out of the hotel and jumped into Ted’s car. They had been driving for almost an hour when they saw a small plane in the distance. “ Boy that’s a dinosaur.” Ted was squinting as he looked up. The plane was dipping and swaying from side to side.
“ Someone is having a hell of a ride.” Olsen who was a pilot himself said with a smile.
“ For an old prop plane it’s awfully quiet.” John pulled over and all four got out. “ Ted hand me those binoculars.”

“ It what!” Alex yelled over the wind that was rushing through the open cockpit. He and Frank had been flying around looking at mines, the flight was not as smooth as Alex had hoped for and he was feeling a little sick. He realized that Frank was not kidding when he said he hadn’t flown for years. He was trying to keep his breakfast down and concentrate on the mines below when he hears a peculiar silence.
“ Stalled! She has stalled!” Frank’s voice was distant as he yelled.
“ Jesus Frank! Start it up!” Alex looked at the ground in a panic. There was a sputter and the prop spun twice.
“ Come on!” Frank swore.
“ Frank! We are falling! Start the fucking plane!” Alex felt his stomach rise.

“ Holy shit!” John said as he looked through the binoculars. “ They are stalled and falling fast!”
“ Let me see.” Ted took the binoculars and looked at the ill-fated plane. He panned over the pilot struggling to start it up and then saw the passenger. “ Jesus Christ.” He spoke low.
“ What?” John looked at the plane.
“ Alex is in the passenger seat!”
“ What!” John grabbed the binoculars and looked. “ How the hell?” He looked at the pilot. “ Come on start!”

Alex looked at the ground it was coming fast. Frank was pumping the engine but nothing was happening. “ Assume crash position!” Frank yelled.
“ Crash position! I can barely move as is!” Alex struggled but the seat was too tight.
“ Then you better close your eyes.”
Alex took a deep breath and closed his eyes; he thought about everything he wanted to do in his life and was sad that he would never be able to accomplish them.

“ Oh my god! They’re going down!” John took the binoculars from his eyes solemnly and watched the plane diving toward the ground. “ God help you Alex.” All watched in horror as it disappeared behind a mountain.
“ Lets get in and head to where it went down” Ted was quiet as he spoke.
“ Hey! Listen!” Olsen was looking where the plane was last seen. “ An engine!”
All were silent straining to hear what Olsen had, then like a ghost the plane appeared heading back up over the mountain. All cheered as it gained height.

“ Frank!” Alex yelled at the top of his lungs.
“ Yea!” Frank looked back at Alex with a big smile.
“ I love you man!” Alex and Frank laughed knowing that they beat death by only a few seconds.

“ How the hell?” John looked at Olsen.
“ I don’t know, just one hell of a pilot I guess.” Olsen watched as the plane flew over them. They could hear Alex and Frank laughing and cheering.

Harold Jennings entered the Kingpin lounge and sat at the bar. All were silent as they sat there knowing that this stranger looked too out of place for a person just passing through. Harold ordered a beer, the bartender walked over and set it in front of him.
“ Just a second friend.” Harold smiled and Joe looked at him then to the others who looked away. “ You wouldn’t happen to know the where abouts of a friend of mine? He is about six one blond hair, a good looking guy.”
“ Haven’t seen anyone who fits that description around.” Joe picked up a glass slightly bobbling it as he did.
“ Really?” Harold thought that his answer was a bit too quick. He pulled out two one hundred-dollar bills and placed them on the bar; he held a wad in his hand and smiled. Someone obviously told him to be quiet.
“ Nope, can’t think of anyone like that.” Joe was looking at the money.
“ Oh,” Harold put another one down on the bar. “ I would think he might come in here.” Harold placed another one; he was having a bit of fun, since money was no object to his employers.
“ That’s too bad too, Cause If I did see him I’d tell you for half the money there.” Joe smiled.
“ Well, thanks for being honest.” Harold got up and turned around, he walked for the door then stopped. “ I still think someone knows where he is.” Harold pulled out a gun firing it into the ceiling everyone hit the floor. “ I tried to be nice and make you some money, now I just want information and if you don’t give it to me I will shoot you.” He walked top the bar reached over and pulled Joe up.
“ Don’t tell him.” A voice broke the tense silence. “ He won’t kill you in front of us.”
“ Really.” Harold turned and pulled the trigger the bullet striking the man in the forehead and sending him over backwards in his chair.
“ Jesus.” Joe gasped.
“ He’s not going to help you, where is Alex.”
“ Frank Hutchinson….He took him to his house.” Joe couldn’t take his eyes off of his dead friend.
“ Where is that?”
“ About forty five minutes north, You will see an old sign Hutchinson flying tours.” Harold let go of Joe and smiled.
“ See, that was easy, but no money.” He backed out of the Bar and sped off.

“ Frank!” Alex yelled over the wind.
“ What!"
“ Down there!” Alex pointed. “ The same as the picture!”
“ I’ll bring it around!” Frank looked at the mouths of three mines; he recognized a rock formation that he saw in the picture.
“ Can we land!” Alex put the picture under his seat not taking his eyes off of the mine.
“ Let’s circle around and see if there is a safe place to set her down!”

“ Looks like they found something.” John was looking out the window of the land cruiser as it bumped over the arid landscape.
“ How far you guessing?” Ted was concentrating on not hitting the rocks that were in their path.
“ I have no idea, see him?”
“ Got them, Put your head back in the truck and hold on.” John did as he was told and Ted floored the rover.

Harold Jennings was driving along looking for the sign when he heard a plane. He looked to the left and saw an old BI-plane circling, grabbing his binoculars he pulled over and looked at it. On the side he could barely make out the faded name, Hutchinson Tours. He jumped back into the car and pulled off the road heading for the plane.

“ There’s a place just to the other side of those rocks!” Frank pointed. “ I’ll try for that! Hold on!”
“ I’m holding!” Alex put both hands on a bar welded inside the cockpit and took a deep breath.
Frank circled once more and lined up with what looked to Alex like an area too small for the plane to land. He throttled down and they started to go in. The old planes wheels just grazed the top of the rock formation the mine was in and gently hit the ground rolling to a stop about two hundred feet from the opening.
“ Wow.” Frank said out loud.
“ What?” Alex looked at a smiling Frank.
“ I didn’t think I would make it.” Frank laughed in relief and unbuckled his belt.
“ That makes two of us.” Alex got out of the plane, happy to be on solid ground. “ Looks like it’s the middle one.” Frank joined Alex and both looked at the picture.
“ Let’s go.” Frank was already walking towards the mouth. Alex put the picture on the wing of the plane and followed.
As they entered Alex flicked on a light he was carrying and Frank did the same. Waving the beams around they saw some footprints but no evidence of digging or pick axing of any type. They moved in deeper, soon the light from the outside was a pinpoint and the darkness only broke the darkness.
“ Alex, careful, a lot of these old mines have shafts.” Frank shone the light on the floor in front of them.
“ If this is the right one we should find some of Charlie’s excavating equipment in here somewhere.” Alex took another step and the ground fell from under him.
“ Alex!” Frank yelled hearing a grunt; he whipped his light around but saw no trace of Alex. “ Alex!”
“ Down here!” Alex yelled.
“ Where’s here?” Frank couldn’t pinpoint Alex’s voice.
“ Hang on…ok, look for the light.
“ Looking.” Frank shut his light off and was immersed in darkness. He looked around then saw it, Alex’s light was a faint glow coming up from the ground. Frank ran over and saw that it was coming from a vertical shaft covered by thick rubber that was slit in the middle. “ You alright?”
“ Yea you won’t believe this, come on down.”
“ How?”
“ Just jump through the hole.”
“ I’ll crawl if you don’t mind.” Frank slowly slid down into the hole between the slits and landed softly on a stack of mattresses. “ Son of a bitch?” He looked at the cushioning.
“ Yea good thing Charlie put them there or I would have probably broken my leg.” Alex looked around and the flashlight beam hit a pile of shovels bags and lamps. He walked over and lit one, Frank did the same.

“ There’s the plane.” Olsen pointed to a corner of a wing that stuck out from around a bunch of rocks.
“ Let’s find Alex and get the hell out of here.” John got out and walked over to where the plane was resting.
“ Which hole?” Ted looked at the three mines and back to John.
“ Spread out, look for tracks leading in. John and Ted headed for one while the others surveyed the others.
“ We have tracks.” Olsen looked at John.
“ Tracks here too.” Rogers a short plump man yelled.
“ We have some as well.” Grab the lights and investigate all of them.” Everyone grabbed a light and headed in the openings.

Harold Jennings pulled up to the rover and the plane. He looked at the rover and remembered that it was the one that he Saw at the motel. He figured that it must be the one John Lanchero and the other s drove up from San Diego. He walked over to the plane and looked it over; reaching up he pulled the picture down and looked at the mines. The dust had been brushed off of the center one and he saw a small number sixty-four under the opening. Comparing it with the mines before him he smiled and puled out his gun making sure that the clip was full. He looked around then headed into the mine, having no flashlight was a problem so he decided to stay close to the wall.

“ Alex, there.” Frank had his light on the wall of the mine. It looked different then the rock in the mine above.
“ Lava, its cooled lava.” Alex put his hand on the wall. “ This is an old lava flow and we are standing in a tube.”
“ And?” Frank shone his light around.
“ Lava is what transports Diamonds to the surface, This is what Charlie found.” He looked around. “ There.” His light hit the wall and it refracted into a glint of a rainbow. “ It’s a diamond, Charlie somehow found a diamond deposit.”
“ Holy shit!” They’re all over the place.

“ I haven’t seen a light or heard a thing.” Ted looked at John.
“ You shine that light in my eyes again and I won’t see a thing.
“ We must be in the wrong mine, we have been going deeper and deeper and nothing.”
“ Let’s go a little further.” John turned and moved on.

Harold Jennings was moving slowly; it was darker than he ever thought it could be in the mine. He had heard nothing and was wondering if he was in the wrong mine. He stepped away from the wall with the intent of turning around and his foot went into a hole, he fell to his knees and grabbed the edge, but it was too late and he went down. He opened his eyes and was amazed to feel something soft under him. Feeling around he found his gun then stopped, there were faint voices up ahead. He sat listening for a second then saw a light slowly coming towards him. Quickly he ducked behind the mattresses and waited gun ready.
“ So he put your name on the deed?” Frank was walking in front of Alex as he spoke.
“ Yea.” Alex was looking at the ground as he walked.
“ What are you going to do with this?”
“ I don’t know, Ted said that discovery of diamonds in America could cause a shift in the whole world market.”
“ That’s exactly why it is never going to be discovered.” Harold Jennings spoke as he stepped from his hiding place.
“ What the.” Frank stopped and brought the light up.
“ Hello.” Harold pulled the trigger; Frank crumbled the lantern falling to the ground.

“ What was that?” Ted turned suddenly looking back from where the shot came from.
“ Christ.” John started running. “ We must have gone past where he is.” He pulled out his gun as he ran.

“ Well Alex it seems that your friend has given you the opportunity to die a millionaire. Where are the others?”
“ What others?” Alex was in shock as he looked at Frank, feeling guilty bringing this old man to his death.
“ Your buddy, John and the others.” Harold looked around and stepped closer.
“ Why would he be here?”
“ That’s alright I got you, I have them.” He looked at the rope leading back up.
“ Oops.” Alex smiled.
“ Shut up.” Harold pulled on the rope then smiled walking back over to Alex. “ Looks like only one of us can leave.” Harold leveled his gun on Alex.
“ Right.” Alex said solemnly then dropped the lamp and it went out. He leaped to the side as a flash erupted in the small area. Harold shot two more times.
“ There is no way out!” Harold swung the gun from left to right listening for a sound. He heard a noise to his left and fired three times.
Alex lay on the ground, he had thrown a rock to the corner and pinpointed Harold’s location, and he slowly inched his way to where he saw the flashes. Reaching out to move a little more he hit Harold’s shoe, he instantly rolled as Harold started shooting the bullets hitting all around him. Then he felt a sharp pain as one ripped through his leg he yelled in pain then there were three more flashes and all went silent.
“ Alex.” The voice was familiar but Alex was in too much pain to do anything but groan. A light turned on and he saw John’s face.
“ John look out, gun…” Alex lay his head down.
“ If he shoots it would be a miracle.” John shone the light on the bloody body of Harold lying in the corner. Alex let out a little laugh and closed his eyes.

Joe was sitting at the bar of the kingpin lounge, he had a bottle in front of him and grabbed it and poured a healthy shot into a dirty glass, the front door opened.
“ We’re closed.” He slurred.
“ I didn’t come for a drink.” Alex said as he entered and sat next to him at the bar putting his crutches beside him.
“ You.” Joe spat. “ What the hell you want?”
“ I want to say sorry about Frank.” Alex paused. “ Your father.”
“ Sorry won’t bring him back.” Joe looked at Alex with bloodshot eyes.
“ I know, but he helped me and….I know it won’t bring him back but here.” Alex put a piece of paper on the counter grabbed his crutches and walked out. Joe picked it up after a little while and looked at it. He put his glass down and read it not believing what he saw.

The state of California grants the transferal of the deed for mine sixty-four from partners Charlie Wyre and Alex Staples to the Partners of Joe Hutchinson and Judy Wrath.
Joe got up knocking a stool over and ran to the door in time to see a distant dust cloud. He walked back to the bar and grabbed another shot glass and filled it.
“ Here’s to you dad.”

Ted and John sat mouths gaping as Alex explained what he did. “ You really gave up a diamond mine.” John shook his head.
“ Well, the mine only had about seventy five diamonds in it. It was just a fluke deposit.”
“ Yea but you could retire.” Ted lit a cigar.
“ Maybe.” Alex got up. “ I have to go.” He walked out smiling, took the elevator to the first floor.

“ May I help you?” The teller at the window asked politely.
“ Yes, is Tracy in by any chance?” Alex looked around.
“ One moment.”
“ Thank you.” Alex waited then saw Tracy round the corner. “ Hi again.”
“ Mr. Staples?” She smiled.
“ I would like to re-open my safe deposit box, and open an account.” Alex put a small bag on the on the counter it sounded like a bunch of marbles. “ And take you to dinner.”