Under the Tower Part 1: A Wayne Investigations Mystery (1-1) Read online

  Under the tower

  ' the games a foot '

  She caught a brief glimpse of his eyes, his determined fixed stare couldn't hide the love that his blue

  eyes showed her every day. The tenseness of the hours showed in the strain around them, his mouth

  set in a grimace. How many mind numbing stakeouts had they shared. She felt a chilling shiver of

  remembrance. They'd been together fourteen years, she couldn't remember life without him.

  James was her world. Her father, a faint memory, how could that be she asked herself? He'd been

  dead six years when she'd found James, on a T.V. show of all things. Ginny had sat transfixed, while

  he talked of a murder case he'd solved. The New Orleans police department had closed the books

  on the case eight years before. The murdered man's family had come to him, a fresh faced private

  detective, 5 years out of military police. Where he had specialized in intelligence gathering.

  “I chose the private eye route” he said with a sparkle in his eyes. He continued by saying,

  “Sometimes the authorities didn't have fresh ideas, their approach could be limited by department

  methods and priorities.” He looked into her eyes with a sly smile. His successful investigations

  where cold cases undertaken were numerous. Ginny had discovered when she checked him out.

  Her father had been a detective with the New Orleans P.D. with eighteen years under his belt.

  He had been involved in some messy mob business and had hinted to her he was real close to

  a big time arrest. Ginny had just celebrated her sixteenth birthday, the day before his body

  was found. Shot in the back of the head execution style, found in a back alley off Royal Street

  in the French Quarter. After what seemed like four short years, the homicide department had closed

  his file. To her disbelief marked it, 'cold case' and placed it with all the others.

  At twenty-one she had joined the P.D. Academy, graduating with honors and receiving high

  marks as a rookie. But, she found no one interested in solving her father's murder. Her frustration had

  turned to rage at those who refused to help solve the now six year old cold case. She had thrown

  in the towel, when she was repeatedly was warned that her duties had nothing to do will her father's

  murder. Irony at its best, was her forethought. She had been threatened with reprimands in her service file, if she persisted. Her mother who had never been supportive, had also cautioned her to leave the dirty mob connected business alone.

  Ginny brushed her auburn bangs out of her eyes, and sighed aloud. Smiling to herself as

  she watched James Wayne, private eye. Noticed he was a real good looking guy. He was talking about

  justice and one's families resolution to the tragedy. Their enduring misery of not knowing

  who had been the killer and why such a tragedy had come to pass. He had pushed his own blond

  bangs away from his tanned face, then had flashed his winning smile. He looked into the camera and

  said , “These families needed closure. They needed help to find justice and peace of mind at last.

  These life's have been forever changed by a murder of a loved one.” James paused, to check

  his emotions and continued softly, “I am proud of this service, I am able to provide.” And it

  showed on his face. James Wayne glanced out at Ginny from the T.V. screen and Ginny knew

  in that moments realization. And had begun the journey they now shared. Finding justice for

  her father, and all those since. Whom search for the peace they had helped. Ginny with a grin thought, ' they were in the service of justice.'

  This night they were lost in their observations,, tenseness gripped the moments. Ginny scanned the south perimeter of the swiping lawn. From up the rise to the big mansion. A memory flashed in her mind. They had set looking at the evidence stacked in three piles on the kitchen table between them. James had looked tense, his face drawn. They had thoroughly reviewed each page,

  fax and document. The recently obtained material from the Interpol office in France, had been the most disturbing. Ginny nervously looked off to the side which was her habit to avoid eye contact, when bad news was coming her way. James was the one to speak first. The silence between them had laid heavily like a ton of misery on their rapidly beating hearts. Meticulously, in his southern drawl he said, “ It's what both of us suspected. Since the reports from Interpol arrived.” James laid his hand on the stack to his right, he let out a slow deep breath. Ginny knew he would continue talking in a higher pitched voice, he always did in these type situations. Looking at him again, she could read the dread on his face. Her heart was grasped tightly as if held by an iron fist. Solemnly he said, “ We both know what we've gotten ourselves involved in. We got a 6 time

  intercontinental serial killer. A rich playboy type who romances women, takes whatever he wants including their lives just to cover his tracks.” They had been looking intently into each others eyes. His words and the realization therein, had sent chills over her arms and neck. Ginny had shivered conspicuously, James had noticed. She again glanced off to the side, to break the moment. Under her breath in her best husky southern voice she said, “ you got that right Sherlock!” They had shared a relaxing good hearted chuckle. It was all they could muster under the circumstances.

  Ginny shook her head to shake off this memory and returned to the present. The hours were just creeping by. They were both increasingly certain no action was going down on this moonless night. They didn't have enough evidence to use against him in his home state. Much less detain him for the police. They'd tracked him with James ' computer hacking skills. From their home city of New Orleans, to Atlanta and then to Memphis by car. They had set up outside his hotel, the Ritz Carlton and for some reason he had spooked. James was in the lobby, just off the lounge when he had spotted Van Camp hurriedly check out. Returning quickly to the car they had followed him to the airport. Where Van Camp jumped the first flight out to Boston by way of Philly without a change of planes. Ginny and James had lucked out and gotten the last two seats in coach. Where they settled into the cramped seats knowing full well that he wouldn't come back from first class for any reason. As professionals it was easy for them to follow him. For his ego would have assumed, he had lost whomever he feared might be on his trail.

  Ginny and James sat behind some bushes in the stakeout spot, concealed from view of the massive story three story house. It appeared to be at least a hundred years old, some early American style, which was covered in English ivy. There was acres of landscaping, on the far side of a 4 car garage was an area of stately oak trees. They had considered watching from there, before decided on taking the high ground on the bushy hillside. James shifted and sighed, pointed as some lights went out on the ground floor. Ginny figured a kitchen and study or den. Upstairs in a side room off a possible bedroom the windows were illuminated. A light blinked on in a bedroom and they both tensed as a mans' shadow crossed behind the curtains. Ginny heard James grunt as he shifted again, he hated all night stakeouts. He leaned in to her, she could smell his aftershave and the bubble gum he loved. “Honey gonna move the car over behind the trees we considered earlier.” As they slowly made their way to SUV rental Ginny thought, 'at least we can stretch out for awhile and take turns napping.' Upon arriving they climbed in relieved and settled into the soft leather seats. The car was new and had that smell. It started quietly, James e
ased it into position. For the rest of the night they would sit in the comfortable car.

  Ginny's thoughts drifted back to her and James' first face to face. James was Mister Cool, calm and collected in a charcoal gray suit, his hair perfectly combed and the smell of that aftershave.

  While she was a noticeable nervous wreak. Her appearance lacking at best. She'd told her story in a halting emotional fashion, almost rambling at times. Of course he was wonderful in his concern. With her daddy dead 6 very long years. Her mothers life a wreak and her fading away day by day. Ginny needed someone to believe in and be believed by. The P.D.'s response echoed in her head that day, ' yeah , maybe a mob hit. Or whatever it was a old case. A dead end to them, just another closed file.' This she had kept hearing, because they either didn't care or had no expectations. No motivation of any kind in regard to a resolution.

  Ginny had met with James 3 times, as he had done the ground work as he'd called it. He had accepted the case, his fee was of no problem, she'd been saving for years for something and she'd decided this was it. Her case had lead to them working closely together. Because of her P.D. training and expertise. All that had lead to this moment. 'Wow, 14 years,' she'd said to herself. She was brought back from remembrance land by something James was saying. “ What was that, babe?”, she asked. “ Something doesn't seem right, honey. Got one of my feelings. And, I don't like it.”, he said. “That's my man, clever and fine tuned. Always one step ahead of the bad guy.” She had said with a chuckle. As she gazed at him she thought , ' his story has its' rocky moments like most. Due to his military service related separations, his marriage to a Kansas transplant had bite the dust. Trouble started due to her loneliness or her inability to deal with it. She just didn't have what it took to handle being a military wife. On his 3rd deployment, in 5 years she skipped out. She had moved all their stuff and the 2 kids to her parents in Kansas. Now, they were living in some corn field town in the middle of nowhere. It still even to this day infuriated Ginny. Just the thought of his kids left fatherless, by that cold hearted woman. Being James he'd managed over the years to see his kids and ex-wife a couple times a year. She tried to stretch out her long legs best she could. James motioned ' give me a kiss.' She thought, 'lord a mercy, her man loved his kisses.' As she leaned in to him, he jerked

  upright grabbing the wheel and started the car. Ginny glanced toward the garage, saw a black corvette rocket out just barely clearing the rising door. A blur it headed up the street, it must have been doing 70 as it fled. Ginny hear James in his best Sherlock Holmes voice say,

  “ Watson , the games a foot.” “ Look at him go,babe,” she breathless said. Her fingers gripped the hand holds. James blurted out, “I'll bet hes' done some race driving, rich playboy types do that kind of crap.” They'd only driven the road once, so they followed him as best could be expected. Barely they keep the black car in sight. Ginny wanted to laugh, but she wanted to cry, even more. She couldn't bring herself to check the speed, but knew without a doubt they were hauling ass. Light posts were flashing by, then they were out of the densely populated

  neighborhood. Into some ratty area where the buildings hadn't seen any upgrades in decades. Slowly Van Camp had decreased his speed, but was still way over the limit. James let up and the gap between them increased. He said, “ that rabbits' done gone, honey.” They had lost sight of Van Camp the serial killer and his blur of a black corvette. They both shared a barrel laugh. James said, “good thing we put GPS trackers on all his cars.” Ginny said, “ My dear Sherlock, a well times idea you had.” She had retrieved the laptop from the backseat and fired it up. As the map of the area popped up, she said, “He's headed for the airport.” They were prepared for whatever my occur with to go bags. Ginny was clicking away on the keyboard. James had over the years taught her his hacking skills. She accessed the reservations system at Logan International. Excitedly she said, “ bingo, got him booked first class on Air France direct to Paris. Departs in 62 minutes babe.” Next she made them reservations, all that she could find was coach. “ Better step on it,” Ginny said. James nodded his head, eyes focused on the road. Ginny could hear the wheels in his head turning.

 

 

  JimmyWayne Mcgee, Under the Tower Part 1: A Wayne Investigations Mystery (1-1)

  Thanks for reading the books on GrayCity.Net