When Jay entered Susan’s home, David and Susan were talking quietly on the patio drinking two sodas at the table and sitting under the large flowered umbrella in white folding chairs. Her pool sat behind them. It looked inviting as the day was already heating up.

“Hey, nice to see all of us back safely from a difficult job well done.” “Yes Sam, it’s been quite a night.” “I have a question for you Susan.” “Yes Sam, what might that be?” What did you do to the guard in the alley. He seems to have been less trouble than I had imagined he might be. The last time I saw him he was just a pile humanity lying on the ground.”

“We had pleasant chat and shared a small drink together, nothing shameful in that, is there?” “No, but why did he go down twenty minutes later?” “Oh, that might have been the Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate that he might have ingested.” “How might that have happened?” “Well Jay, it might have somehow found its way into his drink that I so kindly offered to him. We were almost on a date, I think.”

“How is it that you had access to that might I ask? It s a controlled substance. I believe it’s a schedule 1 depressant. ” “Oh Sam, a girl has to protect herself at all times, don’t you agree. It’s quite easy to obtain. I shop at the PX on the base near by. One can obtain anything out there that suits your fancy. You boys always only have one thing on your mind most of the time. I always have some on hand. It’s nice to turn the tables on you now and then.” “That didn’t answer my question.” “Well in my former work I had occasion to use that on a regular basis. It’s one of my favorite potions.

As you well know Jay, many of the “illegal” drugs floating around these days were created for military use. LSD and Meth to mention just two. The drugs are easy to make once you have a recipe. It’s just like baking a cake. As far as LSD is concerned, you just need to know the melting point of some of the ingredients. I had friends in college making that stuff in the dorms. You as a police officer know just how easy it is to procure drugs on the street Jay. Your new best friend Sam Cornel is part of that nasty business.”

“What did you actually do for work Susan?” “Lots of things Sam. Mostly in the government sector. I was often used to help politicians decide not to run for office, if you get my drift. That drug does wonders for setting up photo ops that can change world history.”

Sam looked over at David and David seemed to be in a state of shock. “You were a spy of some sort?” “Well lets not get into formal semantics David. I just like to say that I helped my country in time of need.” “Great, that explains somethings I was thinking about you Susan,” Jay said. “Well, there you go then, its all settled then. No need for further explanations.”

David sat in his chair for sometime, not being able to speak. He had more than he could fathom on his mind. It wandered from the downfall of one politician in “interesting circumstances” around the world to the next to another over his lifetime and he wondered, was Susan responsible for that?” She seemed to be a normal middle aged woman who reminded him a little of his mother. If anything she more frail than is mother. He was thinking of moving in with her. “How many years did you work for the government,” he asked.

“Oh, I started early. This work is for the young woman if you get my meaning. I did a stint of thirty five years, David. So I did many other things as time passed.” David looked back and saw the downfall of many men who had sought power over his adult lifetime and wondered if Susan was responsible. “Did you get to travel a good deal?” “Oh yes, I traveled all through the continents at different times. But that part of my career was short lived. I aged out quickly. It’s a young girls game for the most part, sadly. But I was taught many useful skills that come in handy now and then.” Her answer was more than he could handle. He looked at Jay and Jay knew what he as thinking and just shrugged his shoulders.

Sam looked at David and spoke. “Let’s drop the talk of ancient history and figure out what’s going to happen tonight.” “That’s a good Idea Jay, reflecting on what might have been is just a waste of energy and time and suitable for people much older than we are. I’m not including you in that statement David, of course, you are just a young man,” Susan added. Jay looked at David and just smiled and thought, “She is something else.”

“Alright Jay, what happens next Jay,” David asked. “Well, the luggage should arrive at Sam’s house sometime this morning, thanks to you and Susan. That should be interesting for Sam. Cheeto and Sam will be pulled over as soon as they get out on the public streets as they both have defective tail lights and then the weed will be discovered. Most likely they will end up in jail. Cheeto most certainly will end up in jail as he has a long criminal record. I’ve been thinking, can we get this gun left at my sister’s house placed on someone? And who might it be placed with?” “You mean planted on Sam, don’t you Jay,” Susan added. “Well, that’s an ugly word to use. I prefer to use the words “given as a gift. Yes, I think Sam needs a gun for protection from his wife and I think I have the one he will end up with right here in my holster. I need to call the chief and make sure we have time to do something with this gun before Sam gets pulled over.”

Just as Jay was reaching for the phone, his cell phone rang. “Who could that be at this time of the morning. It’s just barely six am.” “Maybe it’s your wife Jay?” “No, she’s used to my crazy hours. Jay answered his phone as Susan picked her’s up. Jay looked at his two new friends and whispered quietly, It was Sam Cornel. “Hello Sam, what’s up?” “Hey Jay, can we get together today sometime to discuss some maters that will enhance the futures of the both of us?” “Sure Sam, how about lunch at my golf club, The Thunder Bird?” Do you know where it is?” “Oh yes Jay, I own a part interest in it. I don’t play golf, but I see the value of owning such a fine place as that. I own a few of them out here in Arizona and a few other states in the west.” Jay took that in and filed it away. “Great then, how about twelve thirty. We can have a few drinks and by the time we finish those the crowd will have left and we can talk.” “I would like that very much.” Sam hung up his phone and clapped his hands together in triumph.

“Did you hear who that was guys?” “No Jay, we were too far away from the phone. Who was it.” It was Sam Cornel. I’m going to have lunch with him today at my golf club. Well, I really mean Sam’s golf club. He owns a part of it and some others “out west” to put it as he did.” Perhaps we can accomplish our task there. “Yes Sam,” Susan spoke up, “I like the layout of that place. The parking lot is surrounded by berms. I think if you sit him in the right place he won’t be able to see much in the parking lot. We’ll need to focus on that as you keep him busy talking. That should work out perfect.”

“We had a long night last night filled with danger and success boys. We are all running on fumes. When we meet her later on today we can discuss this plan in more detail. David, set your phone alarm for eleven o”clock” and I’ll take your makeup off. Follow me and then you can go home get some rest.” “Alright Susan, I will, David said as he pulled his phone out from his pocket to set the alarm. The two men followed Susan back to the bright room where she had done her handy work. It took very little time to take the make up off. David left as soon as she was done. “Back her at ten David.” “I’ll be here, you can count on that.”

“Who was calling you Susan?” She had already finished her call and hung up. “I sent the film I took to my friends at the lab and they are working on breaking that coded names and address in Sam’s book. “What lab?” Susan didn’t answer.” Give me the gun Sam.” Sam took out his handkerchief and pulled the gun from his holster and handed to Susan who held a cloth napkin in her hand. “I know the finger prints of the guy in my sister’s garage are on there. Their may be others as well, Susan.” She wrapped the gun up and set it aside on the table. The gun didn’t make her uncomfortable in the least. Sam noticed that. So did David.

David looked at Susan and wondered if it would be a good idea to live here with Susan or not. The house was perfect. It was large and he would have ample privacy. She wanted to cook for him. That was a plus. It had a pool and that was an added feature that he liked. Could he bring a girl back if he got lucky one day? But the most important question was, would he be safe here?” Then it struck him. She’s probably a spy and perhaps much more. What else is she capable of? This is probably the safest place on the planet to live.

“Jay sat down in the warm chair after David had left and Susan went to work. “What do you think about David,” she asked. “He seems bright and perhaps looking for some meaning in his life now that has left the military. “Perhaps Sam. I wonder what he did? ” I think he was in the infantry, Susan. “I’ll have to check on that and see what his MOS was, she almost said to herself. “What did you Say Susan?” “Nothing Jay, it isn’t important.” “Do you think he drinks a little too much?” “It’s none of our business Susan.”

Susan took Jay’s makeup off and sent him on his way. Jay drove out to pick up his car behind the market where it was parked, out of site from the road. He drove by Oscar’s as he headed there. Two police cars still sat in front as he drove by. He soon came to the back of the shopping center and parked next to his Corvette. It was a little dusty from the the wind kicking up the desert dust. He climbed in and headed home. He looked for any black cars around him that might have followed him. He didn’t see any. He new a few of them were sitting idle to day. The last thing he wanted to do was to bring more danger to his family.

Julie was still sleeping when Jay climbed into bed. She groaned just a little as he placed his cold body next to her’s.

Sam Cornel and his three cohorts in the office were questioned by the police for several hours at Oscar’s and then at police headquarters. BY the time the police had the four men downtown they had formulated a story about an attempted robbery at Oscar’s that had failed. Sam had called his attorney from the police station who showed up quickly. Sam answered some questions, but on the advice of his attorney, he soon stopped talking. The stories the police did get from the four men in the office seemed almost matching too close for comfort.

__________ ___________ __________

I have gone back through most of this story and made a few changes and corrections along the way. Some of the story needed a little tune up. I added the chapter numbers to make it easier to find. It is in the travel section of my website. Sorry about that. There is more coming obviously.

Again, if you like this story, you will love, “Atlanta” and “Judgment Day.” I spent much more time on them than this simple “sketch.” “Atlanta” is a longer read than “Judgment Day” but both are fun and interesting crime novels with some interesting friends of mine. They just happen to live in my head. That’s nice and convenient for me as they are always “close by.”