Chapters 1-9

All nine chapters combined into one basic plot beginning?

Chapter 1:  Surprises All Around.

      “Hey, Ralph, you sure you got the time of that funeral, right?  We gotta get in and out.  No surprises.”

         “Keep your shirt on, Taylor.  We got plenty of time.  It is some old broad who died.  They will be there talking about how much they are going to miss her and all.  I know this is the attorney who is handing out the will and reading everything later today.  The info I got is prime.  That buddy of yours at the insurance company said they insured a fifteen-caret diamond for this lawyer.  We get it while the funeral is on, and no one is the wiser.” 

             “Get your gloves back on.  You want a get hauled in first crack out of the box?    This furniture is all polished up. One fingerprint and boom, back to the pen.   Fancy office looks like a big shot attorney.”

         “I bet he put it in his safe.  I will check and see if I see one.  Yu’s right… here is the safe.  Now, take it slow and listen for the tumblers.  Use the stethoscope… it works great for this.”

         “Got it.   I think the stuff must be in this box here.  Old broads keep stuff in places like this.    We ain’t got time to check.  We’ll just grab the box and git out of here.”

          “You look all polished up.  Like you was coming tah see an Lawyer.  Ha, ha.  You leave first.  Then I will just walk down the street and we will be on our way.”

         “Okay Go.”

         We will find a place to park and see if there is anything in the box.     It is a pretty box.  Wow!  Wow! 

         “Would yah’ just look at that rock?”

         “Why did you open the box.  You done it now.  Just grab the ring, we gotta git outta here.  Throw the box over there.”

         “How they do that?”

         “Ralph, I already told yah.  It is a man-made diamond company.  They take the body of the dead person and they put it in a furnace and cook it until it is nothing but ashes.  Then they use pressure to convert the ashes into a stone.  Boy, I ain’t never seen a pink diamond.  The ring is setting is platinum.  I will check it all out with my loop later.  Right now, we gotta make like the wind blow out of here.”

         “What do you two morons think you are doing?   Put me back in the box.  Get me off your finger.  You son of a Siberian Sea Cook.  How dare you steal my granddaughters’ inheritance.  I did not go to all this trouble and expense to help you.  Put me back.  Now!”

         “Geeze, did you hear that?  Who said that?”  Be careful.  You are going ta start knocking things off the shelves in minute.  There ain’t no one here but us.”

         “Ralph, why you are spinning around like that.”

         “I heard someone say put me back in the box.  I swear.  I heard a voice say that, Tylor.  Something weird is going on here.  You pulling a prank on me?  You know how I feel about spooks.”

“Here, I am tossing this to you.  Maybe you hear something too.”

“I told you to put me back in the box.  Now!”

“I think the lady is stuck in this ring.  What you goanna do about it?  I got the ring and you ain’t got nothing ta fight with.”

“Ouch, Ouch, what you trying to do to me?  Get it off, it is burning my skin. Quick, get it off.”

“Now you’ve done it.  You broke the glass door to the office.  Someone has got to have heard that.  We gotta run.  This place is a wreck.  Let’s git.”

“What have I gotten myself into.  At least I know I can make my glow a little warm when I need to do so.  Where is Janie.  She should be here by now.  I hope Jackie remembered everything.  He turned out to be a good pick for an attorney.  Looks like I got a lot of figuring to do.  They’re in for a rude awakening if they think I am going to just shut up.  I wanted to be set free not spend eternity trapped in a pear-shaped diamond.  It looks like it was pink.  This guy’s pocket is tight and stuffy.  Wonder if I can poke him a bit.

         “Stop that lady.  Oh, Geeze, that hurt.  Yikes, Ralph, it is getting hot again.”

“That is funny, Tyler.  You got a hot diamond.  Good one.”

“The old broad is right about one thing; you are a moron.  We are going to take this thing to the fence, get our money and blow.  Let the fence deal with the spook.”

“We are out of here.  We will know what to do and when to do it if we watch the papers.  The way we left that office will surely hit the news.  Now, Ralph, disappear.  I will see you in two days at Edwardo’s warehouse.”

“Maybe, I should stick with you.  You got the ring.  I am not sure I trust you that far, Tyler.”

“Okay, Okay, come on.  I guess it is best I keep an eye on you.  Let’s go get a drink.”

“Jackie, you have to call the police this minute.  What has happened to your office?  You said I had to be here.  Okay, I am here.  Why all the secrecy?  What is going on?  Does my mother know what it is all about?  Do, the cousins know?  Jackie, we grew up together and I know you.?   I trusted you to take care of my grandmother’s affairs.  I knew we could trust you.  This office is a mess.  Watch it, there is broken glass.”

“Janie, I don’t know what happened.  The police will sort it out.  I gotta find something first.  Oh, no.  It looks like who ever got in here took your grandmother with them.”

         “Jackie, what are you saying.  I have done nothing but cry all day.  I miss my grandmother.  You say someone left with her.  What is going on?

         “Sit down.”  We will go back here while the police start working through this mess.  Are you still joining the force?  I was just wondering.  You have been through all those courses on criminology.  I heard you got some pretty high marks.”

         “Jackie, can we stick to the subject at hand.  You have been burgled.  What is so secretive that you could not let anyone in the family know but me.  Spill.  Now.”

         “About a year ago.  Your grandmother made arrangements to have her body turned into a diamond.  She wanted it mounted as a pear-shaped stone in a platinum setting.  I got the package two days ago.  It is exactly what she ordered.  Her body has been turned into a diamond ring for you and you alone to inherit.  It is just that simple.  She wanted you to be able to borrow against it or use it for whatever adventure you might want to go.   She did not want money to stand in the way.  Leaving you cash would not work.  You know your family.  The cash would have been lost to other attorneys working for your cousins.  She wanted you to have something they could not touch.”

         “Jackie, have you seen it?  Where is it?  Oh, my.  I would rather have grandmother.  Oh, my.  I really don’t know what to think.  I think I am getting dehydrated from crying so much.”

         “I have taken pictures of it and have a legal description of it in the vault.  But it looks like the jewelry box it was in is gone.  I just think telling the police about the ring as a ring is all we need to do.  I don’t think they need to know the mystery behind it.”

         “Oh, to be so close and not be able to see it.  I miss her so very much.”

         “Janie, I know how close you two were.  I can tell you are exhausted from the day.  I will finish up with the police and you go home and get some rest.  We will figure this out.  It will be okay.  I am sure we will be able to find your grandmother soon.”

         “This is so bizarre.  Why did you let her do this?  I am so sorry, Jackie.  I know how she was.  She would not have let you stop her no matter what.  I have the picture.  How big is it?  Fifteen carats.  It is pink?  I have never seen a pink diamond.”  Wow.  Only grandmother would turn herself into a pink diamond.

         “Jane, get some rest.  I know that detective mind of yours will not stop until you have all the police reports.  You know we have a new Senior Detective now.  He is a good man.  I think you will like him.”

         “I won’t if he does not let me work on the case.”

         “Let me know if you find out anything at all.  I promise to do the same.  I gotta go check on Momma and the cousins.  Later, Jackie.  And thanks.  I mean that.”

         “Jackie, look…  There is blood on that broken glass.  DNA.”

         “Call your new detective, let him know I am coming in with this forensic team on this one.  I don’t need rest; I need to solve this and get my grandmother back.  I am on my way now. Don’t touch anything.”

         “Hello, I am Janie Farrar.  Did Jackie Green call you?  The items stolen from his law office belong to me.  I need to look at the police reports since you refused to let me go in with the forensic team.  I want to check on the blood that was on the broken glass.  There has to be DNA we can cross reference with….”

         “Hold on there, little lady.  First this is my office.  You have not yet passed your detective’s exam so I would appreciate if you would allow me to conduct this case.  ranted you are an office, but you are not yet a detective.”

         “I guess the problem, here, chief… is you don’t know I am already a detective.  I have been solving mysteries since I was a kid.  I don’t need a test to tell me what I am.”

         “That is great.  So, we have a blind man leading the department.  I will be back to shove the results of my test down your throat.  Sorry, I don’t have time to cultivate anything here.  I can’t respect anyone who does not even look at the obvious.  I will make you eat your words.  I will be back.  It is not a threat; it is a promise.”

         “I wonder if she always crashes into a room and slams her way out?”  This one is going to be a handful.  Wonder why this case is so special?”

         “Chief, she is right about one thing.  She has helped us on cases for years.  Everyone here, but you, knows she is a very good detective.”

         “Good to know.  She has the fire for sure.  Those blue eyes of hers were flashing sparks.”

 

          

Chapter 2:  Angry and Pink.

         “Okay, Momma.  It has been two days.  I must go to the police department today.  You will have to get the cousins to help you with Grandmother’s house and getting things settled according to her will.        Did Jackie fill you in on anything else?”

         “No, He does feel awfully bad about how things though.  I know you thought you would inherit the house without any fuss.  But the cousins are going to fight for it.”

         “That is just too bad.  They have no right to that property.  They took Auntie’s house and sold it like it meant nothing to them.  Now they want to grab my grandmother’s house.  I am so glad you did not put it in your name.  Grandmother has it setup in a trust.  You and I are managers of the trust.  They cannot sell the property without written permission from the trust.  My grandmother’s also stats toes that anyone who contests the will is to be immediately removed as a beneficiary.   You know that is to protect you and I. No one can sell it out from under us.  We can move in whenever we are ready.  I just cannot do it today.  I do not want them over at the house without one of us there.  So, get dressed.  You have been elected to protect the home front while I take my exams and get sworn in as a detective.  Yeah!! Finally.

          “You and my mother were always trying to solve one mystery after another.  I sure wish you would go into something that did not require you to wear a gun.”

         “You were always such a Tom Boy growing up.  It is hard to believe my little girl carries a gun as big as she is.    I got a package in for you today.  You might want to open it.”

         “It is the study material for a case I am working on downtown.  I sure will be glad to go back over the police reports.  Imagine stealing people’s stuff while they are at a funeral.”

         “It is a good thing your grandmother left you the house in her will.  It is too big to steal.  You best get yourself dolled up to meet that new detective they got running the show downtown now.  You gotta meet him sooner or later.  Get it out of the way.”  

         “You are right.  It is a good thing there was not anything for those thieves to steal from grandmother.”

         “Don’t you go make yourself cry again.  Come on Janie.  Put on that brave face I know you have hidden behind those tears.”

         “Well, if you have things covered, here I will go.  I will be late so if you get hungry go on and eat.  I will grab something while I’m out.  Tootles.”   

         Where is a body going to park today?  Looks like I got lucky.  Right up front.  One last check in the mirror.

         “You are not going to solve any crimes primping in the mirror or stealing your bosses parking spot.  Come on little lady.  Move the car and report to my office in five.”

         How do you like that?  No introduction, no nothing.  Gad, he is a rude one.  I better approach this one with some caution.  If I am subtle, I can get a glimpse of the police reports on Grandmother’s ring.  I wonder how tall he is. I bet he is a least six-six I am just going to put on my best Southern gal manners.  Grandmother would call you a long drink of water for sure.  I sure miss you, Grandmother.

         “What are you doing?  Those reports are confidential.  You know anything about protocol?”

         “Sorry, officer.  This was my grandmother’s ring that got stolen.  I just wanted to see what the latest news might be here.  It looks like the thieves might have been using that Edwardo character as their fence.  He hangs out at the …”

         “You can’t work on your own case.  That is highly irregular.  Put those reports back.  Go down the hall and go into the first door on the left.  Once you have completed your exam.  Report back to me.  Then I will tell you what you will be doing the rest of the day.”

         “Oh, so you know where to find this guy?  I do.  As a matter of fact, I am going to head over there right after my exam.”

         “When I say you can go over there, I will let you know.  Until then I will have a schedule for you to follow and one more thing… you are not going alone.”

         “He plays chess in the park every day.  That is how we caught him last time.   He has a couple of guys he fences for from New York.  According to the DNA report I got in it looks like one of them is a match.”

         “A DNA report?  I think I will have to fire you before you take the exam.  This is no way to run an investigation.  You are running on pure emotion.  Fire me if you must but I gotta go get this guy.”

         “Fire you, I have not hired you yet.”

         “Go take your exam.  Now… officer.”

         “How goes it chief?  The battle with Janie still going?”

         “Yes, I gotta get her to at least slow down to fifty-five.   She is taking her detective’s exam now.  I hope she messes up.  She needs to get off her high horse and treat me with some respect.”

         “You think calling her ‘little lady’ is respectful?  The look on the chief face answered the question.  He realized how he must have sounded to this wide-eyed young girl.   “You sure have not been in there long enough.”    

         “I have finished.  They are going over the papers now.  I am the first one finished so they will be though quickly as well.”

                  “Let’s start over.  Hello, detective, my name is detective Graham.  My friends call me Bruce.   According to this stack of papers they just gave me you have become the second person to ever complete this test with a perfect score.”

         “Really?  I wonder who the other one was.  Does he still…

         “His name was Bruce Graham,”

         “Oh, my word.  You, Detective Graham are funny.  So now what?

         “You ready to go catch some bad guys?”

         “I sure am.”

           “Jump in detective.”

         “Why are you driving?  Because I know which park, I know what he looks like and right now all I care about is getting that ring back.”

         “Look those old geezers are fighting.  You go that way.  I’ll call for backup and we can the paperwork done in time for lunch.”

         “Take the thing.  I tell you it is haunted.  I want nothing to do with it.  Look what it did to my arm.  Burns, I got burns on my skin from that stupid rock getting too hot.  There is no making that thing happy.  You gotta get rid of it.”

         “Edwardo, what are you talking about. You trying to pull a crazy thing here?  It ain’t goanna work.  I am onto you.”

         “Just get me as far away from that ring as possible.  You would be smart to get rid of it too.”

         My God it is beautiful.  I bet it fits perfect too…’

         “Stop, right where you are, ...  That is officer Farrar evidence.  You do not try on evidence.  You bag it and tag it.  Here is the evidence bag.  Make sure it is lab…

         “This is my grandmother’s ring.  She left it to me in her will.  Please.  This is the first time I have gotten to see it”

         “You are supposed to be a detective.  Stop crying.  You will get it back after the trial.  You know the routine.  Put it in the bag.  Officer.”

     “That is better.”

     “You are mean.”

      “What is wrong.  Sir, what is wrong?”  This bag is getting hot.  I don’t know what is wrong.  Here, you hold it.  Good catch.  Do you feel that heat?

    “Janie, Janie, it is Grandmother.  Finally.  I love you so much.  Some pickle we are in.  That guy made my pink angry.  He should not have done that.  We got lots to do.  We need to go home but they will take the ring.  Without it we cannot communicate.  Take the night shift on in the evidence lock up for tonight.  I got lots to tell you.  There is going to be a murder.  I …”

      “I, um I, Um…. Guess, I should make sure it gets handled correctly.  I will deliver the report.  Then I think I will do the security detail for the evidence room tonight.  Remember, there was an article about this very ring in today’s morning paper.  It is just thrill seekers looking a peek.”  Janie, when I was trying to decide what stone to turn my ashes into; they gave me a duplicate made from z-stones.  You can get it and replace the one in lock up with the copy.  Then we can stay together.”

     “Where do I find it?”

     “Jackie has it.”

 

Chapter 3: The Letter of The Law

     I have got to get a grip.  I have my grandmother in the police evidence room waiting the trial of the guy who stole the ring from my attorney’s office.  How am I going to? What am I going to do?  If I get the duplicate from Jackie, I could switch them out.  It would have to be a zirconium stone.  It just might work. If I tell anyone anything about this, they will lock me up for sure.

     One thing is for certain.  I would lose my job if anyone found out.  Then they would lock me up and throw away the key.  I gotta find Jackie; make some phone calls.

     I gotta stop and check with Momma.  “Jackie, I gotta talk to you.  I am leaving my apartment now.  I will meet you at your office.  You gotta help me.”

     “I will be here:  You          

    “No one else is here, right.  I got to tell someone what is going on or I will lose my mind.  Jackie, Grandmother’s spirit is trapped in that stone.    I know it sound crazy but when I had it for just a few minutes, I talked to her.  I should say I communicated with her.  The thieves that took her the first time thought the ring was haunted.”

    “Janie, what you just told me is impossible.  You are imagining this.  You want to believe it because she had her ashes turned into a diamond.”

    “Grandmother said there was going to be a murder.  That old woman who lives on that big estate due East is going to be murdered.  Her grandkids and the other members of the family have a plot to do just that.  I must talk to her to find out where the evidence is so I can get the information to the head of security.  I can’t just let the murder happen.  I can’t tell anyone how I found out.  I gotta get to the ring in the police lock-up.  You gotta help me do that.”

     “How?”

     “I thought that you could say you have to have the thing certified and labeled by a gemologist to verify it.”  I am staring at you Jackie.  You gotta admit that is a good one.  “Grandmother says you have a duplicate stone done, that is also a pink, pear shaped stone.  It is a zircon… you know… fake.”

     “Janie, think.  You cannot get a fake stone certified as a real one no matter what.”

     “You are going to have to go to the new chief and sit down and tell him what you just told me.  I think if you are calm and rational might listen or at least keep you from breaking the law.”

     “Jackie, will you go with me.  Maybe you can at least back me up on how the ring came to be and how I ended up with it.”

     “Let’s go.  I still think you need to call a shrink.   This is a pretty wild tale, even for you.”

     “I am calling your chief because I have to talk to you about my grandmother’s ring, the case and I need you to listen to me about somethings.”

     “You are with the K9 units?  I can meet you there.  See, yah in a few.”

     My stomach is turning.  I am feeling a little lightheaded.  I best grab something to eat on the way.  There he is.  He is a good-looking man.  I am so glad I did not say that aloud.  I would never be able to live that one down.  I sure hope he gives me a little credit.  I will either be fitted for a padded cell, lose my job, finish going crazy or all three.  Who knows?  His dog is beautiful. “Hello, what a beautiful dog you have there.   I want to sit down while we talk.  Okay?”

     “Sure.  I wanted to let you know that I went to the evidence room and got your grandmother’s ring out for you.  Your attorney said something about needed to get it certified for court.  I have it here.”

     “Wow.  Thank you so much.  It will just take a few minutes to get the certification done.”

     “Janie, wait a second.  Oops.  Oh, know.  What did you have on your hands?  Your dog just ate my grandmother’s ring.  You cannot let this go.  We got to get him to the vet and get it out of there.  Your dog could get it stuck or wedged on something.  We gotta get it out now.  Please.”

“Stop crying.”

“But you do not understand.”

“Explain it to me.  I will listen.”

“You promise to sit there and not interrupt me until I am finished?”

“I promise.”

 

Chapter 4: Beware of Dog

     “I can’t believe what you just did.  I appreciate you bringing my grandmother’s ring out of the police evidence room.  But to be so clumpy as to let your dog swallow it. Now we can both be in trouble.  I have a duplicate made of the stone if you want it to use it in court.

     I need to let you know that my grandmother had her body cremated and the ashes were turned into this man-made diamond.  It is pink, a little over fifteen carets. When I had it briefly, just before it got put in the evidence bag bound to the station, I heard my grandmother’s voice.  I know I did.  I also, know I could be imagining this whole thing.  If she is trapped, I must find a way to free her.  If not, I don’t really know, if not.

     I am watching the Chief’s face.  He seems to have a faraway look in his eye. I bet he is trying to decide if I have lost it or am just a fruit cake.

     I want to keep your dog at my house this weekend.  I can watch him and make sure get the ring back.

“We’ll get it back.  Let’s go to the vet’s office and get some x-rays done.  I would like to know what we are dealing with here.

     “Janie, Officer Farrar, I think you are so full of grief over your grandmother you are seeing and hearing things.   Granted, I had no idea you would go for a burger while waiting for you.    The ring got some of the burger juice on it.  The dog just went after the flavor.”

     “Please do not patronize me.  My name is Janie.  My grandmother and childhood friends call me Janie.  My mother’s name is also Jane.  It made it easier if one of us was a Janie.  I am telling you all this because during that few minutes I was in contact with the ring I heard a mention of a murder plot.  That old woman that lives East of here.  Her family is plotting to kill her and take over the property…  I need to go check it out this weekend.  I just know Grandmother would not get something like that wrong.

     “Are you listening to yourself?  Your grandmother has passed away.   You are grieving.  You are not hearing her say anything about a murder plot.  You are not going anywhere until you go to the company shrink.”

     “Boy, what is your dog’s name.  Ruddy, watch him.  “Ruddy.”  He is trying to talk to us.  He keeps tilting his head.  I bet grandmother is licking in his ear.  “If you can hear me, make Ruddy say yes.”

      “See, he is doing it.  He is moving his head up and down.  We can communicate.  Yeah!!”

     “This is too bizarre for me to really believe.”

     “I bet I can figure out what is going down with the murder plot.”

     “I am going to go home, with your dog and pull up a movie for us to watch until we figure it out.” 

    “Stop Ruddy.  He is pawing the computer.  I am going to let him have it.”  The chief is pacing now.  “Bruce, ask him a question and see what happens.”

     “I am not going to dignify all this with a response.  You, Officer Farrar are on sick leave until I hear from the shrink.

     “Can I have Ruddy at my house tonight?”

“Yes, I would feel better if you were not alone.  Will there be anyone else there?”

“Yes, my mother will be living with me in Grandmother’s house.  I was supposed to meet her there today, but time got away from me.  I gotta find out what Ruddy knows.

“You really are losing it, Janie.  I am going to send the shrink to your grandmother’s house so be looking for him.”

“Ruddy, go get into my car.”

“Watch, Bruce.  He is doing exactly what I asked him to do.  He understands me.  Grandmother is talking to him.”

“I am so sorry to see you go through all this.  I have watched you pass a very difficult and leave a perfect score.  I just want what is best for you.  Please, talk to the shrink when he gets there.”

“I appreciate you walking me out to my car.  Ruddy and I will be just fine.  You gotta go turn yourself in for taking evidence from the lock up?  You should.”

“I will be by later.”  He is so serious.  I know he will figure it out sooner or later.  Maybe I can get Grandmother to say something.  My mind is going a mile in a minute.

 “1 am expecting great thing from you Ruddy.”

Hey, there you go…. Nod that pretty head for me.  Yeah!

“Ruddy, you come back here.”  Please do not drop the laptop.  You don’t want to wait, then slow down a bit.”

“I see, you are wanting me to setup the computer so you can talk to me?”

“Got it.  Your feet are too big to hit the right keys.  Here, put this pencil in your mouth.  Use the eraser end to touch the keys.  We keep this up and we can always be typists.”

“Janie, you need to take Ruddy here and go to the greenhouse on that estate.  You need to go quick.  Today is the day.

“Oops, you dropped the pencil.  I am supposed to wait for the shrink to show up.  Leave a note for them.  Tell them you have gone to the Estate due east of here.  Tell them you are trying to stop a murder.”

 

“Ooo this place looks awful.  It really needs some TLC.

“I have knocked but get no answer.  Yet there are cars in the parking lot just across the street.  Ruddy, we need to get into the greenhouse.  I will follow you.  I seem some lights on inside the house.  I hear some music, clinking glass, and some laughter.

“Someone is celebrating something.”  Oh, the siren.  The chief must have read my note.  Good thing I got my flashlight.  It smells funny in here.  Oh, my.   Her head is wrapped in bubble wrap.  Like she got caught up in the machine by accident.  Good boy Ruddy, he is tearing the plastic off her face.

“Chief, did you see that?  Tell me you saw that.  Ruddy, peeled that bubble wrap off and started jumping on her chest.  There is some tea here.  It is that Ayahuasca Tea?”

“That tea will make you hallucinate.  No telling what she thought she was wrapping around her head.  Accidental, it would have been declared accidental.”

“Why did you come here, alone, I especially told you…”

“Ruddy, brought me here.  Grandmother and I have been communicating through the laptop.  She is in there.”  I can tell I am wasting my breath.  He thinks I have lost it myself.

“Let me have your gun.  You are off duty as of right this minute.  You can have it all back the minute I figure out myself.”

“Bruce, you don’t have to be this way.  Why?  I know it is all a bit weird.  Ruddy and I are getting some cases settled.  We got that theft ring booked solid.  That DNA sample I got from my attorney’s office let us know where to look.  It was just enough to tell us which one of them led to her ending up here in the greenhouse.  It looks like he is getting the bust taken care of and all the bad guys rounded up.

“You best report to the station and make out some statements on all this activity you been doing while you are home on sick leave.”

“Ruddy, you come with me.  Janie is going to the station alone.”  Ruddy looks at Bruce and shakes his head no.  He tilts his head and does his snarl growl.  Then bolts.  Ruddy runs around the back of the property.  Then after a few minutes he runs to my car.  He jumps in my car.  I had to laugh all the way.

“See yah’ at the station.”

“Officer, I need you to get a clean up crew out here.  I need a poop patrol.  Every pile of dog poop must be bagged and tagged.  This is very important.  Get it done right away.”

“Yes, chief.  I’ll get right on that.”

“I am not joking.  That dog swallowed evidence, there is a chance he has left it behind this time.”

“Left it behind… that is funny.”

“I am not being funny.  Just get it done.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I am headed to the station.  I want every pile, bagged and tagged.”

“I am not making enemies in this department.  I am calling a yard man.  I would be laughed out of the office if I ask my buds to do poop duty.  If I have a yard guy to do it, it won’t make a difference as long as it gets done.  Right?

I guess the police don’t want to get their hands dirty.  What do I care?  Twenty-five dollars to go poop scoop this yard and bag it.  Here’s one.  Gloves first, one scoop and what is that?  It is pink.  It is a ring.  I am bagging this one for sure.

 

Chapter 5: Down the Drain

“Molly, look what I got.  Come see Honey.”

“Where did you get that?  I never saw nothing like that in my life.  Is it pink?  Yes, I think it is a diamond.  I bet that is why they were having me poop scoop that yard.  They were looking for that ring.”

“You think I should try it on?”  Molly looks at the special sparkle.  She slips it on her finger.  AWE, What?  Molly screams.

“I am so sorry to startle you dear, but I don’t have time to do this easy.  You gotta…

Molly pulls the ring off her finger and throws it to the ground.  The ring goes down the hill and into a storm drain at the end of the cross street.

“Molly, what have you done?  That belongs to the police.  I got my report on how we ended up with it right here.  We gotta turn it in with the ring.  We gotta get it out of there.”

“There is something in that ring.  The air turned all pink.  I could feel a presence with me.  That ring is haunted.”

“Haunted or no, we gotta get help getting it back.  I am calling the police.”

“I think you should call the ghost busters or someone like that. That is one spooky ring.”

“Molly don’t be daft.  Get on the horn and call up that engineer with the city drain system. He will know how to get that ring out of there.  I ain’t going down for this.  “Be a good girl and keep your cool.  You don’t have to ever put it back on again.  Just help me get it out of that storm drain.”

“Okay, chief.  I will be here.  I am going to see if I can spot it from the top of the opening.  I will have the engineer from the parks department here by the time you get here.”

“I can see it.  It is laying just atop that drainpipe over there on the third ledge from the corner. See it?  Nothing we got can reach that far.  You got a fishing line?  I bet we could get a fish line to it and just lift it off the ledge and reel it in.”

“You must live in an enchanted world.”  

“That I do, chief, that I do.  My wife Molly is half the reason and me trying to woo her a little everyday is the other half.  You ever been married, Chief.”

“Nah.  I came close once, but I can’t seem to find one that will last through the first ruckus.  A marriage that is too quiet is not a marriage it is an endurance contest.    I want to participate.  Here are the fishing poles.  I sure hope this works.”

“It took us hours.  Even the engineer had a go at it.  I am sure the city has a new project to present to the city council.  Getting removable cover grids for all the storm drains.  If we could have taken that grid off, we would have gotten to the ring faster.”

“We got it now.  I am taking this pink thing straight to the evidence room, where it belongs.”

“Doctor, I am fine.  I am tired that is all.  I have been very busy working on a case and “

“Janie, I have been reading your profile.  It seems you think that your grandmother is somehow trapped inside a ring she left you for your inheritance.  Is that the jest of what all this is about?  You are so overcome with grief you have temporarily lost touch with reality.  I think you need some complete rest.  I am going to suggest to the chief that you be allowed to do just that.  You will eventually realize that your mind is very strong.  Strong enough to manufacture the delusion facing you now.”

“Please do not do that to me.  I will go bonkers waiting to go back to work.  I promise that I will not say another word to anyone about that ring.  If I stop myself from entertaining the illusion, then it will eventually go away.  So, come one…. give a gal a break.  Please.”

“Bruce, I did not know you were here yet. 

The doctor has said he will let me go back to work.  I was just going to leave it on your desk.”

“Janie, you were going to sneak it out and read it.  You come inside and wait for me…I mean for you to wait.”

There he goes.  Issue orders and bark at everyone.  I wonder what he would look like with a mustache.  Oso, not bad at all.  That baby face of his would look better with a mustache on it.  Best put my fingers down.  They are likely to think I am having a new delusion.

“Janie, you gotta get to your house.  Your mother needs you now.  I will drive you.:

“Bruce, that will not be necessary.  I can take care of my own family, thank you very much.  I…”

“You can take Ruddy with you.”

“Okay, but do I have to have both of you?  Just so you know.  Your grandmother’s ring is back in the evidence lock up.  It is best to leave it there until after the trial.  That way …”

“I get it Bruce.”

“Janie, at least call me chief when we are around other officers.  A little respect is all I ask.”

“Momma, I got word you need me to come home.  What is going on?  I am headed for my car now.  I will be there in fifteen minutes.”

“The cousins… But why?  I will call Jackie and meet him there.  You just stay calm.

 

Chapter 6: The Inheritance Revealed

I don’t care what the chief says.  I am not tackling any of this without grandmother.  If I am clever, I think I can pull this off.  I still got that fake ring grandmother had made.  I will just switch it out and no one will be the wiser.

No one down the hall.  Good that is Barney doing guard duty.  He has a sweet tooth so... a stop at the vending machine.

“Hey, Barney.  How is it going?   I got a problem… I snatched the wrong bar from the vending machine.  You like the snickers bar?  You can have this one if you want.  I will even take duty until you have a chance to go to bathroom.  You can get a soda on the way back to wash it down.”

“Janie, if I did not know you better, I would think you were putting the moves on me.  I know what you are talking about though.  They get those rows of bars so close it is easy to grab the wrong one.  Sure, I could use the bathroom break for sure.  Be right back.”

“Thanks Janie.  I will return the favor for you some time.”

“Tootles, Barney.”

“Okay, Grandmother it is you and me against the world now.  We are headed to your house.  It seems our cousins think they have the right to the property.”

“Bless you, Janie.  I am so glad we finally got together.  When the dog pooped me out, I was lost.  I had no way to get back to you.  This is kind of crazy, but it looks like things might work out.  That chief, Bruce sure likes you.”

“Grandmother we gotta set some ground rules here.  I do not want to get locked up for talking to you.  I must pretend you are not here.  Do you understand that?”

“Sure, I do.  But that won’t keep me from tellin’ yah what I think.  No one can hear me but you.  Besides I think I have encountered some other ghosts along the way.  There were a couple in that green house where you found that grandmother.  Did I not tell you they were going to try and kill her?”

“Yes, you did.  Thank you.  You saved that woman’s life.”

“Ruddy did.”

“Yeah, with you in his ear.”

“We are here now.  You gotta listen and talk to me when I can answer you.  Please.  I am going to turn the ring around, so the stone is on my palm side.  It looks like a wedding ring that way, but I really do not want the cousins to know about you.”

“Got it.”

We gotta do something about this yard.  It needs to be mowed.  “Momma, wait there.  Do not try and come through all that overgrown grass.  I will be there in a second.  Boy, this stuff is thick.

“Marie, get a hold of mother’s arm.  Don’t let her go any farther. I am coming as fast as I can.”

“Come on, you ole bat.  I told you not to run from me.  You give me the key to the vault now.  Janie will not save you in time. 

“Janie, Marie is hurting your mother.  Run…”

“Let go of her Marie or I drop you where you stand.  I got you Mother.  Marie what in the world are you thinking.  First of all, you have not been invited here.  There is Jackie now.  He will tell you again.  There was nothing for you or your group in the will.  The house and property belong to the Farrar Trust.  Mother and I have been appointed by the court as the managers of that trust.  So, for lack of a better way… BUG OFF.”

“Get that fist out of my face Janie. What did you go get married or something?  What is it with the ring?  Don’t go hide it now.  Where did you get a rock like that?”

“Marie, you are hurting me.  This was a gift from a friend.  It is just a zirconia stone, it is fake.  It is not even real.  Can’t I be allowed anything without you greedy vultures trying to take it away from me?”

“You are hurting me.  Stop.”                   

“I would suggest you do just that young lady.  Assaulting a police officer is against the law.  I am the chief and I am witnessing just that.”

“Bruce, I am so glad you are here.  Jackie will be here in a minute.  He can explain things to you.  I would like to have a restraining order put on the other half of my family.  I do not need to fear my mother’s safety every time I go to work.”

“I will be happy to take care of that for you.  I would also like to know where you got that …”

“Bruce, it is the fake one grandmother made… remember.  I forgot I had it on and this … just keep whispering and keep the cuffs on Marie.  She is the one that is dangerous.?”

“Jackie, we are all here.  Please record all that you say so there can be no question as to what was said here.  Everything has also been in compliance with my grandmother’s last will and testament.”

“I have also drawn up hard copy for each of you so if you feel you need to contest any of this, you may do so at your own expense.  The estate will not pay for any investigations nor is it obligated to do so.”

“Marie, I have set this up to protect Janie and her mother from you and your group from robbing them of what Irma wanted for them.  The only way you could ever get this property or the rights to if three things happened: one, if the back taxes were deliquiate and two, if both of them were dead and three if neither of them had a will or had relinquished the management of the trust.  That is not going to happen.  Give it up.  You will only dig yourself in deeper.”  Besides the minute you file to contest Irma’s will you immediately relinquish all rights as a beneficiary.

“You mean, Janie and her mother get it all?  We took care of the old bat too.  No matter how many times she curses at me for trying to help.  She was just made because we sold her sister’s house.  We are realtors.  This property is worth a fortune.  It is zoned both commercial and residential.  Anyone can open a business right here.  This should be sold to a conglomerate who can develop it and turn this estate into track housing.  The house alone is big enough to be a small motel.  A headquarters, the is a gold mine.  You want to just live here.  That is wrong on so many levels.  Janie, think about it.  You would not have to wear a gun, or even go to work.  You could just sit back and clip the coupons.  You and your mother could go cruises.  Travel… we could all cash in on the money cow.”

“Chief, have you heard enough?”

“I sure have.”  I have a video of the whole thing to play to the judge.  Come on, Marie… you have the right to remain silent…”

“Why am I being arrested?”

“You assaulted me.  I am a police officer.  Detective, first grade.  Book her.”

“I demand…”

“Thanks, Bruce, I would not have been able to pull that off without your help.”

“What are the chances of being getting to go to work tonight?  I think I need a nice quite shift to work.  Some rounds to make would really help me relax right about now.”

“I will see what I can do.”

 

Chapter 7: Grandmother on Patrol

“Bruce really came through for you Janie.  Our first patrol together. I know it is just a little three-hour night shift, but it is work and not just trying to keep tract of you.  I think you were much easier to take care of before you became a plus carat diamond.”

“I am just glad we are still together. Do you ever sleep?  I do so when it is time for me to catch some ‘z’s’ you need to let me.  We also gotta come up with some catch phrases so we can signal each other when others are around.  Deal?”

“Okay, just don’t expect…”

“Janie, you see that man over there on that park bench.  That little girl sitting beside him?”

“That little girl does not belong there.  She is very upset and seem to be trying not to cry.  Something just isn’t right over there.”

“Okay, I will head over there.”

“Just turn and walk the opposite direction.  Four turns, he just did four turns on the wristwatch he is wearing.  He snatched the kids hand and... Did you hear her cry a bit?

“Janie, she is being kidnapped.  He is watching the place where he dropped off the ransom note?  Careful honey, he has a gun in his pocket.  Can you act like you are walking away?  Put your hand in the air like you are stretching.  Hold it a second… there is white car.

“Poor little girl.  She is so scared,

“Chief, have you had any calls about a missing little girl?  About six, in a blue jumper top over blue jeans?”

“Yes, it just came in.”

“I am looking at the people who have the little girl now.  They are parked at the corner of third street and Waxahachie Lane.  I think if you sent in a silent drive by, we could take them quickly.  I am already in position.”

“Copy that, Janie.  Good work.  We might have been weeks trying to find that little girl.”

“I am not going to ask you how you figured out the little girl was being kidnapped.  Her whole family is new to this area.  We will find out more as we go along.  We have one talking through his interview, naming everyone he has ever done a job with and the other is closed up.  We will get some cross checking between agencies know more.”

“One thought came to mind as you were talking.  Pull the credit card receipts in the glove box.  Track the routing.  I think you might check with those police departments and missing person’s reports for those towns and find the answer you need faster.  I am tired.  I got all the statements completed and I am going home.  Bruce, thanks.  I really appreciate the shift.”

“You got another one just like it for tomorrow… I don’t want to hear from you until then.”

“That is your bell Chief, you are filling in as fire marshal till Bud gets back.  Let me know if you need me.”

“Janie, it is your house.  It is on fire.”

“Grandmother, the house is on fire.  I hope mother is all right.  How do you think.”

“It is Mikey.  He figures he will impress Marie if he does one of you in, you know he never has the brains to see anything through.  I see the blaze from here.  I think you will cover better ground if you go in the back way.  Come up through the Oklahoma cross over.  Quick, turn here.” 

“Well, I’ll be horn swaddled.  Look at that.”

“Mikey, put the gasoline can down.  I got you covered.  You can only make things worse for yourself.”

“Your Ma is dead, now all we gotta get is you.  It don’t matter if I go to jail, Marie will like me best because I broke Irma’s will thingy.  Hah, Hah on you Janie.”

“He is right about one thing, Janie.  Marie will be very happy.  Take it easy.  I got you covered.  My gun is aimed right at your heart.  What I want you to do Janie, is give me that ring.  I got no reason to hang around after that.  Let the rest of them get nailed for burning some ashes.  I am going to disappear with that diamond.”

“Brian, this is a fake stone.  It is not real.  You will end up with nothing.  I promise you.”

“I don’t believe you.  So, what we are going to do is go stay in the lineman’s cabin for a few days while I get that little bobble appraised.  When I have my report I either finish you off or let you go.  It is that simple.”

“Grandmother, what do I do?  I know he can’t hear me, but I need to think this through.  I don’t dare give you to him.”

“Are you whispering to yourself?  And they say we are crazy.  Give me that ring.”

“Janie, if you give me to him, I might be able to scare him into giving it up.  As it is, you are fixing to get shot.”

“Brian, why did you do that.  You shot Janie.”

“Quick, grab the ring off that finger.  Leave her there, she will die soon, her mother is already dead so who will get the house and the property… Us.  That is who.  They are going to know one of us shot her.”

“No, they won’t I got a gun just like hers.  It will look like she accidentally shot herself with her own gun.  Hah, Hah.  Good officer Farrar.  Not much of a detective after all.

Chapter 8:  Officer Down

“Chief, have you been able to get a lead on where Janie might be?  I get nothing on her cell phone.  The last time I saw her she was headed to the fire.”

“That is a big estate.   The fire department did a good job getting all that cleaned up.  Janie’s mother is so angry.  She said she will testify at Marie’s trial and have her put away.  She did not expect the woman to fight back.  In that family.  Fighting back started with Janie’s grandmother, Irma.  Her daughter, Jane passed it all down to Jane.”

“Barney, I am going to head back to the station.  Maybe I can retrace Janie’s direction from there.  Something tells me I should at least start there.”

“Not you too Chief.”

“No, Barney.  I don’t think that ring is haunted or that anything else has happened.  I just feel that you start at the last place you expect to find someone.  You would be surprised how many have gotten caught that way.”

“Good.  For a minute I thought maybe she had convinced you all that spook stuff was real.  I am going to the county records and get maps of the estate. It should show us the back roads in and out of the place.  Maybe give us an idea of where Janie might have driven.”

“Great!  Get several officers working on this.  She has been missing now for twelve hours.  Something is wrong.  We gotta find her.  She has not just dropped off the face of the earth.  Someone will know where she is.

  Hey, there goes her cousin.”  I see you; you snake in the grass.  I think I will follow you for a bit.  You are headed to the station?  That is curious.  I bet you are going to try and bail out Marie or something just as foolish.  He is going down that hall towards the bail bond people.  Sure, he is trying to negotiate bail.  I am going to sit behind this coat rack.  It is so full of coats a stuff no one can see me.  I almost hear him.  “I want a put this ring up or collateral to get my momma out on bail.”

“No, Mickey.  Not the ring.  I want to know how you got that.  Better still put it away.    Don’t show it about.  I got the bond taken care of so buss out of here till we can make some plans okey e?

“But Jane is dead.  I shot her.   It looks like an accident.  No one will find her for a while, if ever.  Brian got her mother.  I bet we take over the property within the next year”.  This guy is our attorney.  Right?  He can’t say nothing about what I just told you.  Right?”

“I wish I could hear better.  There is something about Janie in there.  I just know they know about her disappearance.  Oh, the door is opening.”

“Slam, Bam, Bam.  Gotta yah.  Catch… “

“The Ring?  Hay, good going you are the best Son of a Siberian Sea Cook I ever knew Lewis.  So glad you decided to come back as a coat rack.  Good on yah. You nailed that idiot just right to send me flying in the air.  Good catch, Bruce.  You just going to stand there with your mouth open for the flies to get inside?”

“What, you are ….”

“Yes, I am Irma, Janie’s grandmother.  We gotta get to her.  She has been shot.  Get one of your people to go after Brian and hold onto Mikey here.  Thanks again Lewis.  Bruce, stop staring and talk to me.  We gotta get to Janie.  I know you don’t believe in all this but right now I gotta go save Janie.”

“I am with you Irma.  Stick me on your little finger.  It makes communication a whole lot easier.  Now let’s head for the estate.  We are going to come in from the Waxahachie side, so it is going to get bumpy“Irma, you mind telling me how you got yourself in this situation?”

“Well, at the time I just wanted to leave Janie something special.  I had my ashes turned into a diamond.  I figured she could use it for loans or to finance anything she ever really wanted to do.  She has always wanted to be a private investigator that specialized in rescuing children.  I knew she would need some schooling for that.  Also, the estate would be a great headquarters for such and adventure.  I did not expect to get trapped into spending eternity as a pink pear-shaped diamond.”

“What do you think it would take to fee you.  I am not sure.  Love is the only thing that comes to mind.  Love can conquer anything.  Here we are Bruce.  Slow down.  Hold you hand up so I can get a better feel of what is … I hear her… “I hear her…”

“Bruce, please turn right a bit more, over there.  Now get out and crawl along that path.”

“Lewis, what are you doing here.”

“I would follow you any where Irma.  There is a lawn chair I used to live in down here.  Janie is under that chair.  She is hurt.  Been shot.”

“I found her, I found her.  This is Chief Bruce Graham I am requesting emergency helicopter medical pick up at the following coordinates on the Farrar Estate.  I will be here waiting.  Keep this line open.”

“Jane, can you talk?”

“Brrrruuce… I, I but, how did you find me?’

“Your grandmother brought me here.”

“How did she know?”

“She asked a coat rack… I am new at this.  I am so glad to know you are still with us girl.  I don’t think I could bare not having you in my life.”

“Well, I’ll be.  Right here in front of everyone.  You are kissing a fellow officer.”

“The medics are here.  I am going to go with Jane, Irma.”

“We all are going with Jane, Bruce.”

 

Chapter 9: The Birth of An Agency

“Grandmother really came through didn’t she Bruce.  I wish I knew where she was.  I know she has been free from the ring for almost a year now.  I guess she and Lewis are finally having that romance she wanted years ago.  Mother has remarried and I think the Son of a Siberian Sea Cook is an admiral profession.  I can’t help but laugh every time I see her introduce her new son in law to Irma’s voice.  She loves travel.  My mother is cruising all over the seas and having the time of her life.

The papers are supposed to come through on the new Agency today.  The Graham Detective agency.  I wish grandmother were going to be here to see my dream come true.”

“You my dear wife, will be taking desk duty until after that little one is born.  I am making sure of that.  Round the clock watching you.”

“Oh, I think labor has started.  Get the medics…”

“I got everything in the car.  Let’s go.”

“Well, that is a fine How do you do.  A body gets all spruced up and finds their way home after a year.  There ain’t no body around to say, hay, where you been?”

“Well, she would not expect you to show up looking so fine.  I must say we are the best-looking Irish Setters the world has ever seen.  Janie will like it. I told her long time ago I would always have red hair.”

“What is that on that sign?   The Agency… they got the agency going.  Wonder where everyone is.  I hate not knowing stuff.  Let’s get into the house.  Follow me, Lewis.  The little latch on this backdoor never did catch good.  See. Told yah.  Okay, look, there is water on the floor.  I see some blood.  What is going on here?”

“What are you doing in here, you filthy dogs?  You get out.  Missy Janie won’t like you in here when she brings home that new baby.”

“A Baby!!”

“Janie, is having a baby?” 

Lewis, that means we have come full circle.  Janie and I started out with me rescuing her.  We spent a lifetime rescuing each other.  Now, it starts all new.  I am in a place, well, you and I are in a place to help Bruce and Janie rescue children and to protect their children.  The cycle of life continues.

“We gotta figure out how to let her know we are who we know we are.  How do we do that?”

“Here, Irma.  Put this on that collar.  Not every Irish Setter has a pink pear-shaped diamond on its collar.”

“You are right.  We will wait in here for the nursery.  I can out smart that maid.  Watch this.   Oops, the door just latched the other way, and we are on the inside.  When we hear them coming, I will just flip it?  We will be fine.”

“This agency is in for a lot of adventures.  When you got two computer savvy red setters on the job and two first class detectives on the case.”

“They sure took care of all the cousins.  No more problems there.  Imagine them all going crazy like that at the same time.  Right there in court.  Had to be hauled away.  Claimed something was burning their skin.”

“For sure and for certain the future is a bright one.”

This is only the beginning for the Mystery Sparkle… 

Author's Note

All nine chapters combined into one basic plot beginning? Should I continue?