Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

Great Buzzard Eli James IV · (06-18-2014)

The feeling in the air is different. The wind still moves the dirt across the Earth, and no one is able to answer where it comes from beyond stating a direction. The seasons are still going strong no matter where you live. Summer may go a bit longer in some places, and winter trumps it in others. I traveled everywhere without much of a sign....

I was asked by two beautiful women to solve this case. One was a blonde and the other a brunette.

I was sitting at my desk enjoying a nice sip of my coffee the way I like it: black and strong. My cigar was burning away sitting on my ash tray while I was reading up on a case involving a murder at a place called 'The Promise Land'. I didn't know who in the hell would name a area that, but I didn't care. The case was opened when two people reported a missing report of their daughter 15 years ago. No one solved it and it was closed. She was presumed dead. Case closed. Then, pictures surfaced of the girl pulling apples from an orchard somewhere in the mountains. They thought they recognized her so they sent in pictures. I guess they had a hunch. It was proved to be a good one. Police informed the parents she was sighted and the case was reopened, until shit hit the fan.

There were no leads. It was a photograph. She was alone. Police worked hard for three weeks and when nothing was turning up, they gave the parents no hope. This is when they came to me. I opened the door and their eyes were filled with tears. As they told me the story I could hear the heartbreak. They were on a roller coaster of emotion. One minute there's hope, and the next, none. I was sitting across from a hopeless family without any leads. They looked across my desk and I guess saw me as the one thing they were missing: hope. I had no idea what I was going to do, but what could I do? They offered my a handsomely figure for my services. This was the case that would change everything.

Imagine me solving a case without any leads. I'm going by a missing child report 15 years ago, and about a four week old photograph of her picking apples. That's it. If I can solve this, then I won't have any more issues paying bills or getting more work. This was the case to tell me if I was done or if I was going to climb up a mountain. Fuck it. I was going to solve this.

You have to know this story before I we go back to the two beautiful ladies that asked me to solve something for them.

I gave the parents hope. It was probably a stupid move on my part, but I had to. The professionals in my world would look at me and tell me I'm fucking crazy for not just taking the case, but giving them hope. If I fail I'll be not only a laughing stock, but I'll probably get sued or killed by these two. They are desperate. Desperate people do crazy things sometimes and I can only imagine what these two would do. I really didn't have a choice. I was losing my business. My bank account was drying up and I had bills to pay. I'll go against the everything I was taught and just go with instinct.

They left me office that day with smiles. We shook hands and they once again confirmed the amount of money I would receive if I solved this. They weren't sure if their daughter was alive or dead, but they wanted the body regardless. If she were dead, then they wanted me to find out who and why. My mind was already in motion and I was ready to do whatever it took to solve this. As soon as the parents left, I immediately rushed to grab my coat and hat so I could begin this long journey.

My first stop was the obvious: the apple orchard. I hunted around for anything that could have been overlooked by the police. It's been four weeks and this place has been picked dry. It's going to be difficult finding anything around here other than fallen apples and leaves. I searched for days. When the sun was up, I was out there looking. When the sun was down, I was sipping coffee at my office going through all the evidence from the police. Something wasn't right. There had to be a way to find her.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. The police didn't do something they should have. Hell, it should have been the first thing they did. They didn't interview the parents. So, I was on the move. I just wondered why they didn't interview them. Things didn't add up.

Knock Knock.

The lone detective arrived at the parents home. The neighborhood looked well protected. A code is needed to enter the front gate into the community. Cameras are almost everywhere outside watching the streets. Signs to warn people are posted neatly on poles through out the neighborhood telling them it's being protected by a watch out security team and cameras. On top of all this security, there is a patrol man by the entrance gate in case of an emergency. A patrol man, or officer, is always there. They take turns watching out for anything suspicious.

How could a kid escape this? From everything I read, there was no report of a video of the girl leaving. She's simply reported as missing and the last place seen is sketchy from what I've read. I arrived at the home unannounced. I wanted to see what they were doing. The mother was outside planting flowers in her garden. The dad was in the garage changing oil in his red 1966 mustang. It looked brand new. The way everything looked they were people who paid attention to detail. They kept old things looking new. They knew how to take care of things. There's no way they just lost sight of their only child. The way these parents are and the security in this neighborhood, I'm beginning to get suspicious.

The detective parks across the street and begins walking to the parents home. The mother recognizes him as he approaches the drive way.

"John!", she yelled. The husband stops mid-oil change and starts to wipe off his hands as he hurries not knowing the detective is there.

"Detective! Do you have good news?"

Before I could even open my mouth a man walks up behind me.

"Hi. I'm Sal. Sal Valencia. I'm a retired attorney at law, in a way. I don't recognize you."

I hate lawyers. I really fucking hate lawyers. They look too plastic for my taste. Their million dollar smile that tries to lure you into their arms of comfort, all the while they are your bank account written down ready to draw you dry.

"Apologies. Sal, this is detective Ed Cantrell. He's working the case for our daughter."

"You do realize you have to get permission to make an appointment to get into this neighborhood, don't you?"

"I'm a detective. The officer let me in because I had to speak to this family about their daughter. Is this a problem?"

"I said I'm a retired lawyer in a way, meaning I don't work public cases. I am the attorney for everyone in this neighborhood. They are protected by me. Part of their rental fee is for the protection and security you see around. I don't make the rules, I'm just a part of them. I don't mind you talking to the family about their missing daughter, but you have to go through the proper channels."

"I'll remember that next time, Sal. Mind if I talk to them now? Cupcake."

"So, you have news about our daughter?"

"Well, not exactly. I found it strange the police didn't interview you two, so I decided to come talk to you about the day she went missing."

It was timed so well. This is when I was introduced to him. I'm not sure if he was listening or what, but it just too perfectly timed.

"Can I help you, man?"

A man walks into the yard with everyone.

"My name is Eli James. I own this property here."

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode The Mystery: Part I
Author	Message