The Garden Patch (Whispering Pines Book 6)

By Charles Wells

Whispering Pines "The Garden Patch" is book six in the six books (and counting) thriller/suspense series by Author Charles E. Wells. It's a southern flavored fast paced "small town vs big city" crime adventure series centered in Georgia USA. Each book in the series stands alone with no cliff hangers. Read one or read them all in order. Exciting edge of your seat enjoyment for all ages. Rated PG

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles Wells
• Release date: Oct 22, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465857286

Charles Wells

I was asked why I'm a writer and responded with the following. I didn't choose writing, it chose me. I've spent the better part of my life (and I'm 60 years old) writing, but I still hesitate to call myself an Author. I've written and published seven books, six are fiction, and still I don't feel like a writer because I don't fit my mental image of one. I don't feel compelled to be the next Mark Twain or Tom Clancy. I don't want to get filthy rich from my writing and I don't care for the glory of being recognized while walking down the street. All I want to do is entertain people and hold that wisp of power and control knowing I can make you laugh, or make you cry. I can take you to heaven or send you straight to hell, all with a few words placed appropriately. I can do in one paragraph what God needs seven days to accomplish. Best of all, I can make you think great thoughts or I can help you dream in a reality that I create. A reality you can enjoin or not with the flip of a book cover or press of a digital reader button. All of this isn't writing, it's insanity and escape for the sake of entertainment.http://www.charleswells.usBefore turning to fiction writing, Wells spent most of his career as a newspaper reporter and journalist in middle Georgia. He covered everything from high school sports to front page news stories. During the last fourteen years of his career he worked as Managing Editor for “The Robins Review” a military town’s 25,000 weekly edition publication. The city’s mixed population of civilian and military called for a unique brand of writing skills that Wells found comfortable supplying. The highlight of his career was in 1988 when a sharply written article was picked up by the national wire services and republished around the world. The topic was the advance of technology in the Air Force’s electronic warfare division and aptly titled “Stone Age to Star Wars.” Copies of the article made it to the desk of then President Ronald Regan who had initially emblazoned the term into the minds of the world.The article also caught the attention of an NBC News Producer as well as ABC’s nightline’s Associate Producer, Terry Irving. The sad news through it all was that just as Wells’ writing career was taking off, his personal world was “going south and silent.” Plagued since childhood by an ongoing progressive hearing loss, Charles Wells lost all usable hearing and went completely deaf. When the handicap peaked, Wells found it impossible to function for the newspaper any longer and resigned at age 38. He fell back on his original “day job” returning to work as an electronics technician at the same military base where he once “entertained the troops.” When his hearing problems also unraveled his efforts there, he threw in the towel, took a disability from service and dropped out of sight for three long years.During that time he switched his writing presentations from the “pomp and ceremony” of print to the more open and space filling approach of the www. The writing needs of that medium grew to an insatiable level as more and more quality articles and information was needed to fill the millions of web pages springing up online. Best of all, those markets offered Wells a “deaf friendly” environment in which to work. He began his new career using old skills after refocusing his talents and adjusting them to the new technology and class of readers it presented. By swapping pen and paper for a keyboard and mouse, he positioned himself on the cusped of the informational highway. Still, he needed to crack the shell and get inside the medium which meant calling on his reputation as an old print writer and trying to capture the younger audiences of the internet.Normally bashful about self promotion, Wells shamelessly flaunted his accomplishments from the newspapers and soon gained the attention of higher ups in the news organizations that were testing the waters to see if there really was an audience online. All those “loud noises” made during his print career opened the doors for Wells and landed him a “digital online” job with CNN News of Atlanta. His “computer based” job description became one of the first “telecommuter” jobs in the world and for the next year he worked from home full time.CNN’s bold move to the internet was followed by a joint venture between computer software giant Microsoft and television’s NBC network. The two companies formed what is today MSNBC and then took CNN’s internet/TV interactive format and ran it deeper into the digital realms of society. Both networks quickly discovered the power behind having instant viewer response taken from “online news chat rooms.” MSNBC realized it faster and quickly moved the concept deeper passing CNN’s online presence during the second year of operations. After that, MSNBC became the envy of every news operation on earth especially to those wanting to work for them on the computer. Wells, still with CNN when MSNBC went flying past, watched and waited, trying to gauge the right moment to attempt a jump over to MSNBC. That moment came when MSNBC hired ABC’s Terry Irving and put him in charge of the “Don Imus in the Morning” simulcast show on the network. Irving’s first order of the day was to start an online interactive chat room and the man he wanted to operate it was Charles Wells. He had quietly spent a lot of time online in the CNN chats and had watched how well Charles had interacted and inspired comments from the users, comments that quite often made it to the bottom of any given news show’s TV’s screen as well.Wells enjoyed the interactivity and fun dealing with regular people online and relaying their questions and responses over to the on air television people. Best of all, his handicap wasn’t an issue or a problem. It never interfered with his work because one didn’t need to hear the words spoken. His computer scrolled them across his screen flawlessly. Still, Wells was a writer at heart and the tug to write fiction adventure stories was still strong but dormant.During the year he stayed at CNN he was constantly asking for web space in which he could write short journalistic features, a concept that today is referred to as “Blogging.” Wells idea was simply too far ahead of the times and his idea fell on deaf yet hearing ears at CNN. When he persisted and then demanded the space, his manager made it clear that CNN was not interested and to not mention it again. They felt that online readers would never sit still long enough to read a thousand words of personal opinions and commentary.Frustrated at the lack of insight shown by his employer, Wells resigned and almost gave up entirely on his attempt to join the web. He was on the verge of unplugging the computer when Terry Irving heard about his departure from CNN and dropped him an email asking if he was interested in opening a new chat room for radio personality Don Imus. Wells agreed to do so on the condition that he would get a small spot on the MSNBC website to write his daily commentary feature. Irving loved the idea and six weeks later, Imus in The Morning on MSNBC took to the air on the same day that “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” by Charles Wells hit the MSNBC web pages. It lasted over eight years and Wells never missed a deadline.The highlight, if one cares to look at it that way, of his career at MSNBC happened on that fateful morning of September 11, 2001. Wells was in charge of the morning Imus chat and assisting another host working in the news room chats. Between the two, there were over 150 visitors in the two chat rooms when the first aircraft hit the World Trade Center. His steady and cool handling of site visitors as they flooded in for the latest information, established his reputation as being one of the internet’s top hosts controllers after he juggled a staggering 2400 chatters solo for almost an hour until help could arrive. He then stayed on duty for a solid twelve hours straight.Even with such public exposure under his belt, Wells did not feel quite ready for prime book publishing especially since he was switching from factual reporting to fiction mystery as his genre of choice. After MSNBC ended the chat room days and let Wells and a dozen others go, he stayed below the radar for several years until 2009 when his first fiction novel hit the markets under the name “Sand Hill Estates the Murders.” That book, one of the first classes of digital only books offered online, trudged along quietly with modest sales but drew few raves or reviews outside the mystery community. In 2010 he took the characters and plots and reworked them, then expanded into today’s “Whispering Pines.” From one book grew a six and counting series of fast paced suspense thrillers geared for all age groups. Book seven has a tentative release date of January 2012.On several occasions during interviews, Wells was asked if he had plans yet to eventually wrap and end the series. “I haven’t told all the stories yet so no. At this time I’ve still got one story in progress and two more in mind waiting.”

Book preview

The Garden Patch (Book 6 Whispering Pines)

Published at Smashwords

For Wellston Publishing

Dublin, Georgia 31021

www.wellstonpublishing.com

Copyright @ August 2011

This e-book is a work of fiction. While references may be

Made to actual places or events, the names, characters,

Incidents and locations in are from the author's

Imagination and are not a resemblance to actual living or

Dead persons, businesses or events. Any similarity is

Coincidental.

This book is dedicated to my lovely wife of

39 plus years, Gail Wells, and all the Elderly Care Center Employees

who care more for the comforts

of our parents than many of us do.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

About The Author

Chapter 1

Mark Deeter closed the lid on the laptop and slid it across the desk next to his briefcase. He checked his wristwatch and then reached for the phone, dialed a number, and waited. This is Art Reynolds a voice answered.

Artie, this Mark, did you get that information I emailed you earlier this morning?

Yea I got it. I’ve been waiting for you to call. We knew this might happen one day but it’s nothing to panic about.

Too late, Art. What if this employee takes all that information to the wrong people? It could bring down a federal audit and lord knows what else. Why do you think we don’t need to be more concerned?

Mark, if she has any other proof of her claims in that email she sent you then I might be more concerned. Fact is, there’s nothing in what I’ve seen that points anywhere past the local Administrator down there in Georgia. Think about it now, if she had proof that higher up managers in the company were involved then why did she email you? Sending that information to you means that she thinks, as the papers imply, the problems and creative bookwork is taking place locally by her own managers. None of the proof that I saw leads up the chain of command any higher than that.

Well, Artie, we’ve been doing this for so long. I’m afraid we’ve gotten too comfortable with juggling bills to Medicare and Medicaid, you know?

Not over the phone, Mark.

Aw come on Art, you’ve been watching too many cop shows on TV. They can’t tap our phones without a warrant.

None of that proof she sent you in the email would involve the Feds. It is a local manager padding bills to the care center and what have you. As for how long we’ve been doing this; we’ve done this long enough that we are good at it and the processors up the payment chain are comfortable with everything we Bill them. We don’t pad the books enough to trigger red flags during their audits so let’s call it experience and let it go at that. We’ve got a sweet deal and it’s profitable.

I know, I know, but like I said before, let’s just hope she hasn’t taken any of those papers to the wrong people yet.

Well why don’t you do this? Send for all the local files down there and call it a company inside audit. Then maybe swap out the Administrator with one of the other care centers. You know, put on a big show about finding problems and getting them fixed. She will see all that and go back to carrying bed pans and changing sheets on the beds or something. I forget the name of the unit where all this is coming from, which one was it again?

Breezy Pines down in West Creek County Georgia.

Oh man, that was one of our start ups, wasn’t it?

Yes, it’s been in operation now for four years. I just saw the quarterly report and that branch enrolled seven new patient accounts this month alone. That’s sixteen hundred dollars a head each. It adds to the already nice cash flow coming in right now from there. I would hate to move the Administrator just yet especially with her bringing in those kinds of figures.

Yea, me too Mark so let’s just stay cool and play it close to the chest.

I am staying cool but if this employee takes the information to law enforcement it might bring down an investigation that could cripple that segment for a long time.

We’re fine, Mark. I’ve got some contacts in the right place up the Federal ladder. I’ll know if anything is coming down, audits, investigations and what have you. We’ve got an early warning alarm system in place.

Okay, but how should I reply to this email; what should I tell her?

Send me her work information and I’ll take care of it, okay?

Are you sure? I mean, you are not better diplomat of this partnership you know?

Hey, I can be nice when I need to be. Email me the sheet on her and I’ll take care of it. In the meantime, you keep things moving along just like always.

Okay, I’ll get that file to you in the next few minutes. See you later.

Mark hung up the phone and leaned back in the chair. He felt better since the issue was now in the hands of his partner. Maybe Artie could talk some sense into the woman and everything would be okay. He hoped so because he wanted to pull another hundred thousand from the off shore account next week. By then he hoped there would be enough there to do it.

He opened the computer keyboard drawer on his desk and taped the space bar. The monitor activated and the machine came alive with a beep. He clicked on the employee database icon then waited as the program started and dropped into ready position on the screen. He typed the name Fowler, Jeanie, into the search window and waited.

Artie was probably right he thought while scanning the information that came up. The data include a picture of the employee of mention taken last year which left her another three years before another update shot would be required. She had been with the nursing home in West Creek for almost nine years and promoted steadily along. The file was dotted with good reports and appraisals from all her supervisors and superiors including one honorable mention from the care center’s manager for dedicated work above the minimum required.

He studied the face of the woman a moment and had to admit that this lady was a real looker with beautiful dark auburn hair, curly, and those soft green eyes just jumped out at you even from the inanimate world of an LCD computer screen. I hope Artie can take care of it he said aloud and then moved the mouse cursor over and checked the Email Form.

He found the address, selected it, and then clicked Send and the full employee file of one Jeanie R. Fowler was sent to Art Reynolds at his office in Portland, Oregon.

He felt better. It was done and over with. Artie would take care of it and things would continue to go along smoothly. He felt like a rabbit turned loose in the garden patch.

Mark stopped and searched his mind for where that phrase could have possibly came from; Rabbit in a garden patch?

In Oregon, Art Reynolds heard the email notification beep on his office computer. He opened the file just received from Mark and looked it over for a moment. Next he opened an address book file and found the number he wanted, dialed it and then waited. Breezy Pines Care Center a voice answered.

Can I speak to Mrs. Callahaun please; this is Art Reynolds from the home office.

Yes sir, Mr. Reynolds. One moment please.

He didn’t have to wait long. Good Morning Mr. Reynolds, how are things in Oregon?

Just fine Mrs. Callahaun, but not so well there at your location I’m afraid.

Oh and why is that sir?

My partner received an email this morning from one of your employees, a Mrs. Jeanie Fowler."

Jeanie? Yes, she’s one of my supervisors. What was the email all about if I may ask and why did she send it to him?

She has apparently scanned copies of a few of your business records and forwarded them to us. Is she one of your trusted employees that you allow access to such files and information?

No she is not. Those files are locked up in my office. No one has access to them. Are you sure she’s been in them?

She or someone else for her, yes, so you need to change some locks and pass codes I think and you might want to consider getting rid of her, fast.

She’s been with your company for four years and she worked with the previous company you bought out for five years before that. I would need something solid for grounds to fire her.

Let me put it to you this way, Mrs. Callahaun. Either fire her or risk going to jail because the evidence she sent Mark is incriminating to the Administrator and upper level managers of your local complex.

I’ll deal with her but it may have to be more than reprimand. I just checked the files in my office and six or seven folders are missing. I can’t believe she’s done this.

Gone? You mean she took the originals?

It looks like it. I’ll take care of this immediately and get those files back I assure you.

You do that and let me know the moment it’s taken care of, okay?

I sure will and I’m sorry, Mr. Reynolds. I had no idea this was going on.

Just take care of it and be sure it never happens again no matter what you need to do, understand?

Yes sir, understood, sir.

***

The care nurse stepped through the doorway of room B202, flipped the overhead light switch on the wall by the door and then called out Miss Emma? Miss Emma? Let’s wake up. Come on now. Rise and shine.

Emma opened her eyes and stared into the strange face that was floating a foot or so away from her own. It was a nice face that seemed to draw attention straight to a beautiful pair of soft green eyes. Emma liked those eyes because she saw comfort; she trusted them because they were spaced perfectly on the face. People with eyes too close together seemed to be on the darker side of life to Emma.

The green eyes that that now stared over the bed rail and down at her were not only properly separated by a small nose, that nose tended to flare a little when she talked or even breathed heavily. Such a nose and such a flare reminded her of the field rabbits she used to watch in her mama’s garden as a child. They would sit there eating carrots her mama had planted. Emma would rather watch than Chucke the creature away but her mama sent her out most morning to do just that. Shoo them rabbits out of my garden patch Emma or else they’ll be ate up all our vegetables.

Well mama? If they eat all our vegetables then we can catch and eat the rabbits, can’t we?

Don’t sass me, Emma. Now go on out there and be sure there ain’t no critters eating us out of house and home, you hear?

Yes ma’am and then she would go outside and see this one rabbit there, she thought it was the same one day after day, and it would be there every morning eating on a carrot, standing there watching her and waiting for what came next. Emma would finally shout and go running toward it and frighten it away.

She felt the same way right then as she watched the human nose beneath the greens eyes flare cutely and take in air. The voice said with a bit too much volume, Well there you are, Miss Emma. Good Morning.

Good morning Emma heard her own self reply softly. An unseen hand placed something in her palm. She grasped it because she knew why it had been placed there but her mind could not attach a name to the object any more than she could find a name to the person who had put it there. Still, everything felt normal and proper so she closed her fingers around the object then lay there silent, waiting for more understanding to come. It always had and always would. She knew that too for some reason.

The bed beneath her started to shake softly but not strangely. Much like the placing of the object into her hand, the bed shaking was a trained and expected sensation. She waited because there were no other options but to wait, and the upper part of her body rose from a flat sleeping position to an elevated one. From near the foot of the bed, the green eyed voice said, Here we go. Got you raised up so you can get ready for breakfast, okay?

She tried to say something but there was a clog in her throat that stopped her. She took a deep breath and cleared it then tried again. Okay.

Her right hand rose to her face but she didn’t remember beckoning it to do so, and placed a pair eyeglasses on the bridge of her nose. She blinked and her vision focused. Distant objects became recognizable things, familiar things. She saw the dresser near the base of her bed, her dresser, and her under things were in inside it. They were in the top drawer. Her pull over shirts and sweaters would be in the second drawer down. Then socks and stockings in the next one while the bottom drawer held… something. What was it she kept in the bottom drawer of the dresser? She never liked using that bottom drawer because it was so far over to stoop and get things out of it.

The woman