Clearwater Abduction

By Al Rennie

When Frankie's grand-daughter blows her curfew, Joe is asked to find her. The girl has been abducted and the window for recovering her is rapidly closing. Meanwhile Coop has lined up another job trying to find a missing witness with big bucks the reward for success. And a crazy lady with her own agenda wants Joe to be the daddy of her child. It is another wild adventure in Clearwater Beach Florida

• Language: English
• Publisher: Al Rennie
• Release date: Apr 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476295411

Al Rennie

I was born and raised in Toronto. I attended Upper Canada College before taking a degree at Queen's University. I have worked as a lifeguard for the Toronto Harbour Police, a youth worker for the Toronto YMCA, and an English teacher in Lakefield. I am married with two great daughters and an extended foster family. My interests include Maple Leaf hockey - this is our year - New England Patriot football and writing.

Book preview

Clearwater Abduction

By

Al Rennie

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Al Rennie

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Image Credit: Photographer – Killbox Photography – Adric Manning – FlickR

Cover Credit: Rita Toews – probably the most caring,

patient and inventive cover creator ever!

And she’s tough too!!!!

Formatting Credit: L.K. Campbell – as always just great – and thank you

for the Kindle stuff!

Dedication

For my wife – Marsha

Always there for me and

Always keeping my moral

compass straight!

Acknowledgements:

I’d like to thank my wife, Marsha and daughter, Jane, for their work editing this novel. Their efforts have made the content easier for you, the reader, to decipher. I’d also like to thank them for their critical suggestions, but some of them were just plain goofy – so I can’t.

Why don’t you have Doc and Mia go to Africa and be missionaries? Jeez!

Warnings:

Note to would be readers:

Once again, Mia has – a little more forcefully this time – insisted that I warn you that Clearwater Abduction contains four letter words – it also has some with two and three and a few with five and even six letters – so watch out. She has also instructed me to tell you that you will come across some pretty suggestive scenes and some very bad people. If you are under eighteen and read this book – you may go blind – or – you may win the lottery. Good reading bubba,

Best Regards,

Doc April 20th, 2012

(in Clearwater Beach, Florida – and loving it.)

A few Reader Responses to Clearwater Journals

after it appeared on Free e-books.

Brilliant! Couldn’t put it down, thanks – Catherine Cooke

What a riveting story with bouts of wry humor. Again Please. – Bruce

Excellent read with more twists and turns than a road through the mountains. Enjoyed every minute! – Kingstonbears

A really well written book. Loved it a bunch. Hope he does another soon. Maybe a series??? – Wa6ype

A truly fun read, great sense of humor and a good plot. I recommend this author with pleasure. – Evelyn

Excellent writing, fast paced, liked it a lot. – Toerien

Gripping story, believable characters. Would definitely recommend. Very well written. Thoroughly enjoyed it. – Rachel Caldicott

Put my life on hold until I finished it. Great read! You live the character’s emotions and you can’t be sure of the outcome until the last page. – Charles Hough

Could not put it down – Alta De Lang

Enjoyable reading – a combination of a thriller and a love story – Pentii Grant

A page turner from the beginning – Marykay Monson

Fantastic, loved it, couldn’t put it down, and didn’t want it to end! – Eloise

Thanks! Great book – I can’t wait for more! – Abu Hamzah

What a great book! Fast paced and great characters. – Sara Walsh

And from a reviewer who read the Clearwater series and evidently enjoyed it: This series rocks!

Chapter 1

Saturday, February 18 – The Hockey Game

So you are telling me that to be a true Canadian citizen you have to pass a test when you are five years old? Coop reiterated.

That’s right, I said. We were killing time between periods at the Lightening game. At age five you have to go to the nearest arena, strap on a pair of hockey skates and report to centre ice with your official citizenship hockey stick the government mails to you right after you declare whether you shoot left or right."

What if you’re a goalie? Coop asked.

Doesn’t matter even a little bit – remember you are dealing with the full force of the government of Canada, I said sternly

Mia was paying careful attention. And…?

In less than five seconds, you have to skate from centre ice to ten feet inside of the blue line, and fire a slap shot that is travelling at least thirty miles an hour into the net.

What do the girls have to do? Mia asked.

That was the girl’s test, I said. The boys test is tougher.

And what happens if you can’t do that? Mia asked.

You get two more chances a bit later in life," I said authoritatively.

And if you still can’t do it? Coop asked.

They send you to somewhere like Africa to be a missionary.

Do you want to hear what you have to do to get into the Girl Guides of America? Mia asked.

No, Coop and I said in unison.

They are coming back on the ice, I said in an attempt to lessen the impact of the rejection Mia might have been feeling while pointing to where Vinnie Lecalvier and his guys were hitting the ice.

It involves shooting, Mia whispered to me. You might like it Joey.

Tell me before we go to bed tonight, I whispered back. Coop shook his head.

Jeez these guys just about effin fly, and those are some stiff hits they lay out, Fred had said minutes into the first period.

You should see a play-off game. That’s a whole new level of speed and hurt, I said.

Are you watching that cheerleader’s butt again Joey? Mia asked.

No Mia – I was not. I am just surprised to see cheerleaders at a hockey game. We never see them back at a game in Canada, so naturally my eyes would be drawn in that direction.

You were looking at her ass. I saw you.

And a very nice one it is, Coop said trying to help me out.

Men…

This had been something we had planned since Fred had been shot a few weeks earlier during our first real case together. Before that, he had been a cop for thirty-five years and had never had to draw his weapon in combat as he called it. One week with me and we had been in a gunfight – and he still hadn’t pulled his weapon. In that exchange of gunfire his left arm had been hit and was partially paralysed – maybe permanently. He was still wearing the sling, but he had started a physiotherapy program to bring it back as far it could improve.

In the time before the shooting, he had told me that he had never seen a hockey game live, so this was our kiss and make up gesture, courtesy of my lawyer Bob Morse. We were using his season ticket seats.

When you end up shooting your employer at the end of your first investigation, other jobs do not pop up quickly, or so we were finding out. Morse had promised the Cooper Holiday Investigation Services some legal work but so far nothing had materialized. Maybe that was another reason for the free tickets – guilt. I had gone to work four times in the last two weeks at the condo doing the security guard stuff. But really that just keeps me off the streets and out of trouble. The supervisor, John Marshall can only take me on when no American citizen wants the work – which tells you something about the job – low pay and boring. He had told me that his bosses were still trying to figure out a green card for me, but really I didn’t think I wanted to work regular – nine to five – hours for them – or anyone really. The money I got in an envelope at the end of a week for part time was fine. Frankie Donner had called me twice to do some work on his fishing charter boat. My job with Frankie was to keep the fishermen from up north – Frankie’s description for anyone living north of Gainsville – happy. I served up stories about the Clearwater area – Hulk Hogan, John Travolta that might capture their attention and of course beer from the cooler. The fact that I knew nothing about fishing kind of appealed to Frankie because I couldn’t contradict him. In fact, I was always careful not to get him too wound up. The old guy had opinions about everything and could kill most of a day sharing them with you if you let him get started.

To tell the absolute truth, I really didn’t need to work another day in my life. My brother, Frank, makes more money in a day than most people do in five years and he was always looking for ways to pass some of it along to me. But Frank is a big time Canadian business man who some of his kinder critics say has an uncertain moral compass – others just say that he is just totally bent. My dad had built the business Frank now runs and the old man enjoyed the same reputation sprinkled with ruthless. Back home, Frank kind of makes our best known white collar felon, Conrad Black, look like a boy scout, so I try to be careful. And then there was my own personal bank account that Mia describes as obscene. But I had found it kind of meaningless just doing nothing – a puzzler eh? Mia still worked at IHOP and said she wouldn’t quit until I married her. IHOP might have something to say about that fairly soon. Mia had told me just before Christmas that she was pregnant with our baby – Little Joe – due sometime late in May. I love Mia, but marriage was something I wasn’t ready for. I’d been married before and that had ended in a London, England television studio when a terrorist suicide bomber blew up nineteen people. My wife, an internationally recognized Canadian media journalist, had been doing an interview with the guy most people thought had the best chance of re-unifying Iraq in the time after Saddam was toppled. I’ve been told I can watch that film footage on You-Tube, but I haven’t ever been tempted to do that trip down masochist lane. The insurance on her and the television settlement stemming from a possible legal suit as well as the sale of our home just north of Toronto was why my bank account was so flush and why I was living in Clearwater.

After the game, we said goodbye to Fred, and started the drive back from the Tampa Forum to the beach where we lived. Ten minutes later, Mia said she needed a washroom. That seems to happen with increasing frequency as she moves further along in her pregnancy. I spotted a Starbucks and pulled into the lot. When she headed off to the washroom, I asked her what she wanted.

A banana smoothie – hold the banana, she said.

What…? A banana smoothie without the banana – why not have a strawberry one then?

Joey, don’t be difficult, she said as the washroom door silently closed.

That’s another thing I have noticed. As she gets closer to meeting Little Joe up close and personal, she gets nuttier. When I gave the kid at the Starbucks counter the order, he looked at me like I was going to have a good punch line for – a banana smoothie – hold the banana.

Anything else sir? he asked finally. I had to admire his restraint. He didn’t laugh until he went over to the drive through window to share with a co-worker. And then they both laughed their asses off. And I felt like an idiot – not for the first time ever.

As I sat drinking my hot chocolate, I watched as Mia sipped her smoothie, and then my cell chirped. The cell I’m adjusting to is an HTC Smart phone. That little green android can do everything but light fires and shovel snow.

Hey… I said – a little surprised to be getting a call at this time of night.

Joe – it’s Frankie. The police won’t help. You told me a couple of weeks ago you were doing detective stuff with an older retired cop. I think somebody has taken my grand-daughter, Michelle

And the police won’t help you – because?

Because, she’s older than eighteen – they say she’s an adult and can do what she wants. They won’t even take information until after forty eight hours – and then she’s just a maybe missing person.

I got ya, so why do you think somebody has taken her?

Because she was supposed to be home by ten – she said that she would be back at ten – and we can’t reach her on her cell phone either.

Where’s her home Frankie? I mean it’s just around eleven now. It might be a little pre-mature to hit the panic button.

Right now, she is staying with Mary and me. Her mom and dad are doing a second honeymoon in Europe somewhere.

Okay, Frankie – how about we give it overnight? I’ll meet you at the docks tomorrow and you can tell me how long she kept you up waiting for her. Think about how often you turn off your cell phone. Think about how often you made it home at ten after you were eighteen – no matter what you promised your mom.

You think so Joe?

Yeah, I do. And I don’t even have a clue how I’d do anything right now. Try not to worry and get some sleep. Just in case, see if you can find a good recent picture of Michelle. If she is missing, that picture will be invaluable – believe me.

Okay, I can do that – see you at the boat in the morning, Frankie said reluctantly.

What was that about? Mia asked as she finished her smoothie.

Frankie Donner’s grand-daughter, Michelle, is staying out late. He and his wife are looking after the kid, so he’s worried.

How old is she?

Eighteen…

And Mia started to laugh.

What’s so funny?

The girl is eighteen – do you know how many nights I came home before eleven – or at all?

As I recall, you told me you were moving into the trashier period of your life and not living at home, so I guess the answer would be zero.

Okay – so take someone normal. What time did you have to be home when you were eighteen?

Around eleven…, and Mia broke out laughing again.

So what happened – you know – if you wanted to do – you know – to do it with a girl.

Mia – I have a confession to make – I’m still a virgin.

It was going to be one of those nights.

Chapter 2

Sunday, Feb.19 – The Search Party

Mia had to be at work at seven, so I’d set my cell alarm for seven thirty. After semi burned toast and cold grapefruit juice, I did the short walk over to the docks preparing to kill an hour or so with a Frankie rant. When I got to where he docked at the marina, there was no sign of him. I checked my cell for messages – nothing. As I was about to head off towards the beach, a Ford truck pulled into the adjacent parking lot and did a hard brake. Frankie hopped down and headed towards me quickly.

Michelle is still not home, he said trying to hide some of his worry. My wife is going nuts. We hardly slept at all. What can we do?

Okay Frankie – let’s get logical about this. What did she say she would be doing between when she talked with you and when she would be home last night? I asked.

She said that she was with some friends that she met at the beach. She didn’t want to go out on the charter yesterday, so I gave her some money. She called just after I got in – like maybe two-thirty or three and said she had met these kids and that she would get one of them to drop her off near the house around ten. I didn’t like it much, but as the cops tell me, she’s an adult. She can do pretty much whatever the hell she wants. My wife is so pissed at me. She told me that I should have brought Michelle home when she called no matter what she said. I guess now maybe I should have.

‘Frankie – beating yourself up about this isn’t going to accomplish anything. Did you call the hospitals? What have you done so far?"

Just worried and called you last night after the cops said they wouldn’t or couldn’t do anything, Frankie said. This was tough for the old guy. He was close to crying.

Did you find a good recent picture of her?

Yeah, it’s probably still on my wife’s camera.

"So here is what we are going to do…

What I suggested was not rocket science. When I had been a cop back in Toronto, I had looked for missing kids before with varying degrees of success. Best case scenario – the kid fell asleep at a friend’s house and hurried back home the next morning apologizing all the way. Worst case – the kid was found dead in the days or weeks after he or she went missing. The parents I felt most for were the ones who never got closure. Their kid just disappeared and while most cops concluded that he or she was dead, there was no body and no funeral. The grieving parents went on believing little Johnny was out there somewhere. Sometimes they never recovered.

I got Frankie to give me the best physical description he could come up with. Honest, intelligent and hard-working – weren’t going to help but I said nothing. I then asked him to go and get copies of the best photo of the girl – stored on his wife’s camera – printed at least ten or twelve times. I asked him to keep in touch with me on his cell while I started on the beach and working the shops that were open. Kids on the beach on a Saturday afternoon would probably not be the kids there on Sunday morning, but I had to start somewhere. When he took off in his truck to get the pictures that could only help, I sat down and called Coop. As he was just recently retired and his daughter still worked for the police services, I believed he might be able to do the hospital and coroner checks to see if they had a Jane Doe even close to the description Frankie had given me. Fred was at mass, but said he would get on it as quickly as he could. He said that he and Samantha could get to the marina in around forty-five minutes.

Canvassing an area looking for someone is invariably tediously boring and quite often a total waste of time, but occasionally you get lucky. I didn’t. I hoped that might change when I had a