The White Swan: Introducing Johnny Jordan

By Paul Morrison

Johnny Jordan is a lovable psychic entertainer, wowing audiences whilst boosting his own ever growing ego! When a grieving family, in his home town of York, contact him to speak with their murdered loved one from beyond the grave he can’t help but get involved. Way over his head lacking any psychic ability and facing the biggest performance of his career, he wades in believing he can solve the murder that has baffled the police for over a year. Risking not only himself but also his young, but far more able, cousin, the mystery holds a twist that neither of them could predict leaving Johnny Jordan in mortal danger.

This is a lighthearted modern day mystery written in a traditional style.

The book is approximately 47,000 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Morrison
• Release date: Jan 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301495191

Paul Morrison

Paul Morrison, a retired museologist, has also been a writer for most of his life. “I cannot remember a time when I was not writing, even when I was five or six years old. I grew up with books such as TREASURE ISLAND, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and THE TIME MACHINE — these and the many other books which I read in my early years fed my imagination, a voracious imagination transporting me to faraway places, other worlds and to other times in both the recent and the more distant past...” Many of these worlds and places are visited in the novels and short story collections he has written.Besides a love of fiction, Paul also reads widely on ancient history and archaeology. “I am particularly interested in Ancient Egypt, mainly Old Kingdom Egypt during the age of the pyramid builders. I have always been intrigued as to how the pyramids were built and also about the lives of the pharaohs and the workers who constructed the pyramids. There were many questions filling my mind, but few if any answers.” This inquiring interest led to the GIZA TRILOGY books, THE PHARAOH, THE SPHINX and THE THREE QUEENS, a monumental work of well-researched fiction set against the backdrop of the three pyramids on the Giza Plateau. Together, with their associated books, THE DIVINE LIGHT, ETERNAL EGYPT (Supplement to the Giza Trilogy), and SECRET OF THE PYRAMID, these books total more than 1.3 million words! Other books written by Paul cover a wide range of subjects including historical fiction, science fiction, ghost and detective stories as well as many other genres.Paul currently lives in Hobart, Tasmania with his wife in a house overlooking the Derwent River. “The magnificent views of Hobart and Mount Wellington inspire me in my writings — but the most important inspiration is my wife, Helena.”

Book preview

Chapter 1

Tuesday

She stood outside the 1930’s semi, took a breath while adjusting her blouse and walked up the path past the Citroen Picasso parked on the drive. While she waited for the woman to answer the door she nervously glanced around at the garden, which was just starting to become overgrown and in need of a bit of care and attention. She turned around as the door was being opened, to look at the smartly dressed woman for the first time, gazed quickly down at her pad and said Mrs Lyons isn’t it, hello my name is Francesca and I work for ABC Market Research, here is my ID, and I’m desperate for your help. I have got to get thirty questionnaires completed out of my sample and as I currently have twenty nine done, I wondered if you could possibly help me on the final one, it should only take five minutes and I will pay you a fiver out of my own money because I want to get back home, as I am going out later. Mrs Lyons looked at Francesca for a second as if she was weighing up whether to help or not, Francesca gave her a sheepish half smile to seal the deal and tucked a wisp of her blonde hair back behind her ear, from where it had escaped.

Mrs Lyons sighed, Please come into the living room, I am sorry but you’ll have to excuse the mess though I haven’t had a chance to tidy up. Francesca followed behind looking closely around the bright hall, with the kid’s coats hung up neatly on hooks, making a mental note about the dog lead on the hall table next to the vase with the plastic flowers. As they walked into the living room Francesca also noticed the angular marble art deco clock with a silver dial and black numbers on the mantelpiece. The brass hands had stopped just after half past nine.

Once they were in the living room Mrs Lyons motioned to her to sit on the black leather settee whilst saying Call me Susan.

Francesca smiled back and launched into her spiel I’ll make it quick, because I’m going out later and I want to get back and get ready, but the company I work for is doing market research for a new brand of coffee they are trying to launch, and so I’ve got a few questions about your drinking habits, Francesca said smiling at her half joke in a way that indicated that she had made the same joke about a hundred times before.

Could I have your full name please? she asked looking up from the form she had in front of her making eye contact and encouraging an answer.

Susan Jane Lyons, Mrs Lyons replied.

Thanks, date of birth? she enquired.

19th February 1972, Mrs Lyons answered.

Francesca looked up again and tugged at her skirt so that it was back touching her knees again. Then she said That puts you in the thirty five to forty five category doesn’t it? I would have put you down as thirty if you had asked me how old I thought you were, you’re certainly using the right creams and potions, and your partner is a lucky man.

He obviously didn’t think so, she shot back and glared darkly at Francesca.

She winced, and peered over at Susan trying to think of a way to re-build the bond that had been developing, and drawled in an American accent, Men eh, can’t live with them, can’t club them to death!

At the end of the questions Francesca put down her pen and gazed over hopefully and said I’ve got a sachet of the coffee, if you’ve got time you’re meant to drink it then give it a score.

Mrs Lyons responded I am off out myself tonight, I’m going to see a medium at the Theatre, and I do need to iron my dress before I pick the kids up from school, she looked at her watch, but I have got 10 minutes, I’ll go and put the kettle on, would you like one too? Francesca handed over a couple of the sachets and waited for Susan to return.

Susan popped back in to the living room to check whether Francesca wanted milk or sugar with her coffee, and then brought the mugs through. It smells nice, she said as she passed Francesca her drink.

Francesca waited for her to take sip before saying Wow a medium that is different, I’ve always wanted to go to see one, but I have always been a bit wary, all that emotion and dead people, you know what I mean don’t you?

Susan smiled and answered saying That sounds like somebody who hasn’t lost someone close to them, without being able to say goodbye, she stared at the mug for a second before continuing, if I hear from my Mum tonight it will be such a relief, I’ll feel that I can draw a line under the past and start afresh.

Francesca felt embarrassed again and mumbled that she was sorry; that she hadn’t meant it like that, she was just really interested in the subject but had always been wary about actually going after a bad experience with a fortune teller when she was younger. Francesca finished off her coffee stood up and said I’ll let you get yourself sorted now, thank you so much for your time, she scrabbled around in her handbag before bringing out a £5 note from her purse and she thrust it into Susan’s hand before retreating to the front door. At the door, she paused and turned to face Susan before saying I am sure you’ll have a great night tonight, thanks again, bye.

With that, Francesca left, beating a hasty retreat up the path, before turning left when she reached the pavement and walking back to her car, which was parked further up the road.

***

Frankie purposefully crossed over the bridge that was running over the dual carriage-way below; she was running late and needed to get to the bar quickly. As she approached the theatre she inspected the giant metal dragon attached to the side of the wall of the functional 1970’s building, wondering who had decided to put it there, she paused briefly at the entrance to view the poster for that night’s performance before hurrying in out of the wind.

She smiled at the Barman and ordered a slim line tonic with ice and lemon. She felt a bit embarrassed as she asked for the lemon, but it was the only thing that gave the drink some kind of taste. While she waited for the Barman to return she looked around taking in as much detail as possible, she estimated that there were seventy to eighty people drinking in the large open plan bar area. There was a hum of excited chatter from the theatre goers, who were all excitedly talking about the evening’s show, but this apart the bar had absolutely no character or charm.

Once she had received her drink she looked around again in a more leisurely manner, taking in even more details about her fellow drinkers. At the far side of the bar, she caught sight of Mrs Lyons in a plain grey woollen dress with her hair up talking to a woman who appeared to be quite similar to her but she was heavier set and had darker hair. Frankie smiled thinking to herself that this was how Mrs Lyons would be in another ten years. She moved away from the bar itself, keeping an eye on Mrs Lyons and positioned herself behind a couple of casually dressed ladies in their fifties, who she soon overheard were called Mary and Joan. She stayed there for a few minutes slowly sipping at her drink, while they were talking.

Her next stop, was beside a woman in her early forties wearing a long patterned skirt and summery sleeveless top, despite the time of year. On the inside of her wrist she had Stephen and Amy tattooed in some kind of flowery script. Frankie could hear her companion cautioning her mum that there was no guarantee that dad would come through. The woman smiled at her wistfully and whispered that I’ve got a good feeling that Michael’s here tonight.

Out of the corner of her eye Frankie saw Susan leave the bar, heading towards the ladies toilet. Satisfied that she had the information she needed, she took out her mobile walked out of the bar to a quiet corner of the reception area and dialled a number.

I would say that when you were young, you had some sort of an accident involving water.

Chapter 2

Johnny Jordan ended the call on his mobile phone, he checked that the gel had kept his hair looking spiky and tousled and quickly glanced at the notes he had made for the last time, out of habit, before putting them back in his pocket and silently whispering to himself three times Keep thinking, keep walking and keep the energy levels up. He hated this bit, moments before the curtain opened, he was always wasting energy and concentrating on problems and things that could go wrong. Then he saw the spotlight breaking through the curtain as it was slowly and silently pulled back and he took three final deep breaths before striding purposefully forward a big smile on his face.

He stood there milking the warm applause hoping (no, confident) that at the end of the show it would be louder with some cheers. Johnny adjusted his grey open necked shirt, conscious that he had put on weight over the last six months. He was touching sixteen stone now, and his shiny grey suit was therefore just a bit tight, but he didn’t want to buy any new clothes as he was going to lose weight again, soon. With his weight and the fact that he was 6’ 2" he seemed to fill the light cast from the spotlight. Once the curtains had been pulled back though, he felt in his element on the stage.

He waited for the applause to die down with a big beaming smile on his face. Good evening Ladies and Gentleman, I am so pleased to be in Swindon tonight and I’ve got such a good feeling about tonight’s show. It was packed backstage while I was waiting to come on, Johnny relaxed when he heard a nice loud chuckle from the audience at his joke. It was always easier if they were in a good mood, Johnny could sense within moments of starting any show whether the audience were willing you to be successful, or if they were wishing you’d die on your ass up on stage.

The auditorium held just over six hundred seats in a steeply raised single tier, Johnny could see quite a few of the dark pink seats still empty, even through the glare from the spotlight that was shining in his eyes, but he still felt that there may be four hundred people in the audience.

It really is my pleasure to serve the spirit world and to try to get people some answers. He started to move towards the front of the stage before continuing, It is my job tonight to channel the energy from your loved ones on the other side to help as many of you as I can. All I can promise is that I will do my best, but the early signs are promising.

Right then, shall we start? I’ve got a lady talking to me, just a second, ok, that is great. Is there a Mary here tonight? I have got your Mum with me. Two hands are raised in the audience and Johnny gets both of the ladies to stand up.

***

Johnny walked out of the theatre; he had showered and changed into jeans and a casual blue checked shirt that was covered by his jacket. He was pleased with how the show had gone and his adrenaline was still rushing around his body after the show. There were a few stragglers who had gone back to the bar in the theatre for a quick drink after the show and were now setting off home or maybe moving on to another bar. As he hurried towards the town centre he did up his jacket and pushed his hands deeper into his pockets to ward off the night air.

In the Savoy pub, he stood at the top of the stairs, underneath dozens of old film posters stuck on the ceiling above his head, to remind visitors of its history as a cinema before it had been converted to a pub. He started looking around the cavernous bowl in front of him, until despite the darkness in the pub he saw who he was searching for, she was sitting in a quiet corner next to a table filled with cutlery and sauces for the food and he walked over and sat down.

Francesca ‘Frankie’ Henly was sitting waiting, she had close cropped dark brown hair and her petite frame was clothed in smart black trousers and a cream blouse. She looked about eighteen rather than the twenty three that she actually was even with the clothes that she had deliberately chosen to make her appear older. She was scrolling through Facebook on her mobile phone, but quickly put it down and greeted Johnny warmly and congratulated him on his performance when he sat down.

I have got you a pint of 6X from Wadworths, which according to the Barman is from Devizes, which is about twenty miles away, she advised him.

Johnny took a large swig savouring the flavour of the drink, Nice pint, he then looked across at her and said you did brilliant, particularly for your first time, you’ve learned well Grasshopper!!

Grasshopper? queried Frankie.

"Yes, you know Kung Fu, the seventies tv series starring David Carradine, it is bound to