Justice With Vengeance

By William Kellar

Billy Baker is a former Special Forces Marine; he trained in offensive Combat and Military Occupational Specialty; he also specialized in Martial Arts and earned the rank of Sergeant during his four years of service. He works as a deckhand for one of his best friends, Junior Caruso, and he lives on his cabin cruiser in Monterey Bay. Billy discovers that his girlfriend has been murdered and seeks to find out why and who killed her. He gets help from his former Director of the C.I.A., when they worked together in Columbia. Between the two of them Billy, who is now an agent for the C.I.A., along with a team of agents, go after the cocaine cartel smugglers who he believes are responsible for his girlfriend's death. It becomes an ugly battle between the cocaine bosses and Billy's team; the C.I.A.tracks the smugglers down from California to the borders of Mexico. Billy swears to to slit the throat of the person who killed his girlfriend...an eye for an eye, nothing less.

• Language: English
• Publisher: William Kellar
• Release date: Jan 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458129673

William Kellar

William (Bill) Kellar was born in Indio, California, during the Great Depression. He grew up in Pacific Grove, California; entered the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, where he received his Honorable Discharge. Bill married his sweetheart, Sharron, in 1955 and they have a married daughter and granddaughter.His education led him into Construction and Development of Commercial and Industrial Properties where he devoted his education and talents to building medium to multi-story construction projects along with one of his best friends Ed Thorpe, President of E.W. Thorpe, Inc.Bill’s great-grandparents, grandparents, uncles and including his father grew up in the cattle business. During some of his summer vacations Bill, along with his brother, Dick and his cousins were fortunate to help on his grandparent’s and uncle’s ranches. And although his brother and he were only ten and eleven years old they learned to ride and work along with their cousins on the ranches.His secret love for writing started when he wrote biographies of his ancestors and short stories of how some of the adventures of those characters that were in the old Wild West. Some of the relatives and old-timers would tell outrageous and hilarious stories of the old Wild West and Bill became intrigued by the stories as he grew older.He began his first full length fictional novel after he retired from the Construction business. "Three Gold Rings" was finished in 2009 and is currently published as an E-Book by Smashwords, Inc. Bill started his second novel in 2010, "Justice with Vengeance" and was finished in 2011.William went to be with his ancestors in 2012.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

A layer of bay fog hovers over ripples of deep blue water as the cool soft breeze blows the breath of salt water over the Charter Boats as they are heading out of Monterey Bay to the sea from the main wharf. The barking sea lions and seals are constantly begging for morsels of food as they scamper back and forth around the Charter Boats.

Tourist are already heading back and forth to the gift shops and making reservations at the many world renowned sea food restaurants that are advertising the freshest catches of the day. Anguish lines of people are waiting for their turn to board the Site Seeing Tour Boats that are pre-booked for some of the most fascinating scenes on the Monterey Coast.

Tomorrow Junior and Billy will be working on Junior’s Charter Boat for a regular maintenance of the diesel engines. The parts won’t be delivered until late tomorrow, so Billy’s going to kick back and relax for tonight and start back to work early the day after tomorrow morning. As he leans back in his deck chair, he thinks about how close the two of them have become since they grew up together.

Antonio, Junior, Caruso comes from a long line of Sicilians; his father Antonio, Peter, Caruso, was born in Palermo, Sicily and was wildly known as one of the great fishermen on the Mediterranean Sea. The Caruso family, Antonio and Maria married in Palermo, Sicily and then came to Monterey, California; they born two children, Junior and Sally, while they carved out a living in the sardine fishing industry during the last thirty years in Monterey. Marie opened a little restaurant and called it Mom's Place. All the customers that came to Mom's Place knew her for the great menus of sea food she cooked and they all became regular customers of her original Sicilian food.

Junior and Sally's dad, Antonio Caruso, died when Junior was a teenager and when Sally was just a young little girl. Billy met Junior when they went to grade school together in Pacific Grove, and Junior became one of Billy's best friends. They grew up together and went on camping trips together.

Junior took over his father's fishing boat when the sardines stopped running and most of the canneries had shut down. He turned the big sardine fishing boat into a Charter Boat and started taking on sport fishing guest, searching the cool waters off the Pacific Coast of the Monterey coastline. They fished for salmon, halibut, albacore, rock fish and any and all fish that were legal to take the hook. When Billy was discharged from the Marines, after four years in the service, he joined Junior as a Deckhand. They worked great together and all the sport fishermen and women enjoyed the professionalism from the two, Captain, Junior, Caruso and the First Mate, Billy Baker.

Billy's eyes focused on a boat entering the Marina, and his boat moved as the wake drifted close to his boat; sea gulls were flying in and out of the marina area snatching up food that was left on the deck of the wharf. They are constantly squawking and fighting for their territory. The sun had already sunk over the horizon and Billy was ready to call it a day.

Billy is asleep on his boat when he hears a muffled scream from what seems like a female voice. He gets up, goes to the aft-deck and sits down in a deck chair and looks around to see if he can tell where the scream came from. He looks at his watch and it shows three-thirty in the morning. He waits for about ten minutes to see if anyone is moving around or making any more noise.

Nothing, so Billy goes back to the galley and makes a pot of coffee; goes back on deck and relaxes in his deck chair. The moon is full and on the west horizon casting a mystic scene on the sparkling waters of Monterey Bay. He hears the soft sound of an electric golf cart pulling up to the big yacht. That’s when he sees what appears to be a man helping a woman as the man half drags the limp body from the ramp of the huge yacht unto a golf cart and heads towards the main ramp to the parking lot.

Billy figures it might have been just a partygoer that had too much to drink and he finishes his coffee and goes back to bed. Billy tries to get some sleep as his thoughts keep going back to the man dragging the person to his golf cart. He couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was starting to bother him as he tossed and turned trying to get some shut eye.

It wasn’t unusual for the rowdy crowd of party goers that frequented the big yacht to have wild parties. Drinking and partying on the big yacht’s deck with lots of women and playing loud tormenting music until late hours into early morning; it has been a frequent custom for the yacht’s owner. So, Billy tried his best to go back to sleep, but his thoughts of the person dragging the body bothered him. Last night the partygoers were not making any loud noises and that’s what was strange.

His suspicions about the episodes rushed wildly to that early morning when he heard the muffled scream; and the person at the dock who he thought was helping another person from his yacht was dragging a person to a golf cart. Could something be wrong? Billy finally got out bed; made another fresh pot of coffee and sat back down in his deck chair. Something doesn’t add up, and this was starting to annoy him.

The early morning fog that hovered over and around the many vessels on the bay begin to lift and the sun shone through the thin layer of fog creating a sparkling beauty of sunshine crystals.

There is a constant flow of people that are heading for the main wharf from the parking lot which goes near where Billy’s boat is berthed. Monterey Bay is part of Billy’s home. The clean salt air has a nostalgic and magical spell on him as he sits in his deck chair with a cup of coffee and reads from one of his favorite author’s mystery novels.

CHAPTER 1

A cool breeze rushes over Billy’s face as he steps onto the deck of his Cabin Cruiser, LAST CHANCE. The sea gulls are squawking and fighting over food as a young fisherman is cleaning his early morning catch and tossing the remains into the bay.

It's Tuesday morning and Junior didn’t schedule any charters for today because they’ll still be working on the diesel engines, so he kicks back in his deck chair and relaxes with his cup of coffee. His cell phone rings and Billy flips it open and sees it’s Mike on the screen. Hey cowboy, what’s up, you don’t usually call this early? Billy comments. Not much my friend; but did you read the newspaper this morning? Mike said as his voice was sounding strange. No. I’m still on the boat relaxing with a cup of hot coffee. Why, is something going on that I should know about? Billy responded.

Remember Judy Franklin, the real cute blonde you dated, along with the two of us as we partied with, along with Sally and her girlfriend Meg a couple of months at that beach party at Asilomar? Yeah, I remember. Why? Is something wrong Mike? Billy said nervously. Billy, somebody murdered Judy Franklin; it’s all over the newspapers with headlines running all kinds of stories; and all the TV stations are reporting it like a circus event. Mike said sadly.

Oh my God, I just talked to her a couple of days ago; she’s a real sweet girl and a lot of fun to be with, you know I dated her a few times even before and after the beach party, and I asked her to go motorcycling riding with us last week down to Pismo Beach for the weekend, we were really starting to get serious about our relationship. She was murdered? Billy said completely upset and confused. Yeah, Mike said not knowing how to completely respond to Billy's sadness. A commuter with three other guys in their car, coming to Salinas from Monterey saw a woman in the small ditch across the highway from Laureles Grade Road. They stopped and called 911 on their cell phone and waited for the police to arrive, Mike said as he tried to console Billy.

Billy was angry as he responded, Have they got a suspect for her murder yet? Billy said emotionally. No, but what I hear is that the Sheriff’s Department is questioning all her friends and everyone she knew, even those that she waited on tables for at Charlie’s Tavern in New Monterey. Mike continued.

As Mike and Billy were still talking about the murder of their friend Judy, Billy gets his second cup of coffee and confusion along with anxiety are rushing through his thoughts. How could this happen? She was one of the sweetest girls and was liked by everyone she met. The thoughts troubled him and he needed to find out what happened.

As his thoughts began to wander back when he was younger and how he had always dreamed of having his own boat. A boat he could share with his friends; friends like Mike, Junior and also Judy. When the two of them, Judy and Billy, were together they would take cruises down the coast to Big Sur or up to San Francisco and cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge and spend the day and night enjoying the great city’s nightlife.

Mike O'Riley was one of Billy's best friends, they had been going to school in Pacific Grove since they were eleven years old. Billy, Junior and Mike became friends just after Junior lost his dad and the three of them became real long lasting pals as they grew up together. They later went on motorcycle trips together down the coast and camped out at Big Sur State Park. Mike bought a motorcycle shop in Salinas after his folks moved away from Pacific Grove to Salinas when Mike graduated from high School.

Billy’s boat is a thirty-one foot Cruiser with a sleek nine foot flying bridge and a full galley; it has all the latest electronic gear that makes this craft any sportsman’s dream, and jealously proud. His boat is his home; he sleeps there; he eats there; and he can travel anywhere on the west coast from the south tip of Mexico’s Baja to Canada’s Puget Sound, and it’s his pride and joy. Even though the name of the Cruiser is LAST CHANCE, Billy still calls her his little Sweetheart, it has twin outboard 250 HP Mercruiser engines and can even sleep six, if he desires.

Billy joined the U.S. Marines when he got out of High School. His parents wanted him to go to college and get a good education, but Billy wanted to experience the life of the rough and ready soldier, like his father; a career Marine with thirty years in the service of his country. After Boot Camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, Billy finished his training at Camp Pendleton. His parents, who lived in Pacific Grove, that borders Monterey, along with his little sister Mary, were killed in an automobile accident by a drunken driver, just after Billy finished his training at Camp Pendleton.

After finishing at Camp Pendleton, Billy went on to join the Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he trained in Offensive Combat, and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) where he specialized in Martial Arts and earned the rank of Sergeant during his four years of service.

Billy Baker had no family now, only his two buddies, Junior, Caruso and Mike O’Riley. Billy works as a deck hand for Junior on his fifty-eight foot Charter Fishing Boat in Monterey Bay, and Mike owns a Motorcycle Shop in Salinas. The three buddies are very close friends and have known each other since elementary school at Pacific Grove, California.

As Billy continues his conversation with Mike, he says, Mike, do you think we should contact the Sheriff’s Department, or what? Billy said with a little emotion in his voice. I don’t think so right now, let’s let them dig up some information on how she died. We don’t want to confuse them at this time, Mike responded. Ok, we’ll wait for more information, Billy said as he hung up. He gets another cup of coffee, sits back in his deck chair and lets his thoughts try to unravel the death of this beautiful young woman he loved and adored. As his anger deepens he becomes oblivious to his acute world of pain and he searches his soul for an answer that seems to be impossible to solve.

CHAPTER 2

The sun was casting an orange glow over the small mountain range of Carmel when Billy was finishing his third cup of coffee. As he walked down the berthing aisle toward the parking lot, Billy gave the huge yacht a once over look and mentally remembered the yacht’s name and berth number; Crazy Lady, berth number 14.

He called Junior from his cell phone. Hey Sleepyhead, Mike just gave me the lowdown on the girl who was murdered, Judy Franklin, have you heard any more news about her? Billy asked. Captain Sloan, from the Monterey Police Department just called me. He wants to talk with us. He knows you had dated her a few times and would really like to get any information about her and her life style; Guys that she dated, who were her girlfriends, boyfriends, you know, all the bullshit cops do. I know Captain Sloan personally and he really would like to nail whoever killed her. Junior said. When and where do you want to meet? Billy responded. How about Mom’s Place for breakfast, I’m buying. Junior said. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Billy said, as he hung up.

Mom’s Place is a small cafe about two blocks from the main wharf. And Mom makes the best egg, cheese and ham omelets on the west coast, along with her homemade Italian bread. Junior is a muscular, dark wavy haired, Sicilian that has a driven attitude of perfection with everything he does. Junior stepped into his dad's place when Antonio Caruso, Junior's dad passed away of a massive heart attack, and Junior became the Captain of the Charter boat Miss Maria. As usual, Junior was right on schedule. We slipped into our favorite booth and Sally, Mom’s daughter, filled our cups with steaming hot coffee.

We have some fresh Italian sausage that Mom got from Angelo’s yesterday, it’s on the spicy side if you guy’s want to try some, Sally pleaded. Yeah, count me in, Billy responded. Me too, Sis, Junior said. That’s two omelets with a side of sausage coming up, Sally said with a big smile on her face. Sally is as precious as she is nice and looking at her dark sparkling short hair is a cameraman’s dream. Sally is Junior’s little sister, and she’s cute and pleasant with all of Mom’s customers. Of course I treat her like she’s one of my own little sisters. And she knows about how much I miss my little sister Mary.

We were just finishing our breakfast when Captain Jerry Sloan walked through the front door. Good morning Sally; morning Mom, Captain Sloan said as he waved to the ladies. Sally already had a cup of coffee for Captain Sloan as she walked over to the booth. You look great this morning Sally and I just love your big smile, Captain Sloan said as Sally poured his coffee. Thank you Captain Sloan, Sally beamed as she walked away.

Captain Jerry Sloan is a tall well built blonde headed gentleman with over twenty five years of service for the Monterey Police Department. Jerry grew up in Monterey; graduated from Monterey High School, and then received his Degree in Law enforcement from San Jose State, ROTC, and Police Academy. He's a, no nonsense, business only, policeman who gets right to the point. He looks causelessly and relentlessly for the truth without regard of who it upsets; but Captain Sloan is the fairest and most thorough investigator in his profession.

Billy, I know you and Judy Franklin dated a couple of times, maybe more and I’m sure you read what happened to her. I’m trying to put things in the proper perspective and I need as much information as I can get. She was either murdered in the City of Monterey, or she was killed and dumped in Monterey County; either way, it’s my responsibility to get to the truth. The Sheriff’s Department is claiming it’s their jurisdiction, and I don’t think so. Judy lived here, worked here and chummed around here in the City of Monterey; and I need your help, Captain Sloan said as he looked at Billy with pleading eyes.

Captain Sloan, I didn’t want to say anything about what I saw early Saturday morning, but now I’m trying to piece some of what I think happened; and I know it’s only speculation, but I have this awful feeling in my gut and it’s eating me up. First, I haven’t said anything to either of my best friends, Junior or Mike, Billy said.

‘It was about three in the morning and I was asleep on my boat when I hear a muffled scream from what seemed like a woman screaming. I got up, went to the aft-deck to see if I could tell where the scream came from. I looked at my watch and it was three-thirty in the morning. I waited for about ten minutes to see if anyone was moving around or making any more noise; nothing; so I went back to the galley and made a pot of coffee; I go back on deck and relaxed in my deck chair. That’s when I saw what appeared to be a man helping another person, who I think was a female, as he half dragged the other person’s limp body from the huge yacht unto a golf cart and he heads towards the main ramp to the parking lot. Captain Sloan, I just figured it might have been a partygoer that had too much to drink and so I finished my coffee and went back to bed, Billy tells the Captain. Billy continued, Then today, Monday morning, Mike called me and told me about Judy Franklin and what he read to me in the newspaper. Mike told me about a dead woman found in a ditch on the highway from Monterey to Salinas; the newspaper said her half naked body had multiple stab wounds on her chest and her throat had been cut," Billy said as he got a little emotional.

My thoughts rushed in my head to that early morning when I heard the muffled scream and the man at the dock, who I thought was helping a person from his yacht to golf cart, Billy started to get a little angry at him. Maybe I should have helped that person, Billy said as he got angrier. Captain Sloan looked at Billy as he put his arm around Billy’s shoulder. Hey my friend we’ve known each other for a lifetime so don’t start blaming yourself for something that might have happened, we don’t even know what happened yet Billy.

Captain Sloan squeezed Billy’s shoulder again and said, This is a lead that I can bite my teeth into, so what I need from you, along with Mike and Junior, is let me know about everyone that you know of that came in contact with Judy, and what kind of a relationship she had with them; then I’m going visiting with those people who you saw on the yacht, the Captain said, And also Billy I’m not going to mention your name. Jerry, that’s easy, the name on the yacht is Crazy Lady berth number 14, Billy said with a tone of aggression. Junior, Jerry Sloan and Billy got up from their booth and gave each other a big hug, and as Captain Sloan was walking away, he looked at his friends and said, We’ll get those bastards, I promise you.

CHAPTER 3

Two days have gone by and Billy has not heard any additional news regarding Judy’s death. Sheriff Richard Davis is speculating that she must have been killed in the Salinas area; her body was found in a ditch on Highway 68 heading towards Monterey, opposite from the Laureles Grade Road.

Captain Jerry Sloan differs from Sheriff Davies’s theory. Judy Franklin had no known friends or relatives in Salinas and also Captain Sloan still is questioning the alibis of Ricardo Santiago, the owner of Crazy Lady, the sixty-eight foot yacht.

In the meantime, Billy is keeping an eye on the Crazy Lady yacht. Billy has a digital camera that he keeps handy so he can track everyone who comes and goes to the Crazy Lady. So far he has fifteen people photographed.

Of the fifteen photos Captain Sloan has identified five of the men and one woman: Ricardo Santiago, the owner of Crazy Lady; Pedro Rivas, Ricardo’s right hand man; Leroy Sanchez, a small time broker for the cocaine Cartel out of Southern California; Maria Rodriquez, a frequent visitor; Homer Gomez, the cook, and Captain Raul Martinez, who operates the Crazy Lady.

Captain Sloan doesn’t have any criminal records on any of these people, although Pedro Rivas has been suspected of drug trafficking out of San Diego, California.

The following Monday morning, when Junior didn’t have any Charters booked, Billy slipped into his wet suit, put on his mask and snorkel and was ready for some serious investigating. It was four o’clock in the morning and he had everything he needed; lock picking tools; tiny listening bugs for the ship to shore short wave phones; listening bugs at the galley, sleeping quarters and dining areas, at the deck and lounging areas; and a remote recorder to pick-up all their conversations. At four forty-five that morning. Billy was back in the water on his way back to his boat, Last Chance.

Billy hooked up his remote recorder and put on a pot of coffee. His antenna was raised up and he was ready for action.

After three days of recording, Billy was starting to get information he could use, but not enough for any incriminating activities. Every night he would save the tapes and add new blanks tapes. Billy was patient. He knew he was going to find something he could use. Then it came as he was listening to the tape of the fifth night.

Hey Boss, I just got a letter from Leroy, He said our shipment is due sometime next week, he said the stuff is pure and he wanted his money now for half of it, Pedro said. Tell that jackass cousin of yours to kiss my ass. I told him I needed to get a sample of his shit before I gave him another cent. Let me see that letter, as Billy was listening to what Ricardo said. You want me to call him right now, Pedro said as Billy was really getting excited. Yeah, call that shit-ass right now, Billy heard Ricardo say.

Hey Leroy, the Boss says he wants a sample before he gives you anymore bread, understood? Billy hears Pedro tell his cousin Leroy. The conversation stops for about a minute, and Billy get nervous, he waits, then Leroy says, Pedro this shit is pure, I don’t want Ricardo pushing me around, I need some money before I let him have anymore. I’m telling you this is the best shit we ever had, and my supplier is giving Ricardo a real good deal. Put Ricardo on the phone, Billy hears Leroy tell Pedro.

Hey shit-ass, Billy hears Ricardo, You want some more money, then get me a sample of this pure junk and when you deliver the shit to me, right here I’ll pay you for the sample and that’s it, period, Billy hears Ricardo tell Pedro as he hands the phone to him.

"Leroy, you know the Boss is good on his word.