Morgan's Escape

By Brad Chambers

Another Dean Walker book. Dean is hired by an elderly man to find a small wooden box that had belonged to his father. Sentimental value is the reason given but it turns out to be much more. The man's granddaughter shows up and insists on helping with the search. After finding it and getting it back it is stolen again and they are kidnapped and tortured. Dean must once again rescue a beautiful woman in distress.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brad Chambers
• Release date: Jul 24, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465945655

Brad Chambers

Brad Chambers is a writer of Science Fiction, Mystery, and Romance. He lives in central Illinois with his wife of thirty years and a yellow Lab named Jonah.

Book preview

Morgan's Escape

Published by Brad Chambers at Smashwords

Copyright 2011 Brad Chambers

Edited by Jessica Chambers

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter 1

Dean Walker sat at the worn counter in Roy's Diner eating his usual Friday night supper of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. He hardly noticed when the old unshaven man in the dirty apron refilled his chipped coffee cup. He was thinking about his plans for later that night with Eve. She got off work at Sparkle at one and he was ready see her. He'd been busy for a week and they hadn't been able to spend any time together. When he wasn't working, Dean usually managed to see the waitress at least twice a week and sometimes more. It wasn't a serious relationship, more like a convenient one. They enjoyed the time together and expected nothing else from the partnership. At least Dean didn't. Sometimes Eve got jealous if she knew he was spending time with another woman, even if it was work related. Jealousy wouldn't really be part of a convenient relationship. Maybe she's more serious than I am, Dean thought.

Glancing up at the sound of the diner door opening, Dean saw an elderly man in a long overcoat entering. Under the open coat he was wearing a very nice, but outdated suit. The man looked slowly around the small restaurant; his eyes lingered on Dean for a second, and then moved on. Removing his coat and hat the man hung them on a hook next to the one containing Dean's. After a quick brush along the bench to remove any stray crumbs the gentleman sat down carefully in the first of the four booths.

Dean finished off the last of the food on his plate and sat sipping his coffee still thinking about the evening ahead. He paid no attention as Roy came out from behind the counter to take the new customer's order. The man ordered coffee and then motioned for the cook to lean down closer, which he did. A short whispered conversation took place and then Roy left the booth to get the man's coffee. Once he was behind the counter, Roy approached Dean and took his empty plate. The man who just came in wants to talk to you, the cook told him quietly and then walked back out with a clean cup and a pot of fresh coffee.

Taking another drink out of his cup, Dean waited for the old cook to return to his station behind the worn counter. He then picked up his cup and took the few short steps to the suited man's booth. The man didn't look up as Dean came near and sat down across from him. The glow from the Roy's sign out front fell across the table giving an air of mystery to the meeting. While waiting for the man to speak, Dean looked him over carefully.

The suit he wore was beginning to show its age, but was obviously tailor made. It was a dark blue with faint pinstripes that made the man look taller than he was. The elbows and collar were showing slick, shiny patches, and the button holes gaped slightly from much use. The solid color tie around his neck was wider than the current style, more like what was worn thirty years ago. Moving up to the gentleman's face Dean saw a well trimmed mustache, a few wrinkles, and clear blue eyes. When the man raised his head and looked across the table, Dean could see the man was older than he thought. At first he had taken him for around his mid-sixties, but now he could tell he had been ten to fifteen years off.

Getting right to the point, the man said in a quiet, but surprisingly strong voice, I was told you find things for people. I want to hire you.

Dean gave the man a slight nod to show he accepted this and waited for him to continue.

The old man took a sip of his coffee and continued. I grew up in a well-off family. When I was twelve my father's accountant embezzled a lot of money from him and disappeared. My family sold everything it owned to pay off the business debts and taxes including our house, furnishings and personal items. We had nothing left but were out of debt and my father kept his good reputation. He was able to start over and build a new fortune. Before this happened, my father had a small wooden box that he kept on his desk. It was very old and had intricate carvings on it. The corners were bound in silver and it was lined with felt as though it had originally held something of great value. My father kept a supply of peppermints in it for my brother and myself when we would come to his office. He would stop his work and even at times force people to wait so he could visit with us. We would sit in the big leather chairs in front of his desk and he would talk to us about things to do with business and dealings with others in business. We would suck on a mint while we listened, but when it was gone, it was time to leave so he could get back to his work. He would stop the whole world for those few minutes with us.

Taking another sip of coffee the man's eyes seemed to be looking back in time to the office of his father. When we lost everything the box went also. It was sold at the estate auction and it hurt me more than anything else to see it go. It represented the importance of my brother and me to my father. He let out a long sigh and then shook his head slightly bringing his thoughts back to the present.

I have thought about that box a lot over the years, and in the past few I have tried to find it. I have traced it through several sales and three countries. It has been bought and sold as an investment because of the carvings and the silver corners. The last owner was a woman here in town but she lost it in a robbery. If it hasn't been destroyed for the silver, I would very much like it back. I would like to see it in the family again before I die.

Roy came by just then and refilled their cups looking curiously at the old man but not asking any questions. He knew it wasn't his business no matter how strange it was that a man who obviously had money was sitting in his diner talking to Dean. When the cook was back on his stool behind the counter Dean spoke.

Do you have information on the robbery? Knowing what else was taken might point me in the right direction as far as who took it or where they tried to sell it.

Yes, the man answered. I have the police report, and also the reports from my investigators who traced it to that point. Pulling an envelope from his jacket pocket he laid it on the table. Reaching into his pocket again he pulled out another envelope and laid it next to it. Here is money enough for a week. After that I would like a report of progress and we can discuss future payment.

Dean picked up the reports and glanced through them quickly. There wasn't a lot of information, but it was a place to start. Picking up the other envelope, he felt the weight of it and was surprised at how heavy it was. It seemed the old gentleman was