Hypnotic Murders: Jim Richards Murder Novels, #16

By Bob Moats

A woman walks into Jim Richards office with a story of how her husband died due to his participation in the stage show of a local hypnotist. The man later walked into a casino and shot a few people before he was taken down by security, and the woman blames the hypnotist for his actions. Jim takes the case and goes on a quest to find the truth. Was his death part of a plot by the hypnotist and his shady business associates or acting on his own. What was the motive for sending an innocent man to kill using simple hypnotic suggestions. Will there be more murders by other innocents? On the side, Jim’s mafia friend, Angelo appears at his door and announces he is moving to Vegas from New York. Jim puts him to work as a celebrity protection bodyguard and Angelo’s first assignment is to protect a young female porn actress coming to Vegas for a convention. Angelo takes on the job with his past expertise as a leg breaker for the mob. Unfortunately, the girl is kidnapped and Angelo isn’t happy. Will he bring in his mob connections to find the kidnappers?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bob Moats
• Release date: May 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781498999816

Bob Moats

Detroit area resident, Bob Moats, has been writing short stories and plays for as long as he can remember. He has lost most of his original stories, typed or handwritten, in the numerous moves he has made from his hometown of Fraser, Michigan to Northern Michigan, to Las Vegas and back to Fraser, where he now lives. Moats became one of the causalities of unemployment a year ago, and had time on his hands to finally pursue a life long dream of writing a full blown crime novel. Thus was born the first book, "Classmate Murders".What followed was a series of seven books starting with "The Classmate Murders" which introduces the main character, Jim Richards, who has to admit he has become a senior citizen, reluctantly. Richards, one day, receives an email from a childhood sweetheart asking for his help, but by the time he reaches her, she has been murdered. His life turns around and he is pulled into numerous murders of women from his high school who he hasn't seen in forty years. Along with a friend of his, Buck, a big, mustached biker, they go off to track down the killer before he can get to one former classmate, Penny Wickens, a TV talk show host who Jim has just fallen for while protecting her. The killer is also murdering the women right out from under police protection, driving homicide detective Will Trapper crazy, and he slowly depends on Jim to help. There's humor, suspense, wild chases across suburban Detroit with cops, classic cars and motorcycle clubs; murder, mayhem, a good amount of romance and a twist ending.Jim and his crime fighters, continue in the other books, traveling to Las Vegas twice, back to Detroit and out to New York to solve murders involving dominatrix; mistresses; Bridezillas; magic and strip clubs.Book titles: Classmate Murders; Vegas Showgirl Murders; Dominatrix Murders; Mistress Murders; Bridezilla Murders; Magic Murders; Strip Club Murders and Made-for-TV Murders.

Book preview

Hypnotic

Murders

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By Bob Moats

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Copyright © 2011-2014 by Bob Moats.

All rights reserved.

Rev. 042241900

This book is licensed for your personal use only. This book 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, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This is a work of pure fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For information and address:

Magic 1 Productions

P.O. Box 524, Fraser MI 48026-0524

Website: http://murdernovels.com

Cover by Bob Moats

Other Jim Richards series books by Bob Moats

(In Series Order)

Classmate Murders

Vegas Showgirl Murders

Dominatrix Murders

Mistress Murders

Bridezilla Murders

Magic Murders

Strip Club Murders

Made-for-TV Murders

Mystery Cruise Murders

Talk Show Murders

Sin City Murders

Black Widow Murders

Vegas Vigilante Murders

Area 51 Murders

Mortuary Murders

Hypnotic Murders

Sunshine State Murders

Blue Suede Murders

Honky Tonk Murders

Dark Carnival Murders

Lipstick Murders

Pasta Murders

Talent Show Murders

Shyster Murders

Campground Murders

Network Murders

Reunion Murders

Big Apple Murders

Kennel Murders

Trick or Treat Murders

Santa Murders

Wiseguy Murders

For a preview or to purchase a book, go to http://murdernovels.com

What a few people are saying about Murder Novels by Bob Moats

Mr. Moats, I just got your novel Classmate Murders and have to let you know, I read it in one evening. That is the first book I have ever done that with. That was the most enjoyable book I have ever read. I just started reading e-books, and reading again, after getting my wife a Kindle. This book was my 12th, and the best. I just got Las Vegas Showgirls to (read) tomorrow evening. I look forward to reading many of your books in this series. I have been searching for an author and books that were fun, entertaining reads. Your books are just the ticket.

Regards, A new fan, Bill from South Carolina

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Another very nice comment submitted through my website from  Micki P.:

I recently was given a kindle for my 60th birthday. The first book I downloaded was the Classmate Murders and have now read every one of the them. Today I started on the Fatal Rejection series. Thank you for the wonderful ride with Jim and Penny and all the rest of the troop. I have laughed and giggled thru the stories, my poor family gave me the strangest looks! Now I really want a little Yorkie!! Fatal Rejection so far is another great read! I will be looking out for more of Jim Richards and since you are my #1 Author, anything of yours I can find.

Extra special thanks to:

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Thank you to all the people who purchased this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it for my faithful readers.

The Jim Richards Family of Readers is listed in the back of the book.

Hypnotic Murders by Bob Moats

Chapter 1

The man in the tuxedo cautiously walked through Casino Royale in search of Le Chiffre. He came to the Baccarat table where he saw Vesper sitting with cards in front of her. The tuxedo man stood for a moment when one of the bodyguards for Le Chiffre turned to him and pulled a weapon. The tuxedo man pulled his Walther PPK and fired on the man, hitting him in the chest three times dead center. Men in security uniforms came rushing up with guns drawn and yelled for the tuxedo man to drop his weapon. He didn't, and raised the gun to protect himself as the guards all fired on the man, killing him.

Las Vegas Metro PD homicide Detective Lynn Carter and Sergeant Frank DeAngelo, AKA Deacon, had arrived about thirty minutes later to find the body covered with a sheet and the gawkers were held back by the crime scene yellow tape. The hotel security at the Rio Hotel and Casino were busy keeping tourists from being in the area, but it was difficult as it was now a place of interest.

Lynn bent down to the body, lifting the sheet and then looked to Joe Lang, County Coroner, and asked, Who is he, Joe?

Name's Mike Finch, business cards in his wallet says he had a stock brokerage over in Summerlin. They say he strolled in and pulled a twenty-two and started firing. He hit three people, luckily, no one was killed, and then security had to put him down when he refused to stop. They say he looked like he was drugged, but I'll know better when I get him back to the morgue and dig into him.

Thanks Joe, another meth head gone bad probably, Lynn said as she stood, looking down at the man in jeans and blue dress shirt.

The next day I was in my office when the woman came in the front entrance ringing the small bell on the door making its tinkling noise. I sat waiting for Lacey, my office manager and receptionist to let me know what I had in store.

She came to my private office door and said there was a woman wanting help. I stood and went out to find an attractive blond, about five-six and well-built standing at the counter.

Hi there, I'm Jim Richards, how may I help you. I was careful how I worded things since she was a looker and I didn't want my wife to misconstrue my intentions. My beautiful Las Vegas TV talk show host and wife, Penny Wickens-Richards had this telepathy thing about her that could tell if I was unfaithful even in my mind, so I was always cautious about my wording.

I'm Celeste Finch and my husband was murdered and I want you to bring the killer to justice. I know who the killer is and you have to prove he did it.

Okay, please follow me to my office and we'll talk. I winked at Lacey as she sat at her desk and took the widow to my office. I motioned her to the client chair as I sat at my desk.

You say you know who your husband's killer was? Have you told the police?

"Yes, I told this to Detective Carter, but I think she thought I was crazy. I need someone to investigate and not make fun of my suspicions.

Okay, I personally know Detective Carter, and she is a fair and dedicated homicide officer, but sometimes things don't always add up for the police. You may have some important information that may help me to solve your case, information that the police may not look into. Can you tell me more about what happened?

Three nights ago my husband, Mike, and I took some business clients to the Fitzgerald Hotel to see this hypnotist and the man called my husband to the stage to help. He hypnotized my husband and told him he was James Bond and had him act out a few things that Bond would do, stand like him and tell the audience that he was agent 007. Yesterday my husband left our home then went to the Rio Hotel and into the casino where he shot three people before the security shot him dead. I don't blame the guards, I say the hypnotist had him commit the attack that resulted in his death. The police said they'd look into it, but I think they were just blowing me off.

Well, I'll have a talk with Detective Carter and see what they have done on this. Do you want me to investigate?

Yes, Mr. Richards, I hear you are a good detective yourself and help people. Please clear my husband's name and take down this man.

I'll see what I can do. What did your husband do for a living?

He was an investment broker, handled lots of money transactions for his clients, one of whom we took to the show that night.

I see, do you think the death of your husband was in connection to his business?

I don't know; he never spoke to me about his business. If there was any money stolen or transferred because of this, I wouldn't know.

Okay, please write down everything I need to know, names and places, times of the incidents, and where I can reach you. I pushed my pad of paper and a pen to her as I caught a glimpse of her ample breasts in the low cut blouse; I was going to catch hell for that later.

She spent about ten minutes writing and then pushed the pad and pen back to me. Thank you, this is my rate card, will you be able to pay for my services? I'm not trying to be rude, but some people who come here aren't very well off and still I try to help them. She looked to the card I handed her with my rates and then took out her wallet from her purse and removed four hundred dollars in large bills and put them on my desk. Money's no problem for me, here's the retainer. Mr. Richards, please take this killer down for me.

I'll do my best. We stood and she went out of my office as I followed her to the lobby, getting a good look at her caboose. Well-rounded, oh hell, I was going to suffer for that too, when I got home.

She turned, smiled and said, It's a pleasure to meet you, I've read a good number of articles in the Review-Journal about your exploits. I know I can trust you to catch my husband's killer.

I'll keep you informed, thank you for trusting me with this. She took my hand and we shook, her hand was very soft and warm, giving me thoughts, another reason I was doomed when I got home.

She left and I turned to Lacey, she said with a smile, I know what you were thinking,

Well, stop it. I'm not going there and I'll be dead if I did. I went back to my office and sat trying to think of things that were not sexy, like old fat women in spandex and gray hair. That did it.

I got home around five o'clock and Penny was busy making some good smelling dish. I didn't stop by today at the office because I had a couple of famous Las Vegas Chefs on my show today and I wanted to try out a couple of dishes they showed me to whip up.

Well, it smells delicious. What's it called?

I can't remember, something Italian, but I remembered the ingredients. So go clean up and get ready for a great meal.

I turned to go to my personal bathroom, it was nice that we each had our own, and I was being followed by our toy Yorkie, Willy. He came into my bathroom with me and I set him on the closed toilet so he could watch as I washed and shaved around my beard. I washed my face and the top of my baldhead and thought about getting some of those hair transplants to fill out my empty space on top. But it would ruin my charming looks, sort of a favorite grandfather type, who everyone trusts and loves. I finished and picked up Willy and we went back out to the dining area where Penny had set out a great spread complete with the good silverware. I sat at my spot as Penny put the hot dishes on the table and then sat.

How was your day and did you chase after any good looking women? she asked.

I was in trouble. I'm not very good at telling Penny tall tales and so I just fessed up, I had a very attractive woman in today looking for me to catch her husband's killer. Yes, I did look but that was all.

Good boy, now enjoy your food, was all she said, I was spared the inquisition. We ate and it was very good, a first for my wife.

We finished and I helped clean the table as Penny put the dishes in the dishwasher and we retired to the living room with our beer and chips. We were watching the big screen TV when the driveway alarm went off. I went to the small TV monitor, scanned the area, and saw nothing but a dark colored sedan. The person who had driven it must have gotten out quickly and came to the door. The bell rang and I had my hand on my Glock as I went to the door, opening it, and stared at the visitor. It was our favorite mob wiseguy, Angelo.

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Chapter 2

Angelo, what are you doing here, are you alone? I'm sorry, where's my manners, come on in, I said as I held the door wider.

He thanked me and entered, nearly filling the doorframe. He was a huge man, mostly muscle, not really tall, about my height, five-ten and he had to be in his fifties now. He had the face of an Italian mob figure, more Sicilian but a chiseled sort of image. We first met Angelo in Vegas when Penny and I came out here from Michigan to get married and he was told to be our bodyguard by his mother Francis, a mafia grand lady who was also out here getting married to don Gino Traviano. I was part of the rescue of Francis from the clutches of the Bridezilla killer and the New York family sort of adopted Penny and me.

Angelo, please sit, I said as I directed him to our most comfortable chair. Willy came running over and was bouncing around his feet. He remembered the big guy from past encounters. Angelo grinned and picked up the pup and held him on his lap. So why are you here, is everything all right back in New York? I asked.

Oh sure, Mr. R. everything is hunky-dory. I just felt like I needed a change, and told my sainted mother that I had to try something new. She agreed and said I was a big boy now and should get out and explore life. I felt really good the last time we were out here bringing that hitman to you.

Yes, that was just a couple weeks ago. So you are coming out here to visit?

No Mr. R., I decided to move out here, at least to see how much I like the place.

Penny asked, Angelo, where are you staying?

I got in this morning and got a room at the Tropicana, it's a nice place, that's why the family always stays there when we come out. I bought a car and I'm going to look for a small apartment this week.

Angelo, why don't you stay in our guesthouse, it's private and you would be able to come and go when you want, Penny said. I was in agreement and said so.

Gee, Mrs. R. that would be grand, I wouldn't be no burden on youse guys, he said with a grin.

I noticed his way of talking like a wiseguy was slipping back. I thought he was doing well and must have been taking lessons to talk without sounding like Joe Pesci in the movie 'Casino'. In fact, Angelo reminded me a lot of Joe Pesci.

"Sure Angelo,