Clearwater Deception

By Al Rennie

CHIPs is hired to investigate the deaths of Tontine members; Mia is excited about a Joe idea; The FBI approach Doc with a scheme he wants to ignore; Ken Jackson arrives from Canada with a confession; Bob Morse has a problem; Billy Ray asks to be the good cop; there is a murder at the shelter; June Franklin has a theory about her foster family; Doc might be in more trouble; another romp in Paradise

• Language: English
• Publisher: Al Rennie
• Release date: Jul 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311971166

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 Deception

By

Al Rennie

Dedication

For my wife

Marsha

And to all the kind and supportive readers

of the Clearwater Series.

Copyright © 2016 by Al Rennie

All Rights Reserved.

Cover Credit: Rita Toews – probably the most caring, patient and inventive cover creator ever!

Photo Credit: Canstock Photo – uploaded gsagi – by 2011-12-02

Formatting Credit: Lucinda K. Campbell – as always, just great … thank you!

I am now up to five excellent editors on my team. It might be difficult for anyone to believe that as a former English teacher, I would need five editors. The scoop is, they are looking for a sixth and seventh. How is that for a confidence builder? In any case, they have once again returned to make my life miserable but your reading experience that much better. I’d like to thank my wife, Marsha, and youngest daughter, Jane as well as Annmarie, Donna and Sue for their masterful work in editing yet another episode of The Clearwater Series.

The cheque is … hold on, what cheque?

A very few Reader Responses to Clearwater Series:

On the advice of the critics, editors and Ellen, I have limited the number of reader responses. The suggestion was that no one reads them anyway. I know that I do. Apologies to those cut.

Hi Mr. Rennie, Once again you nailed it with Clearwater Penalty. You have an amazing sense of timing and a creativity that can’t be topped. I read about 100 books a year and you are by far my favorite author. I am thrilled by your ability to keep me engrossed by every one of your books. I appreciate Grisham, Brown, Balducci and many others; however, you are the guy that keeps me coming back as soon as you next book is released. You have an unbelievable gift and don’t let anything or anyone discourage you from entertaining your public. Thank you once again. —Nancy

Love the books, can’t put them down and I even find myself slipping into some of the phrases!!! Not sure that will always be a good thing though! —Carol

I found you first on Smashwords; after that, I kept hitting the buy button in iTunes. I laughed, cried, and told my patients how I almost went to You Tube to look for your video. I see patients in long term care facilities. I have shared your stories and with my patients living on the seawall in Galveston, Tx. You have brought life, love and a bit of silliness into the lives of my patients and have made me a better practitioner. I am forever in your debt. —Katherine

Thanks Al for another chapter (Clearwater Hustle) in the lives of my favourite imaginary friends. I'll go and put some stars and comments on iBooks which is where I get my copies. —Anthony Templeman

I love your books! I discovered Clearwater Journals while in the hospital. I downloaded every free mystery I could, and started reading. I thought your free book was a mistake because it was head and tails above the quality of everything else I’d seen! Once I started, I couldn’t stop and ended up purchasing every book you’ve made available on ITunes. Thank you so much for your work! However, it did create a little problem….Do you know how pissy world-famous heart surgeons get when you tell them to wait a minute, you have to finish your book before you will go to the operating room? It’s definitely not pretty! I’ve read the entire series Clearwater series twice now, and can’t wait for the next book to come out. Please, please hurry! —Cheers, Sue

This series is the best!!!! I read each one as soon as it is published. Al Rennie, you rock!!!! 5 stars! —Marianna Smith

Better and better! ***** by AuntSuze (copied from ratings and comments on I-Books)

OK folks, full disclosure here. I'm a big fan of Rennie's work. All of his work is more New York Times Best Seller List quality than an indie publication.

Double Cross is the most complex and surprising book yet. The plot lines completely surprised me and I loved the twists and turns. His ability to describe scenes made me feel like I was right there in Florida! Best of all, his ability to create in-depth characters and make me care about them is a rare gift and makes his books so much more enjoyable.

How does one know a great writer? When one studies a written scenario and agrees with it like was a real situation. I enjoy tearing apart his reasoning and putting it back together just like a study of Shakespeare or Confucius. Thank you for making your novels come to life. Write on, sir! —Bearknoll

If you love slightly wacky mysteries, this book – in fact the whole Clearwater series – is a must read for you.

Carl Hiaasen meets Elmore Leonard and ‘Bob’s your uncle’…

Congratulations Al on your 25th book in this wonderful series. I have enjoyed each and every one. It seems like I know the characters and can't wait for the next installment to see what's happening in their lives. There have been many changes since Clearwater Journals. You have to write faster Bubba. I just finished this one and I need more Joe and cast, eh. —R.J.

Mr. Rennie I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your wonderful books and the enjoyment you have provided in my life. In March of 2012 I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. In April I had a double mastectomy and began chemotherapy and radiation needless to say I spent a lot of time in the hospital. My wonderful husband who has been an amazingly strong individual bought me a Kindle because I am an obsessed reader. I was just learning how to download books on my new Kindle and came across Clearwater Journals and that was the beginning.... I now have all 27 in the series and can't wait for more. My husband and I have never been to Clearwater and since I read him parts of the books he decided to surprise me and planned a trip for my one year cancer free. We went last September and I would move there in a minute; it is everything you described in the books. We ate at Frenchy's – best super grouper sandwich ever! We went to Wings and Pier 60. My all time favorite snack is now chocolate coconut patties! I just really wanted to say thanks. I love the Clearwater, the series, and the best vacation spot ever!

Sincerely, Lorrie

Just finished Escape, and it ranks right up near the top in the series. I have now read the series 3 times and it just doesn't get old!! I just don't believe some TV producer hasn't found this yet, would be the greatest detective type show since Columbo. Keep well and hurry up with the next one!! — Steve

Nancy’s Amendment to Annie’s Amendment – she’s blonde!

The Clearwater Series in the sequence the titles were written.

1) Clearwater Journals

2) Clearwater Diaries

3) Clearwater Ambush

4) Clearwater Abduction

5) Clearwater Heat

6) Clearwater Kiss Off

7) Clearwater Showdown

8) Clearwater Magic

9) Clearwater Intrigue

10) Clearwater Danger

11) Clearwater Predator

12) Clearwater Extortion

13) Clearwater Killer

14) Clearwater Oops!

15) Clearwater Crazy

16) Clearwater Undercover

17) Clearwater Hunter

18) Clearwater Justice

19) Clearwater Skip Trace

20) Clearwater Assault

21) Clearwater Folly

22) Clearwater Homesick

23) Clearwater Hustle

24) Clearwater Stakeout

25) Clearwater Fit

26) Clearwater Double Cross

27) Clearwater Vice

28) Clearwater Escape

29) Clearwater Bubba

30) Clearwater Betrayal

31) Clearwater Penalty

32) Clearwater Deception

Clearwater DeceptionNote to Joe and Mia fans

In today’s glutted writing environment, reader ratings and reviews can make a huge difference in the success of an indie author. If, as a reader, you have enjoyed a particular book, please take a few moments of your time to give it a favorable rating, and if you are so inclined, a positive short review. Your affirming assessment will mean a great deal to the author and to his or her chances of survival in the current literary marketplace.

Tontine: an annuity shared by subscribers to a loan or common fund, the shares increasing as subscribers die until the last survivor enjoys the whole income.

Seduction: the act of attracting (someone) to a belief or into a course of action that is inadvisable or foolhardy.

Deception: the act of making someone believe something that is not true: the act of deceiving someone: an act or statement intended to make people believe something that is not true.

This episode went through three title changes during the time it took me to write it. It started as Clearwater Tontine evolved to Seduction and finished as Deception. Thanks go out to Gerry Pielsticker for the ‘two old guys’ humorous story.

Truth can be more unbelievable than fiction:

Figures released by the RCMP in 2014 indicated close to 1,200 Indigenous women murdered or missing between 1980 and 2012, with 1,017 women as homicide victims and 164 women considered missing. – See more at: http://www.ammsa.com/content/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-girls#sthash.TDCxuJ8W.dpuf

Prologue

Excuse me miss … Don’t be afraid … I just want to talk to you for a minute and leave you my business card. I truly believe that you are in possession of that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ look, and if the camera proves what I know that I see in you, I would like to sign you up to a professional modeling contract.

What look?

The look that says, ‘I should be a model or a movie star’. You are an incredible looking young lady, absolutely beautiful in fact … with unbelievable genetics. How old are you?

Old enough … what’s your game mister?

The man was correct; the girl, with her long naturally black hair, her lean athletic body and tanned skin was what the guys her age called, ‘prime smoking hot with a rack to drool all over’. She knew that’s how guys saw her because one of her past boyfriends had whispered that to her when they had been fooling around on the front seat of his old Chevy pickup truck.

No game, young lady … I’m an L.A. movie agent in town for a meeting with the Tom Cruise production company. I was grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant across the street over there and noticed you sitting here, alone, in the afternoon sunshine. I just knew that this was an opportunity I could not afford to miss. I have to be somewhere else in a few minutes, but please … think about what I have said … think of the possibilities and then give me a call at that number. I will only be here for another two or three days depending on how the meetings go. I can possibly set up a screen test locally or, at the very least, arrange a photo shoot and take it back to L.A. with me. I’ll pay you a hundred dollars an hour for your time so that even if, in the unlikely event that this doesn’t work out for us, you won’t have lost anything. Please think about it. This might be the start of something great – for both of us. I can feel it. Please call me …please …I am totally serious.

The young woman named Valerie – Val to her few friends – glanced quickly at the cream coloured embossed business card that the man had put in her hand and then back towards where he was now getting into an expensive looking, low slung, black sports car. He looked back at her once and waved before he roared out into traffic and disappeared.

Valerie knew that she had always been a looker. While the other girls hated her, she had drawn the older boys at her high school to her like she was a famous movie star. Bees to honey …. But they had only wanted one thing and that had nothing to do with pictures – at least not at first. And that man had said he would pay her $100.00 an hour for her time even if nothing more came of it. That was a whole heck of a lot more money than she made in an entire day working as a trainee server at this restaurant. And it was just to let him take some stupid pictures of her. He obviously could afford it. That was a very expensive sports car he had driven away in. And then, what if he was right and she really should be a model or, better yet, a movie star and live in a huge Malibu mansion with a swimming pool? Her mama, God rest her soul, had always said that her baby was beautiful and very special. Everybody around here, maybe all over the world, knew that Tom Cruise was a Scientologist and that he had an amazing condo somewhere in the Tampa area. And someone had told her that Tom Cruise did have a production company. He made that movie Knight and Day with Cameron Diaz. Valerie had seen that on a DVD at the foster home before she ran away. Maybe she really could leave the Clearwater area and live a movie star’s life in Hollywood. That’s where all the stars lived … except maybe the Pirates of the Caribbean guy, Johnny Depp. One of the girls working here had told her she read in a movie magazine that he lived in Europe somewhere with his girlfriend – or was she now his wife – Amber Heard, the movie actress. She would call the man in the black sports car before he forgot all about her.

Valerie … your break was over five minutes ago girl. Time to get back to work… no more sitting out there in the sun, daydreaming…

Coming …

Chapter 1

Saturday May 7th, 2016 – Boys Will Be Boys!

Even by Florida standards, this was a beautiful day to be at the track. This was not an impulsive act. The guys at CHIPs had been planning this day of rest and relaxation for a few weeks. The Kentucky Derby was going to be simulcast later this afternoon with Nyquest, earner of three and half million bucks in winnings, and highly touted to begin a repeat of the Triple Crown. In the spirit of charitable acts, Stevie, Umberto McAdoo’s head gun thug, had been invited to join us for the afternoon. He was still working at recovering from the numerous punctures and slashes he had recently endured at the hands of a mean spirited female terrorist. He looked a lot better than he had when Luke, Jimmy and I had pulled his bacon out of the fire, but some of his old zip had vanished. We were hoping to put some of the vinegar back. My almost lookalike brother, Jimmy – he has the scar on his cheek – would be hanging with Stevie this afternoon. The two of them share a similar background in the area of occupations and intellectual interests. The other guest was a friend of mine as well as a business partner, Johnnie Morris. Some time ago now, I introduced him to the exciting roller coaster ride that is thoroughbred horse racing.

I also introduced him to his wife, Rosa and young step-son, Miguel. At the time, Rosa was a Tampa Downs exercise rider and hot-walker struggling to get a start as a trainer.

When his pro football career ended, Morris made a few wise investments which worked out well for him. Johnnie now owns and operates four of the McDonald’s outlets in and around the Clearwater, St. Pete’s, Tampa area. And now, Rosa is a successful trainer who runs a small string of thoroughbred race horses for the two of us either individually or in joint partnership. While she is not yet in the Bobby Baffert or Sandy McIntosh category, the article about her in the world of thoroughbred’s Bible, Blood-Horse, would testify that her reputation for conditioning thoroughbreds was just starting to be acknowledged by the mega multi-millionaire big spenders in the racing game.

On today’s card, I had a three-year old gelding, named Jolly Jump, running in a $40,000.00 maiden claimer and our partnership had a four year old filly named Gorgeous Lulu racing in a winner of two races, $25,000.00 claimer. The two of us would be betting on those two regardless of the Racing Form’s prognostications. This was also the day that CHIPs would try to recruit Johnnie to join our touch football team. As a former running back for the Oakland Raiders, we believed that he would be the trump card in our attempt to, once again, defeat the powerful Cooters Cowboys team and repeat as the Clearwater Beach Men’s League Touch Football Champions.

The interesting part of the day so far had been when Billy Ray arrived with his knockout wife, Natalie, who is also a CHIPs employee. She is one of our more enthusiastic cheerleaders, which translates into the fact that she sometimes knows whether we won or lost the game when it is over. Mostly, our cheerleaders stand around looking bored while they discuss all the latest in fashion trends and any new nail polish colours Revlon might be coming out with. Apparently, Billy Ray didn’t get the memo announcing this was ‘a boys’ day out’ or else Natalie had used her executive veto, and the fact that she works for CHIPs, to out vote the big guy. No one wanted to challenge the fact that she was going to be a part of the day because if they did, they would have to deal with Billy. Fear can sometimes be a wonderful motivator.

A trip to the Tampa Downs track was a fresh experience for our