Out of Control

By Yvonne Moore

Intrigue, greed and Romance ...

The characters in this collection of mini mysteries will take you to Jamaica, Waikiki, Amsterdam and places youve never heard of. Theyre absolutely out of control.

Intriguing and funny.

This collection of mini mysteries by author Yvonne Moore is a Must Read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 22, 2004
• ISBN: 9781418485801

Yvonne Moore

Yvonne Moore has spent a lifetime in the healing community. A nurse, family therapist and nurse educator, while Ms. Moore’s passion is teaching, contributing to the relational connections and the wellbeing of children is her touch stone. The birth of her first child grandchild, Sasha, inspired Yvonne to explore the medium of storytelling. To develop her writing craft, Yvonne has attained a diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature. A student of life and learning, she is currently on hiatus from her PhD studies. When she’s not writing or teaching, she’s usually found with her own, especially her grandchildren, Sasha, Jasper, and Shiloh.

Book preview

BLOCKED PASSAGE

Inside Wright’s Jewelry at the Meadowville mall, Joe Wilson’s eyes darted to the exit, then back to the gold watch on his wrist. The clerk was talking on the phone; her back was turned toward him. It’s now or never, Joe thought, edging towards the exit.

Have you decided? asked a tall serious-looking man emerging from an adjoining office. His gaze was riveted on Joe’s wrist.

I’m…I’m in a hurry. I’ll drop by tomorrow after work, Joe lied as he placed the watch on the counter.

It had been one week since Joe had walked off his job at Sam’s Diner, and this was the first day of his new career.

I’m moving on to bigger and better things, he’d bragged. Picking pockets and shoplifting was what he had in mind. However, he hadn’t had any luck at the mall all day.

Can’t you do anything right? Joe scolded himself. His fingers curled in a fist as he plopped down on a bench beside an elderly man.

Restless, he rose, straightened his cap, glanced down on the elderly man snoring, and sighed. Suddenly, something caught his attention. A bulky wallet was sticking out of the man’s pocket.

Joe’s greedy eyes lit up. He hesitated for a moment, edged closer, cautiously lifted the wallet from the man’s pocket, and made a quick exit to a nearby alley.

My luck’s changing, Joe thought. His heart pounding, his hands shaking, he opened the wallet. However, anger quickly replaced elation when he pulled out an old map and a wad of fake money. Crazy old man! Joe fumed, tossing the wallet in the air, fake bills descending like autumn leaves.

The rainy night matched Joe’s melancholy mood as he waited for a bus outside the mall. Maybe my ex-boss was right when he said I’d never succeed. Maybe I’m just a born loser, Joe thought, shaking the water off his cap. The sound of high heels interrupted his reverie. He jerked forward. A lady was strutting towards an ATM next to the bus stop. Joe watched as she whipped out a gold card and slid it into the slot.

It would be absurd to make a move in a well lit area, especially in clear view of passersby. Are you nuts? he chided himself, trying to pull his gaze away from the cash she was counting.

A bus pulled into the stop. Lousy day, Joe grumbled, as he fumbled in his pocket for bus fare. Suddenly he heard high heels scuttling along the sidewalk as the lady from the ATM machine ran toward the bus.

Do you stop at Beverly Road? she asked the driver.

Yes, ma’am.

Thank goodness, she sighed as she boarded the bus and took a seat across from the rear door. Joe followed her and eased into a seat behind her.

Beverly Road was only a short distance away. He was pleased that she hadn’t bothered to take a taxi, considering she had all that cash, but that wasn’t his concern. He smiled as he flipped through the pages of his newspaper. Maybe his streak of bad luck would end before the night was over.

Peering over the top of his newspaper, he spotted her handbag on the seat beside her, and for a brief moment he thought about snatching it. Be patient. Only a few more stops, and it will be all mine, he mused.

He had it all figured out. Beverly Road, tree lined and deserted at night, was the ideal stop for a thief. He would get off with her, snatch her handbag, and take the shortcut through the old cemetery to his girlfriend’s house. He could hardly wait to see Eileen’s dazzling smile.

The driver slowed and came to a stop. Main Street! he announced.

Several passengers got up and headed for the exit.

Joe’s gaze darted to the lady. She was staring out the window, and for a few seconds his thoughts went awry. Why bother to wait any longer? Seize the opportunity. Leaning over the seat, he picked up the handbag, wrapped the newspaper around it, and dashed to the exit.

Hurry up, he growled at a passenger limping ahead of him. The passenger turned around, shot him an angry glance, and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

Then like a bad dream, the door suddenly closed in his face. This isn’t happening, he told himself, kicking the door, his adrenaline soaring.

Open the back door! he yelled out to the driver.

The back door’s stuck. You’ll have to get out through the front door.

Joe cringed when he spotted his victim searching frantically for her handbag, her expression puzzled.

Eileen would never believe some of the weird things that happened tonight. I’ll be glad when this night is over, he muttered, stalking to the front of the bus, perspiration trickling down his face.

He’s all yours! the driver shouted.

Joe’s heart did a somersault when he saw two uniformed police officers standing near the door. Why did you call the cops? he growled.

The driver chuckled.

Confused, Joe tried to run, but within seconds he was in handcuffs.

Later, as Joe sat in the back of a patrol car pondering his fate and wondering how he got caught, one of the officers shouted to the driver, Great work. Keep checking that rearview mirror.

GIVE AND TAKE

Doug chuckled as he stuck a laptop computer into a suitcase with his other stolen goods.

Before he left the house, he took a note from his pocket and placed it on the kitchen table.

Now you know, he said, reading the note aloud.

Outside, he got into a rented van and sped off.

It had been over a year since Doug had concocted a plot to burglarize homes. He’d been mailing tickets to his targets for various events, and then he’d rob their homes while they were out having a good time. His brilliant plot almost ended a month after he’d started when he’d tried to burglarize a house while someone was home. Fortunately, he was able to make a speedy exit through a window.

At home, he called Ray on the telephone. Ray worked as a pool cleaner. Mission accomplished. Thanks again for the tip.

Glad I was able to help.

I’ll give you your cut as soon as I fence the stuff.

Doug hung up the phone; his thoughts were already on another exploit.

The following week brought several problems for Doug. His car was stolen, he came down with the flu, and while he was recuperating in bed, someone tried to break into his apartment. Why me? He complained. I don’t deserve this.

Two weeks later, he received a call from a handyman. What’s up?

Nothing doing right now.

Got something I think you’ll be interested in.

Great.

It’s a Victorian on Rosebud road ….

I’m interested.

Doug spent the rest of the week preparing for his next ploy and making vacation plans for a trip to Hawaii.

On the night of the robbery, he called the house several times to make sure no one was home. No one answered.

Inside the house, he found heirloom jewelry, an antique clock, baseball cards, and other good stuff which he quickly tucked away. In the basement, he entered a room and found himself going back to another era as he gazed at a miniature village with a train and a railroad station. He started the train and watched for over an hour as it rolled through the village.

A bar at the