Boris and the Rising Sun Hotel

By Terry R Barca

Boris lives in the KEEPER OF SECRETS universe.
Susan encounters him in the first book of the series and in SECRETS KEPT we get to know a bit more about him.
He is always there when Susan meets with ‘Backdoor Barry’, silently doing his job. Sometimes lipreading the mute old TV set, sometimes tending to his bartender duties. A quiet observer of everything that goes on at the Rising Sun Hotel.
When I finished the second book in this series, I couldn’t help wondering what was happening in Boris’ life when we were not around. Has he been a part of Barry’s adventures? Was he around when that chair acquired its famous bullet hole? Does he have a romantic interest?
As you can see, these questions needed to be answered.
Boris is more than just a bit part player in Susan Smith’s adventurous life — Boris has a life of his own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terry R Barca
• Release date: Dec 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463977439

Terry R Barca

I’m an author who lives and works in the Dandenong Ranges, on the eastern edge of Melbourne Australia.I take one day at a time but occasionally I’m attacked by several days at once.My amazing wife and I have lived in The Hills for forty-three years.My favourite colour is green and so is my favourite car.I started my working life as a Primary School Teacher in the early 1970s.Since then I have been a stained glass craftsman, furniture restorer, restorer of Player Pianos and music rolls, author (twenty one books so far, seventeen audiobooks, another on the way), photographer, basketball trading card manufacturer, basketball coach, basketball player, basketball referee, part-time shop assistant, newspaper columnist, homeschool dad, husband, father, grandfather, and a few other bits and pieces, and not in this order.I’m fascinated by people, but I prefer the company of dogs.I’m not frightened of dying, but sometimes life scares the hell out of me.I think that birds are cool but I don’t believe that they spend any time thinking about me, even though I give them lots of stale bread, and the occasional pizza crust........ ungrateful bastards!

Book preview

Who Is Boris?

Boris lives in the KEEPER OF SECRETS universe.

Susan encounters him in the first book of the series and in SECRETS KEPT we get to know a bit more about him.

He is always there when Susan meets with ‘Backdoor Barry’, silently doing his job. Sometimes lipreading the mute old TV set, sometimes tending to his bartender duties. A quiet observer of everything that goes on at the Rising Sun Hotel.

When I finished the second book in this series, I couldn’t help wondering what was happening in Boris’ life when we were not around. Has he been a part of Barry’s adventures? Was he around when that chair acquired its famous bullet hole? Does he have a romantic interest?

As you can see, these questions needed to be answered.

Boris is more than just a bit part player in Susan Smith’s adventurous life — Boris has a life of his own.

Other Books by Terry R Barca

Dedication

Who Is Boris?

Boris

Not What Was Expected

Boris versus Oprah

The Sun Also Rises

Silver Service

Susan Seems Out Of Place

Bright Red Car

Boris and the Lady

Barry Asks A Favour

Boris

So, let me get this straight. You didn’t see anything. Two blokes with guns blazing, patrons scattering in all directions, enough blood on the floor to drown a small horse and no bodies.

Boris no see nothing.

Presumably, the bloke or blokes who were bleeding all over the place just walked out into the carpark and drove themselves home?

Maybe Uber pick them up. Boris doesn’t know.

Have you ever seen these two gunmen before?

Plenty times. They in here a lot.

But you don’t know their names?

No-one tells Boris anything. Boris serves drinks, goes home, watches boring TV and sleeps.

Detective Sergeant Dorsey Eweles did not believe Boris, but he wasn’t going to let it spoil his day. One or both of the disputing parties would turn up at the local Emergency Department or in a vacant block. Either way, the forensics team would come up with something and then the fun part would begin.

Taking statements at the Rising Sun Hotel was not part of the fun.

Every local police officer knew this hotel and what went on here. Amazingly, considering the nefarious deeds that were performed here, there were fewer turnouts for drunk and disorderly than most hotels. Generally speaking, this establishment kept a low profile. Small time misdeeds disrupted the smooth flowing of ‘business as usual’. A shooting was particularly rare. None of the old-timers could remember being called to the Rising Sun for any type of firearms incident.

Did you have your eyes closed or did you have a lampshade on your head while all this was going on?

Boris dived under bar and stayed there until shooting stopped.

How did you know when to come out?

No more bangs.

Detective Sergeant Dorsey Eweles was correct in thinking that Boris was not telling the truth.

Boris Vladim Godunov could trace his ancestry back to the Tzar who ruled Russia in the late 1500s. Boris had seen a lot in his forty-odd years of life, and two drunk Australians shooting it out over an affair of the heart was a minor occurrence. Boris had dodged many bullets and seen men die. He wasn’t afraid of death, but living made him nervous.

Boris came to Australia as a young man, jumping ship in Melbourne on an Autumn afternoon. He walked into the Seaman’s Mission with the clothes on his back and about two dozen English words he had learned from an older shipmate.

Melbourne is a long way from Russia. No one will look for you here. You can make a new life for yourself, said Dimitri in his native tongue. Go to the Seamen’s Mission and the Universe might be kind to you.

Dimitri gave Boris directions, and his words were to be accurate because Boris met a group of seamen who told him how to find work and secure a place to sleep.

Boris knew that he had found a home. He worked on his English at nights and looked for work during the day. His search took him to Richmond and the Rising Sun Hotel. It