Death in a Country Diner: Alexandria series, #3

By Bob Moats

Hank Walters is a retired Alexandria, Virginia police Detective who recently applied for his private investigators license and has been chasing down a missing girl. He rescues the girl and is now asked by an attractive woman who owns a diner, to help protect her from thugs trying to run her out of business. The thugs are part of a Mob that wants her property to supposedly build a mall. But is it the real reason behind the threats? Hank has to go in with an ex-con friend to protect her and her employees from the thugs. Things get heated when Hank has to confront an old foe who is head if the mob family and his men have just crossed the line by shooting up the diner, killing one waitress. Hank is joined by Police Detective Henry Brent  as they track down the real reason that the Mob wants the diner in a surprise twist and shoot out at the diner. This is the third book in the Alexandria series and is a novella.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bob Moats
• Release date: Dec 19, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386387527

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

Extra special thanks to:

To Susan Haughton, for editing my chapters.

TO THE BETA READERS, Cindy Valstad, Carolyn Linington, Amy Morningstar, and Al Norris for proofing the final copy and hopefully catching all those annoying little errors that slip through.

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 BOB MOATS FAMILY of Readers is listed in the back of the book.

Chapter 1

Hank Walters had a death grip on the man’s throat, pushing his head back hard against the wall. I don’t have time to screw with you, punk. I want to know where they took the girl. Talk or I’ll squeeze you until your eyes bulge out. Hank tightened his grip as the man was trying to talk. Hank pulled the man away from the wall and pushed him into a chair. The man was rubbing his throat and coughing.

Ready to talk now? Hank asked bluntly.

I don’t know where they took her, the man coughed out.

Hank reached his hand out to the man’s neck as the man pulled back and whined, I really don’t know, but I can tell you where to look.

That’s a start, where?

A warehouse on the waterfront. Down by Founder’s Park. Bentley Cartage, it’s where they hang out.

Who’s they?

Vinnie’s mob. They’re into human trafficking. That’s all I can tell you. I’m not a part of them, I just have a cousin involved with them. His name is Eddie Russo, he’s a decent guy when he’s away from them.

I’ll remember to look him up. Now keep your mouth shut about this, understand. You wouldn’t look good with bulging eyes. The man nodded and sat quietly as Hank turned to go out.

Hank Walters was a retired police Detective in Alexandria, Virginia. He obtained his private investigator’s license shortly after retiring, because he liked to continue to solve crimes. His early retirement was due mostly because of his wife’s mental health. He finally managed to have her put into an adult care home, and he was now free to become a P.I. and continue his crime fighting career, free from the shackles of the police system. His son, Tom, was now a well-known author of crime fiction and frequently gathered crime stories from his Dad.

Hank was hired by a distraught husband and wife to find their daughter after the police couldn’t track her down. He was sure the police tried, but knew they were overworked and buried under paperwork. So, he took the case.

He found the weasel, the one whose neck he almost wrung, through a few contacts he had at the bar where the girl was last seen. If this was human trafficking through a Mob, then he would need help. So, he decided to go see his friend Henry Brent, homicide detective on the Alexandria Police force.

Hey, Hank. What are you doing back here? the desk sergeant asked as he came in the precinct building.

Need to see Brent, is he in?

Lemme check, the burley man said, and got on his phone. He finished the call and said, Go ahead, Hank, you know the way.

Thanks, Chuck. Hank said and went through the building to the Homicide department. He found Brent in his office surrounded by papers. The paperwork never ends, does it?

Hell, no. The brass wants everything in triplicate, so we waste time and paper to keep the damn pencil pushers happy. What can I do for you? Brent asked.

I know you don’t handle missing persons, but I have a case that they couldn’t handle.

Missing Person’s is so backed up it isn’t funny. Everyone is disappearing nowadays, especially illegal aliens.

I think the girl I’m tracking is a victim of human trafficking, I have some intel on where they are working out of, but it may be a Mob operation and I don’t feel like going up against them alone. You interested?

Is there a murder involved? I am Homicide after all.

It could be my murder if I go in alone. Does that qualify?

Hank, I would feel really bad if you were murdered. Other than paperwork, I have nothing on my plate. I’ll talk to my captain and see if he’d authorize my tagging along, with a few officers. Are you sure this place is where they are operating out of?

No, I figured we could do a stake out first to see what is going on.

I can do that, before I stick my neck out. When do you want to go?

As soon as possible. I don’t want the girl to vanish permanently. If she’s still in the state.

Brent looked at his watch. I have a lunch hour coming up, let’s go see what we can find.

They went out of the office and Brent told one of his detectives that he was checking out for a long lunch. They went to Hank’s car and he drove over to the warehouse in question.

I know this place. It was a front for a smuggling ring bringing in contraband designer clothes and purses from overseas, bypassing customs. I figured it was closed down.

Hank parked across from the building, close enough to see what was going on, but not too obtrusive to be suspicious. They sat watching the building when an overhead door opened, and a panel truck pulled out.

Designer clothes or purses? Hank asked with a grin.

Wait until the door closes and follow it, Brent replied.

They drove out and into traffic until they came to an opening on a side street. Pull in front and stop them, Brent said.

Hank moved around the truck and blocked it sideways. The truck screeched to a halt as Brent got out and held up his badge. He and Hank approached the truck and demanded the driver get out.

What am I being stopped for? the driver growled as he got down from the cab.

Erratic driving, suspicion of being drunk or a bad driver, Hank said.

What do you have in the back? Brent demanded.

None of your business, got a warrant?

No, just suspicion of illegal cargo. I can search if I want. Now open up.

The driver hesitated, then Hank grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the back. Hey, it’s not locked. Let’s take a peek.

Brent grabbed the handle and lifted.