Gideon Returns - A Damsel in Distress: Gideon Detective Series, #3

By Sidney St. James

GIDEON RETURNS – A Damsel in Distress

Book 3

Gideon Detective Series

A detective with his whodunnit murder mystery or a chemistry professor seeking the structure of a new compound uses little of formal and logical modes of reasoning. It is times they stumble upon the correct explanation from a feeling in their gut and have just the right knack of seizing the opportunity when it comes within their reach.

Sidney St. James originally wrote "Rosenthall" in 2016, Book 1 in the Gideon Detective Series. In 2019, his newest release, Gideon Returns – A Damsel in Distress, Vincent Gideon continued his infamous skills at investigation and was in the right place at the right time, twice. Or, at least a young German woman by the name of Abigail Hoffmann would tend to agree.

Taking place in a seaside village in Oregon, a small fishing village, Black Rock Cove is the scene for lots of action and intrigue. Gideon hasn't had a case in months and is glad to receive word from the Portland Police Chief that a group of assassins and thieves were about to arrive in the States from Oldenburg, Germany. His job was simple enough. Go and apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice.

He was asked to go to the docks to await the arrival of the Johann Dethardt, the large ocean liner that carried the four villains onboard, along with six hundred other passengers.  However, when he went out to meet the ship, all Hell broke loose. Mystery, sex, and hot summer nights ensued for weeks after that.

Is Gideon going to let the criminals go free the way he did Rosenthall, or is he going apprehend them with no loose ends to follow?

A young and beautiful woman falls overboard and into the dark waters of the Pacific two miles offshore from Black Rock Cove. A knife to the chest probably caused her fall. Was she dead? Vincent Gideon thought so and fell out of his skiff as the body plunged almost hitting him in the small dinghy below.

The woman who fell overboard says she is Abigail Hoffmann. Another woman who calls herself Abigail Hoffmann cashes in three hundred and fifty thousand dollars in bonds. Who is the real Abigail Hoffmann? Who is the murderer of Derek Schiller in Oldenburg, Germany? Does Rosenthall have something to do with this overall scheme to drag his nemesis back out of retirement?

There are many twists and turns. The question you will ask yourself throughout the entire novel is, "Who is the real Abigail Hoffman?" Or, can Vincent Gideon put aside his romantic feelings for Abigail and focus on the facts before him? Will his desire for this beautiful woman let a resourceful killer off the hook, again?

Murder and mystery throughout this novel are peppered with romance and humor in this fast-paced whodunit detective mystery series amidst the spectacular Oregon landscape and the Pacific's seaside sunsets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BeeBop Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393425533

Sidney St. James

Sidney St. James is an extraordinary author who has made his mark in the world of science fiction suspense. With a creative mind that knows no bounds, St. James weaves captivating tales that transport readers to thrilling and otherworldly realms. His unique ability to blend the elements of science fiction with heart-pounding suspense has garnered him a dedicated following of readers eager to embark on their next exhilarating adventure. Born with an insatiable curiosity and a love for all things speculative, St. James found his calling in the realm of science fiction. From a young age, he was drawn to the limitless possibilities and unexplored frontiers of the genre. Influenced by literary greats and inspired by the wonders of the cosmos, St. James embarked on a writing journey that would push the boundaries of imagination and captivate readers with their visionary tales. St. James' science fiction novels are a testament to their boundless creativity and meticulous attention to detail. With each page, readers are transported to intricate and fully realized worlds, where technological advancements, extraterrestrial encounters, and moral dilemmas abound. His skillful storytelling keeps readers on the edge of their seats, as they navigate through a maze of suspense, intrigue, and thought-provoking concepts. In addition to his literary accomplishments, St. James is an avid pickleball player. This dynamic sport, which combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, serves as a source of balance and inspiration for St. James. The strategic gameplay and the camaraderie of the pickleball community provide a welcome respite from the boundless realms of science fiction that occupies his mind. As St. James continues to push the boundaries of the science fiction suspense genre, his unique blend of imagination, suspense, and pickleball prowess sets him apart as a true force to be reckoned with. With each new novel, readers eagerly anticipate the next thrilling journey that St. James will take them on, whether it's unraveling the mysteries of distant galaxies or engaging in a high-stakes match on the pickleball court. Sidney St. James is a true visionary and an author whose stories and pickleball skills will leave readers and opponents alike in awe.

Book preview

DEDICATION

For my dad and mom,

even though they never bought me a ’57 Corvette.

SSJ

foreword

As if made of the darkness itself, a feline appeared , breaking the monotony of the stakeout. Gideon saw his sidekick flick his eyes towards it and gave him a barely perceptible shake of his head.

No distractions.

In the silence of the midnight world, a sudden yowl rented the air better than a pistol going off. Nine pounds of fur on four lonely legs hurried forward, its amber eyes glowing from a diminutive head.

The cat picked at Gideon’s fabric on his jacket. The distraction is at least something to give an upbeat to the excitement ruling the starless night.

The stakeout was about as exciting as sitting on a downtown park bench two weeks ago for nine hours. It’s like the movies, sitting slumped over cold take out, but hang on, the drama is never far away. Inevitably, the bad guy shows up, there’s a chase, and the plot moves on.

Real-life stakeouts are different.

But, for the famed detective, real-life finally returned. There was an international incident, murder, and robbery in Oldenburg, Germany, and the culprits were traveling on an ocean liner overseas to the quaint little town of Black Rock Cove in Oregon.

The police chief in Portland called on Gideon to travel to the village and meet the boat and work with the authorities to apprehend the thieves and assassin.

Anything was better than those crummy long and tedious stakeouts. But, keep his position he must while time flowed like cement. So, until his suspect showed up, he sat there with nothing to stare at but a wall of an old building with chipped red paint.

But, back in Portland, his adventure began, one that would most definitely wet his fancy!

CHAPTER ONE

A STRANGE MYSTERY INDEED 

A Pebble Beach and Lots of Crazy Birds

Ring. Ring. Ring.

The signal bell sounded . Stop the engines! All Stop! Captain Thompson shouted to his crew.

The huge ocean steamer slowed as she entered into Black Rock Cove, cutting through a light chop of the sea. It wasn’t long, she laid motionless in the dark waters just outside the black boulders that lined the waterway into the seaside village.

Under the sky of darkened velvet, the stars were so brilliant they drew the eyes of the passenger's heaven-bound who were preparing to depart.

The moonlight from a half-full moon splashed down its watery white-silver glow onto the foam-crested waves below the deck of the ship.

The ship’s photographer was scurrying around the top deck trying to get one last picture of those who were making Black Rock Cove their last stop

By herself, a beautiful woman leaned against the bulwark, forward on the ship. She wasn’t beautiful in a classical way. She had no long flowing golden curls or piercing eyes of green. She stood five feet ten inches tall and certainly a bit larger than a catwalk model. However, in her ordinariness, she was stunning. There was something about her. She was simply irresistible to both genders.  Women courted her friendship, and men desired her for, excuse me, other reasons.

The woman stood all alone, her blue eyes cast heavenward, as the brilliant shining stars held her gaze.

But wait. Look, there is sadness written across her face.

She lowered her gaze and stared towards the lighted city of Black Rock Cove. There was something special about this place. Then, there were the cries of the seagulls welcoming her home. She knows she can’t rest in a place without their voices high in the salty breeze. Leave it up to the sharp squawks from the gulls for her sadness to be soothed,. She looked out and closed her eyes.  Ah, a pebble beach, an old fishing boat, and all those crazy birds. They are all I need to be content.

The woman’s angelic expression contrasted startlingly with another face hidden in the shadows not far away from her.

A man dressed as a German immigrant had moved ever so close to where the woman was standing. Although his attire made him look like a poor immigrant coming to the States, there was something about him that seemed to convey the impression that his apparel was only that of a disguise.

He continued to stand in the shadows, watching the woman. He had a cunning face. He was there for no good. He had marked the beautiful lady for a clear-cut and deadly purpose.

Stealthily, he got down on his knees and crawled in her direction. He stopped underneath one of the lifeboats. He heard voices coming. It was the ship’s photographer. He waited. Then, he got down on his belly, and like a worm, he wiggled himself closer and closer to the woman. Noiselessly he continued forward.

He stopped again. He was but only ten feet from the woman. All was still.

The grand vessel awaited the departure boat to pull up alongside. The crew was all gathered at the point of exit. Even the lookout personnel had deserted their position on the ship.

It was a most welcome moment, one for the intended crime!

The woman again turned her gaze to the stars above. She had traveled half-way across the world and braved the dangers of crossing the wide-open ocean only to encounter a greater peril once she reached Black Rock Cove.

The stranger jumped to his feet! He leaped towards the woman. She had no time to scream. He took one of his hands, crossed her mouth, and put her in his grasp.

A long-bladed knife rose in the air, the silver cutting edge gleamed in the air as it turned down towards the chest of the girl. During the struggle, the woman flipped over the railing, disappearing into the darkness alongside the ship. There were no screams from the woman. She obviously died with a single stroke of the knife blade!

SIX HOURS PREVIOUS to what had just described and the cruise ship was long ways out at sea, an ordinary event was transpiring in Portland at the office of Chief of Detectives, Vincent Gideon. He had just finished visiting over a matter with an inspector of the Portland Police Department.

Within only moments, the Chief of Police, an elegant looking, shrewd-faced man came in and sat down in front of Gideon’s desk. He stretched his feet up and began reading the evening paper.

Chief, make yourself at home. What can we do for you?

Gideon, you are just the man I want.

Indeed! What you got, Chief?

I just received a message about a murder and robbery that took place in Germany. It’s suspected the murderer and thief, together with their loot, have taken passage on a cruise ship that is due in Black Rock Cove in six hours. You know the place, right, Gid?

Of course, Chief. Go on!

Vincent was a native German, who came over with his parents to New York when he was very young. Although he was a German by birth and education, he was a New Yorker for many years.

In far ahead years, he moved to Portland where he became the go-to journalistic reporter that gained worldwide fame. One celebrated case was the solving of a most stressful incident in his chase and capture of Rosenthall, a notorious serial killer.

Several years passed, and his pursuit of Rosenthall continued but taking a backseat to other cases assigned to him.

Being a German by birth, and master of the German language, he became the police department’s choice at once to run down the two criminals from abroad who would soon be arriving in Black Rock Cove.

Gideon continued to get all the particulars from the Chief Inspector and set out, in his own Gideon sort of way, to capture the German criminals.

On his arrival in Black Rock Cove, he stopped by the police department who were waiting for his arrival. Together they hastened down to the docks.

Once at the docks, Gideon dressed up like that of a German immigrant. At the end of the pier, he found a pilot boat who was not going out until daylight to escort large ships into the harbor. With a billfold full of greenbacks, he was able to convince the captain of the vessel to go out before daylight. Obviously, there were enough funds for him to be bowling away past the glimmering lights of the city, over the foam-covered waves, toward the cruise ship anchored but two miles offshore.

It didn’t take long, and the vessel slowly came into the shallows near the Cove than expected. The pilot boat stopped about a half-mile from the large ship. It did not show any lights on the directions from Gideon. It lowered a small skiff over the side and off Gideon went, by his lonesome, towards the large cruise ship to work out his own cunning game.

Indeed, it was a perilous undertaking. Gideon was accustom to dangerous pursuits. He never allowed danger to stand in his way. The detective had every intention to pull his skiff up next to the vessel, jump over the side into the water, and tread water until his boat floated out of sight. He would then shout, Help! Give me a hand, please!

Vincent was betting he would walk onboard the great ship, and in all the excitement would be recognized as one to the immigrant passengers who fell overboard.

He would then be able to work throughout the passengers with no one to molest him or interfere with his investigations.

He would catch everyone off guard and be able to do his quiet detective work most effectively.

But wait! Gideon’s clever scheme came to a sudden turn by a most tragic incident!

CHAPTER TWO

A WOMAN PLUNGES OVERBOARD  

Sie sind sicher!

Call it fate. Call it a miracle. Call it what you may . Gideon just arrived under the bows of the great ship and had plunged into the choppy water. He sent his small skiff afloat.

Then, SPLASH!

A human form came falling from the upper side of the dark hulled ship and plunged into the water right in front of Gideon. After getting over his sudden shock, he noticed in the sudden excitement long blonde hair of a human falling in front of him, a female.

Thank goodness Gideon was a good swimmer. He began swimming in the direction from where the woman fell into the water and saw her bob up above the surface and then go back down, and then up again.  She whirled along in the swift current, her head bobbing up and down, and again sank beneath the surface.

The famed detective made no outcry for help. What good would it do now? If he was going to save the girl’s life, it needed to happen quickly.

Gideon swam as fast as he could towards the last spot he saw the woman. He was like a sea trout dashing for a mouthful of shrimp. Within only a matter of seconds, he reached the last spot where he saw the woman, and as she surfaced one more time, he seized her.

Little did the passengers above or the crew suspect any of this terrible tragedy to be taking place. Little could the assassin possibly think his fiendish task did not occur as he planned.

Gideon used all of his strength and grabbed the woman and held her head above the water. He looked around with the hope his small skiff was still within sight. Sure enough, he and the girl floated with the current in the same direction as his dingy. It was near them, bobbing up and down like a cockle-shell on the waves and only a few yards distant.

Gideon, after spitting out mouthfuls of salty seawater, swam with the girl in his arms toward the boat and grabbed it and hung onto the side with his free hand. Within only a few moments, he lifted the girl up over the side and into the safety of the skiff.

Gideon climbed in afterward. He pushed the black hair off his forehead and took a deep breath. He reached down and pushed the blonde hair off the woman’s face. He stopped and stared a moment. A strange thrill shot through his veins.

The half-lit moon came out from the passing clouds, and again, it was a bright, starlit night. His eyes rested upon a pale, but yet beautiful face. Her mouth tightened. Her eyes closed from her unconsciousness. Or, at least Gideon hoped she was not yet dead from the fall or swallowing too much seawater.

He got closer to her face and again moved more of her hair away from the contour of her face. Before the young woman ever opened her eyes, Gideon became lost in a trance. He gently shook the woman. No response. Again, he shook her shoulders to try and get a response.

Oh, where am-. Ohhh.

Hello. Hello, are you okay? Gideon was excited over the signs of her returning consciousness. He looked up and noticed from the lights of the ship the small skiff had been drifting further away. As a general rule, the detective hid his emotions. He would instead not hand over his feelings, and so at all times, his face was a blank. But, tonight was different.  Excitement poured out of the detective-like sunshine through a fine white linen. His heart beat rapidly, and he glowed from the inside out.

She opened her eyes while Gideon was looking back at the ship, at least a full mile astern.

After blinking her eyes several times, she said, Wo bin ich? The lace at her throat parted. Gideon stared at the hollow of her neck filled with soft shadows.

Luckily the detective spoke German fluently. He said, Sie sind sicher! He pushed a tendril of her tresses out of her eye. Do you speak English? You are safe! A cry of relief broke from his lips.

The girl patted her eyes with the back of her palm and gazed into the face of her rescuer. Yes. Yes, I speak English. Who are you?

Oh, my God, never mind who I am. How did you come to fall overboard? He knelt beside her, his profile, dark against the moonlight.

She sat up more erect in the skiff. She had recovered her senses. The moonlight was bright enough that her jade-spoke eyes brightened with its glow. She answered. I did not fall over from the steamer. I was thrown overboard!

Pushed over the side! Surprise siphoned the blood from his face.

Ja, answered the young woman. She raised her hand and patted her chest below her neck, realizing she just fall off the vessel but had a little help. An attempt on her life by someone above happened.

So, you appear confused. Were you pushed overboard or did someone make an attempt on your life before you were thrown overboard?

"Yes. There was a man who arrived out of nowhere and tried to stab me! I saw the reflection of the knife blade when he raised it aloft. But that is the