The Payoff

By Pauline Betts

Detective Paul Talbot has to resolve two murders in two short stories where the mafia and the spiritual world collide taking prominence. We are whisked back to the land of the Picts in the third story in a mind-blowing narrative where nothing is certain, a blend of truth, magic and imagination.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9781326187392

Book preview

The Payoff

THE  PAYOFF

Three  Short  Stories

By  P.A. BETTS

Painting by Mercedes Bozal

Copyright © <2015> by

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

The first printing: <2015>

ISBN <978-1-326-18739-2>

, , 31591

1  DEATH IN FORT ST. CHRISTOPHER

Entering the Meeting David took his place at the round table with his peers, the Managing Director of the international chain of hotels and casinos presiding over all.

After studying Charles´ report on expansion in Europe I have decided that David should inspect the military fort and terrain of St. Christopher in Spain that has just been put on the market.   David, we need a detailed report on its potential for a future four-star hotel and casino, indicated the Managing Director.

Forty-eight hours later David was transferring his Samsonite luggage onto a domestic flight from Madrid to Pamplona.  Driving from Noain Airport an hour later he was parking his Avis car in the forecourt of Artica Village Inn.

Opening the heavy solid oak door the heat from an open fire greeted him warmly opposed to the gelid Pyrenean air outdoors.  A crowd of village locals were drinking at the bar.  Observing a hoary headed denizen sitting at the corner table he tried to get into conversation with him.  He was a curious type and started asking him questions so taking advantage of the opportunity David enquired about the history of St. Christopher to which the old man was overjoyed to divulge his knowledge.

The Fort is a woebegone place full of lost souls. It was built to safeguard Navarre against the French troops.  You see in 1814 the French lost a crucial battle in Vitoria making Joseph Bonaparte flee from Spain with his troops, however, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from the island of Elba threatening to invade Navarre again with his adherents.   The augur of French invasion was again looming over the Spanish border keeping the troops vigilant until Napoleon was recaptured after the decisive defeat in the battle of Waterloo. Military troops were active in the Fort protecting the frontier with France, as I said, it´s a tragic, horrific place. Oh dear, It´s late I have to dash off home if I don´t want to get henpecked, the old man chortled picking up his black berry and securing it on his head  he rose from his seat with sudden celerity.  The men standing at the bar were all quiet looking askance at David giving the impression that inquisitive strangers were not particularly welcome.

General Quintana would be showing him around the following morning, as the Fort was military property, civilians not being authorized to wander around unaccompanied. He was about to go up to his room when a woman with dark almond shaped eyes and long brunette hair came over to his table.

May I sit here? she asked unbuttoning her camel maxi-coat trimmed with a large round rabbit fur collar.

David pointed to the seat; he felt a little embarrassed as her ample bosoms bulged over a low necked shiny red dress.  They got into trivial conversation talking about David’s job and his home town.  Her name was Africa, dark and mysterious David considered.