The Fiddler: Another Ralph Mullen Adventure

By Perry D DeFiore

Ralph Mullen takes his grandson on a fishing trip to enjoy some quality time with his namesake. He is asked to help seek and destroy what he believes is a nest of the venomous brown recluse spider, and his grandson volunteers for the both of them. Unfortunately, a simple location and elimination of a nest of spiders turns into a multiple murder

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Oct 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781648952135

Perry D DeFiore

This is Perry's fourth book of his Ralph Mullen series of science adventures, with more to come. Perry is educated in environmental sciences, oceanography, ocean sciences, physics, and chemistry, founding an international scientific society for the development of young scientists, which still exists in Monterrey, Mexico. Married, with six children and seven grandchildren, Perry still enjoys golf, fishing, and building model ships. He is always writing and has never had the infamous writer's block.

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THE

FIDDLER

Another Ralph Mullen Adventure

Perry D. DeFiore

THE FIDDLER

Copyright © 2020 Perry D. DeFiore

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Stratton Press Publishing

831 N Tatnall Street Suite M #188,

Wilmington, DE 19801

www.stratton-press.com

1-888-323-7009

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in the work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-64895-212-8

ISBN (Ebook): 978-1-64895-213-5

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 1

Gaby looked down at the two cardboard boxes, neatly folded, closed, and taped. There was a stuffed red-and-black backpack and a large blue nylon satchel bag with the initials RM in bold black letters beside the boxes on the concrete floor of the garage. Her son stood taller than she did now by a good two inches even though he was only eighteen. His dress was just as impeccable as the items neatly placed in a row on the floor. The garage door was open, letting in the early morning sun’s warmth and light.

You really need all this for ten days in…where is it?

Onalaska, Mom. Population, 4,000, 88 percent Caucasian. It’s just a retirement community, Mom.

Okay, okay. Onalaska. I don’t need a history report. How far away is this place? Her son spoke like a fountain of information most of the time, just like someone else she knew and dearly loved. Sometimes it made her feel like he was cold as ice inside, but then he would do some little insignificant thing that would tell her he loved her.

Ralph’s dad had informed Gaby of the details two days ago, but Mom always made like she was dumb and asked questions to see if she could catch anyone in a lie. If she did, all hell would break loose.

Not far. ’Bout three hours or so, I guess. Lot of country roads, though. Grandpa will know better. He’s familiar with the area.

He is?

Yeah. A friend of his is loaning us his cabin up there.

Gaby nodded, looking into her son’s blue eyes, searching for something amiss or something he wasn’t telling her.

What are in those boxes?

Just lab equipment, Mom. Ralph smiled at the third degree. He was used to it. He had learned he needed to have a lot of patience dealing with his mother. Grandpa had given him good advice on how to handle it because his grandma was very similar before she passed away some years ago.

"I thought this was a fishing trip. I was told this was a fishing trip." Her voice sounded anxious and accusing.

"It is, Mom. We’re just going fishing, but we’re not going to just fish. I mean, that would be boring, right? We might as well take advantage of our location and do a little research while we’re there. Never know what you’re going to find."

It was like she was listening to her father-in-law. She shook her head and closed her eyes a second. Even though retired, her father-in-law lived for doing research, and her son was so much like him it sometimes scared her, like something supernatural was happening.

Research! she said with disgust.

Where are the poles? she said as if just remembering something, looking around the garage in search of them.

Grandpa’s packing the fishing gear, Mom. No sense dragging mine out and back. Besides, we’re going in his Hummer.

And what, pray tell, are you and your grandpa going to be looking for to research?

Gaby always had the fear of trouble when her son went on trips with his grandpa alone. That fear was built on experience and knowing the kind of research his grandpa did before he retired—and occasionally after he retired.

Nothing in particular, Mom. Relax, Mom. There’s no danger. Grandpa and I are just going fishing, is all. Ralph was glad his mother couldn’t go. She was so overprotective she would ruin the trip.

She studied him in silence for another minute, which felt like fifteen to Ralph. He could feel her eyes reaching inside him and feeling around all over. He shuddered. She nodded finally, and he knew that meant the third degree was over.

A black Pathfinder backed into the driveway right up to the edge of the garage. A tall handsome man opened the door and climbed out, leaving the engine running.

Ready, sport?

Yeah, Dad. Ralph let out a sigh of relief.

He’s just dying to get out of here, his mother said with sarcasm, but smiled thinly.

Got that right! Ralph said to himself.

I’ll get the boxes, Dad. He gently loaded the two small cardboard boxes as if they had eggs packed inside.

I would be too, sweetheart. Wish the hell I could tag along. Robert was always envious of his father. He had lived such a full and exciting life that few could match.

He was envious of his son, too. He was always supportive of Ralph’s interests in science and his time with his grandpa. His father tried to get him to follow in his footsteps, but he chose not to, feeling guilty about that down deep inside. He felt he could never compete with his dad—in anything. But his son could, scholastically and athletically. The genes of his father had come out in his son instead of him. His son was fortunate.

Let him enjoy it while he can, dear. Another couple of months and he’ll be in college, and he won’t have the opportunities like he does now. He threw in the satchel and backpack and closed the tailgate.

You just be sure you and your grandpa don’t go getting into trouble, hear? If Grandpa starts doing something that’s dangerous, and you know it’s dangerous, you just stay in the cabin, you hear?

Ralph nodded, thinking, Yeah, sure, Mom.

Okay, sport. All set. Let’s go, shall we? Got a long ride, and I want to be back in time for the game.

Okay. Bye, Mom. Ralph kissed his mother on the cheek lightly and whispered, Love you by her ear, then hurriedly jumped into the front seat and closed the door. She felt warm inside with those two magic words. The AC in the car felt good to Ralph. He was already beginning to sweat from the early June heat.

His dad climbed in the driver’s seat and put the car in gear. Ralph let out a sigh of relief. Robert saw his wife in the rearview mirror, waving with a big smile on her face.

Robert chuckled, shook his head, and glanced at his son.

Mom give you the third degree, huh?

Yeah. He nodded his head slowly.

She’s just being protective. He glanced at his son, who was now as tall as he was. There was no doubt he would pass up his grandpa in a year or two also. You and Grandpa do have a history, you know. He smiled.

Yeah. I guess. Ralph nodded and chuckled softly in reminiscence.

Lake Livingston. Great fishing lake, especially up the north end. They call it Lake Palestine.

Yeah. I saw this place is close to a bridge that goes across the lake and goes right into Onalaska, right?

Robert nodded. Of course his son would have researched everything in detail.

Know the place well. When I was young, your grandpa rented a trailer in a trailer park that’s on the left as you cross the bridge. What was it called? Ah. Can’t remember. Big trailer park, though. They were great times. He loved that his son was having those great times with his dad, too. His work demanded so much of his time, he didn’t have the time he would like to spend with his son. Adolescents don’t like spending much time with adults, especially their mom and dad. He felt he was looking at his son from a distance. He was so thankful for his dad being so close to Ralph. His dad knew his son better than he did, another point he felt guilty about.

Catch a lot of fish, Dad?

"Huh? Oh,