Dovetail Mysteries: The Lost Treasure

By Gary T Brideau

Dovetail Mysteries: The Lost Treasure is about two Christian women who set out to solve an old high school mystery. But when Sylvia, the fiancée of a friend of a brother in the Lord, goes missing, they set out to find out why. Things escalate when the two women are hunted by a sniper. Then the women go camping in the picturesque mountains of the Hebrides and meet up with two sisters in Christ and a midget couple. Sylvia makes things worse by getting into trouble with the local sheriff. Sylvia then states, “People tell stories about a man-eating plant that lives in a cave just like the one we are looking for, so for our own safety and peace of mind, I’d say we stop looking for the lost treasure, and for God’s sake, move away from that cave!”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796039191

Gary T Brideau

I was born in a small house in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1947 and moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut as a small boy. I met Lauren, the love of my life in1985 and were married years later and moved to Bristol, Connecticut. One night, I had a vivid dream that caught my attention, that spurred me to write it down, and sent it to my sister T. Jene Brideau, for an interpretation who also is a writer. She wrote and told me that the story was good. I took her encouragement and my imagination went to work. That’s when I discovered my God-given talent to write great space adventures stories. From then on, I have written over fifty stories of which only seven of them have been published with great reviews.

Book preview

Chapter 1

PANIC-STRICKEN BRUCE

Alexis Rosenthal Nimswicky, is 29 years old, has bright red hair done up in a pixie. She has freckles on her face and is a petite 4 feet 7 inches tall. Alexis Where’s Silver wire-rimmed glasses and was listening to Mozart on the back deck of her log cabin ranch house that is situated on a dead end street in the country.

Kitty Hennessy, 35 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall with short curly dark brown hair.

with diamond earrings and red lipstick. She stared at Alexis clad in a white blouse red slacks and sandals with her neck bandaged up, with screws and bolts in her neck, and exclaim, What in the world do you have around your neck?

Alexis giggled and said. You always said that my head wasn’t screwed on tight so now it is.

And almost hysterical Kitty stated, Don’t move, I’ll call 911 and will get those screws out of your neck hopefully without any serious nerve damage!

Alexis laughed, took off the apparatus around her neck and stated with a smile, Kitty you have to learn to loosen up and enjoy life because it’s too easy to pull a joke on you. Would you like a glass of iced tea and maybe some donuts?

Kitty sat down at the picnic table underneath the red umbrella, took a sip of her iced tea and inquired, You’re a woman with an IQ that borders on genius. You can quote the entire New Testament from memory. But yet you act like you have a few screws loose. Why?

Alexis sat across from Kitty, took a sip of her coffee and stated. I greet each day with joy in my heart because what the Lord has done for me. So, I Go through the day trying to put a smile on people’s faces. However, Kitty, you must suck on the lemons every morning because I have tried for a year to put a smile on your face. But all I get in response is seriousness.

Alexis’s face was aglow as she stated, "It was in my senior year of high school and Miss Crawford our English teacher gave the class their assignment. We were to write our thesis for our final grade. I decided to write mine on the habits of the dodo bird and its downfall. It took me three months to finish my Thesis. But when I received a failing grade and I was not going to graduate. I approach the English teacher and asked what was wrong with what I wrote?

Miss Crawford threw a poorly written thesis on her desk and screamed, This piece of trash you call your best is more of a joke, so I didn’t even bother to read it is so poorly written.

Alexis picked up the stack of papers, looked at it and said, But this is it mine I wrote about the dodo bird. not about the planetary alignment.

Is that your signature?

Yes, but somebody forged my signature this is not my work I wouldn’t write something this poorly.

Don’t try to blame someone else for your failing grade.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I stated, But how can I graduate now there’s not enough time to make up?

That’s not my problem, you’ll just have to repeat your senior year if you want to graduate.

Alexis left the high school and headed towards her car with her eyes red from crying.

As she entered the intersection the thought of her failing flash through her mind, her eyes filled with tears blaring her vision didn’t see the red light and was hit by a pick-up that caused her car to spin.

Alexis opened her eyes 25 minutes later and stared at her wipers as they moved back-and-forth across her shattered windshield. She looked down and noticed her seat belt was on buckled and her door was open. Alexis looked at the police officer to her left and was about to get out of the car when she felt her back and shoulders were stiff. The officer approached her and said, Don’t move the ambulance is coming.

But I feel fine.

Give the adrenaline a chance to wear off.

In a few minutes, Alexis held her chest and grown. My chest hurts so bad is there anything you can give me?

The officer stated the airbag hit your chest that’s why it’s so sore."

Alexis picked up her smartphone, handed it to the officer and said, Could you please take pictures of my car?

On the way to the emergency room, all Alexis could think of was that she was a failure when the words, all things work together for the good to them who love God to them who are the called according to his purpose flash through her mind.

She looked up through blurred eyes and silently whispered, Lord how can this work out for my good?

While Alexis was laying on a stretcher in the emergency room, someone from her church tapped her on the shoulder and said, Hey remember me I go to the same church you do.

Oh yeah, you sing in the choir.

Let me stitch up those wounds on your hand then I will get you something to eat.

Several hours later, Alexis cried. Lord this stiff caller around my neck is driving me up the wall and I’m about to scream, please help me I can’t take it anymore and I don’t care whether I have a broken neck.

The next thing Alexis knew she was opening her eyes with the peace of the Lord Jesus all over her. She smiled, glanced towards the ceiling and said, Thank you, Lord.

Somewhere around 15 hours later, Alexis was moved to a medical center 47 miles away. There she was placed in the hallway next to the nurse’s station so she could be admitted to the hospital. She twisted and turned trying to find a comfortable position as she lay on the gurney. Hours later, a gentleman in his 50s wearing a dark blue scrubs approached her and stated, You’ve been here for 20 hours so we’re going to dismiss you.

Alexis cried, But my family is far away and I have no one to help me.

Then will just discharge you and have you weighed in the emergency waiting room. The man then left.

Alexis looked up and pleaded, Please Lord change his mind.

The man in the dark blue scrubs return 20 minutes later with a smile on his face and said, How about we compromise. I’ll put you in a holding room until the morning.

However, the doctors decided to hold Alexis for a couple of days without telling her which drove her up the wall.

The next day the doctors approach Alexis, one of them stated, In 35 years I have never seen a broken neck like yours. By all means, you should be dead but you need surgery. However, if I operate, there is a possibility of nerve damage, paralysis, and infection.

Is there another choice?

You can wear a stiff collar.

OK, I’ll do that.

Five days later, a woman occupational therapist pulled back the curtain in Alexis’s room and said. You stink.

Well duh, ever since I’ve been here no one has given me anything to wash up.

I’ll be back in a few minutes.

The occupational therapist returned with soap, water, towel, and a washcloth so Alexis could clean up.

The occupational therapist stated, The social worker will arrange for a home visit then you will be dismissed from the hospital.

The next morning Alexis rose from her bed, called the head nurse demanded, I want to see the social worker, now!

The social worker entered Alexis’s little curtain alcove and asked, You wanted to see me?

Yes, I understand that after you arrange some home visit for me then I’m going to be released today.

I am? That’s news to me.

Alexis bellowed back. What? Am I being held here against my will hoping that I will change my mind about the surgery being done here?

Oh no we care for you and I’ll get on your discharge papers right away.

A short time later, Alexis overheard the social worker talking to the head nurse saying, Have Alexis Rosenthal Nimswicky ready to be transferred to a nursing home.

Alexis made herself known to the Social worker and asked firmly, When am I going to be discharged from this hospital?

I’ll get on it right away. stated the nervous social worker.

Alexis stared at Kitty with tears in her eyes and stated, "After the Lord delivered me from the hospital from hell and had my surgery done in the local hospital and I am ashamed and embarrassed the way I was treated there by the orderlies.

A puzzled Kitty inquired, You mean the orderlies violated you?

It came darn close to it, but I am too ashamed to say what they did to me in the guise of helping me.

Kitty Leaned forward, and inquired softly, Woman to woman, tell me exactly what the orderlies did?

Alexis stopped Kitty and stated, I don’t want you to read into something that is not true. All I am saying is as a Christian my modest values in that hospital was violated over and over again. Even when I asked for a female to assist me, they would send in some young guy which meant he would see my you know what. Alexis paused then stated, I told the orderly to get out of my room, he looked at me and refused. So, I demanded a female aide to help me and he left. Now, can we change the subject? I’d like to forget about the embarrassing time I had in the hospital, and yes my purity is still intact. So, Kitty what have you been up to since the last time I saw you?

Jerry just got out of the hospital yesterday.

A shocked Alexis questions, What happened to Jerry he was always the Tower of strength and health.

A week ago Jerry and I went out to have dinner at that new Diner that just opened up. I had a short stack of blueberry pancakes and Jerry had a western omelet with home fries and toast. He woke up the next morning feeling sick, made my breakfast and went back to bed. At 2 in the morning, I had to call 911. Jerry’s temperature was over a hundred and three and he couldn’t stop shaking. When they got him to the Hospital they had to give him a rubdown to bring his temperature down. His kidneys and liver were failing, his heart rate was 160 beats a minute and went into A-Fib. My loving husband had e-coli blood infection and the outlook was not good.

Tears ran down Kitty’s face as she said, My husband was down for the count and it wasn’t anything they could do. Several days later, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to go lay hands on my husband and pray for him. I drove to the hospital in obedience to the Lord, walked into my husband’s room who was sleeping on his left side. I gently placed my hand on his forehead, rebuke the sickness, prayed for peace over him and left giving him into the hands of my savior. I went back to the hospital the next morning and found Jerry setting up, smiling having breakfast. He told me last night was the first night he had a good night sleep in a long time and he was feeling great. My husband told me that his heart rate was back to normal, the A-Fib was gone, and they were going to start to treat the infection. Jerry was back home in 3 days a little weak but a testimony because of the finished work on the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Alexis shouted, That’s a fantastic testimony! I guess the Lord still needs your husband here on Earth.

Kitty asked, Alexis did you ever find out who stole your theses?

I never did. I put it in my past and set my face towards Christ.

I think it’s about time we solved this mystery and face the person who wrecked your life.

I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Kitty smiled and stated with confidence, You just leave that to me will track down that piece of work and I guarantee it.

Alexis glanced at her watch and asked Kitty do you want to go to the mall. I have to pick up a few things then we can grab a Fuzzy Joe at the nearest donuts shop then we can find out who stole my theses."

What in the world is a Fuzzy Joe? An old guy with whiskers?

It’s a cup of coffee with a chocolate doughnut with pink or white cotton candy on the top.

Kitty giggled and said, When I was a little girl I had an uncle named Joe all he had was a few sprigs of hair on top of his head and I used to call him, Fuzzy Joe.

Chapter 2

SYLVIA WHO

At the local coffee shop several hours later, Alexis inquired, How are we supposed to find the person that stole my theses after all these years?

Kitty stated with a smile, You start at your high school, question your teacher, principal, and anyone that had a low mark in English.

I don’t know Kitty, I’d rather just let the whole thing drop instead up digging up Old Wounds.

The person who stole your theses was heartless, mean and cruel and they should be made aware of what they did to you and how they wrecked your life.

A man 30, years old with dark brown hair done up in a ponytail and a mustache sat at the table by the name of Bruce Jay Birdson. stated. I was praying I’d find you two here.

Kitty stared at Bruce and questions, You look worried what’s up.

I went to pick up Sylvia this morning to take her to her doctor’s appointment and she wasn’t there. I’m concerned that something may have happened to her because she is usually very punctual when it comes to appointments.

Alexis stated, Maybe she is at a friend’s place. By the way who is Sylvia?

Shocked that his two friends didn’t know who his girlfriend was he stated, Sylvia is the one that I’ve been dating for the past month, you met her last Sunday after church.

Kitty and Alexis stared at each other with a puzzled look on their faces, gazed at Bruce and Alexis stated: I’m sorry Bruce but I don’t remember her.

Neither do I stated Kitty, Are you sure it wasn’t one of those realistic dreams you’re always having?

Don’t you think I know the difference between a dream and reality come on girls give me some credit will you.

Alexis quipped, She couldn’t have been raptured because we’re all here. Maybe she put on too much Vanishing Cream and just disappeared.

I’m about to have a heart attack because my main squeeze is missing and all you can do is poke fun at me in my misery.

Alexis ordered Bruce a large cup of coffee and stated: First things first, calm down relax and after you have had some coffee then try to retrace your steps, maybe you forgot something that Sylvia told you.

On the verge of panicking, Bruce stated, No I didn’t forget anything I was supposed to pick her up this morning and she’s not there!

Alexis doubled up her fist and stated firmly, Bruce, you either calm down this minute or I’m going to put your lights out and you know I can do it?

Kitty placed a reassuring hand on Bruce’s arm and stated, Don’t worry will find Sylvia but what you need to do right now is to relax.

Bruce finished his coffee, glanced at the two girls and said, If you don’t believe me, I’ll take you there so you can see for yourself.

Bruce drove to 166 Palomar Ln. then parked in the driveway of a ranch with yellow and blue trim. Walked around the back, on the deck and open the sliding glass door.

The two women followed Bruce and Kitty said, Let’s look for clues. Bruce, you take the living room, kitchen Alexis and I would take the bedrooms.

Alexis finished checking the bedroom that was decorated in blue with bunk beds. Went into the master bedroom where Kitty was and asked, Find anything?

No, except his shoes and a pair of men’s unmentionables that I kicked under the bed.

Alexis stated. Don’t tell Bruce about that or it will send him over the edge for sure. Kitty picked up a King James Bible on the nightstand study the versus underlined in yellow closed it and put it back down and said. This is really strange. But is Bruce exaggerating about Sylvia, but where is she."

Around 45 minutes later, Bruce approached Kitty and inquired. Find anything that would give us an idea what happened to Silvia?

No, it’s as if she doesn’t exist.

Then my sweet Sylvia has been kidnapped and those who took her removed all evidence as to where she is.

Kitty suggested. "Let’s go to the lake