Murder in the Desert

By Gary T Brideau

"That's alright as long as I am with you."
Some two hundred and fifty-four miles off the coast of Taiwan, the Captain handed Harry and Asami life jackets and ordered, "Put them on because this is as far as you go."
"You were supposed to take us to Hong Kong. Why the double cross?"
The captain took off his Disguise and said, "That's because I'm Mr. Shigeo Takeda. Remember?"
"What happened to Yoshie Takeuchi's friend" questioned Harry.
"He should be suffering from a concussion. Now put the lifejackets on!"
Mr. Takeda then had his men throw Harry and Asami overboard.
A short time later, a terrified Asami watched the trawler slowly grow smaller as it sped away. She then cried in Harry's arms. Then asked, "Now what? We drift until we die?"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669847045

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

Storyline

Harry J Grubs from Wickenburg Arizona travels to Japan on a cultural exchange and falls in love with a Japanese woman Asami. After he marries Asami’s mother sets out to kill him and his new wife. Which caused Harry and his wife to be on the run.

Chapter 1

A FINE MESS

A 35-year-old Christian man, 5 foot nine inches tall with short blonde hair with a van dyke named Harry J Grubs. Walked up to a brown cement house in Miyaoki, Japan, late in the evening and knocked on the door. A short, stout, fifty-five-year-old Japanese woman answered the door and inquired, Yes. Can I help you?

I’m Harry J Grubs from America.

Oh yes. I’m Mrs. Akiko Kouki; I’ve been expecting you. My husband is away on business. Come on in. How was your trip?

Good. But, if you don’t mind, it’s been a long one, and I would like to call it a day.

Follow me, and I’ll show you to your room.

Harry followed Mrs. Kouki across the light brown living room and up the stairs lined with pictures. She pointed to a dark brown door at the end of the hall and said, You sleep there.

Harry opened the door, walked in, turned left, and saw a beautiful young shapely Japanese woman in her late twenties with long black hair lying in bed dressed in a frilly white nightgown. He stopped abruptly and said, l am so sorry for barging in on you. Ma’am, I was told that this was to be my bedroom for the next three months.

It probably is, knowing my mother. You must be here for the cultural exchange. I’m Asami. Kouki.

Give me a minute to go downstairs and explain to your mother that the sleeping arrangements won’t do.

You can’t do that, stated Asami quickly.

Why not? As a Born again Christian, I can’t sleep with you.

Asami stated, Ever since I gave my life to Christ seven months ago, my mother has treated me as if I was dead, and she is doing everything in her power to discourage my Christian walk. Come in and close the door so we can figure out this mess.

Harry entered the ‘L’ shaped bedroom, glanced around, and said, Nice. I like the color blue, and I see the room comes with a bathroom. But you have to be kidding about your mother? She seems like such a nice kind woman.

I wish she was. If you insult mom’s hospitality, she will take it personally and get revenge. By the way, were you going to take a shower?

Yes. But don’t worry, I’ll change into my Pjs in the bathroom.

So, you say, stated Asami fearing that Harry would take his clothes off in front of her.

Yes, I say so; I’ll remove all temptation and change in the bathroom after my shower, honest.

Asami thought, "Boy, does this guy have a problem with vanity? The last thing I want to see is his bare tush."

Thirty minutes later, Harry exited the bathroom in a pair of canary yellow, Pjs. Asami exclaimed, Good Lord! Where in Heaven’s Name did you get those?

Just something I picked up before I left Arizona. Harry sat on the floor next to the bed, lay down, and stated, I’ll sleep here for the duration.

Asami looked over the edge of the bed at Harry and asked, If I am going to share my room with you for the next three months, I would like to know something about you.

Harry lay on his back, looked up at Asami, smiling down at him, and said, Okay, I am Harry J Grubs, 35 years old; I gave my life to Christ when I was ten and was filled with the Holy Spirit. I am the security on a ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona. I Have taught Sunday school, and my wife Sally went home to be with the Lord a short while ago.

Have you ever horsed around with a woman before marriage? inquired Asami.

Nope. There was never a need to. My mind is on serving Christ, not sex. What about you, Asami?

Asami stated, I’m 28 and new in the Lord. I never dated a guy in my life. When I gave my life to Christ, my mother told everyone that I had died and she would not speak to me. But she is doing everything she can to get me to deny Christ. That’s why she put you in my room. She hopes you will get me pregnant, so she can have something to taunt me with.

Harry rolled over on his side to get some sleep; Asami smiled down at him and suggested, I have an idea. Why don’t you crawl in bed with me? I have four pillows on my bed. I can put 2 of them between us to keep us from touching each other.

Harry thought for a moment, then said, Sounds good to me. as he stood up and pulled back the bed covers, he stared at Asami’s shapely figure with the pillows tucked against her side. He had second thoughts about what he was about to do. But Harry was too tired to think straight, so he lay on the bed and fell asleep instantly.

Asami pulled the covers over him and then lay awake half the night, staring at Harry, wondering why she suggested that Harry get in bed with her and if she could trust him if she went to sleep.

In the morning, Asami woke and kissed Harry on his cheek, saying, That’s for keeping your hands to yourself and not taking advantage of me last night.

Harry rolled his back, smiled at Asami, and said, Hey, no problem. But what are we going to do about the other 89 nights I’m here?

An energetic Asami threw the pillows between them on the floor, cuddled up to Harry, put her arms around his neck, and said, Why don’t we get married? It will solve everything. This way, we can sleep together without compromising our faith in Christ.

Harry remained silent as he pondered Asami’s suggestion, then questioned, True, it would solve our problem. But we just met, and is it God’s will for us to be married?

Asami tried to control her temper and stated, Then we might as well have sex right now because sleeping in the same room together means sooner or later you and I are going to get into it.

Not gonna happen, Asami, stated Harry, So let’s see if we can come up with another idea.

Asami kneeled in front of Harry and was in the process of taking off her nightshirt. He stopped her saying calm down and let us pray about this."

I’m not kidding, Harry, stated Asami, We either get married today, or we have sex right now.

Harry stared at Asami’s shapely figure, closed his eyes, and said, Okay, okay, we will get married.

Today?

Yes, today.

Asami was so excited; she threw herself on top of Harry and repeatedly kissed him on his lips.

Harry looked up at her and said, Ah, Asami, I think you need to get off me.

A red-faced Asami quickly sat up, smiled sheepishly, and stated, Sorry, I got carried away.

If you will excuse me, I’m gonna get dressed in the bathroom, stated Harry and got off the bed. But, halfway across the room, Asami got rid of her night clothes and questioned, Do we have to be modest now that we will be wed today?

Yes. and he quickly entered the bathroom. muttering to himself, I did not need see her naked; now I need a cold shower." he got ready and entered the eight by eight-foot shower stall.

An hour later, Harry stepped out of the shower in a huff, with his nude Sweetheart following him. She placed her arms around him, and asked, Are you mad at me because I washed your back?

No, I am upset at myself for giving in to you.

I didn’t mean to barge in the bathroom, Sweet. But there is something about you that I love.

As I said, I am upset because I let you talk me into taking a shower with you.

You did it because you enjoyed being in there with me.

Harry turned around, held Asami in his arm, and kissed her on the lips. She smiled and said, Calm down, Tiger breakfast awaits us,

Asami placed her head on Harry’s bare chest as he inquired, What’s wrong?

Nothing. I like to feel your bare body pressed against mine. But I think we should put some clothes on before we consummate our marriage before, we are wed. Asami rubbed Harry’s bare butt saying, Sorry, I think I better dress in the bathroom, or we’re not gonna show up for breakfast.

Harry thought, "I might as well do it now," fell on the bed kissing Asami’s lips.

An hour later Asami dressed saying, Please don’t let mother know we got into it this morning,

At the breakfast table, Asami’s mother glared at her daughter and growled, You call yourself a Christian? I know you had sex with him this morning. Get out of my house, you cheap Trollop!

You deliberately put Harry in my room so I would stumble. Now you accuse me of being a Tramp? screamed Asami.

Harry took his Sweet by her arm and said, It’s time we left.

Asami told her mother, Harry and I are going to be gone for most of the day.

Akiko glared at her daughter with contempt, picked up a knife, and threw it at her. Harry quickly pushed Asami aside as the knife flew between them. He then muttered, Asami, I think it is time we left for parts unknown.

After packing a few things, Harry ushered Asami out the door with her complaining, My mother didn’t mean to throw the knife at me. It just slipped out of her hand.

Harry grabbed Asami by her shoulders, looked her in the face, and said firmly, Snap out of it, Asami. Your mother meant to kill you.

I’m trying to believe my mom is not the sadistic killer; as everyone says, she is.

I understand it’s hard to realize that your own mother wants you dead. But it’s true.

Asami put her arms around Harry, placed her head on his chest, and said, Hold me for just a minute. and cried.

Sitting in a booth at a restaurant some miles away, Harry took a bite of his food and then said, I’ll give you enough money, so you can fly to America and start a new life.

You’re dumping me? Why? Because of what we did in the shower this morning? I’m sorry I blew it bigtime with the man I love. I’ve asked the Lord to forgive me now let’s patch things up and go on and I promise not to flesh out like that again.

Look, Asami. Our Christian walk is not in jeopardy anymore, so we don’t have to marry.

Last night, you told me you never broke a promise, and you would marry me. Now, you are going back on your word?

I am sorry if you think I lied to you. But things have changed since then. Harry stared into Asami’s eyes as they filled up with tears, smiled, and said, Thank you for the wonderful time this morning. Will you forgive me for giving you such a hard time, and as soon as we finish here, I want to make you Mrs. Asami Grubs.

Asami’s face lit up as she stated, Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Can we spend a couple of days in the motel room, getting to know each other?

I like your suggestion, better than mine. Sure.

Hours later, they applied for the marriage license and then had her pastor marry them. After a small wedding, Pastor Yamamoto stated, I understand your plight concerning your mother, Asami. But, be warned; do not stay in your mother’s house anymore.

But Pastor, I married Harry so we could say at my mom’s place without sinning against the Lord.

Get out of Japan before your mother has her friends kill you and Harry.

After the wedding, Harry and Asami traveled to Hakuba, Japan, and stayed in the Montblanc hotel. The following day Asami and Harry rose around ten o’clock and had an early lunch at Grindel Restaurant. Asami took a swallow of her tea and stated, We can stay in Hakuba for a while because I don’t think mother will find us here.

Harry rose from his chair and gave Asami a kiss on her lips, saying, I’ll be back in a few minutes. When he returned, A middle-aged Japanese woman caught his attention and said, Two women came in and dragged your new bride away with her vehemently protesting.

Did you see which way they went?

They went up the street towards the Hakuba Village office.

Thanks, stated Harry as he raced out the door and up the street and saw Asami in the back seat of a black car stuck in a traffic jam at the red light. The young Japanese woman in the front seat quickly rolled her window down, pointed her pistol at Harry, and said, Don’t even think of rescuing Asami.

All Harry could think of was saving his Sweetheart. He drove his fist into her face, yanked the gun from her hand, and shot the right front tire. Pulled Asami from the backseat and ran up the street on their right and ducked into the Patagonia sports store to hide. Tears ran down Asami’s cheeks as she held Harry, saying, I thought I was never going to see you again. The Alnico bus station isn’t too far from here. I think we should go to Osaka.

Chapter 2

ON THE RUN

Several hours later, Harry escorted Asami off the bus at Shirasagi bus station in Osaka. He carefully scanned the area for anybody looking suspicious before dining at the Yakinku restaurant. Harry whispered to the waitress, We were just married a few days ago and if you see anyone looking sinister, let me know. My bride’s mother, Mrs. Akiko Kouki, is trying to kill me and kidnap my bride.

The waitress stared at Asami and inquired, Is her mother the Mrs. Akiko Kouki from Miyaoki?

The very same.

She has connections everywhere. My advice to you is to get out of Japan as fast as you can. Because sooner or later, she will catch up with you, and you do not want to know what Mrs. Kouki will do to you.

Just then, a Japanese man in his thirties, clad in a black suit, sat at their table. Harry placed his hand on the steak knife on the table and asked, Is there something you want?

He smiled and said, "I am Shigeo Takeda, travel agent, welcome to Osaka. My office is throwing a welcome party this evening, and I would like to invite you and your bride Asami.