The Adventures of J & N Detective Agency: The Beginning

By Carl Gabriel

When Jim Davis visited his friends in Black Creek, Tennessee, he never believed that visit would begin an episode of murder and mayhem that would change his entire life.

In order to help his friends, Davis found himself in a personal war with some of the local police. In order to win this war, Davis would have to not only adopt his opponent's vicious methods but invent a few of his own.

Never lacking imagination or courage, Davis would eventually triumph against the odds, but it would take a tremendous toll on his personal life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781684988488

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Copyright © 2022 Carl Gabriel

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-68498-847-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68498-848-8 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

1

It was a cool day in September as Jim Davis drove south on Highway 55. His thoughts were on his next sale, hopefully in Memphis. Davis, an experienced tool salesman, was at the top of his game and had built a lucrative business traveling around the country selling various hand and power tools. His vehicle was loaded down with samples of his inventory. There was no need to carry a complete line because the home office in Des Moines could drop ship anything he sold.

Jim Davis did have one stop to make before continuing on to Memphis. That was at a small town north of Memphis named Black Creek. An old friend of his lived there.

The man’s name was Bob Raven. Bob Raven had been like a father to Jim Davis. When Jim’s own father had died, Bob Raven stepped in as a father figure and helped raise Jim. At seventy-two, Bob Raven has retired and living out the good life due any senior citizen.

What Jim Davis found when he arrived at Bob Raven’s home was not quite what he expected.

Raven’s wife answered the door. She recognized Davis right away.

Jim, what a sight for sore eyes, she exclaimed. I’m so glad to see you. Bob’s gone right now, but he’ll be back in an hour or so. Come on in.

Davis entered and exchanged a hug with Raven’s wife. The home was well-kept as expected, a typical home in that area of town.

Davis remarked, The place looks the same as it did the last time I was here. I guess everything is going okay.

Well, that’s a loaded question, Jim. Sometimes, things aren’t the way they seem.

What’s wrong, Ruth? Davis inquired.

I better let Bob tell you, Jim. He’ll be a lot better at explaining what’s going on than I would. Ruth Raven glanced out the window. Here he comes now.

Bob Raven entered the front door and immediately shouted out, I saw the car! It’s about time!

Bob Raven and Jim Davis greeted each other warmly. It was easy to tell that they were very close friends.

Davis immediately wanted to know if his friend had a problem. He said, Ruth hinted that you might have a problem. Is it something I can help with?

Boy, Jim, I hate to burden you with a crazy story. Ruth’s got dinner ready. Why don’t we eat first and then go for a ride? I’ll explain as best I can.

Sounds good. I sure have missed Ruth’s cooking.

The three sat down to the table and, for the most part, were silent as they ate. Jim Davis ate his first home-cooked meal in weeks. After the meal, Jim and Bob sat on the living room sofa and exchanged minor stories. Bob wanted to know how sales were going, and so on. Jim held off pursuing his curiosity about the problem that he suspected his friend had.

Finally, Bob Raven suggested they take a ride and talk. Ruth, in the meantime, was doing the dishes.

Let’s go in your car, Bob suggested.

They backed out of the driveway in the SUV, and Bob directed Jim to the downtown section of Black Creek. They stopped in front of a Chinese restaurant; and while they were seated in the car, Bob said, I want you to go into this restaurant and try to get a seat where you can see the owner. She should be close to the register at the back of the store.

What’s going on? Davis inquired.

It would take all day if I tried to explain. The best way is for you to see what is going on. Go ahead and order something, but be sure that you can see the owner when I come in. I’ll come in and pretend that we don’t know each other. Remember, keep your eye on the owner.

Davis did as he was told. He entered the restaurant and took a seat facing the cash register. He assumed the woman standing nearby was the owner. She greeted him with a smile, and although she was obviously Chinese, she spoke with perfect English.

Good afternoon. Do you know what you want, or do you want to look at a menu?

Davis accepted the menu and remarked that he needed a little time to look at it. The woman retreated to the cash register. At that time, Bob Raven entered the restaurant.

The moment he entered the restaurant, Bob Raven was greeted with a laugh. It came from the Chinese woman and was obviously directed at him.

Davis observed with surprise. Why did she laugh at Bob? Davis said nothing but told the waitress, when she returned, that he decided to only have a cup of coffee. Bob Raven, on the other hand, told the waitress that he only wanted to use the restroom and left afterward. He was waiting for Davis in the SUV.

I saw what she did. She laughed at you. Why?

It happens everywhere I go. Crazy, huh? It’s gone on for years. I mean, at least ten years.

Wow. That might get a little old, Davis replied.

It sure does. And it’s caused me to acquire high blood pressure, which I never had before. Some nights, I lay awake for hours thinking about it.

Do you think it’s a conspiracy? Davis asked.

Yes, I do. And a well-financed one, I’d say.

Have you got any idea what got it started? Davis asked.

I think so. Here’s what I think happened. Thirty-five years ago, I met a woman in a fast-food restaurant. We got to talking, and she asked me to take her out. She thought I had lots of money because of the car I was driving. I was cleaning the car for a car dealer. At that time, if you remember, I cleaned cars for a living. This girl was a real doll. I probably should have told her that the car didn’t belong to me. To be honest, I didn’t even think to tell her that. At any rate, I turned her down and went on my way. Didn’t give it another thought. In the next few months, I made a move. I rented a house that was on a car lot that Mike Ward owned. In return, he was going to furnish me a dealer plate and insurance. The plate and insurance never materialized. Then, I had an accident. You probably remember that. That was when I moved to Nebraska for two years. In those first days, after I moved, I was pretty mad at Mike Ward. But he was my best friend.

Not much of a friend, Davis retorted.

Yes, I know. But be that as it was, I took my anger out on this gorgeous woman. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know the answer. Two shrinks and a test monkey might figure it out, but I couldn’t. At any rate, I knew her address and I wrote her an ignorant letter. I don’t even remember what I said, but I’m sure it was a dandy.

I remember the time. I was only about ten years old, Davis replied. I never knew about any letter.

I wouldn’t have mentioned it. It was nothing to be proud of. I don’t think you were that old. Probably just a baby.

At any rate, I ran into this woman years later. I didn’t recognize her, but she did me. She had found her ‘money man,’ and she put him on me. I confronted him in private and asked him what the problem was. He maintained that there wasn’t any between us. It was then that I made the mistake of my life. I told him that ‘nobody likes to be laughed at.’ That’s when it all started, the laughing crap.

Davis responded, That’s quite a story. Have you told anyone else?

No. Of course, Ruth knows. And it sometimes happens when she’s with me, but most of the time, it happens when I’m alone.

Did you ever confront any of these people?

A couple of times, but they would simply refuse to admit that they did anything. In fact, one or two of them made a big thing about it. Saying that I was paranoid.

Davis responded, Well, you know I believe you. This is a small town, and it would be easy to get something like this going, especially if they had the cooperation of the city. I ran into a situation like this in a small town in Iowa. Sad to say, the guy targeted ended up killing himself. Are you okay mentally?

I’m okay. Ruth has always believed me, and that has helped a lot.

Do you think the city is involved?

I’m sure of it, but proving it might be a problem.

What is the police force like?

Ten thugs with badges and guns. In fact, I think that they are the main ones spreading the word.

Davis continued, I’ve got a few weeks’ vacation time coming. I’d like to hang around and see if we can get a handle on this. Would that be all right with you?

Boy, I hate to bring my problems on to you, Jim.

Bob, you’re like a father to me. This bullshit they’re pulling, in my estimation, is a clear civil rights violation. I know that the two of us can get the best of a bunch of clowns like this. Please let me help you.

Okay, buddy. But let me know if at any time you want to pull out.

That won’t happen. I’m in it no matter what the outcome is.

Davis continued, I do think that the less we are seen together would add to our chances of succeeding. I’m going to check into a local motel, and we’ll stay in touch by phone.

Sounds like a plan. I feel better already. This crap has put a lot of stress on me.

Well, you can stop worrying, Davis smiled. Your main man is on the problem.

Davis hugged both Bob and Ruth Raven and left after thanking Ruth for the earlier meal. He knew exactly where he was going once he checked into a local motel.

He knew Black Creek wouldn’t have what he was looking for, but the town of Martinville should have it.

Martinville was about ten miles from Black Creek. It was a town of over twenty thousand, and once he arrived in the business district, Davis spotted what he was looking for—Radio Shack.

He parked the SUV and entered the store. The salesman was busy with another customer, so Davis browsed around looking at various items. When the salesman was free, he walked over to Davis and asked if he could help him with anything.

Davis got right to the point.

What would you have in spy equipment? I mean, something that a person could conceal on themself and record both audio and visual?

I don’t think we have anything like that in stock, but we can probably get it. I’ve got a catalog right here behind the counter. Why don’t you look through it and see what you can find? Not to be nosy, but are you a private investigator?

Davis took the catalog handed him while he replied, Not really, but I’m thinking strongly about getting into it.

The salesman left Davis to himself and began working on something else. Davis thumbed through the catalog and soon found the section he was looking for.

He got the salesman’s attention and pointed to a picture of an item. It was a tiny camera that could be worn on either a lapel or a cap. It was disguised as a button that had a funny saying on it. Smile Turkey and a picture of a turkey. The camera could record video and audio at the same time.

How long do you think it would take to get this item?

If they’ve got it in stock, we can have it by 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Can you check on it? If they have it, I’d like to buy two.

While the salesman was using the phone to check with the warehouse, Davis checked out the rest of the store.

In a short time, the salesman let Davis know that they did indeed have the item and that they would have it at the store the next day. Davis paid for the camera and left the store. He drove back to his motel room and took his daily nap. He also was making plans for his next move.

Later, after resting, he made a call to Bob Raven.

Raven answered, Hello.

Bob, this is Jim. Tomorrow, I should have a means of getting some of these clowns on video. Stay cool till I let you know what I want you to do.

Will do, came the reply.

Davis slept in late the next day. He drove around Black Creek in order to locate certain places he was interested in, like city hall and the police station. It was interesting to note that city hall was directly above the police station. How convenient, he thought. He was to learn later from Bob Raven that the city administrator was the daughter of the police chief. One other nugget of information was that the owner of the computer store above city hall was one of the first people to engage in the laughing harassment. He and another man would laugh when they walked past Bob and Ruth as they were eating. This was usually at the Chinese restaurant where Bob had a habit of eating. When Bob finally had enough of that and confronted the man, he denied everything. Typical.

In the afternoon, Davis returned to Martinville and Radio Shack. The two cameras were there and ready to be picked up. They came with complete written instructions on how to operate them.

He called Bob Raven.

Bob, let’s start with the Chinese restaurant owner. Is she usually there at the register? Also, do any of the waitresses participate?

Yes, but it’s a small thing. One of them has the habit of laughing softly as she passes my table. She’s supposed to be a friend. That’s one of the things that’s so strange. Why would a friend do that? I don’t know. Unless someone has convinced her that if enough people do this, I’ll get used to it. I’m going to tell you, I’ll never get use to that.

Amen, Davis responded. Here’s what I want you to do. It’s too late to do anything today, but tomorrow at eleven thirty, go to the restaurant and take a seat. Leave Ruth at home. We don’t need to involve her any more than we have to. I will be seated there earlier. They open at eleven o’clock. If possible, sit where I can get a good view. I bought a camera, and I have hopes of not only getting a good video but also some audio if possible. Be sure to sit within a couple of tables from me. If you’re not able to get close, don’t worry. We’ll try another day. Okay?

I got it, buddy. See you tomorrow. Hey, wait just a minute. Remember me telling you about the boyfriend of the gal I wrote the letter to?

Yes, what about it?

He was dead four months after I confronted him.

Jim Davis was silent on his end of the phone. It took a while for this information to sink in. Do you think he killed himself?

I don’t know. I didn’t know about it for at least a year after it happened. It was a mighty convenient death though. By that time, the laughing bit had reached one hell of a level. It was supposedly an automobile accident. I was never able to find out the particulars. Do you think that some of his relatives might be behind this?

We’ll find out. That’s for sure. I’m glad you remembered to tell me that. Just another piece of the puzzle, right?

Davis hung up the phone and spent the rest of the day getting familiar with the camera.

The next day, he decided to use the camera pinned to his jacket lapel. He thought that it might be less noticeable than putting it on the front of a cap.

At eleven o’clock, he entered the Chinese restaurant and took a seat halfway down the aisle. He made sure to face the register. The waitress came and took his order and made no mention of the turkey pin. He was well into eating the meal when Bob Raven entered the restaurant.

The owner did exactly what they had expected. She laughed at Bob when he was almost in front of her. It was not a loud laugh, but it was obvious.

Jim Davis got a good camera shot of both people. He watched as Bob Raven sat down at a place two tables in front of him. He realized then that there might be a problem getting a good audio of the waitress if she laughed as she walked past Bob because Bob was facing Jim. That would mean that the waitress would probably have her back to Jim.

Davis pondered the problem for a moment, but it was almost immediately solved when Bob got up and took a seat facing the same direction as Jim. Everything was as it should be.

Sure enough, as she was walking past Bob’s table, the waitress let out a low laugh. Jim hoped that the camera picked up the audio because the laugh wasn’t very loud. He would know later when he downloaded the camera info.

Jim Davis finished his meal and, after paying at the register, left the restaurant. He and Bob had agreed to say nothing to each other in the restaurant. They would talk later when the camera info was downloaded at Bob’s house. This was done later in the evening in hopes that no one would notice Davis’s vehicle at Bob’s.

The less they were seen together, the better.

That night, around ten thirty, Davis paid a visit to the Raven’s. The three of them downloaded the camera info on Ruth’s computer.

All three were impressed with the quality of the material. They could even hear the low laugh the waitress made as she walked past Bob’s table.

Davis spoke, This is good, a lot better than I thought it would be. But of course, it’s not near enough.

Ruth Raven replied, But a good start.

She impulsively threw her arms around Jim Davis. I’m so proud of you, she exclaimed. I’m excited!

Davis laughed and softly sang, We’ve only just begun. That was in reference to Karen Carpenter’s song. They all laughed.

Let’s shut down for the day and consider this a successful episode. We need to remember to save any material that we accumulate. Can we save this on the computer? Davis asked.

Bob Raven replied, Sure can. Got any idea where we go from here?

Davis spoke, Well, I got a few ideas, but I want to talk to you alone.

Ruth spoke up. Hey, I want in on anything that’s coming down. I want to help.

I know you do, Ruth, but there’s somethings that only Bob and I can handle. The less you know, the better off you’ll be. You need to trust me on this.

"I trust you, and