The Secret: Murder Mystery

By Walkees

What starts with a seemingly 'normal' fraud and murder investigation, turns into a net of separate crimes which together could ultimately bring the solution to everything. Could be because during the investigations there are constant dangers lurking from various angles. Murder, extortion, blackmail and other crimes pass by. There can be no question of a normal investigation because of the multitude of victims, past and present, and just as many suspects, surrounded by riddles and secrets.
The leading detective will ultimately be in overall charge of the comprehensive investigation, despite the fact that he has family ties or relationships with various stakeholders, even suspects, within the investigation.
Several attempts are made to make it impossible for this commissioner to do his job, but with perseverance, and the support of his girlfriend and his never giving up detective team, he perseveres.
This book is characterized by a slightly cozy crime content, with room for love and humor, but sometimes it also reads like a thriller, because of the often unexpected and insane crimes that require a solution.
The secret is eventually exposed at the very last moment, but this is at the expense of much suffering and dramatic events, which will captivate and hold the reader. That is why a sequel is now in the pipeline, of which the story will be completely on its own. Only the protagonists of this book will be present in the next.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Walkees
• Release date: Jul 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215061763

Walkees

Born in 1958, in a small village at the west coast of The Netherlands, Walkees grew up, being a very adventurous and independent boy. As the son of a father who was out most of the time, and a mother who was always working, he had to find his own way in life. His brothers and sister were out of the house already when he was still a young boy. Until his sixteenth, he provided himself with enough money to buy the clothes he liked, and to go out, which he already did from when he was 14. In that time, school was not for him, he always had many other interests. Beside going out on the weekends, and on Wednesday evening, he played football at the local football club, but he was also an excellent ice skater. At the end of the secondary school he just left it and started working at a company that made parts of ship motors. His education Walkees made more than good later, while he was in the army. The work in a factory also was not something for him, so, when he was about to get his draft for the army, he joined it on voluntary bases and signed for 4 years. After the training period he was located in Germany, from where he got sent out to other countries and places. After his time in the army finished, Walkees found a job in the South of Holland, settled there, and married his first wife, with whom he got 2 sons. Here he started building up a career, resulting in a 30+ year career in Logistics. At the end of his career, he trained managers and staff in personal improvement and gave lectures about Logistics and Motivation and Improvement methods. He divorced his first wife after 13 years of marriage, and when he was 56, he moved to Vietnam, where he married his present wife. In Vietnam he started giving private English lessons to Vietnamese children and adults, which he still does. Here he also wrote his first crime novel and soon made it a series. For the characters of the main family in the series,, in his mind, he used his own family as the characters. So, Special Detective Chau, in his mind, was his daughter, which all made it easier for him to write, and it made him able to write, whenever he wanted, never short of ideas or words.Also, he started writing books related to his professional career where he developed and gave trainings and seminars about motivation in life and work.In their free time, the family likes to travel. He enjoys watching many sports. His top favorites are soccer and Formula One racing.

Book preview

Prologue

What starts with a seemingly 'normal' fraud and murder investigation, turns into a net of separate crimes which together could ultimately bring the solution to everything. Could be because during the investigations there are constant dangers lurking from various angles. Murder, extortion, blackmail and other crimes pass by. There can be no question of a normal investigation because of the multitude of victims, past and present, and just as many suspects, surrounded by riddles and secrets.

The leading detective will ultimately be in overall charge of the comprehensive investigation, despite the fact that he has family ties or relationships with various stakeholders, even suspects, within the investigation.

Several attempts are made to make it impossible for this commissioner to do his job, but with perseverance, and the support of his girlfriend and his never giving up detective team, he perseveres.

This book is characterized by a slightly cozy crime content, with room for love and humor, but sometimes it also reads like a thriller, because of the often unexpected and insane crimes that require a solution.

The secret is eventually exposed at the very last moment, but this is at the expense of much suffering and dramatic events, which will captivate and hold the reader. That is why a sequel is now in the pipeline, of which the story will be completely on its own. Only the protagonists of this book will be present in the next.

Chapter one

Jenny, the receptionist, was just in the kitchen to score a sandwich when she heard the shrill sound of the front desk bell.

"What will we have now? A guest? Never happened in November. Hank, could you keep my sandwich in the fridge for a while? I am going to have a quick look. She had already turned around and was walking towards the reception when she heard Hank, the kitchen chef, humming affirmatively. Unlike the hotel itself, it was a busy day for the kitchen brigade today. The hotel's restaurant was well attended, throughout the week, all year round. The reason for this was simple. It was the only restaurant in the village, not even a Chinese restaurant could be found there. The only other food establishment in the village, if you could call it that, was Pete’s snack bar at the ferry. It was actually a converted caravan, but no one cared, because Pete's fries were widely known.

Jenny took a seat behind the reception desk and was indeed surprised by a man in his early forties, modernly dressed, a well-groomed face and dark blond hairstyle. The man immediately asked if there was a room available, to which Jenny had her answer ready. Jenny did not take etiquette very seriously and just said what came to mind.

"A free room? We have a total of twenty-four rooms, and you can choose which one you want, because as usual in November, we do not have any other hotel guest. This does not mean that this is a ghost hotel and that you will feel lonely, because our restaurant and bar are always well occupied. May I recommend room twenty-five, Sir?

It is the most beautiful room we have, with private bathroom and view on the river Lek. This room has a rate of seventy-five euros per night, including breakfast. Are you planning to stay longer, or are you in transit?" The man smiled at the spontaneous-sounding receptionist, but immediately had a question that made it clear that he had listened carefully to what he had just been told.

Room twenty-five? You mentioned that the hotel has twenty-four rooms? The receptionist smiled and came up with an explanation.

You paid close attention Sir, but the reason is simple. This hotel does not have a room numbered thirteen, hence. If you would like to fill in this registration sheet, I will tell you some details in the meantime. My name is Jenny, and I am the receptionist here, every working day from seven to eleven o'clock in the morning. After eleven o'clock or on weekends you will see me walking around here more often, because I am also the owner of hotel Lekview. In the evening, when it is busy in the bar, I regularly take place behind the tap myself. Breakfast can be enjoyed in the restaurant from six to eleven o'clock in the morning. In addition to breakfast, the restaurant also offers the opportunity to have lunch and/or dinner and the kitchen is open until ten o'clock in the evening. The bar is open from eight o'clock in the morning until midnight, but that could be a bit later, when there are still enough guests who are having a good time. You will find all kinds of information about the area in your room and if you have any further questions you can always come here or call the desk from your room. The reception is occupied twenty-four hours a day, although you may sometimes have to use the bell, as you have just experienced. Then she looked at the man, who had filled in his details, with a big smile.

Now, how can I have any questions, after such a clear explanation. My name is Jerry if that is not a coincidence? Jenny, Jerry. Sounds good, don't you think? Jenny smiled again but just waited for the man to move on.

Ok, of course I will go along with your advice and take room twenty-five. I do have a request immediately. I have had a long journey and first I want to close my eyes briefly, in my room, but I do not want to sleep away all day. It is now ten o'clock. Could I be woken up at noon? Then I will be in the restaurant at about half past one for lunch. Oh, and then this. Shall we just call each other by our first names and skip the formal talk? I am on holiday and will probably stay here for about three weeks, so I do not think that is a nice thing and that does not contribute to my holiday feeling. By the way, I parked my car there, to the right of the tennis court, that black Porsche there. Is that okay? Jenny smiled again and replied, also showing that she had listened carefully to the man.

No problem Jerry. When you give me the keys, I will have your car parked on a safe place. The keys are kept here, also safe, until you pick them up again. Of course we will wake you up. Then she called out to the doorman at the entrance.

Harry, will you take this gentleman to room twenty-five? And then you can take Mister Mol’s car to the back. Then she turned again to the man, who had already given his car keys to the doorman.

Then I wish you a pleasant stay in our hotel, Jerry. I am sure we will meet again today. For now, sleep well. I will immediately make sure that you will be woken up at the requested time.

Harry had already asked the man to follow him, so Jenny saw them get into the elevator within a minute. Immediately after the doors were closed, she grabbed the registration form and was pleased to see that the man had answered all the questions. He apparently had also left his passport without any problems. Jenny first looked at the passport and saw that the man was Dutch and was thirty-nine years old. A beautiful age, she thought. But she also saw something remarkable, remarkable because the man had not said anything about it, which she found strange.

She saw his birthplace, Aandelek. Why had he not mentioned that he was born in this village? Now that she also glanced at his last name, she did not see a real Aandelek name, Mol. Maybe he had not lived here long.

She also saw that he had travelled a lot and had arrived in the Netherlands this morning from Bangkok, which for some reason sounded less positive for the rather interested Jenny. She put the passport in the designated safe under the counter and began reading the registration form. She read that he was unmarried and had entered journalist as being his job. This reassured her somewhat, although she still had the feeling that something was not right. The man also seemed familiar to her in some way, but she could not put her finger on it. She fed the data into the hotel system and then did something she never did before. She saw Harry get out of the elevator and immediately called on him to return the man's car keys to her.

I will put that car away myself, I have always wanted to drive a Porsche, she said again, with a big smile on her face. Harry was fine with it.

I am fine with that, I am sure my chance will come. He seems to be staying at least three weeks, maybe even longer, he told me. A really nice man, and a good tipper. While he said that, he triumphantly displayed a ten euro note.

Well, we have to pamper him, after all it is our only hotel guest. Jenny’s words were not yet cold, when actually a new guest appeared in front of the reception desk. Another man, but clearly older than the first guest of the day and a bit slovenly dressed.

Jenny gave the keys to the Porsche to Harry with a sigh and turned to the man in front of her.

Good morning Sir. My name is Jenny and I welcome you to hotel Lekview. You would like a room?

This time it was a bit more formal and after about ten minutes the newly returned Harry was able to take the man to room twelve, the cheapest room in the hotel. When he returned to the reception after ten minutes, he was a lot less cheerful.

What a bag. Not a kind word, and look. Then he showed the smiling Jenny a fifty cents coin.

Jenny had simple fun with the arrival of the two guests, in November, of all months.

Chapter two

Jenny walked into the restaurant at one o'clock that afternoon, a little curious if Jerry, the first guest of that morning, actually used his lunch in the restaurant.

She got disappointed. Except the restaurant guests from outside, she only saw the second guest of that morning. He had secured himself a seat at the back of the restaurant and sat facing the entrance. Then she saw the man's gaze ossify and immediately afterwards looking in her direction with an, it seemed, menacing gaze. There was no time to think about that and it turned out not to be necessary, because she was greeted by Jerry entering the restaurant at that moment. She immediately understood that the threatening look of the aforementioned man had concerned Jerry, who in turn did not look very happy out of his eyes, and clearly had to recover, before speaking to Jenny very kindly again.

Good afternoon Jenny. I slept well for a while and needed a little more time to wake up and to get ready for lunch. Is there still a place available for me? If you have time by the way, I would like to invite you to join me. What do you think?

Jenny had clearly noticed that the man in front of her had noticed the look of the man in the back of the restaurant but did not want to show anything. She was now really curious about what all this meant and therefore, against all custom, accepted Jerry's invitation. She led him to a table from where it was easier and, above all, more inconspicuous for them to observe the man in the disheveled clothes, easier than it would be for him to observe them.

When they took their seats, Jenny immediately took the floor, boldly and spontaneously as she was.

It is a special day here, because you are not the only hotel guest anymore. Shortly after you went to your room, a second guest came in. Very special because we really never have hotel guests here in November. But it just seemed to me that you know each other? And then she turned her face in the direction of the other guest, as if asking Jerry to follow her gaze.

That slovenly little guy over there? Jerry responded in an astonishing tone. No, never seen him before. You will know more about him than I do, because surely he must have registered with you? Jenny did not get a chance to answer because suddenly she saw the man at the other table gasping for breath, as if he was choking. Jerry saw it too and ran towards the man, who was already turning blue in the face. Jerry took position behind the man and took him in the Heimlich grip. He apparently knew exactly what he was doing and made a fist of his right hand that he had wrapped around the man at the height of his stomach. Then he grasped the fist with his other hand and briefly bumped his arms up twice, towards the man's chin. He repeated this a few times, but nothing seemed to help. Then one of the other guests called out.

"Stop it, he is dead, you did your best, but now you have to stop. More people walked up to Jerry and tried to force him to stop. He was as if in a trance, but eventually the words reached his consciousness, and he let go, tired. While the man was picked up by two other guests and laid on the floor, Jerry also collapsed. Jenny walked up to him and put her arm over his shoulder. As she urged her staff to call the doctor and asked everyone in the restaurant to stay at their table, she turned back to Jerry, who seemed wonderfully back to square one. What was particularly striking was that Jerry was back at the table in a normal position and was even studying the menu.

Jenny did not understand this and decided to take care of the other guests first and to make sure that the body of the recently deceased man was somewhat shielded.

The distances were small in the village, so just minutes later they already saw the doctor coming in. Jenny walked with the doctor to the man's body and the doctor immediately bent over the corpse. Soon he turned back up and had an ominous announcement for Jenny.

Jenny, I am afraid we should call the police because this man was killed by poisoning.

Poisoning? Killed? But he choked, right? I do not understand. What is going on here today? The police, yes, definitely. Harry, will you please do that? I need to sit down and think, she said, looking out of the corner of her eye to the table where Jerry had been sitting. Had, because he was gone. Jenny looked around the room but could not see him. Harry came back and she immediately asked him if he had seen where their other hotel guest had gone. Harry had an answer.

Yes, I just saw him drive away, and I think he was in a hurry. But I have a message from the police. There will be someone here soon, but he already said that no one is allowed to leave the hotel, so I will go to the door. I believe that hotel guest is the only one who left, for whatever reason. Was a really nice man. Jenny got a little stressed now and called for coffee.

Just as Jenny took her first sip of coffee, she heard the siren of an arriving police car. When she looked outside, there was another surprise. Behind the police car, Jerry Mol's black Porsche came to a stop. She saw two, probably detectives, get out of the police car, a man and a woman, and immediately go into conclave with Jerry Mol, who also got out of his car. It seemed like a normal conversation and after a few minutes the woman and the two men entered the hotel together, where Jenny had already moved to the reception. The apparently leading detective immediately approached her and addressed her.

You are the owner of this hotel? Miss Rietveld? The man did not even wait for an answer. I am Detective Inspector den Dool, and this is my colleague, Detective Sergeant Sylvia Brouwer. You already know this gentleman, I assume? He nodded in the direction of Jerry Mol.

We are going to the crime scene first, then we will come back to you. Please make sure no one leaves this property. Then Jenny saw the three walking towards the restaurant with Jerry leading the way, as if he just belonged. Harry had noticed this too and looked at Jenny.

What is going on here? Maybe that guy is from the police? Do you have any idea what is going on?

I do not understand much about it either, Harry. He filled out the registration form as being a journalist. But, a question. You are about his age I think, and you have lived here since you were born. Do you not know him? What I understand from his passport is that he was born here in Aandelek. His last name is Mol, not an Aandelek name really. Harry answered without thinking.

Mol? No, that is not a name from here and I do not know him, although I have to say that I did get a feeling that I had seen him before, after our chat in his room. Maybe he is undercover here or something, and maybe that passport is fake? Jenny smiled.

Well Harry, let us stop now. This speculation gets us nowhere. Let us just wait and see. Harry shrugged and positioned himself at the entrance. He had also already received orders not to let in any new guests. This immediately led him into a heated argument with a man who did not seem to be going along in being refused access to the hotel.

Say, what kind of nonsense is this? I demand to get in, I come with important news. Where is Jerry Mol? I want you to get him now. Tell him Albert is waiting for him. Jenny had also arrived at the two arguing men and tried to calm the situation.

Sir, if you just want to wait here? We have clear orders from the police not to let anyone in or out. I will try to pass on your message. Wait a moment, please. She then turned around and walked towards the restaurant, where the three from before had just stepped outside. Jenny immediately mentioned the man at the entrance, and it turned out that the name was not foreign to any of the three in front of her.

Ok, said detective Den Dool. We will go to him for a while. After that, I would like to speak to you. We will be back with you in a moment.

At the entrance, it was not the detective who addressed the still troubled man. It was Jerry Mol who took the floor.

Albert, what are you doing here? Did we not have clear agreements? And why so tumultuous? The man barely waited for Jerry to speak out.

Now make sure we can talk quietly, I have news that will also interest your police friends here. But what is actually going on here? Why are they here at all? And what is with that death cart here? Now detective Den Dool took over the conversation.

We are indeed going to find a quiet place now. Sylvia, do a survey among the employees of the hotel, and also try to make a list of all staff members and their working hours today. Then he spoke to the men again. Let us go back to the restaurant and take a seat at the entrance. In the restaurant there are now only our own people. Mister van Hintum, you can come with us.

As they passed the front desk, detective Den Dool asked Jenny if some coffee and water could be brought to their table in the restaurant, whereupon Jenny simply nodded and started walking towards the kitchen.

The men took a seat at the first table, at the window side, and they were only just sitting when Jenny came to the table again with coffee and water. The lead detective immediately started talking again.

"Thank you, Miss Rietveld. You can see that we have appropriated a quiet place. Here you can find us later when we have time to talk to you. Jenny felt it necessary to make something clear.

First of all, I would like you to stop with that miss. You know my first name, Jenny. Furthermore, I understand that you have to follow certain procedures, but understand that this is a business and that we cannot make money without guests. The lunch is already ruined and will therefore only cost us money. I would like you to do your utmost to release this restaurant before four o'clock, at the latest. Unfortunately we cannot afford to miss the evening round. And then this. I am willing to help you with whatever you want and will always be available for questions, but not if you continue to lie to me. With these words, she looked tellingly in the direction of Jerry Mol, probably referring to the fact that he had stated to her that he did not know the deceased man. The detective smiled but could not fully satisfy Jenny.

Of course we will do our utmost for that, Jenny, however, I cannot promise anything. As you can see, the body is already being carried away, so it looks good in that regard. Jenny was not at all happy with this answer.

Nothing looks good since that poor man choked, or whatever may have happened. And there is a question floating through my head, of which I do not understand you have not talked about yet. So, I also heard the word poisoning. Whence? Why are your people not checking my kitchen yet? I need to know how that works before I can do anything there, do I not? Again the detective smiled and now he had a slightly more satisfying answer.

Jenny, I understand your concerns, but they are not necessary. The kitchen is already kept inactive and as far as the origin of the poison is concerned, we can easily come to conclusions by testing the food and drink at the table. Our forensic people have probably already done this, because there the leader of the team comes in. Just wait a minute. So, Mitch, anything to report? The leader of the forensic team took a seat at the table and began his preliminary reporting.

Yes, actually quite simple, all of it. We are almost certain that the poison was applied to the man's cutlery. It is therefore clear that this must have taken place here in the restaurant, and the cutlery was already present on the tables, before the man even took a seat. Given the layout of this building and the relative silence in the morning, this may have been done well in advance by anyone who knew about the man's reservation, because that is where the punchline is. Firstly, the tables appear to be set here for lunch around eleven o'clock, immediately after the breakfast round has ended. Moreover, the man had specially reserved that table, probably to have a good view of the entire restaurant. So there is little else to report. We take all interesting things to the lab for further research on fingerprints and the like. We are going to take a look at the kitchen now, just to be sure, but I am reasonably convinced that this will prove to have been an unnecessary effort when we leave there again. As far as I am concerned, you can release it here, and the kitchen probably in half an hour or so. The detective merely nodded and immediately turned to Jenny again.

Ok Jenny, does that sound better? Listen, are there cameras here inside the hotel, and if so, where? Jenny had her answer ready.

Inside, we only have cameras in the reception hall and above the reception. Outside at the entrance of course, and on the parking lot. That is it. I will make sure that everything will be available to you. That was good news for the detective.

Great, thank you. We need a little more here. I will have you called when we can start the conversation with you, that is still going to have to happen, I am afraid. Jenny left and the detective finally turned to the man they had picked up at the entrance.

Ok, Van Hintum. Now you. What are you looking for here, right now? The man looked angrily towards the detective, but when he started talking he only looked at Jerry Mol.

We have received a letter, which does not raise any doubts. You really have to watch out now. They know about all your movements over the last few weeks, and they even know you are here now. They do not mince words either. Here, read for yourself.

Stop, detective Den Dool responded in a loud voice. Stay off, first a bag around it, and then he took the letter with two fingertips at a corner, and put it in a plastic evidence bag, which of course he always carried with him. Then he read the letter aloud.

Mol needs to stop sticking his nose into things that do not concern him. Aandelek is off-limits. If he stays, he will leave there in a coffin, just like dirty Freddy.

That is brutal, Jerry Mol said. When was that letter delivered, and what time? Albert van Hintum replied immediately.

It was delivered to me addressed, by courier, this afternoon at a quarter past twelve. Oh, I am afraid I understand what you mean by brutal. That is before dirty Freddy met his real end? detective Den Dool had taken over the conversation again, clearly not charmed with the fact that he was totally ignored by the two newspapermen. Albert van Hintum was the editor-in-chief of Crime and Passion, a very popular weekly about well-known crimes and additional cases.

Jerry Mol was a kind of necessary evil for the detective because the crime journalist had been added to his investigative team by his superiors, without any kind of consultation. Mol turned out to be an ex-detective from the same department where Den Dool