The Case of the Vanishing Masterpieces: A Samuel Garcia Private Eye Mystery

By Alton Lynn Cooper

A hard case with large amounts of intrigue gets Samuel's blood moving and his investigative juices flowing along with it. After solving his first big case that put an end to a cattle rustling ring, he is called upon in his next big caper to help uncover how very expensive works of art are going missing from some of the most secure galleries in the world. He becomes completely stumped until an individual shows up, leaving a mysterious note for him that reveals one of the keys needed to unravel the case. This sends him down a trail of suspense and intrigue, where he becomes entangled in numerous webs of deceit, exposing him to desperate individuals and grave moments of danger that threaten his very existence. It is only by God's providential grace that Samuel avoids having his life taken away by the hands of evil men.

The Case of the Vanishing Masterpieces is a real page-turner that will keep you guessing all the way to the end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890435132

Book preview

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The Case of the Vanishing Masterpieces

A Samuel Garcia Private Eye Mystery

Alton Lynn Cooper

ISBN 979-8-89043-512-5 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89043-513-2 (digital)

Copyright © 2024 by Alton Lynn Cooper

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All scriptures are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of God’s Holy Word.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Prologue

About the Author

Books by Alton Lynn Cooper

Prologue

Samuel Garcia was the young, debonair Spanish associate of Davey Gibson in the novel On the Wings of Love. He's a dashing young man who is most comfortable in blue jeans and a brightly colored shirt, with his feet clad in genuine leather cowboy boots (with carved designs on them, of course). Samuel's great-grandfather was a policeman and passed his love of solving difficult cases down to his flamboyant grandson.

After Davey moved back to the States from serving in missionary work in the South Pacific, Samuel joined the local police department on Kalmajo Island, enabling him to receive on-the-job training in preparation for his return to Texas, taking up residence as an elite private investigator. He launches his career in some most unusual ways before finally landing his first big case, tracking down some pretty clever cattle rustlers (In the Dark of Night). Samuel manages to remain footloose and fancy-free even though he has a number of young lady admirers along with a loving mother who is expecting a host of grandchildren from her eldest son.

Samuel established his office in the old bunkhouse on his family's sprawling cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle after evicting numerous families of mice who had called the place home for many years. He lives on the ranch with his mother and six brothers, who have assumed responsibilities for managing the cattle operations while he pursues his investigating career. A hard case with large amounts of intrigue gets Samuel's blood moving and his investigative juices flowing along with it.

After solving his first big case putting an end to a cattle rustling ring, he is called upon in his next big caper to help uncover how very expensive works of art are going missing from some of the most secure galleries in the world. He becomes completely stumped until one individual shows up, revealing one of the keys needed to unravel the case. This sends him down a trail of suspense and intrigue where he becomes entangled in numerous webs of deceit, exposing him to desperate individuals and grave moments of danger that threaten his very existence.

Note: All scriptures are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of God's Holy Word.

What do you know about art?

Well, I drew you those lovely pictures in first grade. You still have them, right? Samuel gave his mother a big expectant grin.

I don't want to hurt your feelings in any way, son, but when the old refrigerator died, your papa, rest his soul, threw it out and everything attached to it.

Samuel let his facial expression turn into one of great sorrow. And here, I thought you kept everything that I labored over during those formative years.

If I kept everything that you and your six brothers labored over growing up, there wouldn't be enough room for all of it and us in this house. Now you still haven't answered me. Why do you think you can help this man figure out why his famous paintings have disappeared and where they disappeared to?

I'm not sure myself. We will meet tomorrow in Amarillo and discuss the case. He is a friend of Larson Maxwell and became aware of my work for him on the cattle rustling case. The least I can do is meet with him and see what he needs. At this particular time, my snooping capabilities aren't being requested by anyone else, and what good is a snooper if there's nothing to be snooped after?

I trust that the art world won't be as dangerous as the missing cattle business was for you. It was your brother who came clean and told me about the bullet hole in that old Jeep of yours and your visit to that border town that almost put an end to your snooping once and for all. Samuel's mother gave him a whack on the back of his head, sending his fluffy mane of dark Spanish hair into a standing position.

Hey, watch that. We never know when the sweet Valentina may peek around the kitchen door and find me not looking so dashing and debonair as my usual self.

You promised to help your brothers on the south range this afternoon stretching that new fencing. You'd best get about your work and leave your mind free of Ms. Valentina.

Samuel had offered to work with his brothers on their sprawling Texas cattle ranch, keeping busy while waiting for his next case. He was a highly strung energetic individual and couldn't sit still for any length of time. Now he would need to work hard for the rest of the day to keep his commitment to his brothers before his meeting with the art man in Amarillo. He was hoping this would be the beginning of a new caper worthy of his investigative skills. He thrived on adventure and needed a little bit of danger thrown in to create those tingles up and down his spine. This, of course, was much to the dismay of his mother and was his reason for leaving out those moments when she demanded of him frequent updates concerning his latest case. He would have to be careful sharing too much information with his oldest brother, Diego, realizing it was a direct flow through him back to her. After he shared the information about his Jeep getting shot and almost losing his ears tied to a chair in the border town of Loralloes with Diego, soon thereafter, he was called on the carpet by his mother.

*****

It's about time you graced us with your presence. Were you trying to wait until the post holds were all dug before showing your face?

Not really. Mama had me dancing because you can't keep that trap of yours shut. Why did you tell her about my Jeep getting shot?

She found out about that? Diego showed a look of shock on his deeply suntanned face.

Samuel gave him a quick jab on the shoulder and then stretched on his leather gloves, picking up the posthole digger.

You be careful with that, my brother. If you are not used to physical labor with this Texas sun beating down on you, we may have to haul you to the hacienda and shade. Snooping around and digging in this hard prairie soil are two different things, you know.

Why didn't you spend a little of the ranch's fortune and buy a power auger to dig in this hard prairie dirt?

That's taking the easy way out. Papa always dug by hand. It's an old Garcia family tradition. Not only that, look at your brothers with that sweat glistening off their bronze faces. Isn't that the sign of manhood?

That's the sign of living in medieval times while the world is moving on around you.

Are you going to dig or keep dishing out this ill-begotten philosophy of yours?

Samuel gave his brother a wry smile and bent to the task before him.

They spent the morning leapfrogging with the other four brothers digging postholes, preparing to enclose the south pasture to accommodate the ever-growing herd of cattle.

Look, my brother. Isn't she a vision sent from heaven above? Samuel stopped plunging the posthole digger into the ground to watch Valentina making her way toward them with two of her young maids pushing carts loaded with containers of iced sweet tea and lunch supplies. He quickly pulled the big handkerchief from his blue jean pocket, mopping the sweat from his face while patting his wavy raven hair in place.

Your mama thought it would be easier for you to take your lunch here under the shade of the large oaks, saving the daylight hours for work.

All the brothers knew that their mama's real reason for feeding them outside was to avoid the wasted time having them scrub up before entering her house in the middle of a workday. No one was ever allowed in Mama's house until they were scrubbed head to toe and dressed for the occasion.

Valentina, your care for us poor wayfaring men touches my heart deeply. Samuel winked and smiled brilliantly toward his mother's head maid.

This action on his part always caused the young woman's face to take on a reddish glow and her eyes to look away from his deep stare. She completed her task of delivering the food to them and turned quickly back toward the main house without responding.

You know she cares for you, my brother. With your dark Spanish features combined with her delicate beauty, Mama sure could have some beautiful grandbabies.

Those are thoughts you can keep to yourself. Let's eat. I'm hungry.

The afternoon passed toward the evening as seven deeply tanned men grunted and moved gently with bodies sore from a long day's work. We will let the posts set for a few days and then stretch the fence.

I may be involved in this new case by then.

That's okay, my brother. Your sibling group has stretched many rolls of fence across this prairie.

It's good that all of you have ranching in your blood like our dear departed papa. For me, I need something more to get my blood moving.

Well, Mama doesn't know it yet, but our youngest brother, Ricardo, has an itch to study law. He has applied to the South Texas College of Law in Houston. My dear brother below me, Eduardo, seems to have building in his blood. Remember how, when we were little, he was always building roads and towns in the dirt and driving small stones up and down the streets, making those weird motor noises? He has shared his desire to start up his own construction company. So if these two follow your wandering ways, we will have to consider hiring more hands to replace them.

I think everyone should pursue their dreams. At the end of the day, we will all be here for Mama and the ranch as needed. I'm glad that you inherited papa's heart for the place. You make an excellent manager, and I know the ranch is in good hands under your watchful eyes.

*****

You, boys, did a good day's work. Your papa would be proud of you. He would smile down this table at all of you and say, ‘Well done,' if he were here. Even to the one more inclined to snooping than ranching with the rest of us. Mama cast a sharp eye in Samuel's direction.

He kept his head down, thoroughly enjoying the wonderful meal that Valentina and her staff had prepared for them.

We'll let those posts set in and stretch the fence by the end of the week. Diego had spoken up, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Mama had never approved of Samuel's love of adventure, especially after hearing of the bullet hole in his old Jeep. Diego had let that slip out and was trying to make amends to Samuel by keeping Mama at bay.

*****

Samuel arrived at the cantina just before noon for his appointment with Gerard Grayson. The man hadn't shared a lot of information on the phone concerning the case, leaving that for their in-person meeting. He sat down at his favorite table next to a stand of artificial cactus with the wall behind him painted in desert scenes.

The cantina's proprietor, Ms. Carmen Ortega, came to his table with an order pad in hand. Well, look at what the wind blew in. Can I start you off with a nice, cold glass of milk?

I'm waiting for a business associate. You can bring me a nice, cold glass of your best water with a twist of lemon in it. Samuel gave his host a brilliant smile, showing off his perfect white rows of teeth.

I remember your last visit and your need for milk after enjoying some of my special tacos. Ms. Carmen headed off to take more customers' orders as he remembered his last time here.

He had teased the young woman just a little too much, and she had blessed him with extra hot sauce on his tacos instead of the mild that he had ordered. He had determined to be more respectful of her in their future meetings. She had an eye for him the same as some of the other beautiful young ladies in Amarillo, but he maintained his distance from all of them. Much to his mama's dismay, he was not ready to settle down just yet. He buried himself in the front page of the local newspaper, catching up on what was going on in town, and didn't see the man approaching his table.

Mr. Garcia?

He looked up quickly and rose, sticking out his hand to whom he hoped was Gerard Grayson. Yes, I'm Samuel Garcia, and you are?

Gerard Grayson. It's good to meet you.

Likewise. Please have a seat. I haven't ordered yet. The food here is very good.

I had lunch earlier today, but I will have something cold to drink. Gerard Grayson was a portly middle-aged man with a full head of white hair joined by a large mustache and flowing beard that matched. He wore gold wire–rimmed glasses and was dressed immaculately in a dark custom-tailored suit. Samuel had noticed the gold Rolex watch on his wrist. It was obvious that he was a man of means.

Ms. Carmen returned to take their orders, giving Samuel's business associate an admiring look. Gerard Grayson's stare remained firmly fixed on Samuel's deeply suntanned face. How much do you know about the art world?

Not much, I'm afraid. Is that a prerequisite for the job?

No, not at all. I can supply you with what little knowledge you will need concerning art. I need you to catch some very crafty art thieves. My friend, Larson Maxwell, tells me you are an expert in seeking out rats in the barn. That's what I need. If you track down the rats, the missing art will be found at the end of the trail.

Over the next hour,