Excerpt #1 – The End of the Treachery
(King Mar, Harold’s dear friend and the owner of the Pan American Café, has a surprise on the cusp of a celebration.)
Somewhere around the middle of May, King Mar called me to the back of the Pan American Café while I enjoyed his roast beef sandwich lunch special. At first, I felt annoyed to be taken away from such a delicious sandwich. Nevertheless, I followed dutifully. Before me, in need of a wash, new tires, and a replacement windshield, sat a 1942 Pontiac Torpedo Coupe, a shade of ochre somewhat darker than Sir Pounce, my Manx cat. For that matter, it might have been years of built-up muck and dirt. It was fortunate it wasn’t a black-and-white combination, like Lady Mittens, the other feline who lived in my apartment. King Mar had a big smile on his face. I could not determine the reason.
“Nice, huh?” he beamed proudly. I nodded, my eyebrows in the typical position of surprise, trying not to insult a dear friend with a premature comment. Had anyone else observed the scene they would have doubted my detecting skills. “Your birthday’s soon, right?” The explanation became clear in a single question.
*****
Harold Bergman, a Jewish private detective and World War II veteran, is approached to locate a missing girl. Little does he know, this seemingly routine case plunges him into a labyrinth of deceit, entwined with a looming threat to national security.
Meanwhile, a distraught woman challenges the official narrative surrounding her husband’s death, convinced that a vengeful client orchestrated his demise. As he delves deeper into these cases, he uncovers layers of hidden truths and personal agendas, where every step reveals a new layer of treachery.
Determined to unravel the web of lies, Harold must navigate through a maze of danger and deception, drawing upon his resilience and faith to unearth the sinister truth that threatens to unravel everything he holds dear.
The End of the Treachery, Volume 2 of The Wichita Chronicles, will be released on December 9, 2024.
To find the truth, Harold Bergman will have to unmask the treachery.
