EXCERPT #3 – THE END OF THE TREACHERY
(Harold views the place where a client’s husband was found dead, trying to determine if it was murder, an accident, or suicide.)
Gunny had told me specifically where they found Martin Kaye’s body. Since the police ruled the death as accidental or possible suicide, the area was not a crime scene and blocked off in any fashion. Richie pulled over as close to the curb on Nims Drive as possible while I walked down the pathway along the Arkansas River. Kaye’s car still sat parked at the office building on Douglas. That meant he would have had to walk anywhere from a mile and a half to two miles, presumably in a drunken stupor, to have made his way to this location. Perhaps he didn’t start his imbibing until he got to a cozy spot on the riverbank. A stretch of the imagination, for sure. I had trouble picturing either a despondent suicide or an intoxicated accident in this manner. Every possibility existed he could have been abducted by a perpetrator and brought to this quiet location to be killed. But by who? The insinuation of a disgruntled client indicated a crime of passion, one of emotion rather than deliberation. A meeting in the office followed by a heated argument that eventually led to an impulsive act. Anything like that made sense. I found a scene in the park incomprehensible.
* * * *
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. It is currently available for pre-order.
