Money Trane (eBook)

Charlie Girard (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2023 | 1. Auflage
258 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-2033-8 (ISBN)

Infos

Jack Trane is hired by billionaire Benson Money to round up his children and make sure they get to his mansion in Portland, Maine by the weekend. Jack completes the task but is not prepared for the mystery, murder, and mayhem that happens upon their arrival.

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Billionaire Benson Money is convinced that one or all his children are out to kill him for their inheritance. Mr. Money hires Jack Trane, a hard-nosed detective from New York City, and his young, brassy assistant Trudy to round up his children and their spouses, then ensure they show up at his Portland mansion by the weekend. That weekend, he plans to read the changes in his will to them. All his children are reluctant but agree to come. Along the way, Jack is being followed by a mysterious, thin man with white hair and a white, bushy mustache. Jack loves fine cuisine and street vendors, and throughout the week he samples as many as he can. By the time they all arrive at the mansion, all mayhem breaks loose. There is a murder and several attempted murders. In the end, Jack is forced to try to solve a mystery that nobody saw coming.

Textauszug

Chapter 1

There was a crispness in the air like that of a newly minted dollar bill. It was an early morning, in late September in New York City and like clockwork the streets were flooded with cars, buses, and pedestrians, all moving at a pace equal to the organic flow of the city. Jack Trane sat in his office with a blueberry muffin and a steaming cup of coffee directly in front of him on his desk. The aroma from the vanilla latte and the muffin rose into the air and filled his senses. Most people would be contemplating what lay in the day ahead, but Jack contemplated the muffin. He had been a private investigator for the past twenty-five years. He had been shot at, beaten up, and survived explosions and bar fights. After all was said and done, he now valued food more than he did people. There were a few exceptions to that rule, however. Jack had been dating Debra Thorn, a hot detective with the robbery division. She was smart and quick, and she seemed to complement all that Jack was. She was also a redhead and easy on the eyes. He couldn’t picture himself without Debra in his life. Still, he wasn’t sure that she felt the same way, but that’s a chance he was willing to take.

Jack also had an assistant, Trudy. She had been working for him for a little more than seven years. To Jack, Trudy was more valuable than a new Rolex. But that would be an understatement. Jack knew that without Trudy he would probably just be another down-and-out private eye working out of his car. With her, he felt that there was no case that he couldn’t solve. She gave Jack the confidence and the edge he needed to track down the bad guys, find missing persons, and make the connections he needed to stay one step ahead of the pack. Jack had pretty much no computer skills, that’s where Trudy did most of her work. She was about thirty years old, blonde hair and very attractive. She also had a smart New York mouth. She loved fashion and she loved wearing jewelry, even if it was the cheap kind, and she ate like a teenager. She spoke with a distinctive New York accent that was both irritating and endearing at the same time and she liked giving Jack a hard time. There were always a lot of wise-mouth comments about the way he dressed and the cases he took. But he actually enjoyed this office banter. Trudy could dish it out, but she could also take it. He felt that these daily exchanges kept him on his toes.

Jack was not a flashy dresser but, in his own mind, he dressed for success. A pair of dockers, a pristine white shirt, an old tie, a plain sport jacket, and an added hat, made up his ensemble on any given day. Today, he was wearing a pair of off-white dockers, a white shirt, a blue striped tie, and a grey sports jacket. He had never been a slave to fashion and his wardrobe certainly reflected that. The way he dressed was pretty much the same as when arrived in New York about twenty-five years ago. He was a throwback to a different era. If you put a little bit of Eastwood, McQueen, and Bogart into a bottle, shook it up, and poured it out, you’d end up with a little bit of Jack Trane.

The aroma from the muffin and coffee continued to fill his senses. He finally picked up the muffin and took a big bite, and then he took a long sip of the coffee, sat back in his chair, and enjoyed the flavor. He yelled to Trudy in the next office, “Trudy, thanks a bunch for bringing in the coffee and muffins, I owe you one.”

Trudy sat at her desk with one eyebrow raised and yelled back towards Jack’s office, “Glad you feel that way, Jack. You can pay me back by bringing me the Cadillac of burgers from C.J. Clarke’s for lunch.”

Trudy was giggling at her desk. Jack was smiling at his desk, he shot back, “I don’t know about the Cadillac of burgers, Trudy, but maybe we’ll head over to Big Jim’s Sports Bar for the best burger in the city. What do you think about that?”

Trudy smirked as she looked up at the ceiling, and said, “You’re the last of the big spender’s Jack. But if you’re buying, I’m flying.”

His laugh was muffled as he stuffed the last bit of his muffin in his mouth, and he declared, “And if you behave yourself, I’ll let you drive my car.” Jack drove a brand-new Shelby Mustang GT-500. It was his pride and joy. It was unusual for him to let anyone drive his Mustang, but Trudy was the exception. In his mind, he really did owe her more than one.

Now it was about 10:00 a.m. and Jack proceeded to read the newspaper. It was the same old headlines, the black print could have read, bla-bla-bla-, and it would have amounted to the same thing. He turned to the comic strips. To him, that was the best part of the paper.

Business had been slow, but that was nothing new. Sometimes weeks passed between cases, but to Jack, it seemed like months as his checking account would dwindle to the point where Trudy would remind him that there wasn’t enough in the account to cover her paycheck. But Jack was patient. He knew that sooner or later someone would come through that office door with a case worthy of his experience and expertise. Something that would put him on top again. At least that’s what he was hoping.

In the meantime, Trudy sat at her desk, looking at the clock, filing her nails and snapping her gum. She got up, walked towards Jack’s office, and stopped at the door. She tilted her head to one side and said, “Jack, did you know that the rent is due next week? And we’re behind on the electric bill and your credit card is maxed out? If we don’t get a case soon, we’re going to be working out of your apartment.”

Jack smiled, and he said, “We’ll, I’m a little behind on my rent there too.”

Trudy’s eyes widened, and she said, “Well Jack, what are you going to do? We need a case!”

He sat back in his chair calmly and smiled. “Don’t worry, Trudy, something will come up. I’ll bet we get a case before the end of the day.”

Just then the door to the office opened and a man walked in. Jack looked at Trudy with a smirk. “Don’t you think you should get back to your desk and see who just came into the office?” She snapped her gum and twirled her shoulder-length blonde hair as she headed back to her office.

Trudy sat down at her desk and did her best to look busy. The man who had just come into the office approached her and said, “I’d like to see Mr. Trane.” Trudy, in her native New York accent asked, “Do you have an appointment?” The man smiled and replied, “No, but I think he will see me. Can you please tell him that Benson Money would like to speak with him about a very lucrative opportunity?” Trudy looked him up and down. It was obvious that Mr. Money didn’t buy his clothes off the rack. He was wearing a very well-tailored, dark gray, pinstripe suit and he had on a bright orange tie. He was about six feet tall and had salt-and-pepper hair. He was a good-looking man probably in his sixties, and smelled like he was wearing a very expensive aftershave.

Trudy pointed to the chairs and said, “Please take a seat, Mr. Money, and I’ll see if he has time to see you.” Mr. Money turned around and looked at the chairs against the wall, there was a visible layer of dust resting on the seat covers. They didn’t appear to be up to his standards, so he made a disgusted face, dusted off one of the chairs with a white handkerchief that he pulled from his pocket, and sat down.

Trudy got up from her desk, walked into Jack’s office, and closed the door behind her. She looked at Jack, face solemn, and said, “Jack, there is a guy out there who calls himself Mr. Money, and he wants to talk to you about a case. Trudy’s eyes widened as sarcasm laced her words. “Mr. Money, Jack. Doesn’t that sound a little made up? Want me to tell him to get lost?”

Jack squinted his eyes and sighed. “Trudy, if this guy is Benson Money, he’s worth about a zillion dollars. Look, you go back out to your office and sit at your desk and act casual like this is just another case. Then calmly tell him that I will see him now, and just send him in.”

Trudy raised her right eyebrow and in a low gravelly voice, said “Yes Boss, whatever you say.” She went back into her office, sat down, and in her best casual voice said, “Mr. Trane will see you now.” Benson Money stood up, dusted himself off, smiled at Trudy, and walked into Jack’s office.

Jack stood up and from behind his desk, extended his hand toward Mr. Money. Benson Money shook Jack’s hand. It was a firm handshake, the kind that you would expect from a billionaire. Then Mr. Money began, “Hello Mr. Trane, my name is Benson Money, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He sat down in the chair directly in front of Jack’s desk.

Jack smiled and said, “I think that the pleasure is mine.” Then he sat down and started, “So Mr. Money, how can I help you?”

Mr. Money pulled out a small silver case from the inside of his jacket and opened it. He pulled out a cigar and looking at Jack asked, “Would you like one? They are Cubans.”

Jack’s face was blank. He said, “Thanks but I don’t smoke.”

Mr. Money nodded and said, “Do you mind if I do?”

Jack smiled, and although he hated the smell of cigar smoke, he knew that it wouldn’t be a good business move to refuse him. He said, “Of course...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.11.2023
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-2033-8 / 9798350920338