And Along Came A...

by Lynn Thompson

Overview

".....and along came a..." begins the saga of an unlikely group of co-workers who watch too many CSI type television dramas and try their hands at forensic science. When an unsolved and gruesome crime from several decades past is featured on the evening news, Samantha, news-anchor and reticent T.V. personality, reacts rather violently to the crime scene photos, intriguing Jaych, the weather girl and collector of arachnids, and then the entire eclectic crew of 'eyewitness news'. The friends and their friends (and so on and so on) embark on a mission which takes them across the country in search of the conclusion to a tragic tale of double murder and the tiny baby who watched it all. Surprisingly, spiders provide answers along the way and aid in the dramatic finale. Or is it? The beauty of Puget Sound and it's islands provide a stunning backdrop to the investigation, as the activist population of Seattle gives flavor.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452043098
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	08/16/2010
Pages:	116
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.28(d)

Read an Excerpt

... and along came a ...

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By Lynn Thompson

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 Lynn Thompson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4520-4309-8

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Chapter One

Arachnids are some of the oldest known species known.....350 million years ago, spiders spun webs, and hunted.

"....................lows in the 20's, highs in the 20's, snow continuing throughout the weekend. Stay tuned to Eyewitness news here at Channel 7 for the very latest on road conditions and weather alerts. Sorry about this, looks like it's gonna be indoor sports for at least a week. Smitty will bring us all the highlights and scores in just a few minutes. Now for the latest on the fire downtown,......

.......Mike?.........Samantha?...."

Jaych handed off to the 'serious news' anchors as the camera panned away from her side of the desk. She couldn't divest herself of her tiny lapel mike just yet. The closing shot of the whole news crew would culminate with yet another radar view and more promises to 'keep the viewer up-to-date with the latest from News Channel Seven.'

After the depressing war footage, mayhem on downtown streets, mayhem on the highways, mayhem at the high school, etc., the sports cast gave the viewer reasons to continue living.

"..............spring training begins just two months from Monday and tickets go on sale in the morning. Lines are forming outside the stadium. I notice it's snowing, how cold are these fans going to be overnight, Jaych?"

Smitty handed off to Jaych in a characteristically smooth segue and she couldn't help but notice how smoothly and professionally he handled his role as sports coordinator. "I bet this job helps him when he writes his potboilers", she thought.

".................'bout 22 degrees in the morning. I think I'll wait a bit for MY tickets, myself, Smitty."

And yet another reminder 'to stay tuned to News Channel 7 for the very latest', and she was free.

She had been in town for a couple of months now. Still finding her way around. Her last job had been in a central Texas city, where she had been encouraged to wear lots of eye make-up and to have 'big' hair. She had acquired a real distaste for oversize belt-buckles and being called 'little lady'.

The Midwest is a little more realistic," she mused, not for the first time.

Smitty was her closest chum at the station so far. Samantha distrusted Jaych's looks and Mike concentrated on keeping the station manager from finding out about all that booze.

Smitty wrote smutty romance novels and had a devoted following among the athletes it was his job to interview. The ball players' exploits at 'away' games were grist for his mill and they delighted in seeing their adventures in print.

And Smitty delighted in his Lamborghini and his loft apartment that his 'hobby' brought him.

"Wanna ride, Jaych? Let's go celebrate FRIDAY. TGIF! Murphy's has a steak and beer that is calling my name. Come on, I'm buyin'."

"Sounds great, kid. But, I'm gonna take my jeep. Your 'ghini is gonna choke in this slush and I don't wanna walk. Besides, what if you find somebody to take home? I'll meet 'cha there. You got your chains on, right?"

She arrived at Murphy's first, natch. The neon lights glowed dimly through the dense mix of various frozen and/or freezing forms of winter, disguising how tacky the bar and grill was. During the day, Murphy's had the appearance of a crumbling warehouse being demolished. But, on payday, it was THE place to party.

At 10:45 the bar was three bodies deep but a few tables were available. Betty, feet on fire, brought two beers and asked, "The usual, kids?"

As they nodded in the affirmative, she said to Jaych, 'Got something for ya, ugly with lots of legs, scared the bejeebers out of Bob, he was gonna hit it with the choppin' board, I been feedin' it hamburger all week, got it under a beer mug, I swear that thing growls, got your name on the duct tape, don't forget it.'

Smitty said, "Jeesh, I'm glad you brought your own ride-those things give me the cold chills. Last time you carried that bug home in your bare hand totally weirded me out. I set a bomb off in my car just in case it had reproduced. Fumes soaked into the seats and made me dizzy for three weeks every time I drove it."

"Oh, this is pure rebellion. My mother was determined that I was gonna be a 'lady'. I told her to be careful of little 'Elvis' and little 'Fabian', the pet tarantulas in my room. They were just granddaddies, not even really spiders, but it worked. She left my space totally alone. Otherwise, there would have been fluffles and ruffles and pink garbage out the wazzoo. I would have been doomed to girly-girl hell."

The steaks arrived, sizzling on the plates with all the accouterments and two more icy beers.

And, the work week just--melted -away.

Murphy's was considered neutral ground on that sacred day of eagle flight. Cops, hookers, ballplayers, girlfriends, boyfriends of both sexes and crooks mingled in a mellow, boozily friendly atmosphere. As Jaych made her way to the kitchen, snippets of conversation followed her:

"..........said, pal, not even with somebody else's tenfoot pole,............"

"...........little bitty pieces, couldn't tell it had been human,................"

".......tapped him up side the head, just one time............."

"........... passed me like a bat out of...."

".. good lookin?!! Girl!!!! He was fine!!! Imagine my surprise when SHE........"

".....Miranda? Schrmanda!"...........

"..........said, wait a minnitt, now buddy, you got the wrong......"

"... attitude adjustment......."

Bob's t-shirt and apron were smeared with tomato sauce and/or blood, sweat, gravy and other various examples of a busy night's work.

He gestured toward a mug taped upside down on the prep table.

"The health inspector was in yesterday and we had to cover that thing up with a pile of lettuce and carrots to keep from losing our license."

He finished a beer, not his first, and pitched the bottle close to the trash can, narrowly missing a Latino dishwasher, who nervously flinched away.

An irate wolf spider glared with all eight eyes at his captors.

The dishwasher edged nearer his countryman with the mop.

"Es loca? Si?"

"Oh, Si, amigo....bonita? Si?"

"Oh, Si! Muy bonita,Si! Como es? Cucuracha?"

"Oh, como no.....is aruna, muy venomos, es muy mal!"

"Gringos y gringas, muy loco? Si?"

"Dinero es dinero.....Viva Mexico!"

Bob said, "Wetbacks!"

Betty said, " Oh, hush, Bob!"

Jaych said, "Isn't he neat?!"

And the spider thought, "@#!*_+%$#*

Chapter Two

Spiders: 37,000 species. Homo Sapiens : 1

The jangle woke her way too early Saturday morning. Without opening her eyes, she jerked the phone cord out of the wall, rolled over on the futon and drifted back into sweet warm oblivion.

Much later, she opened one eye and one curtain a tiny bit. The outside world was wintry and getting more so, quickly. Kids all over the city cursed the waste of a fabulous snow day.

Jaych, being past school age, thought, 'Perfect !' and crept to the microwave to manufacture a life-giving cup of tea, Earl Grey. 'Wonder if the paper got here....' opening the door the tiniest of smidges and peeking out.........

"Hey there!", she heard a distant shout. Someone was skiing in the street and waving.

"Hey, yourself, Smitty! I didn't think you would make it today, Cup o' tea?"

"You bet! I think we got about two feet of flurries so I broke out the old cross-countries. Hardly ever get to use 'em"

"Just lean your skis and poles up on the porch here. Good thing you didn't try your wheels. I imagine the wreckers and tow trucks are gonna be overwhelmed for a while."

Smitty kicked the snow off his boots and shrugged his coat from his shoulders. He handed Jaych a notebook.

"Would you just glance through this and be honest about it ? My sources swear it's all true but.........just tell me what you think."

Smitty felt comfortable enough in her space to make his own tea and soon joined her at the table.

"My god! Is that what you brought home last night?!"

He stayed well away from the large spider in the saucer of milk.

"Nah,......I've had his one for awhile....breakfast time......." She turned a page and took a sip of Earl Grey.

"So, you're gonna be 'Sinthia Smythe' this time........I like it......I like the title, too...'Treetop Lover'......... sounds kinky! The spider is a lycodae most people call 'em wolf spiders......they're just the neatest guys! Lots of personality........so fun...........hardly ever bite!"

Smitty watched the creature very carefully. "Is it looking at me?! I think it's looking at me....!"

"Is this 'Trevaughn Washington' anybody I would have heard of? I like that for your hero's name, by the way, very cool.

Yeah, I imagine she is looking at you, she's got eight eyes, after all, so, yes, odds are at least one of 'em is on you. Don't get your panties all in a wad now, just relax!"

Smitty struggled to maintain his manly composure. "Yeah, if you listen to the sportscast, you've heard of this kid. The NBA drafted him right out of high school, he's that good. Here he is eighteen years old, never been away from home and his mama, all of a sudden he's making a pro salary, living in hotels in big cities with 'room service', if you get my drift.

So, I asked him about his love life. Well, now...I'm gonna have a whole series of bodice rippers out of this kid...........

.................is
that thing moving?!"

"Will you sit down! Her spiderlings are just hitching a ride on her back, she's got thirty or so and they need a snack, too. Can't live on air....I'll just get 'em some more milk."

As Jaych went to the fridge, she noticed a long, dark shape by the heating vent. She leaned over the table and knocked sharply on the wall three times, Smitty flinching visibly at each rap.

Almost immediately, the front door crashed open and a burly, tattooed man with a gray ponytail rushed into the room.

"I knew she would turn up sooner or later! Hello, Fluffy! There you are, you naughty girl! Daddy has been SO worried!"

He gathered the two yard long boa constrictor to his chest and joined the tea party.

"I think she follows the pipes over here or maybe the heating ducts. Looking for mice, I guess."

Jaych brought a cup of hot water and a tea bag. "Hey, Leon.....got the day off....huh?

Eighteen wheelers don't go so good in white stuff, even your intrepid Western Star, I guess, do they?"

"Yeah, the dispatcher called me and said to set this one out. I need to be home any how, I'm about to be grandpa!'

"Really?.......I didn't know you had children," said Smitty, torn now between watching the monsters on the table and the monster cuddling with Leon.

"Nah.....no kids, just little Fluffy, here. She's expecting any time, now. Sometimes she has as many as thirty. I'm sure glad she turned up before the blessed event!"

"Oh, I think we all are, Leon. Hey, Smitty's got another book ready for the presses. Ya wanna see?"

"Well, yeah....... I really liked that one about the lady spy behind enemy lines doing 'under cover' work. Where do you get all your ideas, man?"

Smitty said, "If you just keep your eyes open, it's all around you. I'm surprised any real work gets done at all.

So, what did you think, Jaych? Is it too kinky? Is it believable? LeBron....er,......Trevaughn swears he can do that all night....have you seen the size of his .....er.... shoes?"

Jaych said, "What I'm concerned about is if it's physically possible.......sounds like some of this might be painful, too....But, I guess when you're eighteen,,,,,,,"

Leon said, " Listen, Smitty, this sounds like it would make a hell of a movie. Maybe with somebody like .... oh.... Will Smith.....or Blair Underwood....... Go for it pal. You'll need help to count your cash!"

Fluffy burped, gently.

"She's been munching on rats and mice again! Eating for thirty-one, you know.....I think we'll go on home... she's looking kinda tired....good to see ya, Smitty....thanks for the tea, Jaych....... later......."

The snow was tapering off. Leon scraped it off the pathway with his boot and opened the door to his side of the duplex and he and Fluffy disappeared inside.

Jaych congratulated herself once again on her incredible luck in finding the perfect home and the perfect neighbor. This was not the very best side of town, but the presence of Leon and Jaych's 'pets' had spread like the flu. They were never burgled, their vehicles never touched, they were never bothered by rodents or cockroaches or alas, sleepovers.

Life is seldom totally kind or fair.

Smitty re-entered his ski togs. "Thanks, Jaych. I guess I'll see ya Monday? You gonna leave your phone unplugged all weekend?"

"Phone lines are down all over town, don't cha watch the news?"

Spiders are quiet. They never need to be walked. They don't need to be entertained. They never criticize. And your secrets are always safe.

Chapter Three

The smallest spider is the size of a pinhead, the largest is dinner plate size.

'Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing'

'What a lovely voice', Jaych muttered to herself. 'Sounds like Mike'. She was in the station a little early: she was expected to do promos and still shots for regular broadcasts and weather updates throughout the day.

Since she was the 'new kid' and the snow had turned to freezing rain, the Ostenheimer Overpass was to be the 'live shot' for the 5 o'clock weather cast.

Gianni, the cameraman was doomed as well. They were both wearing most of what they owned and could barely move.

"I got hot coffee in the truck", he said as he met her in the hall. "And I 'borrowed' some of Mike's supply. Just don't let me forget to bring back the bottle. He always takes 'em home with him. Maybe he counts 'em. Nobody knows."

"Is he gonna be able to go on air?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. He been drunker than this. He'll be fine."

'Fear no more the best o'sun. Nor furious winters rages: Thou thy worldly task is done, Home thou are gone, and ta'en thy wages, Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, gone to dust.'

"He sure sounds totally smashed, but so good! Did he used to be an actor?"

"Nah! He's too short to be on the stage or in the movies, he'd have to have a ladder and a box and the New York phone book to be any size at all. You ready?"

Driver/photographer/technician Gianni, cursed steadily all the treacherous way to the interchange and overpass. They put out the safety cones and turned on the flashers on the up- link truck and extended the outriggers to steady the vehicle and it's mast against the icy wind.

The metal safety-rail was coated with ice and icicles hanging picturesquely aslant from it and Gianni panned the camera from that view to Jaych's face. She had covered her blond curls with sock cap and turned up the edges so she could see and be seen.

Damn! It was cold! They taped several shots and set up for the 'live take.'

The voice in the ear piece counted, "Five.....four..... three.....two...and....

Jaych said, "Yes, indeed, Samantha, still coming down and freezing on impact. Wind from the north northwest at about 35 miles per hour. It is messy and very dangerous out here. If you don't have to be out, don't be! By all means, stay home! I'll be back in a few minutes for the rest of the forecast. Samantha?"

"You stay bundled, Jaych and be careful out there! .............

............In our top story this evening, the fire department was called to the Bide-A-Wee mobile home park to extinguish a blaze that apparently started when a resident, Joe Don Ledbetter, attempted to barbecue in his living room. The firefighters were hampered by several large dogs in the surrounding neighborhood. Law enforcement officers arrived......."

Gianni passed Jaych a steaming cup as they sought shelter in the truck. He poured a generous slug of whiskey in both cups.

"We got, what, 'bout ten minutes before you go back on....take a break."

Jaych took a sip of the potent brew. "Lifesaver! Jeesh, it's lousy out here. Do we really got to stay and do the 10 o'clock out here, too?"

Gianni turned the heater up a notch. "It makes super TV, viewers love to see ya suffer. We can work around it, though. I been doin' this a little longer than you have. There are 'ways'......What kinda name is that, any way, Jaych?....I never heard of it...."

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from ... and along came a ... by Lynn Thompson Copyright © 2010 by Lynn Thompson. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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