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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781532016288 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | iUniverse, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 02/28/2017 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 316 |
| File size: | 422 KB |
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CHAPTER 1
A truly unimportant story of an incredible major crime in small town Neverland
SONG 1: Hey, hey, my, my, rock-n roll can never die.. There's more to the picture than meets the eye, hey, hey, my, my.. Out of the blue into the black, you pay for this and they give you that.. Once you're gone you can't come back, it's outta the blue and into the black..
She stood there with me in that house, on that warm sunny afternoon.. She was frozen on the first step that lead to the cellar.. She turned to me, her eyes piercing into mine.. Her pupils blackened with fear, it's haunted, she said, her voice trembling, there's ghosts here.. Uncanny, that such a short time later, I'll sternly warn her.. Don't ever go to The House on Silver Creek, don't ever open that door again, ever.. It's haunted, there's ghosts in there.. Everything about that house is dead, everything in it has died..
So, this is what they mean when they say, "When Hell freezes over.." It's cold, not snowing yet, not sleet, just bitter cold, Canadian cold.. They'll tell you, it'll twist your bones, it'll grab your nervous system up through the muscles cracking every joint in its path.. Crunching your way through that glistening pile of frozen snow, now covering the colored steel of what was once, your warm safe car and soon maybe again, if she starts.. You adjust, painfully filling your lungs with frosty cold chilling air.. Your finger's numb, a man's beard will frost to ice and forget about saving your balls if you gotta piss outside.. Oh ya, there's this big Canadian rule we live by, eh.. Watch out where the Huskies go and don't you eat that yellow snow..
The winds had adjusted their course, south-east straight off the ice fields of the Arctic.. Canada was bracing itself once again for another long cold one.. Winter was coming, my sign, it was time to head south, stay warm.. My profession permitted me to work throughout the world.. This winter I was heading for six months in the sun.. A great offer to work the winter of 2006/07 in Cabo San Lucas, San Jose, Baja Sur California, Mexico.. Lands' End as it's translated, where the Sea of Cortez meets the mighty Pacific.. Cabo, its marked with the Arch, a hole drilled by the nails of the tides straight through the rock mass that is Lands' End.. Cortez is the natural breeding ground for most sea creatures.. Everybody's dream destination, my dream job..
We stood there in that cold November night, the winds reaching through her, brushing her hair one side to the other, washing itself across that beautiful face of hers.. A face I had looked into a thousand times before.. This night I needed to see it clearly, completely, see deeply into her eyes, her heart.. It was my picture of her, my last look, you know the mind shot.. The one we remember, the one that we will always keep deep inside our hearts..
I swept her long jet black hair in one clean sweep with my left hand, grabbing at its silkiness in my fist then neatly tossing it up into a tail.. Twisting it, I held it firm between her tender dainty neck and my man sized hand.. This wasn't the first time I had her by the tail and I reminded her of it.. I caressed her into my grip gently.. Jackie always moved where I moved her.. My other hand holding firmly across her black leather motorcycle jacket.. It was so cool, the steel studs highlighting it and the jacket hugging her frame perrrrfectly snug across her precision cut ass.. She always looked like a model in it, my little biker chick I'd call her.. I stood there kissing her, brushing against her, fondling her body..
As the outer doors of the departure gates of Lester B. Pearson, Toronto's International Airport, slid open and closed to allow the torrent of pedestrians to pass through, "Drop Off Only" the sign read.. We kissed and kissed deeply and passionately.. I told her I loved her over and over again, how much I would miss her.. The airport security guard rushed toward us, the shiny red Chevy Sunfire had overstayed its welcome.. Then as if he was on a leash, he stopped dead in his stride, he looked at us for a long moment and nodded at me as if to say, "It's okay, take your time with her, you may never see her again.." He turned, looked back once, then he quickly rushed away to harass another drop-off violator.. I kissed her again then again, each time longer, harder.. I knew I wouldn't see her until she came to join me in Cabo..
For me, I'm good in old town Mexico, I'm easy in the hood or the quaint fishing villages.. The families there are bound together from over thousands of years.. Hanging with the natives, as I call it.. But her, Jacqueline, she was gringo's girl, no princess, just real down to earth.. Pure Canadian Grade A Beef, sweet as maple syrup, real sugar and spice and definitely had everything nice and oh so neatly packed away..
After a 20-year marriage, to the queen of nice.. Jacqueline was a good second chance for me.. They were similar in certain ways, different as day and night in others and more than I would have ever believed in one way, and that, I was soon going to find out.. The four years we had spent together brought us deeply in love.. She was the last thing in my world that I wanted to lose, she knew that..
Jacqueline wasn't very well traveled, something I was intending on changing in her life.. I figured I could just introduce her to my real Mexico, slowly, safely.. She'd be a lot more comfortable in gringo' land, as the Mexicans call it, all whites or affluent Mexicans.. Gated compounds, armed security, all the comforts of home behind a fence.. I wanted her to feel she was safe, somewhere she could call home.. As I was nearing to deliver my final and most passionate kiss, before I miss my rocket to Margaritaville.. I couldn't escape the thought that she had asked me not to go.. It was three days before I was booked to jet out.. I knew she was just scared, lover's worry, separation anxiety, something like that..
I loved her and she loved me, this was going to be a good move for all.. I could take care of some business, grab some cool cash and Bob's your uncle.. Jacqueline had never been anywhere other than the trip I took her on the year earlier to Florida.. She got the bug as I say, the travel bug.. She was looking forward to Mexico and sex on the beach.. I didn't know it then, but I would never hold Jacqueline like that again..
I'd never kiss her that way, with both of us enthralled in passion.. Yes I'd see her again, even spend several nights together with her.. I'd also see me behind the walls of a maximum security prison, three times.. I'd see everything in my world stripped from my life, stolen by two incredible con men, friends.. I'd also see the two men responsible for it all walking free right there in downtown Revenant, wearing my clothes, my watch, my jewelry, my shoes, using my identity, and all the time conning, scheming, lying to everyone in the town family, friends, strangers and Jackie..
The Neverland Provincial Police, Revenant N.P.P. will ignore every possible clue.. Just to make sure everyone is perfectly clear here, I'm the one that will go to jail.. The two people that teared up under that cold November moon, that kissed in front of those electronic sliding doors.. The two lovers that wanted a life together, they would never be the same.. Both of them will soon be nothing more than victims..
Jacqueline was planning on coming on January 7th with my daughter Ambrosia, who was going to enjoy winter break from her studies at University.. My son Jessie and his girlfriend Melody, were coming down to work with me for the season.. A real chance to bond with him.. We had split as a family five years earlier.. Where could it be cooler than all-inclusive, private members only resort, which I was going to be part of their Executive Management team?
Jessie has seen the life many times, now he was going to feel it from the ground up.. Jacqueline was only coming for a visit, spending New Year's and a couple of weeks break.. For the two of us it was time together on the beaches of Cabo in Mexico.. Maybe she would just stay she could work for me, be my private sexatary.. I'd always say, "We can work something out, no problem señorita," then I'd give her the look.. She knew the details.. I'd take care of her, protect her, always be there for her.. She was mine and I'd fucking kill anyone that ever hurt her, hunt them down like a dog, forever..
Meanwhile, Jackie and I were going to be in each other's arms, naked on a beach in Cabo, in less than a month.. She made me promise to find her our own private piece of paradise.. I exposed her to sand surfing and sex on the beach in Florida, before that Revenant, Sauble and Walla Walla Beaches and was now working on South America and then the world.. I kissed her goodbye, walked through those electric doors that a thousand other lovers had walked through today and boarded the plane.. I shed a tear or two, more likely closer to 20 as I flew off to go work in Cabo on November 28th, 2006 at 8:30pm Neverland, Canada time..
That is where the story starts, the novel, the book.. It's just not where it begins.. To get to the beginning we need to go back.. Almost fifteen years earlier to the first day I walked into the office in Revenant, a door I would live to regret ever opening.. This is where I meet the great Ricky B. Rotten, A.K.A. Richard Always B. Rotten..
Five years later would put me in front of another door, another company, another regret, right in front of Ben Gomer (Benjamin), the best of the best.. Mr. I'm Not Responsible for Anything, Ever, Gomer.. Never had a truer word ever been spoken about a man, by the man, in fact in plain truth.. True words were something seldom used by either of these two clowns.. Two men that for well over 10 years called me their friend.. Both to whom I gave to, beyond belief, beyond friendship.. Both whom from me took more than my life..
SONG 2: Wasting away again in Margaritaville, searching for my lost shaker of salt, some people say that it's a woman to blame, but I know it's my own damned fault.
I could just fly away.. It has always intrigued me.. You get on the plane at 8:30 pm., you fly for five hours and arrive at 11:30 pm., funny.. The steward advises the seat belt sign has been turned on.. The captain announcing that it's 11:26 pm. west coast time.. The outside ground temperature is a balmy 79 degrees and there's a six kilometer wind from the east.. We are now preparing to land.." The plane gently lays down.. The voice once again soothing, "Ladies and gentlemen," he pauses.. The craft comes to full stop.. "Welcome to Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico, Bienvenido," translated in perfect Spanish..
As I step out to the debarking port, I immediately grasp the warmth of Mexico.. The sky, the dry of the desert night air, it's cool breezes, interact with the heat, that still remains well past the sun going down.. It's like a late July afternoon in Canada, warm, beautiful.. I cross the tarmac where I see the mountains rising through the night sky, their silhouette blinding the sky behind them, the palm trees shifting with the burst of the winds, the smells of colitis and then there it is, the eighth wonder of the world, Millionaires Row, Cabo International Airport.. Although small it parks more millionaires' Lear jets than probably any other world-wide destination..
You enter the airport, the warmth of the Mexican people shines through quickly.. You sneak through customs and then, this is why you come to Mexico, the people.. "Hola señor" he says.. He's got the best spot right as you walk in the door.. His dad probably had it before him and he would have gotten it from his dad, if his dad helped build the place, or whatever it would have cost him at that time.. Then the next and just when you thought you're free, one more.. "Cómo estás, Bienvenido a México, Buenas noches.." "May I help you with your bags amigo? Where are you from? Where are you going? You wanna buy my sister mister?" Okay well maybe not right there, but two blocks down, the pink house on the left, past the barking dog..
The limo driver points it out as he pulls from the curb, he cruised the town, then l checked into the resort.. I told the bell man in my best expressed Spanish to just bring my things to my room.. I tipped him and headed out to the outside pool bar for a Fresca, some late night schmoozing, see what's what, check the place out.. It's me, the first thing I do is check out the beach.. Why else would I go to Mexico? I sat at the edge of the Sea of Cortez.. I always told Jacqueline that no matter where we are in this world, we're never that far apart from each other, we're both always under the same moon, just look up and you'll see me.. I raised my glass of mango juice, then prepared to call it a night.. I made my way past the night desk along the walk to the condos, over the bridge, that was fastened with rope and tree sap.. A technique used by the native Mexicans for 10,000 years..
Up the bridge path, across the living pond that the tourists would stop at to check out the vast variety of fish aquatic life and to get their pictures taken with the giant iguanas in the natural setting of plant life and colorful birds.. Behind that, a thirty foot waterfall..
Then palm trees lined the walkway to the main lobby.. There they place bags of colored lights, so creative, a simple ten inch white bag folded at the top for strength, filled four inches deep of sand with a pocket where they poured the colored wax, then lit.. Then strategically placed around the entire resort, as the primary lighting source.. I turned the key on the mighty old door.. It opened with perfection, swinging on its own weight, without a sound..
I'll sleep peacefully tonight with the sirens of the sea singing through my patio doors, the cool winds lacing the drapes until they find me.. Jacqueline was always on my mind, tonight was no different.. I lay in my bed, thinking of her.. I was thinking how much I missed her, thinking that once she got here, she'd just stay..
Song 3: It is the evening of the day ayaya. I sit and watch as children play ayaya. Smiling faces I can see, but not for me.. I sit and watch as tears go by ayaya..
What is life? Everything comes to life in a Mexican morning.. The day was just starting to light the morning skies above the blackness of the ocean.. The birds almost as if one after the other just woke each other up, voices of los pescadores preparing to launch their skips, as they head out to sea.. The divers are along the shoreline snorkeling for lobster and shrimp.. The breeze brings with it the smell of fresh coffee, the tinkle of glass, the shuffles of shoes as the staff prepares for the 7:00 am. breakfast rush.. The hungry masses are about to head to one of the four seaside Palapa restaurants, the beach bar and the pool side café..
With a final coo from a morning dove and his mate, I awake.. I raise myself from my bed, rub my eyes and realize I'm in Cabo.. Good morning Mexico, it's about time you showed up.. The patio doors are open, warm already.. My only thought is, this is it, my alarm clock for the next six months.. Now how do I set this thing and where is the snooze button.. The skies are dark still, the sun rising, behind the darkness, slowly lighting it in streaks, slower than I've ever seen it open before.. This one was going to be historical, for me..
I'm on my deck, it's 5:37 am.. There's this slit in the sky directly in front of me between the horizon and the sea.. I'm thinking it's a cruise ship, a fishing boat or something, an oil rig, U.F.O., a plane crash.. What, what was it? I go pour my first cup of coffee.. I glance at this strange thing in front of me.. I return to the deck, rolled up a dooby that I got the limo driver to grab for me, from the little pink house on the left, near the barking dog.. Real Mexican Gold, 200 pesos an ounce, twenty bucks gringos and gringos, don't' ever buy dope on the streets or the beach in Mexico.. You'll get ripped off and then if you don't buy it and you asked for it they'll turn you into the Feds for cash or their brothers are Feds..
Get the drivers, they know where to drop you safe.. They won't turn you in, they simply say "Yes" or "No.." It's always about cash in Mexico, always about cool and always, always about N.R.F., no red flags.. Now on the other hand, it is Mexico.. You're a tourist and a nice mark.. Let me best explain it this way.. I was working in Mazatlán years earlier, mi amigo.. Leny gets grabbed on the streets.. He's Canadian, possession, marijuana, one ounce.. They cuff him and throw his ass in the back of the truck, drive him 20 km. out of town and tell him to give them 200 pesos and they won't take him to jail.. "You can walk back to town" they said to him.. It's night, you can hear the coyotes and wild dogs howling..
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Stealing Home"
by .
Copyright © 2017 J.J. Bond.
Excerpted by permission of iUniverse.
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