My mom's diamond and rubies!

   The man in the orange prison suit jumped up and took a deep drag on his cigarettel.  Sweat poured down his forehead as he stood in the recreation room at the Kansas prison.  It was late fall, the weather hot and humid.  His contacts had finally come through now with what he needed to know.
   Reed Conners was in Dallas, Texas and wherever he was Lindy Lewis would be close!  Time was of the essence and John Thomas had patiently waited and now everything was in place, just waiting to be put into action.
                                                                                                          
                                                                        ****
   "Ohhh--that feels good," I murmured to the masseuse' as he used his practiced hands on my back. The sheet over my lower back slid further down as he massaged and soothed my tired and sore body, the results from the hard work I had been forced to do.  Lovely music played on the sound system as I lay on the table and let my thoughts ramble.
   I had been at the Regency Hotel in downtown Dallas for over a week now, and established on the nineteeth floor which overlooked the city. As yet, I had not recieved any response from the ad I had put in the paper offering a ten thousand dollar reward for information on the whereabouts and the return of my BMW that had been stolen. I decided to run it for another two weeks, as sooner or later, I was sure the thief who had my car and money would show up.  It had taken time to find a pawnshop that would give me the money, I knew that diamond engagement ring asshole, Dade had given me was worth.  Although I had to take a loss, I got enough money to tide me over until I found my car and the million I had hidden in it. 
   Today, I had an appointment at Niemen-Marcus for a makeover, as I needed a new look!
   "This is it," I said to the girl in the beauty center hours later.
   "Are you sure?"  She asked.
   "Absolutely!"  I said as I checked myself  in the mirror. 
   "Can I put you down for another appointment this week," she wanted to know and she wrote Lorna Lee on her book and smiled at my plesurure when I said "yes, of course."
   Now, I had the look I wanted; a new make-up style, blonde hair and then the brown eye contacts I had purchased earlier.
   This was my new identity!  And just to make sure, I quickly found a shop and had my picture taken and put on my various forms of ID that said I was Lorna Lee.  Marvelous, what they could do!
   I called for a reservation in the hotel dinning room downstairs and my mother's diamond and rubies sparkled on my ears as I stepped into the restaurant. 
   "Good evening Miss Lee," the Matre'D greeted me. "I have your usual table. Say, I like your new look.  I wouldn't have recognized you on the strreet at all!"
   "Do I look good?" I asked Andre.
   "Knocks my socks off!" the man chuckled and smiled appreciately as he eyed me up and down. Heads turned but I was unaware that I was whispered about as that "mysterious gal up in the penthouse!"
   My week was busy, and then the horrible nighmares began! I awakened from a sound sleep and this time panic enveloped me as the events of the past year coursed though me. The flames from my house fire were smothering me, then I was in the death chase again on the highway with J.T., and I struggled again as Dade Lampart 's weight forced the breath out of me. 
   I awakened then, terrified and huddled for warmth.  And I fought the age-old need to run and hide!
  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

"He a bad--- from way back and ----- as a three dollar bill!"

   "What the hell, you again!" The same man at the apartment peered through the crack in the doorway.
   "Look, what's the deal here?" Reed had been over before in his search for Mitzi, a close friend of Lindy's.
And today, the man slammed the door, but not before Reed got his foot inside and pushed it open. Stepping into the foyer, he grabbed the guy's shirt and inches from his face, growled, "Now, where's Mitzi?'
   "She's not here, get out!"
   Reed shoved him aside and walked in. "Watch me," he growled again and charged through the house. He didn't say a word to the guy as he went out and slammed the door. Later he stopped at the Flower Mound Police Department.
   "I'm Reed Conners out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  I'm an investigator for an insurance company and I'd like to speak to one of your detectives about two missing people."
   "You'd want to see Manny down the hall then." 
   Reed walked into a cubicle that was small and airless like those found in police departments all over the country. Manny, a small wiry guy with long hair and a drooping mustache looked up from a of mountain files.
   Reed held out his hand.  "Manny, I'm told you're the man I need to see."
   And after an hour Reed left with an APB out for Lindy and her black BMW. State wide. He also told of his frustration not finding Mitzi. And he spent the next days watching her place. Just waiting for something to break. Nothing happened.
   But now both Lindy and Mitzi were missing!
   Later, as Reed sat at Tony's Steakhouse, the velvet voice of Elvis came on and he sang a song called "Born to Lose." Then a new flash came over the TV about a huge blizzard in the north, causing hundreds
of accidents and damage to countless buildings because of the weight of the snow. It was hard to imagine that going on while it was eighty-six degrees and sunny there in Dallas.
   The bartender and manager were standing at the end of the bar talking in low voices and suddenly Reed's hand stopped in mid-air. His Crown Royal spilled over the edge of his glass and splashed on the bar. He turned to the men as they went on, and heard,  "Goddamn, Jack at the motel said Lindy's left and the room is cleaned out! She didn't even pay her bill."
   Apprehension shot through Reed. Could they be talking about Lindy Lewis?  Could she be here right under his nose?  Betty, the waitress slid up on the stool next to him at the bar then.
   "Hello handsome," she smiled.
   "Evening Betty, you're done work early. Want your usual?"
   "Lord, I need it. I've been both hostess and waitress tonight!"
   "I just heard the guys talking, about the hostess not showing up."  Reed took a drink and asked carefully, "Her name was Lindy?"
   "Lindy Lewis," Betty replied unaware of Reed's face as his eyes widened.
   Be cool, he warned himself. "She disappeared?"
   Betty sipped at her drink. "She never came back after her week-end with this guy. You know, she came in here months ago, broke and needing work. The boss put her up in the motel next door and gave her a job." 
   "Well,what happened? It sounds like she had it made." Reed lifted his glass carefully and drank. Intent and anxious.
   "She seeemed to be getting on her feet, but then she met this asshole standing right over there." Betty nodded toward a man standing on the other side of the room.
   "Well, who is that man?"
   Betty smirked, "he's a bad-ass from way back and he's as queer as a three dollar bill!"
  






  
  
  
  
  

Hello readers!

My dear readers;  I'm not sure how many read my blog anymore, and what your reception is. Would someone take the time and write me a comment.

I would like to give away a bookor two, but I'm not sure as how to do it.  Anyone got an idea?

My next blog will soon be ready>

Thanks Lyn

Take me away!!

   "Where to Miss," the taxi driver asked as he carried my suitcases and put them in the trunk. Dade's big maroon Lexus stood just as I'd left it outside the motel room door last night. The driver's eyes grew large at the noisy series of banging, and turned to me in surprise just as the shattered glass from the windshield of the car fell to the ground. And didn't say a word as I nonchalantly tossed the rock away and got into the taxi. I didn't look back at Tony's Steakhouse or the motel I'd called home where it all started.
   "Where to?" the cab driver asked me again.
   "The Regency Hotel, in downtown Dallas please," I said and sat back.
                                                             *****
   Reed sat at the bar in Flower Mound, Texas, martini in hand and not realizing how close he was to me. The lights in the bar were low as Tammy Wynette sang about a lost love. The door to the kitchen swung open and Betty flew by balancing a tray of steaks and disappeared into the dining room.
   A few minutes later, she came over with a big smile on her face and said, "Hello handsome, good to see you again.
   "Betty, I'm dying, I need a steak with all the trimmings." Reed said and grinned.
   "I can see you need some TLC. I'll bring you a salad and some hot bread right now so you don't fade away."
   And after wolfing down his dinner, Reed went back to the bar. He was still sitting there a few hours later when Betty slid up on the stool next to him.
   He looked up in surprise.
   She had changed into a form fitting beige pantsuit with a leopard belt. She'd let her hair down out of the twist she'd worn earllier and it curled around her face.
   "Okay handsome, here's your chance to buy me a drink!" She smiled up at him, and as they sat together comfortably, Betty talked about her family and the problems of being a single mother. Elvis sang to the crowded bar.
   "Reed," Betty said as the clock ticked close to midnight, "why don't you come over to my house for a drink. The boys are in bed and we can listen to some music."
   Reed just smiled.
  

  

Fifty thousand dollars," he said.

   I clutched my cup of coffee as Betty said," Oh sweetie, I guess I'm going to be the one to tell you this, its rumored Dade Lampart is gay!"
   I dropped my cup and the coffee splashed across the tabletop. I  gaped at my friend and whispered,"You mean he goes with men?"
   "Thats what we've heard and I guess he thought he could hide it from you." Betty mopped up the coffee with napkins as she talked.
   "But why did he want to date me, and then marry me?"
   Betty frowned, "I can't say for sure but I've got an idea."
   I leaned in closer to her. "You know, I wondered why he never wanted to go to bed with me. But why me, what did he want?"
   "Lindy," Betty hesitated for a minute, "There was gossip. You see talk gets around even in a city as large as Dallas. I heard a few years ago about his father's will. In it his daddy said, 'if he didn't straighten out and marry before he was forty-five years old, he would lose his inheritance. Everythig would go to charity.'"
   I sat speechless as Betty went on.
   "I can't say for sure, but I'd guess he's going to be that soon!"
   "You mean that's why he's been dating me?"  I whispered again.
   "Honey I'm sorry, but I can't imagine he's changed his stripes."
    After Betty went back to work, I sat dazed at what she'd told me, then humilated and used. I wondered what he'd planned to do with me after marriage? The future suddenly looked bleak. First, I'd met a con man who only wanted my insurance money and now a gay one, who needed me to save his inheritance. 
   As I shifted in the booth, the edge of the diamond ring that I had slipped in my pocket, caught against my hip. I put my hand down and felt the outline of that huge stone. 
   Was it a bad witch that put a smile at the corner of my lip?
   I left the coffee shop and hailed a taxi, and in front of a jewelry shop I asked the driver to wait a minute for  me. I smiled at the friendly jeweler, and asked, "would you be so kind and check my ring, I think the stone is loose."
   "My goodness, you sure wouldn't want to lose this. Just give me a minute."  He put on his glasses as he sat at his work-table. His light sparked on the stone and the platinum band.  And after a short time, he said. "there now Miss, it's fine." He smiled and handed it back to me.
   "Thank you," I said. "I'm getting married next week, and I sure wouldn't want anyting to happen to this."
   "It's in perfect shape now," he said.
   I ran a finger over the stone and the rich band. "You know, I told my boy-friend not to spend a lot of money on a ring, but I'm sure he did."
   The jeweler smiled at me. "Well, I say you're a lucky girl!"
   I returned his smile and asked shyly, "just between us, what would he have paid? I promise not to tell!"
   "Oh, I'd say around fifty thousand dollars."
   I gasped. "I knew it, I should have gone along with him, it's going to take us years to pay for this!" I said to him.
   Minutes later, I was back in my room at the motel. I took the ring off my finger and felt the weight. Fifty thousand dollars, the jeweler had said. I had to think!
   Could I marry Dade and live this lie?  I'd have money and security. I put the ring back on my finger and wiggled it in the sunshine. It was beautaiful! And I could have more, if what Betty said was true, he didn't have much more time, apparently to find another bride.
   I yawned, it was early afternoon and the effects of being up all night and Dade's cruelity caught up with me.  I got into bed then and slept through the day, and woke up at midnight, feeling rested, and with a plan.
   As if I would go along with his twisted idea, I mumbled disgusted. Dade  Lampart, this just cost you!
   Then I remembered, it had been a week since I had placed that ad in the Dallas newspaper, and I needed to check my post office box.