Susan Grilled & Commerce At Sea

by michaelcahill

Background
Angela Blackwell is kidnapped. She is on board a boat with several other children. The Bard is part of the team trying to find her. Millions of dollars involved as always.

Previously, Angela continued to try and find out what was going on and where she was. Barry seemed to be clueless as to her intent. Elsa had her suspicions concerning Angela's lack of guile. Angela had her pet rat with her. Somehow through the whole ordeal she had managed to keep him concealed in her jacket pocket. Lincoln plotted escape from his captors. The call for ransom was made to the Blackwell mansion. We carry on now as the tension mounts at the mansion. The Bard has accused Susan of being involved and she is about to answer him.

Susan looked at the Bard with contempt. "Who the hell are you, crazy man? You're just a homeless bum. You aren't even in touch with reality. How can you make such a ridiculous accusation?"

"Hubby lost the keys to the whirly-gig" the Bard got close to Susan and stared into her eyes, "Cold money-hungry shark-eyed bitch wife, no likey broke lifestyle. Soccer-mom-club dues behind. Daughter worth more kidnapped than cuddled. Breathe if I'm on to something."

a mother abdicates a given throne
with ease it seems
a father's head turns
to the slightest distraction
there is no cause to riot
among the wealthy
There is no resource
with which to scheme
among the poor
thus crime is borne
it is obvious
but, no one understands
no one that is, with
anything to lose

Susan screamed, "Shut him up! My little girl is missing. Shut him up for God's sake. What in hell is this homeless bum doing here anyway?"

Tenaya trusted the Bard's instinct and had no trouble understanding him. "Who are you working with? Who has her?" Tenaya was in full cop mode. She hadn't forgotten one second of her training.

Susan wilted under the pressure, but didn't give in. "You people are crazy. You're attacking me? It's my daughter that's missing. Why are you wasting my time? Find my daughter. Find my daughter!"

Tenaya had no choice at the moment but to back off. Suspicion as strong as it was didn't constitute evidence. Susan would be a fool to implicate herself. So, for the time being she would be a dead end. The soft pedal would be the best way to extract any information from her. Win her trust and get her to slip up. Any little detail. Get her to drop a clue.

Lucy, as always, could see Tenaya's play. "Yes, let's cool down. Wild emotional accusations won't get us anywhere."

Tenaya could count on Lucy to pick up her game. "I'm sorry, Susan. This is how I was taught. Straight on. It's how to eliminate a suspect in the quickest way. We have to eliminate the number one suspects first, that's you and Junior. Now, we can move forward. I don't have time to be nice. Now, what about those lists."

Lucy, at the moment, played the good cop or at least the more reasonable cop as far as Susan's mindset went. Lucy addressed Susan in a low voice, almost as if she wished to exclude her volatile partner from the conversation. "This Barry, where does he work out of. I think a few questions might be in order. We need to eliminate him. I know you don't think he's capable of anything, but he could know something. Any little fact is what we're looking for. It could be a car he saw pulling away the last time he saw you. A city worker trimming a tree or a SoCal Edison worker up on a pole… those are all things we can check out. Maybe the tree trimming wasn't scheduled, maybe there was no service order that day. See what I mean?"

Susan had to come up with something plausible, but it had to be something that wouldn't lead them to Barry. "He works out of San Pedro, near the Catalina Cruise launch, but I think he spends a lot of time out of town. I don't think he has an office. I only saw him the one time. I don't know much. I doubt he knows anything. A waste of time really. There has to be something better than that to do." She let out a relaxed breath. That sounded perfect. Half true too. Catalina Cruise and all… just Long Beach instead of San Pedro. Probably is out of town… a yacht isn't an office…

~~~~~ Barry and Elsa's Yacht-Somewhere at sea.

Angela hadn't heard the boat that brought Barry pull up to the large yacht. She spent a lot of time below deck. That is where they wished for the children to be most of the time and, honestly, where she preferred it. The sound of an approaching vessel could clearly be heard when topside though. Though not yet visible, the sound of a motor came from a direction that Angela figured had to be southeast, assuming that the coast of California was the originating point. As the boat came into view, its size confirmed that it couldn't have traveled too great a distance.

It was a medium size cabin cruiser. Angela couldn't see who piloted the boat. A couple boarded the boat that Angela and the other's where on. The seemed over-dressed to be at sea. Angela watched wide-eyed trying to figure out what was going on.

Elsa called out, "Kids! Front and center topside. We have visitors."

The seven other children on board made a beeline to where Elsa stood and lined up in a row. Elsa looked at Angela and nodded to the end of the line. Angela being quite aware of what Elsa required walked to the end of the line and stood there apprehensively. The couple appeared to be in their mid-thirties and well-to-do if one can judge that on clothing and jewelry. Angela based it on years of being exposed to the well-to-do. They had a certain air to themselves that these two shared.

The two walked the line as though they were inspecting cattle. They stopped at Antoinette. "Does this one speak English?" The man spoke. His voice sounded like that of a vulture if a vulture where capable of speech.

Elsa replied eagerly. "Yes, fluently. She speaks Castilian as well. She's of Spanish origin. We found her in Morocco. An orphan."

The man snickered and the woman with him sighed heavily and her chest seemed to rise and fall now with each breath. His voice sounded as though he spoke from a vat of bile, but didn't mind it one bit. "We'll take her."

The woman went with Elsa. Angela noticed that the woman carried an extremely large purse that couldn't be considered a fashion statement. She's buying her. She's buying Nettie. That's what this is all about. Selling kids. I don't even want to know what they're buying her for… Christ… I already know… who am I kidding. Am I next?

Nettie had other ideas. As soon as she heard the man say, "we'll take her" she ran from the line, screamed and dove from the side of the boat into the water.

Barry and the man simply stood there and listened as Antoinette screamed from the water. Barry spoke, "Do you see anyone else that suits your fancy?"

Write A Review

The plot is becoming clear to me. (miracle) Still open to any and all suggestions and input. I always listen to ideas and critiques. Please feel free to volunteer anything on your mind. Thank you for your support.

characters: Updated for book 2

Johnathon Blackwell Senior-Harpster, deceased former owner of a music conglomerate. Death prematurely announced. Actually kidnapped and now in hiding.

Johnathon Blackwell Junior- Senior's son and heir apparent to the family fortune. Currently in prison for Mudering Harpster. He is unaware the his father is alive.

Lilith Blackwell- Widow of Blackwell Senior and claimant to the estate. Filed billion dollar civil suit.

The Bard-Stewart Slater, homeless, writer, musician, mentally ill. witness to the death of Harpster amongst other things.

Detective Tenaya Adrian- lead is there is a murder to investigate.

Detective Lucy Smaldino, Tenaya's partner

Lincoln- The Blackwell family butler.

Ruby Dancer- singer and Daughter of Harpster though she doesn't know anything about it. Revealed to be his daughter at the end of book 1. Now the heir to the Blackwell estate.

Diamond Dancer- mother of Ruby and former mistress of Harpster. Refuses to tell Ruby anything about her father. Forced to reveal that Harpster was Ruby's father.

Dr. Khin- The Blackwell personal family physcian--Killed by Winston in the first book.

"Q & A"-- Q Aubrey Langstan--"Q" The Blackwell family attorney. Loyal to Harpster.

Daniel- Blackwell Senior's Deaf brother.

Esmeralda "Emma" Blackwell- Blackwell Seniors Mother

Winston- Blackwell Senior's son. War hero turned mercenary. Kidnaped father and the Bard. Accused of conspiracy to murder his father. Warrant is out, he's at large.

Susan Blackwell-Johnathon Blackwell Junior's wife

Angela Blackwell- Susan and Junior's daughter

Adam Jefferson-age 13, Angela's friend

Elsa, one of Angela's kidnappers

Barry, one of Susan's old boyfriends and apparently in on Angela's kidnapping

Trip & Antoinette (Nettie) Two kids on the boat that Angela is being held on. Possible victims themselves.

Abigail Stevens, Lincoln's daughter--Jenkins, Jazzy and June, Lincoln's grandkids.

Abdullah and Ysenia- Purchased Antoinette (Nettie) for their own devices from Barry and Elsa

Pays one point and 2 member cents.

You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.

michaelcahill has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.

Susan questioned and Angela sees why the kids are on board.

A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide

Susan Grilled & Commerce At Sea

by michaelcahill

The FanStory Store For Writers

Your Poem On A Mug