The Crawford Chronicles - Book 1

by Clayton Conrad

  “I’ll take a much closer look at the lady, that’s for sure.”

  “You might want to find out who her shrink is and I’m sure she has one because there is a different problem with her.”

  Chapter 30

  At the ivory tower Senetor Paul Harding was just wrapping up a meeting with the members of his staff who were put in charge of his reelection campaign.

  “So”, he said as he looked around the large oval shaped table at the men who were watching his every move. “We meet back here in one week to go over our findings and let’s hope the polls show us a significant increase in our favor, or heads will roll. That’s all now, I’m sure we all have work to do so let’s get at it.”

  As meeting broke up and the men were milling about and gathering up their papers and straightening their notes, the senator turned to his chief of staff Lester Howard.

  “Mr. Howard, one moment please” he said almost as an afterthought. “Would you mind staying on a bit longer? I have something I’d like to go over with you.”

  “Of course”, Lester answered and remained behind while the other members filed out of the room and closed the door behind them.

  “I’ve been receiving several complaints from my friends who are staunch supporters of not only this campaign but of my entire political career. These men have backed me not only with their finances but politically as well.” He paused here to gather his thoughts as if being very careful how he phrased his next words.

  “It seems that they have been bothered repeatedly from this fellow from California. What’s his name, you know Michelle’s husband”.

  “Yes I know who you mean Paul. I’ve spoken to him twice now and it doesn’t seem” to do any good. I thought”…

  “It’s time he went back to California”, the senator interrupted. “Pay him off, give him whatever he wants just do something about him. We can’t just let him go about bothering everyone now can we?”

  “It’s rather difficult to pay off a millionaire Paul, and very expensive.”

  “Lester,” the Senator said, ”Look at me.” He stared directly into Lester’s face as their eyes locked in a knowing recognition of the other’s meaning. “It’s time this man leaves our fair city and returns to his home state by whatever means you deem necessary.”

  Lester said nothing, only nodded his head and after a short pause, as he processed the meaning of the senator’s words, he spoke. “I’ll see to it Paul.”

  “Good now there’s this other thing we need to discuss.” I don’t believe we should continue to see each other privately anymore not right now. At least not until the election is over.”

  “I was thinking the same thing, right now it’s just too risky, especially with Crawford snooping around,” Lester said as he reached out and touched the senator’s hand.

  Later Lester Howard sat alone in his office contemplating the next course of action he should take in regards to Clayton Crawford. He had spoken to the man twice now but to no avail. It did little good. He might as well save his breath. Crawford just would not listen and that left Lester with no other choice. Reluctantly he reached for his clean phone, the one that could not be traced, and dialed the number he had used before.

  “Yeah” a man answered.

  “Are you home?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Go to a safe phone and call me back.” Ten minutes later Lester’s phone rang.

  “It’s me, what’s up?”

  “There’s a man in town who could make things uncomfortable for all of us. His name is Clayton Crawford and he’s becoming a real pest. I want you and Howie to convince him that it would be in his best interest to seek out a friendly city, say San Francisco. I don’t want him killed but you can mess with him a little. I want him bone scared. And don’t screw up again like you did with Stephen Driscoll.

  “Well Lester, that was an accident. How were we to know that the guy had a bad ticker. We only leaned on him a little bit and the clown ups and dies on us.”

  “Be that as it may, just make sure it doesn’t happen to Clayton Crawford. There’s been too many killings already. Any more and the police will start nosing around. They have already been here once too often. He is staying at the Wellington Estate or the Wilson Arms in the city. And listen carefully, the guy has a third degree black belt in karate, so don’t take any chances with him or they could be your last.”

  Clayton ended the call from Detective Richards as they reached the restaurant. The owner Evelyn Rhodes (Mama Rhodes) met them at the door with a big smile and led them to their table.

  “You two can order anything from the menu anything at all and it’s on the house, I’m buying this one she said.”

  “Well what’s the occasion”? Clayton asked.

  “I had a meeting with the remaining owners, the ones that have not sold out yet. There’s just the two of them but they said that we should stick together and fight this thing to the finish.”

  “That’s great mama Rhodes, you see what a little help can accomplish. It pays to have a few good friends.”

  As they were ordering their meal Clayton cell phone rang again. It was Rachel calling from her office.

  “Hi sugar, what’s happening?” he greeted.

  “Just work and more work”, she answered. “Where are you and what are you doing? Are you staying out of trouble?”

  “I’m at the Golden griddle having a terrific meal and wishing you were here.”

  “Yeah, me too, instead I’m still in my office and will be here until eight or nine tonight.”

  “How come so late?”

  “That’s just a lawyer slot I guess. I got a brief I’ve got to put together by tomorrow morning, so I have no choice but to burn the midnight oil.”

  “So you want some company do you?”

  “No, you better stay away or I won’t get anything done. I made an appointment for us to see my dad at two tomorrow afternoon in his office building. It’s in the same complex so you can meet me here in my office and we can use the Skyway that connects the building.”

  “That’s great, Dink.”

  “What did you call me, Dink? What in the world does that mean? I never heard of such.”

  “You know, something small, tiny even dinky. So I just shortened it a bit to Dink. Do you mind?”

  “No, not at all, I kind of like it.”

  “So I’ll see you at your office what about 130 or so.”

  “Right.”

  “Okay yeah.”

  “Yeah.”

  Chapter 31

  The next day the three musketeers, Clayton, Henry, and Buck, drove to Rachel’s office building. Henry and Buck waited in the shady little park where the employees take their breaks and eat their lunches.

  Clayton took the elevator up to Rachel’s floor and was warmly greeted by her secretary who ushered him right in. A few pleasantries were exchanged, then they left together to keep the appointment with her father.

  “I’m Mr. Crawford and this”…

  “Of course Mr. Crawford you are expected,” Downing’s receptionist broken in. “Hi Rachel, nice to see you again, you don’t come around often enough. Please go right in.”

  When they entered Mark Downing’s office, they immediately saw Perceval Poindexter just getting up from his chair in the process of greeting them. Mark Downing was coming from behind his desk with a warm greeting and a friendly smile.

  “Please come in, we’ve been looking forward to this meeting all day. It’s good to see the both of you again and as always Rachel, you’re like a breath of sunshine to these otherwise drab surroundings,” Mark said. “I only wish it was under different circumstances. You already know Mr. Poindexter of course and since this meeting involves him personally, I thought it only fair that he take part in it.”

  “I have no problem with that, Rachel said. What do you say Clayton? Do you see anything wrong with Mr. Poindexter being here?”

  “Not it all”, Clayton answered with a shrug. “Although I�
�d like to make it clear at the onset that while he may be involved, the real crux of this meeting is the effort by Downing Land Development Co Inc. to try forcibly to take away a restaurant and other small businesses whose owners refused to sell.”

  “I like that Mr. Crawford. A man that isn’t afraid to speak his mind. I saw the way the first time we met.”

  “Don’t placate me, it won’t work.”

  “Be that as it may, it’s the truth. And now that you’ve taken the gloves off in a matter of speaking, we can cut to the chase. In recent months, I have acquired several small businesses in a certain area of the city. I have already spent millions on this project and it is simply too late to stop things now, just because a Jew lady has a stubborn streak and refuses to sell.”

  “Is that what it comes down to, because she happens to be Jewish you think… “

  “Don’t be absurd, I only use that term to simplify matters. I wouldn’t care if she were an Arab or Chinese for that matter, the answer would still be the same. She has got to go, and so have the others. Oh, I could bore you to tears with charts and graphs in figures to show you how this project will be to every one’s benefit, but that will not change your opinion in this case, that my young friend is where things stand.”

  Rachel started to speak, but her father held up his hand and stopped her.

  “No, please let me finish Rachel,” he continued. “I want to make this very clear with the both of you. I will have that land, that entire block by any means possible.” He paused for a bit then went on, “within the law. Of course.”

  “That’s all fine and dandy Downing, but just whose law are we talking about?” Clayton asked.

  “Why, mine of course.”

  “Father, I…”

  “No Rachel, there’s no father daughter relationship in this office. It isn’t personal, on any level, but strictly business. “Now, Mr. Poindexter has made some misguided threats, which I believe he was cleverly goaded into. Be that as it may, that in itself changes nothing.”

  “What about that letter from the county health department stating that the restaurant is substandard and does not meet the county’s health regulations or codes, Rachel said. I’ve been to that restaurant and I’ve seen it, and so has Mr. Poindexter here. The place is as clean as a whistle. We also have an inspection form dated and signed stating that the restaurant in question has passed all health and safety requirements, what about that?”

  “Rachel, Rachel.” Downing said with a heavy sigh. “All it means is that particular inspector who signed the form must have been paid off. I have a letter in my files stating just the opposite, and mine is signed, sealed and notarized. So you see, you just can’t win. Now Mr. Poindexter will apologize to Mr. Crawford here. And that will be the end of it. Right now, Mr. Poindexter, if you please’”

  Perceval rose slowly from his chair.

  “No way,” Clayton said. “That’s not the end of anything.”

  Perceval was silent for a moment, swallowed once, it is Adam’s apple bobbing, cleared his throat and spoke. “I’m sorry if I said anything that may have been,” he paused for a moment, his face getting redder by the minute. Then he seemed to straighten a little more in his stance. Looking around with a newfound air of confidence. He calmly left the room. It just wasn’t worth it.

  “You just saw a man flush his entire career down the toilet. He will never work another day in this country and maybe England as well.” Mark replied, shaking his head. “And now, if you will excuse me I have to run, a golf date, you know.”

  Outside in the fresh air Clayton turned to Rachel. “Let’s keep track of Poindexter. He’s the weak link in this whole mess. Do you think your dad can really ruin his career like he said?”

  “With one phone call, you bet cha. But you know, you may have something there,” she said, thoughtfully. “Maybe, just maybe we can turn Poindexter to our advantage.”

  “You know Dink, it’s hard for me to believe that your dad can wheel that much power and that he’s the same man I met in your home that evening.”

  “I told you he was a bear, didn’t I?”

  “No, he’s not a bear Dink, but a cold-blooded great white killer shark.”

  “Yeah.” Rachel said.

  Two days after the meeting with Mark Downing, Clayton received a phone call from Michael Lansing, who was in California.

  “Well it’s official now, Timothy Hall is missing. No one has seen or heard from him in five or six days. He was last seen at a private poker, where he was the winner, police suspect foul play.”

  “Well shit”, Clayton said, “it doesn’t look real good does it?”

  “There’s more, the board of trustees are getting very nervous and are calling for a complete audit, you know, just in case he made off with the cookie jar.”

  “I can’t blame them for that, it sounds like a good idea.” “It might be good if I jump on the first flight back there I can get.”

  “Yeah, with the president of the company out-of-state and now the vice president is missing. Everyone is getting antsy and close to pushing the panic button.”

  “Okay, Michael, have you talked to Arthur Miller and accounting.”

  “Yes sir, he said, not to worry, he’s ready for them and everything is in order.”

  “Okay, Mike, it might take a day or so to break away from here, but I’ll be on the first flight as soon as possible.”

  After hanging up, he called Henry and explained the situation and asked him to look after Buck for a few days until he got back from California. Henry had Buck at the dog park.

  Then he called Rachel and told her that he would be out of town for a while and why, promising to call her and keep her abreast of things. Quickly he packed a few things he had at the penthouse. He called the airline to get a first-class ticket nonstop to California on the first available flight, which wasn’t until the following morning.

  Damn, he thought to himself. He almost forgot he had to pick up a few important papers at the Wellington Estate. He rented a car at the hotel and drove himself to Frank’s, he would leave the rental at the airport. Now Frank’s estate was tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains and though it’s a beautiful place in a very scenic Drive, it’s also a good one and half hours from the city.

  The road is very narrow and dangerous as you come down off the mountain with no shoulder to speak of so when Clayton saw a car pulled off to the side and partially blocking the road, he slowed way down. There was a man frantically waving his arms and standing in the middle of the road. Clayton stopped. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he lowered his window.”

  “I hit the fool”, the man shouted almost in hysterics as he pointed to the front of his car that was blocking most of the road.

  Clayton quickly got out of his rental car and it was then he could see the figure of a man lying on the ground, in front of the other car.

  “I hit him, my God! The fool jumped out right in front of me. I couldn’t stop in time, please help me.” Clayton rushed over to see how badly that he was hurt. He had first aid training at the different spas, he had attended, but never had an occasion to use them.

  As he bent over the injured form. The second man who was now standing just to Clayton’s left rear hit him behind the ear with a landfill blackjack. The blow knocked Clayton to his knees and before he could recover was hit again. Clayton crumpled to the ground, semi-conscious. His legs were like rubber. He couldn’t move his arms either. There wasn’t any pain just a numbness settling over him. He sensed he was being badly beaten with heavy blows to the head and kicked repeatedly, but was helpless to do anything about it.

  “That’s enough Halley, that’s enough, you want to kill him?”

  Hally grabbed Clayton by his bloody shirt front, as he was bleeding from a large gash on his left cheek is broken nose and split lips. He shook Clayton, like a ragdoll. “Can you hear me? The boss, he says for you to go back to California, you ain’t wanted here. You should seek a safer environment elsewh
ere. And if we have to come back to remind you, well, we won’t be as gentle like now.” Then there was a hard, sharp blow to his kidney and that was it. He passed out.

  There was light, was there light he thought to himself. Yes he could see some kind of light but it was far off and very dim. Then the light faded into total blackness.

  Chapter 32

  The open his eyes and blinked to focus. The light was back again but this time, much brighter and hurt his eyes. There was a voice somewhere behind the light. A female voice. Where was he? Hell who was he? And who was with him. He moved his head to look around, but that damn light blinded him.