Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - The Tickleton Affair (Janitors Series, Book #5) - Dan and Janet get new case.

Today’s excerpt is from The Tickleton Affair, Book #5 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  Dan and Janet Orf get a new case, one that will have them meeting and working with the Janitors.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

Mark and Mary Yomo were still in bed when their hosts, Dan and Janet Orf, woke up.  The Yomo’s were spending two weeks as houseguests of their friends in the Los Angeles area.  The previous year, the Orf’s had visited them in Honolulu in what had become an annual ritual of the four friends.

Mark was a detective lieutenant with the Honolulu Police Department, while his “long-suffering” wife of twenty-five years, Mary, had raised their two children.  In their mid-forties, they were of an age with Dan, while Janet was the baby of the foursome…just turned thirty.

Daniel Orf was the head investigator for Gold Rush Insurance and had met both Mark and Janet on a case in Hawaii three years previously.  After he and Janet had gotten married, she had applied at Gold Rush for a job in the investigative department.  Dan refused to hire her on his own—not wanting nepotism charges to be hurled around—but had introduced her to the company’s president, who hired her on after a twenty-minute interview.  She was now considered one of the very best investigators at Gold Rush.

Just as Mark and Mary walked into the expansive living room of the Orf home, the phone rang.  Dan answered, “Orf.”

Five minutes after the call from Nancy Knight informing Gold Rush Insurance of the happenings in Sedona the previous night, and he had made a call for additional information, the president of the company sighed and knew that, as much as he hated to do it—and not for the first time—he was going to have to call Dan in off vacation.

Dan listened stoically as he was filled in.  When told that only one pilot for the president’s private jet was available, Dan muttered, “Janet can fly right seat, though she’d rather fly left.  Courier the files to the plane and give them to Marty.  And thanks for asking ‘please’.”

After Dan hung up, he looked sadly at the other three in the room.  “Party’s over.  We’ve got a hot one.  Seems that a guy we have insured, by the name of Arnold Buchanan, nearly got himself blown up last night at a house of his in Sedona, Arizona.  We’ve got him, his two houses (one now kaput), his business, and his right-hand man…make that right-hand gal…insured.  Hell, the policy on her alone is for a cool million bucks.  We’ve even got some damn thing there covered that is so secret we don’t know what it is—go figure.  Evidently they have the guy who did it.  He shot Buchanan’s dog and tried to shoot Buchanan, before Buchanan beat the shit out of him with a baseball bat.  Made a vegetable outta the guy.”

Janet frowned.  “I take it we’re heading off to Sedona in the near future.”

“Yeah, honey.  Sorry, folks…you know how this business is.”

Mark nodded.  “At least this time it isn’t my fault.”

Mary burst out laughing.  “For the first time in twenty-five years.”

Mark rolled his eyes as Dan smiled.  “Funny thing about the guy who got the shit knocked outta him.  The boss called for more details after Buchanan’s right-hand called.  Her name, by the way, is Nancy something-or-other…”

Janet couldn’t help herself.  “Is that Miss or Mrs. something-or-other?”

“Funny, wife.  Real funny.  Anyhow, as I was about to say, the damn guy with his brains beat out—literally, by the way—doesn’t have any fingerprints.  His hands are smooth as a baby’s butt.  So nobody knows who in the hell he is, and aren’t likely to find out anytime soon.”

Mark got a funny look on his face.  “You say the no prints guy blew up the house?”

“Seems that way.”

Mary gave a suspicious look in the direction of her husband.  “Here it comes.  I’ve got six days of vacation left, and I bet I get to go home alone.”

Mark got a guilty look and sighed.  “Honey, I know a bomber without prints.  I’d be home in a day or two.”

Dan grinned.  “Uh, Mary…it seems like it would be a big help to know who this guy is.”

Mary looked at Janet for help, saw she wasn’t going to get any, and grumbled, “Go.  I’ll fly on home and light my ever-present candle and put it in the window for you.  And don’t any one of the three of you say you’ll make it up to me.  It can’t be done—not after twenty-five years of this stuff.  I say this very reluctantly, but I do understand.”

While Mark kissed his wife, Janet and Dan went to change clothes and pack.  When they returned to the living room, Mark was gone and Mary was heading for the kitchen.  Janet handed her the keys to the house.  “Thanks, Mary.  We’ll have the company limo sent around for you when you want it.  Feel free to stay here for as long as you like.  In fact, why don’t you just stay until Mark identifies this guy?”

“No, thanks, Jan.  I’ll just pack up and take the next flight home.  I know Mark.  He’ll be flying home just in time to go to work next Monday.  Don’t worry about the limo either.  I’ll just call a cab after I change my reservations.  And I’m not being a martyr, just being practical.  Thanks for your hospitality, even if it was only a week plus, instead of two.  As always, I enjoyed myself and enjoyed your company.”

Mark walked up, holding his overnight bag.  “Honey, would you mind taking care of the rest of the stuff?”

“Sure, I know the drill.  I love you, you goof.”

 

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