Temple: A New Journey Begins
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"Are you certain?" Caine asked Sally as she told her story.
"Yes, that's exactly what the woman said," Sally exclaimed.
"Did you get her name?" Vance Cavanaugh asked.
"No. I didn't want to be caught listening in on a private conversation."
"Can you at lease tell us what the woman looked like."
"She was tall and slender, as if she worked out. She had on a casual outfit. Her hair was blond, but it looked like there was some gray or white mixed in. I'm not certain of her age. She could have been in her late fifties or sixties. It was hard to tell her age. Her face didn't look all that old. If you asked me what her eye color was, I certainly couldn't tell you that. I only served the woman her drink and went back to work polishing glasses. I didn't want to linger when Jake Carson and his son walked over to talk to her."
"Jake and Bobby Carson?" Vance asked.
"Yeah, you know them?" Sally asked.
"Yeah, Bobby and I weren't what you call friends. His father used to farm the land next to Rachel Lowery's place, until he suddenly came into a lot of money. Some said he inherited from some forgotten relative, but my father new better. Jake had no other living relatives. In fact, that was around the same time my grandfather started flashing around a lot of cash as well. My father suspected it was because he got some huge construction contract from some out of town client. My dad asked him about it once, but Grandpa told him it wasn't any of his business. When my grandfather died and my father inherited his estate, there was no mention in my grandfather's will about where the money came from. It was just written up as some kind of trust fund that my father would get paid a certain amount each year."
"Isn't that a little suspicious?"
"You're telling me. My father only accepts what's written in the will. He's never questioned where the money came from."
"What are we going to do about Jake and Bobby?" Sally questioned, turning the conversation back to the subject at hand. "It sounded like they were hiring this woman to kill someone."
"We can't do anything about it. It's just hearsay and talk," Vance pointed out.
"What do you think of all this?" Sally asked the tall stranger who remained silent.
"I do not know." The man gave a shrug of one shoulder.
"You just don't understand. Someone's going to get killed. We've got to do something."
"We can't do anything, not without proof," Vance stated.
"Well, if you're not going to listen to me, then I'll go to the Sheriff."
"The Sheriff will say the same thing, and if you confront Jake and Bobby, they'll just deny ever saying anything or maybe even meeting the lady."
Sally breathed a sigh of frustration. She knew Vance was right, but she just could not stand by and do nothing while someone might be killed.
"You just don't care or even want to try," Sally accused Vance. At that point she turned her back and folded her arms across her chest. Tears of frustration fell as she felt a wave of anger and panic fill her being. She truly believed that someone was going to die, and all she wanted was to prevent that from happening. A warm hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see the stranger staring at her. Deep concern could be seen in his eyes.
"You've got to believe me, someone is going to get killed."
"I believe what you are saying is the truth. My father and grandfather would not stand by while someone was in danger. But they would want to know more. My father had been a cop at one time in his life. He taught me that you must have evidence to show probable cause."
"Who was your father?" Sally asked.
"Peter Caine."
"I know that name. He saved my cat from being tortured from some bullies. It wasn't long after that he disappeared. Come to think of it, every time someone went up to the old temple ruins, they didn't come back. You're the first person who has come back."
Vance started for a moment, remembering the day that he also met an old man. "I've never heard this story," Vance stated. "Sam were you aware there were other disappearances?"
"It wasn't very often," Sam stated. "A few monks who came by asked me if anyone went to the temple. One guy, a very old looking priest came by. He went to the temple but never came back. Then there was someone a few years ago. He also went to the temple and never came back either. People started believing that the place was cursed, so no one goes there. I tried to get the sheriff to investigate the disappearances, but he won't even go up there."
"The place is not cursed," Caine stated. "There is something going on. Perhaps we should investigate?"
At that moment, Sally turned to see an older man wearing sunglasses, a white short sleeve shirt, and thin black tie walking up to the three in conversation. She had not seen him before. He had been sitting on the darkened porch watching the three as he typed on a small laptop computer.
"I found that information you wanted," Kermit stated. "What's this about investigating an old temple? I've always wanted to go to an old burned out temple with ghosts of the past. I promised an old friend that I would visit some day. Perhaps this is the day to do it."
"Kermit, you do not have to come with," Caine stated.
"Nonsense. I promised your father years ago that I would watch your back. If there's going to be trouble, you're going to need all the help you can get."
Continues with Part 20
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2003.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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