Vegas Showgirl Murders - book2 - Bob Moats (important of reading books TXT) 📗

feeling the warm, dry air and the total stillness surrounding me. It was an experience I can't shake. I felt one with heaven."

"Maybe I could do my show from Vegas," she said quietly.

"Well, that's all down the road. We need to get you ready for your big week. I just know your show will go nationwide," I said and got up, nearly tripping over the luggage still in the middle of the floor. "Are these things going to be here for the next few months?"

"No, I think we can put them in the spare room for now, I can take my time packing them." We stood and started to pick them up.

"Yeah, don't forget the warm clothes," I kidded. She whacked me with a small suitcase.


Chapter Two


Penny was wearing a sexy, short cocktail dress and I was in a new suit that Penny bought me as a graduation gift. We were all ready to head out to my big event; I was graduating from P.I. school, as I called it. Buck and Deacon were going to meet us at the community college meeting hall where the small ceremony would be held. It was not a big thing, but the college liked to make their student feel like they were doing something important. We drove there and luckily found a parking space close to the front. Buck and Deacon were standing out front of the building with Trapper. I said my hellos to everyone and we went in. The ceremony was brief but nice; Penny was snapping pictures with my Fujifilm digital camera. After it was over, we all stood together as my instructor took a couple of pictures for me. Trapper pulled me aside.

"Jim, you have a way of growing on people and I got to like you. Plus, the good words you put in with the chief of police helped me get my promotion. That's why I helped you out with all this. I think you have a good head for this business, and you're snoopy," he laughed, and held out the small package he was carrying, "This is for you, you earned it."

I opened up the box and found a .40 caliber Glock handgun. I was overwhelmed. "Can I shoot someone with it, to try it out?"

Trapper looked over to Buck and said, "Yeah, I know someone you can start with." We both laughed. Trapper said the gun needed registering in my name, so I had to come down to the precinct to take care of it.

We went back to the gang and I showed Buck and Deacon the Glock, they both just ogled it. Penny said that I'd probably just shoot myself with it, and kissed me. Trapper said we now had to get me registered and he would help me with the P.I. licensing process on Monday.

We all went to the Cloverleaf restaurant to get some pizza and beers, and enjoy the evening. Buck had his usual Diet sprite and was having a good conversation with Trapper about their escapades. Penny held my hand tightly as if I would run away, which I wouldn't with her by my side. We all talked about going to Vegas next month, and all the sights I'd take them to. Buck just wanted to go to a Vegas strip club, the best sights he would see. I told Buck he'd better have a good amount of cash to afford those sights. We had our fill and said our good nights; Penny was my designated driver as she knew I'd be celebrating. We got home and Penny brought out a bottle of champagne she had hidden, and we toasted to my night. Then we headed towards the bedroom, she said in my ear, "I've always dreamed of hitting the sheets with a private dick." I just looked at her and said, "Well, this private eye is going to become a private dick just for you." In all, it was a great night.

One month later, we were scurrying around getting things ready for the trip next week. Time flies when you have to be ready for anything. I was all licensed as a P.I. and Penny bought me a box of engraved business cards saying I was open for business. I figured I would work on starting my business after we got back from Vegas; I wanted to take time to really make a go of it. Penny took me to the couch and we sat. She handed me an envelope and told me to open it. I found a check for a large amount of money from her station.

"What's this for?"

"I told the station that I was a big investment now and I needed protection, so I said I hired a P.I. to be my bodyguard and they agreed. That's the advanced fee I told them you were worth," she glowed.

I kissed her cheek and said we'd have to copy this check and frame it, my first paying job.

At the last minute, we were still trying to get ready. Penny had five of the suitcases filled with her stuff, I got the last one. I travel light. Trapper came by to instruct me on getting my gun through airport security and what to do when I got to Vegas, to let the police know I had it, and that I was a P.I. and a bodyguard for Penny. It was always a good gesture to inform the local police as to my intentions, and not be a surprise to them. Besides, Vegas had their share of armed bodyguards, so they tend to be tolerant of it.

Trapper told me, "You have any problems out there, call me. I have connections."

"How'd you manage that?" I asked.

"I was born in Henderson, just below Vegas, well, you already know that. My Dad was a cop. My parents moved to North Las Vegas when I was in my teens, I went to Bishop Gorman High, and was a rookie for Metro police for about two years, I was a bicycle cop on the strip. I still have friends. I'll give you a list of people to contact once you're out there."

I was amazed, "Trapper, you never mentioned this before, why now?"

"Wanted to keep it on a low level till you were ready to go. Otherwise you would probably bug me about it," he smiled.

"Thanks, I appreciate that. How'd you end up here in Michigan?"

"My Dad died when I was in Police Academy, my Mom remarried to a guy from Mt. Clemens and they moved here. After a while I had enough of the nut jobs on the strip so found a position with the Clinton Township police. Mom still lives here, with husband number two."

"Wow, great, I'll have to throw your name around when I'm out there," I grinned.

"Yeah, just use my list to throw my name; some cops out there weren't my best of friends. If you know what I mean."

"I think I do." Since I knew how friendly Trapper could be.

Penny came up and asked if Buck was still going to bring his van for our trip to Detroit City Airport. I said that was the plan. Trapper gave Penny a friendly hug and said he had to go back to work.

He looked at me and said, "Crime won't be the same around here without you, it'll probably be less," he smiled then departed without saying good-bye. He did that a lot.

"OK, I have a list of what we have to do." She handed me the list and said, "Take care of it," she smiled and went back into the house.

The next morning was beautiful, an unusual occurrence for Michigan. Buck pulled in promptly at 7 a.m. and had Deacon with him. We loaded the luggage into the van, headed out to I-94 for our trip to City Airport where the station kept its corporate jet. Once there, we were greeted by the pilot and the flight attendant and instructed on how to be good passengers. All our baggage was loaded and Buck commented to the flight attendant about whether our baggage would end up in Vegas with us. She smiled and said as long as the plane stays together, everything should land together in Vegas. Buck laughed and said, “What stays together, lands together in Vegas, baby!" She was mildly amused.

I had taken numerous commercial flights back and forth to Vegas; this was the smallest plane I ever took. We all had window seats and buckled in for the take off. Deacon looked pale; I asked if he was all right. He smiled and said he wasn't a good flyer. I said just think of me and a room full of cats. He laughed out loud and put his head back with that image. The plane moved out to the runway, must have been given clearance as we were zipping out and away into the wild blue yonder. My stomach settled and I looked to Deacon and he was just smiling. "Did the cats kill me yet?" I asked. He looked over and nodded.

We flew over the United States at a leisurely pace. About midway, I started to see the mysterious dark circles on the ground that I had seen in the past flights. I figured they were some alien signage to show where to land their saucers. Penny said they were probably agriculture crop circles, but did say they looked pretty from the air. Miles and miles of them, some full circle, some three quarter and some half all spelling out "Land here". Then we got to the mountains, it was amazing seeing cities nestled below thousand foot cliffs, roads zigzagging across the landscape, seemingly going nowhere. I could see microscopic vehicles moving like ticks on the surface. I loved to fly, I loved looking at the miniature setting below. Then we entered into the cotton candy. Our pilot took us above the clouds and it was like there was no earth below, just white, fluffy clouds. My camera was busy recording everything; I felt like a tourist, but what the hell, I wanted proof.

After about three hours, the pilot announced we would be making our decent into McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in about a half hour. He hoped we enjoyed our flight and said he'd be back in a week for our return flight. I mumbled, if I return.

We landed without too much of a bump and Deacon was just muttering meow under his breath. I felt threatened. Our jet taxied onto the tarmac, by the hangers, and they lowered the steps for our departing the plane. Our baggage was loaded on a cart, and we were told it would meet us by the car rental station at D gate. They put us on an oversized golf cart and transported us to D gate. We all walked through to the terminal, heading in the direction of the car rental stand, we were told to go to. Deacon and Buck were amazed by the concourse, with all the slot machines, and into the baggage pickup for the commercial flight passengers. Looking overhead, the giant video screens blasted out ads featuring everything from Blue Man Group to Barry Manilow.

We approached the car rental booth and announced our arrival. We were given the VIP treatment and our baggage was waiting in the lot along with the SUV that was ordered for us. We piled in the luggage, and then piled ourselves into the beast, I took command of the driver's