John: The Senior Killer by Robert Waggoner

small smile. Only
the two of them were left sitting around the table and she took the
opportunity to excuse herself for a bathroom run.
    Steve, meanwhile, in his
bedroom was talking to Jake in Sacramento. Jake was telling him
they found his car and were dismantling it piece by piece. He told
Steve they were phoned by long term parking at the airport after a
description of it with the two letters was sent out to places where
he might park or hide the car. Steve asked, “Has he been identified
by anyone at the airport?”
    “No, I doubt if we will get
an ID as he uses so many disguises.”
    “Fine, Brad wants those
books up here soonest Jake, so please double your efforts on them
and send by first light tomorrow.” That was an order and not a
request as Jake took it.
    “That will be done and is
there anything more,” he asked sarcastically.
    “Not for now, but find that
storage locker and if you need more men, call me on my cell phone
and I will have fifty there by nightfall,” he hung up without
waiting for a response. Damn him, Steve thought. We need team
players and not a guy like Jake who resents anyone stepping onto
his patch.
    He’d just got off the phone
with Washington and reported to his superior that this case could
be a long and difficult one to solve. His boss didn’t want to hear
it, but softly said he knew what they were up against. He’d asked
Steve if he needed anything to help them along the way and Steve
replied that he was going to walk the beach and pray for the second
time in his life. His boss asked when the first time was and he
responded by saying when he was in church the last time getting
married. He’d asked God to never let his dick grow soft. His boss
laughed so hard he had to hang up. Steve cracked a big smile, but
as usual no one saw it. He decided he would go for that walk on the
beach.
    Wendy was coming out of her
room when he saw her. He asked her if she wanted a walk on the
beach and she looked doubtful knowing she would get wet and
probably sand in her shoes. He saw her reluctance and quickly said
there are some beach combing clothes if you like. She had a small
smile that acknowledged an agreement to his suggestion. Ten minutes
later they were headed down the trail with Rocky as their guide.
Brad had sent Rocky just in case and Wendy asked what the just in
case meant a Brad only smiled.
    Wendy looked like a
professional beach comber in her yellow rain coat with a large rain
hat on, knee boots that fit perfectly, and lined pockets to keep
her hands warm. Keeping her legs warm was a pair of nylon pants
that was waterproof. Once they hit the beach from the trail, the
sand firmed up and the going was easy. The rain and wind whipped
her face, but it felt good. The smell of salt and seaweed filled
her nose. On the sea stacks as they passed by sat hundreds of sea
gulls waiting out the storm. The tide was out so they could pass by
and see hundreds of thousands of black muscles hanging from the
rocks along with starfish interspersed giving a rainbow color to an
otherwise black background. Having never seen this before Wendy
moved closer to look at the hanging muscles with long hair like
things hanging all over them. She was afraid to touch them and
reached out tentatively to touch a starfish. They were tough
skinned and rough to touch. She turned to say something to Steve,
but realized the roar of the ocean and wind would only carry her
voice a short ways. She closed her mouth and they continued up the
beach toward the jetty.
    Wendy felt the wind and rain
on her left side as they walked north to the jetty. Steve had his
hands buried in his pockets of his Burberry. A brightly colored
yellow rain hat with a neck strap made him look like a comic book
character in his big black boots strolling up the beach. An hour
later she loved the walking. She held her head high and the salt
air refreshed her body and brain. As they neared the jetty she
could see the waves crashing into the giant rocks