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Searching for Krisztina

by Lane Stevenson

161 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-1779; ISBN 1-4120-1401-8; US$17.50, C$19.95, EUR15.95, £12.25

The disappearance of twelve men in Sarasota, Florida, baffles police. There are no clues and no motives... only a Czech professor may know the secret of the killings.

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about the book      about the author      excerpts      catalogue info

About the Book Twelve men disappear in Sarasota, Florida without a trace. No clues found, no motives. Police in a a panic, cannot solve this mystery. A Czech professor from Charles University at Prague, Czech Republic, finally breaks the mystery.

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About the Author The author, Lane Stevenson, is from Racine, Wisconsin. He graduated from Arizona State University and served in the army during the Korean war. he was an executive with three publishing companies. He currently resides in Florida.

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Excerpts

CHAPTER FIVE

The sheriff was busy in his office working on unsolved cases. He had beaten the state's attorneys attempt to indict him. That had failed miserably. Now, the class action suit had also come to naught. While he was not solving any cases, he was not in any trouble with the voters either. He was very happy that his wife divorced him but the settlement left him destitute. She took him to the cleaners and then some. Still, he felt that he had come out well, he was now single and able to concentrate on Kit again.

Kit on the other hand had other ideas. The President was coming to town tomorrow and he wanted to escort her to the fundraising party at the van Deusons. She had gone to St. Armand's key and found a beautiful gown to wear. She would look very glamorous on the arm of the President.

The next day, the President called her and said he was staying at the van Deuson's estate. He wanted her to come over shortly. They would talk about her future.

She arrived at the palatial mansion and was shown to the President's suite.

"Ah, there you are Kit. You look lovely as ever. Sit down my dear and listen to what I have to say."

Kit sat on the bed and the President came up to her and said, "Kit dear, you know I am very fond of you. I can't get you out of my mind. Day and night you are there, driving me up a wall. What I need to know is will you wait for me until my term as President is finished?"

"Sir, I can't do that. You have nearly two more years on your term. Many things can happen before you leave office, you could be impeached, or if worse comes, some assassin could put a bullet in your back. Don't you see, you have a very risky job, sir."

"Kit, I know all of that dear, but I would give you the moon, the stars, the universe, everything you could want. Please say yes and wait for me."

"I can't do that sir, I'm going with someone at the present time and I wouldn't want to dump him. He's very sensitive you know."

"I see, it is the street clown that makes a fool out of himself on a street corner?"

"Sir, Merwyn Whipple is a very honest, dedicated performer. He will eventually get a job with the circus and his career will begin to blossom. Who knows with his talent where he will go."

"I see, then you chose this clown over the President. Is that it?"

"I'm sorry sir, but that is the way it is. I'm sure that the first lady is not very happy over your escapades with the ladies."

"Don't worry about her, she's busy traveling in South Africa and she doesn't have a clue to what I am up to. So, you see you have no worries with her."

"I hear from the grapevine sir, that you were having an affair with a Mrs. Salem Winslow, the wife of the ambassador to Ghana. What do you have to say for yourself, sir?"

"It's true Kit, I was having a dalliance with her. The husband, Franklin Winslow is a good friend of mine and I didn't think he would be so upset with me. But, I sent him to Ghana as ambassador and things have quieted down considerably."

"Sir, can we drop this charade and forget this has ever happened?"

"All right Kit, have it your way for now. But, I am not an easy man to be put off. I get what I want if you get the drift of meaning. After all Kit, I am the most powerful man in the world and that little upstart, Merwyn is not going to beat me out of the most beautiful woman in the world. You can bet on it."

The fundraising bash was held at the Sarasota Yacht Club, and several hundred of the party faithful were in attendance. Several million dollars in donations were given to the President for his use. As he looked across the room he spied Kit with Mr. van Deuson and winked at her. She just turned her head.

Many of the socialites were whispering about the beautiful Kit, yet no one knew much about her. They were nervous about their husbands' roving eyes.

The entertainment was first class. Whitney Dallas, the pop entertainer and John Colorado Springs were the featured entertainment for the rest of the evening. When there was an intermission, Whitney came over to Kit and said, "Hi there Kit. Still slumming over at the sheriff's department? I was shocked to find you here at the Yacht Club. Are you in the security program here?"

"Oh no, Whitney, I'm here as a guest of Mr. van Deuson and the President. It has been a very fine party."

"Kit, have you thought about coming to Vegas to work with me and John? I know you will be a hit with the Woovy organization. What do you say?"

"I tell you what Whitney, if I can come out to Vegas after the first of the year and have a friend of mine star in the act, I'll do it."

"Great, Kit. I'll call Patsy Woovy this evening and tell her to draw up a contract for you and your friend. You will be able to start on January 15th. How's that, Kit?"

"Fine, have her send me the contract for my inspection. Don't forget to have one sent to Merwyn Whipple. I'll give you his address. By the way, what will I be making per week?"

"Kit, right now, Patsy will pay you $5,000 per week. I think that is more than you are making with the sheriff's department. We'll pay your friend $1,000 per week until we see how he does out there. If he is a hit with the crowd, we'll up his salary accordingly. Naturally, you will get an increase in salary also."

"I can't believe this, Whitney. Is this really happening to me?"

"Yes it is sweet baby. You'll be the toast of Vegas in a few weeks of working. Now, I've got to get back to singing. I've got to earn my pay. See you later, Kit."

Kit was elated that she and Merwyn would be heading out to Las Vegas. She would have to brush up on her singing and dancing routines, and Merwyn would have to expand his street routines. In all she was very much pleased with herself.

Jack Pine, the President's covert operator in the FBI was brought into the missing persons case. Stern was expecting him.

"What brings you to my office, Mr. Pine?"

"I tell you what sheriff, the President has lost two of his best investigators that he has. Naturally he wants these two cases solved as soon as possible. The other disappearances are not of any consequence to him personally. You and several other agencies have been working on this situation for months with no results. The President and I have a plan to ferret out whoever is behind this sad situation."

"I see, you have a plan Mr. Pine. Please tell me about it."

"You are familiar with a street clown by the name of Merwyn Whipple aren't you?"

"Of course, he's a lazy part-time clown who dates one of my assistants.

Why do you ask?"

"I have a plan to get rid of that guy once and for all. I know you don't have any use for him, neither does Mr. van Deuson and the President. Both these people want him gone."

The sheriff by now was very much interested in what Jack Pine was proposing.

"Sheriff, I propose that we send Whipple out into the orange grove where the others have disappeared. Maybe he'll disappear into history also. I'm certain whoever is doing these foul deeds will do him in also. Think of it sheriff, out of sight, out of mind."

"Brilliant idea, Mr. Pine - Bravo."

"I thought that you would go for this idea. Even the President was elated to say the least. He told me to get going."

"Excuse me sir, how are we going to get that idiot out in the grove without raising any suspicion?"

"We'll tell him that he is on a secret mission for the President of the United States. He is to scout the area in the grove for clues, clues that will lead to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for these dastardly crimes. He'll visit the grove every noon until he is gone. I think that it won't be long before he is bye bye."

"It's as good as done, Mr. Pine. I'll have him come to my office tomorrow and I'll have him out in the orchard the same day, you can bank on that."

The sheriff asked Kit for Merwyn's telephone number and called him.

"Mr. Whipple, this is the sheriff, Ken Stern speaking. Can you come to my office at nine sharp in the morning? I have something important to discuss with you."

"Yes, I will be there sheriff. Can you tell what this is all about?"

"No, I will tell you when you get there. Mums the word, and you must not tell a soul of this conversation."

Merwyn was so excited that even his mother noticed the new attitude in him.

"Dear, why are you so happy? Have you a new gig coming up?"

"No, mama, I'll let you know as soon as I find out what is going on."

The next morning, Merwyn took his rickety Pinto and drove to the sheriff's office. He arrived at the office just at nine o'clock and the sheriff was very pleased at the promptness.

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Catalogue Information

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