Mysterious Destiny
(Beckoning Corridors)
By D. J. Holmes
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2010 by D.J. Holmes
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without permission from the author, except in the case of a brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews. In this case recognition should be given in written form, in the article or review, to the author’s name D. J. Holmes along with the name of the book Mysterious Destiny (Beckoning Corridors).
Contact Information – snowflowerpublishing@gmail.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9845576-1-5
ISBN-10: 0-9845576-1-X
Book Cover for the Mysterious Destiny Series ™
Snow Flower Publishing LLC Logo ™
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010906714
This is the first in a series of Mysterious Destiny, Mystery/Romance Novels
Mysterious Destiny (Beckoning Corridors)
Author: D. J. Holmes
Editors: Jaimie, Donna, Stacey, Geri, Chad and Annell
Web Sites Created by Chad
Published by: Snow Flower Publishing, LLC
Springville, Utah, USA
1st Edition, July 2010: 2nd Edition, October 2010, 3rd Edition, January 2012
Mysterious Destiny
(Beckoning Corridors)
Foreword
As the lives of the individuals interwoven throughout this novel evolve, the reader will experience wonderment; extreme sadness; jumping for joy and laughing out loud; dismay as they are brought to their knees in shock; relief; curiosity and a feeling of family as they become intimately involved in the life of each character.
The reader will come to know that life isn’t what we think that it should be, but it is a gift that is presented to each individual to make the best of what they are given.
By being true to yourself and continuing on in the face of whatever may come, we are all transformed into our highest potential, with destiny leading each of us to where our heart truly resides.
***
Caution, while the mysterious destiny series is family friendly, the contents of the series is not meant for anyone under the age of 12.
***
Acknowledgments
This is the first in a series of Mysterious Destiny books. Yes, my very first book which would never have happened without the constant influence and support from God, my wonderful children, grandchildren and friends.
Thank you so much: Geri and Stacey, for being my first guinea pigs and reading my first draft. I think that you’ll really be surprised with how it has evolved.
Annell, my childhood friend, I can always count on you. Jaimie, without your questions, thoughts, suggestions, and continuous encouragement, I would never have taken the steps that I needed to, to make this book into what it is today.
Chad, for your help in the advertising part of this adventure. I am happy with the book video trailer, you tube, my space and face book. Along with my web sites www.SnowFlowerPublishing.com and www.MysteriousDestiny.com. I learned a lot, but you know so much more.
Phillip, what a great idea for a logo for my publishing company Snow Flower Publishing and Shane your thought to make the flower smaller led to the final look of the logo.
Christian, Jessica, Danny and Danielle your encouragement was always appreciated.
My wonderful grandchildren. Your love and constant interest in the progress of this book filled me with excitement as I rounded the corner to the finish. I can’t wait for you to read it.
Supportive friends, now you’ll understand why I went into seclusion for so long. I love you all, D. J. Holmes.
Through experiences that we have no control over, life can send you into the very depths of despair or
It can be full of wonderful unexpected simple fulfilling pleasures.
May your life be the latter, Sincerely, D. J. Holmes
CHAPTER 1
I have always wanted to travel to Scotland, Ireland, or possibly England and couldn’t wait to see their rolling green hills, full of castles from the Medieval era. I don’t know why I am drawn to that time in history. But in my mind, I can imagine what it looks like, the feel of the moist wind on my face, and the sounds of the countryside, full of the resonance of the majestic Bagpipe. Oh, if only I could hear their music.
Today looked like it was going to be that day. I was so excited as I watched the pipers getting ready to perform, when my partner, Evan, finally arrived.
“Good morning, Julia.”
“There you are Evan. What took you so long to get here?”
“I got caught in traffic.”
“Why didn’t you just put on your siren?”
“You know that I can’t do that!”
“I’m just teasing, Evan.”
“Oh,” he said. A minute later after he cooled down, he began talking about our latest encounter with a group of International Terrorists. “I don’t know if I ever told you, Julia, but I was really impressed with how we worked together the minute that we both realized, that the lives of all the Governors from the western states were in danger. To me, that whole situation was surreal. To realize that they were all being held as hostages by real terrorists, but thought that their predicament was just part of the Delta King, Mystery Dinner Theater presentation.”
“I was thinking about that very same thing just a minute ago, Evan. We had to do some real acting during that time didn’t we?”
“What do you mean? I was in my element. I wasn’t nervous then, like I am now,” Evan, stated with a boyish smile. Talking a breath he became very serious, “Actually, I really don’t know how we did it! At any given moment, everything could have turned the other direction and everyone on that river boat, including us, would have been dead.”
“I know, Evan,” I put my arm around his waist, as we stood side by side. In our minds we traveled back silently thinking of our recent terrorist experience. Yet, in our physical bodies we continued to watch all the loose ends being brought together for the ceremony.
After a few minutes I asked, “Did I ever thank you for saving my life that day, Evan?”
Evan, turned his head for a moment and looked in my direction, “You’re my partner, Julia. Partner’s watch each other’s back.”
“Yes, they do.” Turning my head toward Evan’s back, taking in his whole beautiful, American Indian, five foot eleven stature. “In fact I’m looking at yours right now,” I said with an approving smile, “You look nice in your uniform, Evan. I like a man in uniform.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I don’t know what it is, if it’s the uniform, or the confidence a man seems to have when he wears it.”
“I do like the way this uniform makes me feel, Julia.” He took hold of his collar, moving it slightly with an approving look on his face. “Sometimes, I really get tired of wearing regular street clothes while I’m at work. I’d rather wear my uniform so that I stand out. I’m proud of the work I do.”
“I’m proud to have you as my partner, Evan. You’re a great officer! And you’ve been a great example to me.”
Evan, heard the sincerity in my voice. Rather than scanning the area we were in, as he usually does, he finally looked directly at me, for more than a moment. “You know what, Julia? I love seeing you in a dress when we work. You’re so darn cute and feminine. But seeing you now in uniform, I never realized that you were so short. How tall are you any way?”
“I’m 5 feet 4 inches.”
“You look taller when we work, because of the heels that you wear.”
“Yes. Since we are undercover, they ARE a part of my uniform. You know that I have to fit in with the civilians. And then of course, I don’t have to do the running. You do. I just call for back up.”
“Ah…now I know why you just stand in place, open up your purse, and start talking into it. I always thought that the back ups that helped me, just read my mind, riding in on their white horses just in time to save me,” he said with a playful smile. “So why didn’t you wear them today?”
“Wear what?”
“Your heels.”
“I’ve got heels. Look,” and I lifted up my shoes to show him the soles of my shoes.
“No, the high heels that you wear when we work.” His smile just kept getting bigger and bigger.
Smiling back, I answered, “I wanted the option to quickly run away. And who knows I might feel like running any minute now…chuckle. Actually, I didn’t have any that would go with my uniform. Besides I wanted to match your outfit.”
Evan and I have a close brother, sister relationship. Yet, for some reason, I always get nervous when I sense his complete attention on me. So I smiled, and changed the subject.
“Have you noticed everything that has been done here?” I questioned, “I can’t believe that they’ve gone to all of this preparation. The lawn is perfectly manicured. And my favorite Camellia tree...I’ve always loved its colored blossoms.”
“Oh, so you like pink, white and red, hanging on the limbs of a tree?”
“I do…it’s just all so stunning.” I said, smiling as I turned around. I hadn’t looked in that specific direction, because I was so interested in the Pipe Band, in my excitement I put my left hand up to my mouth to hold back a scream. I pointed with my right hand, “Look over there by the West steps.” They actually put up a stage for this ceremony with a huge American Flag covering the back!”
“Wow! You’ve got to be kidding. This is really something. Look at how beautiful the Capitol Building, and that flag look together. This is amazing isn’t it, Julia?”
“It really is, Evan. I never expected anything like this.”
“Me either, but I still wish they were honoring someone other than us. I’d rather be in the audience, than on the stage for this ceremony.”
“Me, too,” I said, and then suggested, “rather than going up on the stage, why don’t we just go sit in the audience?”
“Ok, Julia. You lead and I’ll follow.”
“I thought that you were MY leader, Evan?”
“Well, not for this.”
“Ok, are you ready? Oh, one thing, I’d like to ask you, leader of mine. What are we going to do when they call our names?”
“Sink down in our seats.”
“Now what kind of leader is that, Evan?”
“One that doesn’t want to go up on that stage.”
“Well, I think that it’s kind of late to carry out our plans, all of the dignitaries, including the Governor, are walking down the West steps toward the stage. They would see us if we ran for seats in the audience now. I guess we had better go behind the stage, and wait until they call us.”
“Ok, lead on, my fearless one,” he said, looking at the ground, with a nervous twinge in his voice.
“If you’ll remember, I was going to blaze our way to chairs in the audience, before the Governor appeared.” I explained, “Now you get to traverse our way to the back of the stage.”
“Traverse?”
“Yes, traverse, Evan. You get to plot a pathway to the stage.”
“Plot a pathway?”
“Oh…I know what you’re doing. You’re stalling.”
“Julia, I don’t want to go….”
“Start marching or I’ll slap your butt!”
“Now, now, Julia. Remember you’re in uniform.”
“Yea, yea, yea. Start marching. Hip-two, hip-two.” Evan, starts marching in the opposite direction of the stage.
“Where in the heck do you think that you are going?” I, questioned.
“In the direction that I want to go in.”
“Not in that direction, Evan. You don’t get your way today. March straight for the back of the stage, and put on your leader face, not your little boy face.”
As we both laughed, Evan, just had to get in the last word, “Ok, mommy.”
Waiting behind the wings of the stage, I positioned myself so that I could see the audience but they couldn’t see me. Spotting the Bagpipe Band dressed in their ceremonial best, I said, “Evan, come over here and look at that group of men.”
“Where?”
“Over there in the garden.”
“Oh, that group over there?”
“Yes.”
“I think that you need more training, Julia. Are you sure that they’re men? They’re wearing skirts.”
I could see the smile that, Evan, was trying to hide, so I just played along.
“They’re not skirts. They are wearing Kilts.”
“Well, it looks like a skirt to me,” he said with his smile coming to the surface.
“Personally, I think that you’d look really cute in a kilt, Evan. In fact, I think that I’ll get you one for Christmas.”
“I won’t wear it if you get me one, Julia!” he says adamantly, his smile fading.
“I’ve heard that men that wear a kilt for the first time have a strong sense of masculinity overcome them.”
“I don’t care what you’ve heard. I’m not going to wear it in this life time!” Looking down and directly at my face, he adds, “I mean it, Julia! I’ll never wear a kilt!”
Quietly laughing inside and continuing my teasing I said, “Yea, yea, yea. We’ll see Evan….”
In the air I could hear the first sounds of the Bagpipe Band playing, ‘Amazing Grace’. Tears began to come to my eyes, and the faces of my very dearest, newly fallen fellow officers flashed in my mind.
I began singing the words, “Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound.” Pulling myself out of a solemn mood, I finally remembered the name of the Pipers attire. Jumping up and down, I said, “Look, Evan, the Prince Charlie!”
“There’s a Prince here?”
“No, I mean the Prince Charlie, Highland Dress outfit.
It’s only worn on extremely special occasions.”
“Are you talking about the skirts that they are wearing again?”
“Evan, would you stop it? It’s tradition, and it’s very manly. Did you know, that the average skirt that a woman wears today only takes from three to four yards of material to make? But a kilt needs eight yards, because of the pleats in the back of the kilt.”
“Yea. Pleats, Julia. Does that sound like anything that a man would wear?”
“Well, just remember, Evan, when you wear yours, the pleats go in the back!”
“I told you, Julia. I’m not wearing one of those skirts!”
“I think that I’ll get you a red and black plaid like they have. And, of course, we’ll have to make sure that it hits just below the knee, so that your knobby knees don’t show.”
“I don’t have knobby knees!”
“Ah, so you’ll wear one?”
“No, Julia, I won’t wear a kilt. But I will say, that the part of the outfit that looks more like a man to me, is their black jacket…along with the matching vest, white shirt and black bowtie. Now I could wear the top half !”
“Ok, it’s a done deal. I’ll get you the complete outfit!”
“Julia!”
“Evan, did you know that back in the middle ages a kilt was not considered something that a woman would wear? A man wore this type of outfit because, when he was out on the battle field it was easier to relieve his bowels, and continue fighting at the same time.”
“Now, that’s something that I wouldn’t have thought of, Julia! And actually, that’s more information than I really wanted to know. Although I would imagine, that when fighting face to face on a battle field all day, when nature calls, one couldn’t possibly say ‘excuse me for a moment,’ walk off, come back a little later and continue fighting.”
He started laughing and continued his scenario. “What if another enemy came up to them to fight, while his opponent is gone doing his thing? What are they supposed to say?
‘I’m sorry. I’m in the middle of fighting another man, but he’s indisposed right now. Could you pick on someone else until I’m through with him?’”
Starting to laugh even louder, Evan says, “Or, maybe, I could say, ‘Watch your step. The guy that I was just fighting did his thing right where you are standing.’”
“My goodness, Evan. Do you have to be so graphic? If you laugh any harder you’re going to fall over.”
“Hey, you’re the one that started the subject matter.”
“Well it’s fact! But we don’t have to go into detail about it.”
“Ok,” he said trying to hold back his laughing. “What’s that thing that’s tied around their hips, and hanging down in front?”
“That’s called a ‘sporran.’ It’s a type of purse placed discretely in front, to act as a cod-piece and to protect their modesty.”
“I can see where that would do the trick Julia,” he says looking at me with a grin.
I could see the wheels spinning in his head, but I stopped him from saying what he was thinking, “Don’t you dare say anything, Evan.”
“I only had one thought, Julia,” he said.
“Well I don’t want to hear it. Just look at their black hose and the way that they have them rolled down at the top.”
“Hose? Men wearing hose? Now I could really say something about that.”
“Evan!” I wanted him to stop making fun of these fantastic men.
“Ok, Julia, ok. I’ll try to stop, but I really want to know. What are hose?”
“Evan, come on. Are you really serious?”
“I’m serious, Julia. What do you mean by hose?”
“It’s what we call stockings.”
“Oh, I didn’t even notice that they’re rolled down.”
“Well they are! This shows off the small colorful flags attached to the garters on the outside of each leg. Do you see them?”
“Yea, that’s neat.”
“Look at their shoes, Evan. I really like them! Do you see the long laces that cross back and forth as they are wrapped up the leg.”
“Yea, it kind of reminds me of a ballet shoe!”
“Evan, would you stop it? I thought that you were going to be serious.”
“I’m trying, Julia. I’m really trying! ” he said as he stepped back holding his hands up, and out to each side in front of him.
“These pipers are classy, Evan!” I said with my hands on my hips.
Walking behind me he says, “I know they are. I’m just having fun with you.” Standing to my right, his left arm wrapped around my shoulders, as he looked directly at me, smiling his teasing little smile.
I finally began to smile back at him. “You can always get me to smile, can’t you?”
Just then the sun caught some type of metal, and flashed back into, Evan’s eyes. “Wow, what was that?” he asked.
“It was probably the decorative handle of the sheathed knife, hidden in one leg of their hose Or it was the metal kilt pin.”
“Ok. I can understand a hidden knife, but why do they have a pin in their kilt?”
“Well, that all came about one day when Queen Victoria had a military inspection. It was windy, and as one of the privates was standing at attention, the wind kept blowing his kilt open, and there he was for all to see.”
“What do you mean, Julia! She was there to look at her soldiers.”
“Evan…the soldiers don’t wear any underwear under their kilts. She was there to see the uniform. Not what was under the uniform.”
“Oh!”
“Anyway, she took out her hat pin and secured his kilt, thus preserving his modesty. And since that time it has been traditional for a kilt pin to be worn with the kilt.”
“That’s interesting, Julia. A Queen using her hat pin to help her soldier. What’s the story on their hats?”
“First of all, it’s called a bonnet and it actually doesn’t have any real ancient history. It basically grew from a pillbox style. You know, small and squatty?” I fashioned my hands into the size of a small squatty box. “And then you know how things go. Everyone has to have more of something than other people have.”
“Ah, so the hats, excuse me bonnets, just continued getting bigger and bigger, with everyone trying to out do the other person. Is that right?”
“Yes, it was kind of like that.”
“It doesn’t sound like they were too much different than we are today?” he said kind of under his breath.
“Evan, listen. Isn’t their music beautiful?”
“It really is, Julia.”
“Look at their impressive, dignified posture, Evan. I just feel like I’m in a romantic, far away country, watching them march through the King’s garden, playing their bagpipes.”
The drum section of the Bagpipe Band begins playing with the bagpipes, as the second verse starts, “I have goose bumps all down my arms, Evan. It’s so beautiful.”
“For all my teasing, Julia, I will agree with you. They are very impressive.”
As the music begins to end, both, Evan, and I begin to quietly sing…“was blind, but now I see.”
The Governor of California stands up to the podium and thanks the Pipers for their rendition of, “Amazing Grace”. They acknowledge the Governor with a small tip of their heads, and click of their heels. As they turn around, the drummers play as they exit the area. Then the Governor sits down.
The Attorney General approaches the podium and begins to speak. “The Public Safety Office, Medal of Valor Act, Effective January 1, 2003, authorizes the Governor of California to award a Medal of Valor to one or more public safety officers who are cited by the Attorney General for an extraordinary act of heroism, above and beyond the call of duty, to save the life of another person, or at risk to their own life, to save someone.”
“The Special Act, Gold Medal, is awarded for an extraordinary act of heroism, by a state employee extending far above, and beyond the normal call of duty or service performed at great risk to his, or her own life in an effort to save a human life.”
The Attorney General ends with, “Would Officer Evan Meyers and Officer Julia Lloyd please come up on stage?” On cue the Governor stands up, shakes our hands. Then he begins to speak as the Attorney General sits down.
“On September 9, 2009, Officers Evan Meyers and Julia Lloyd were at Sutter’s Fort, doing their part as plain clothes officers, of the Sacramento County Sheriff ’s Special Enforcement Detail. They were there to keep their ears open for probable terrorist operations while all the Governors of the Western States were here in Sacramento, for a Western States Conference on Water Conservation.”
From the moment that I had walked on stage, and the Governor began to speak, my mind went blank. I felt like I was in a daze. I barely heard the Governor, when he said:
“Toward the end of the Mystery Dinner Theatre, the Special Enforcement Detail, had taken the place of the original Can-Can dancers. On stage they were ready to put on their own great dramatic ending. Having first defused the bombs on the hull of the river boat, their next goal was to get the Governors to safety before they tried to capture the terrorists.”
“I must say at this moment, that the skills that our officers have are the best in America. But I have to tell you, since I was there, that they were some of the ugliest Can-Can dancers that I have ever seen.”
Laughing came loudly, and quickly after this statement, as all of the officers patted each other on the back. The movement of the audience, and loud laughter brought me back to the present.
After the laughing died down, the Governor continued, “Drawing attention away from the Can-Can dancers as they entered the stage to do their dance, one of the terrorists ran across the dining room to tell his commander that the Chef had accidentally set a small fire in the kitchen, and they hadn’t been able to put it out. Without knowledge that the bombs they had secured to the hull of the Delta King had been disarmed the terrorists began to panic.”
“Taking advantage of this chaotic circumstance, the Can-Can dancers invited some of the Governors up on stage to dance with them, and somehow managed to shuffle them off the boat.”
Looking out to the audience, the Governor laughed, as he said “You’ve got to show me the steps to your shuffle. I would like to use it in some of my meetings.” The audience began to laugh, knowing and understanding the politics of the State of California.
Getting back to his speech, honoring Officers Meyers and Lloyd, the Governor continued. “As the terrorists got everything under control, they became furious, when they realized that during all the commotion, many hostages, and the Can-Can dancers had escaped. In their rage, they decided to explode the bombs they had planted on the hull of the River Boat, earlier than they had initially planned. When they were unsuccessful, they became very angry when they realized bombs had been dismantled by that time.”
“When the Terrorists realized that their first plan had not worked, they initiated a second plan, by starting a larger fire in the middle of the Pilothouse, Mystery Theatre Dining Room. There were yells, and screams as the remaining hostages began to panic. After the terrorists took the Governor of Arizona, along with the Governor of California, as hostages, they began to leave by the main door, having chained and pad locked all of the other exits.”
“As the fire raged, several of the hostages, who were left behind, tried to leave the restaurant through the same entrance. This action resulted in several of them being wounded, by two of the terrorists, who were standing guard just outside the door, while their leader, and those who were with him, left.”
“The terrorists, by the main door, were in the sites of the SWAT Team, and were wounded. The SWAT Team, had orders not to kill anyone, unless they were instructed other wise, as the terrorists tried to escape.”
“The Special Enforcement Detail Officers, surrounded the Terrorist leader and those that were with him. After a fire fight, both Governors were rescued, and the wounded terrorists were taken into custody. Sadly, during the fire fight, two of our officers, Officer Juan Martinez and Officer Jasmine Kim, were mortally wounded. We will be eternally grateful for their sacrifice.”
“On the inside of the Delta King, Officers Meyers and Lloyd were able to quiet the remaining hostages. Finally, while Officer Lloyd stayed with the wounded hostages, Officer Meyers found an escape route through a back door in the kitchen, that the terrorists had over looked.
Evan, and I looked at each other, remembering how Evan’s clothes had started to catch fire several times, as hot ashes dropped, and bursts of flames had reached out to stroke his shirt, and pants.
I remembered also how my hair had come out of the bun that I had it in, making it more accessible to the hot ashes flying through the air, as we were trying to help the hostages through the kitchen.
“For helping several of the wounded hostages to escape the increasing intensity of the fire, and returning several times to retrieve the wounded, at the peril of their own lives, today, I have the honor of awarding Officers Evan Meyers and Julia Lloyd, the State of California Special Act Gold Medal of Valor.”
As the Governor put the medals around our necks he shook our hands, and privately said, “It is a privilege to be in the company of such brave individuals. You both represent the courageous spirit of California that has always made our state so great.”
“Thank you, Sir,” I replied.
When Evan, shook the Governor’s hand, he asked.
“Governor, would it be all right if I asked you a question?”
“Certainly Officer Meyers, what is it that you would like to ask?”
“Governor, with your permission, I would like to have everyone that helped that day, to stand. Would that be all right?”
“That would be fine with me, Officer Meyers,” the Governor responded.
Evan, went to the podium and asked for everyone that helped to resolve the incident that day, to please stand. No one wanted to be recognized, so Evan said, “Officers Anderson, Johnson and Schriever, please stand up.” They finally stood up. “Now, the rest of you. Please stand. We wouldn’t have been able to successfully finish this assignment, if you wouldn’t have been there also.” The rest of the unit slowly stood up. Evan continued, “This Medal of Valor belongs to all of you and it will be displayed at our department headquarters. May we always work together, as well as we did, on September 9, 2009.”
Everyone responded with applause, and whistles, finally acknowledging their part, in the rescue of the Governors from all the Western States.
After the award ceremony, Evan and I walked around Old Sacramento and then went to dinner. Yes. We went to the Pilothouse Restaurant on The Delta King River Boat, as it had just been refurbished.
As we walked in through the main restaurant entrance Officers Anderson, Johnson and Schriever, who had arrived before us, began clapping and whistling. I think that my face turned a bright red, and Evan motioned with his hands, to quiet down. We were escorted to a beautiful table by a window, with a wonderful view of the Sacramento River.
The Delta King and her (I say her, because a ship is always referred to as a female, because it protects and eventually delivers her cargo, or passengers, as does a mother with her child) sister ship the Delta Queen were the finest paddle wheelers traveling between Sacramento and San Francisco from 1927 to 1940. The refurbishing that had been done since September 9th had regained the charm, grace, and elegance that it first had during its glory years.
“Look at the cute couple. They never seem to go anywhere, unless they are together. I think that there is something going on that’s more than partners on the force,” Schriever derides, as he looks in their direction.
Johnson, added, “You could be right, Schriever. I wish I had a partner like, Julia. Not only is she a good officer, she really looks good in that uniform.”
“Hey guys, give them a break. Schriever, you and I are partners, and we go everywhere together,” Anderson remarked.
“I’m thinking that that’s a little different, Anderson. We’re buddies.”
Quietly, Anderson answers. “Maybe that’s all that’s between them also.”
“Look at her! There’s no way that any man could be just a buddy with her. Men and good looking women, cannot be buddies,” stated, Schriever.
“You know what? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Johnson, admonishes. “Whatever it is, let them be. They make a great team.”
Anderson, looked up noticing that, Evan and Julia, were walking out of the restaurant. “Where are they going? They just got here. Do you think that it’s too soon for them to be here, at the Delta King?”
“No. That terrorist incident was two months ago. I saw Evan, reach for his cell phone just a minute ago. As soon as he hung up, he leaned over to, Julia and talked to her. They must have to go somewhere,” Johnson, added.
“I hope that they didn’t hear us talking about them,” Schriever, shamefully stated.
“Excuse me. ‘We weren’t talking about them. You were talking about them, Schriever,” Anderson, scolded.
“You’re right. Sorry guys.”
Evan, and I had been summoned to an emergency meeting with our commanding officer. During the last three months there had been several young boys killed, always under the light of a full moon. Our commanding officer wanted Evan, to head the task force. He also wanted me to help, when I returned from my vacation. We had both agreed to be part of his team to find this mass killer.
I didn’t know it then, but the events of that day, along with agreeing to be part of the task force, would mark the beginning of the possible end of my life. Yet, it would also open memories of my own true love, that had been forgotten through a web of time.
My awakening memories, would also open hidden memories, that Evan never wanted opened again. Memories buried so deeply, he had become a different person, to escape them. Though it could possibly be an end for both of us, it is truly just a part of our own heroic beginning.
Through these courageous soul experiences, Evan, and I would learn that life isn’t what we have planned. Life is a part of destiny, that has a way of guiding us to where our heart truly resides.
For now, leaving on my vacation was what I needed, and I decided to take it a day at a time. My time was enjoyable, but quickly passed. And after returning home from visiting with my family in New Mexico, I renewed my determination to concentrate just on that, taking it a day at a time.
Worried about Evan, and curious about his new investigation, I returned home earlier than planned, and had two more days until I had to report to work. Having made no specific plans in advance, I thought, “Maybe I’ll just take a short nap.” I laid down on my favorite sofa and quickly fell asleep.
While I was sleeping, I had a dream that was so real, it seemed like I was there! I wasn’t looking at this person. I WAS this person! It was like my face was in a mask, and through my own eyes, or from the holes made in the mask for my eyes, I could see what was happening.
I was on my knees, bending over a wood block, with my hands behind me. I looked up to my left. I could see a man with his hands stretched high above his head, holding an ax. I knew that he was going to use all of his strength, to sever my neck, from my body with one slice.
This was the second time, that I had had that dream. The first time I saw it, my breath was taken away, and I was extremely shaken. But this time, I decided to face this experience, and took the time to look at the ax. To my amazement, I actually found it to be very beautiful. It had a long wooden handle. At the upper end of the handle was a beautiful silver ax. There were decorative scrolls cut through it at the thicker end and at the thinner end, it was very clean and sharp.
The executioner was about 6 feet tall, with blond hair and a blond beard. He was very muscular, and had a very concerned, but determined look on his face. Within my heart came the understanding that my husband had made the decision that I was to be beheaded. I knew at that moment, that it was not in this time. But that it was another moment in time, that I had been given a glimpse of. Strangely, I felt very calm, and at peace, when I looked up at the executioner. As the ax was about to come down, I suddenly woke up to the ringing of my cell phone. It was Evan.
He was calling to see if I could go out to dinner tonight. There was someone that he wanted me to meet.
“I would like to go to dinner and meet your friend,” I said. “But do you think that there would be some time later tonight when we could talk…just the two of us? There’s something that I would really like to talk to you about.”
“I can’t hear you,” he said. “You keep breaking up. I’ll call you as soon as I can, ok?”
An hour later, Evan, calls again. “Hello there, sport. I hope that we have a better connection this time! Jon and I are about five minutes away. Can you still go to dinner? I want you to meet him.”
“Was Jon at the Beach House with you?” I questioned. “Yes, he was there. We’ve had similar experiences and he helped me work through several issues that I had. Someday, when we both have time, I’ll tell you about it.”
“Evan, there’s something that I really, really need to talk to you about.”
“Ok. I’m just a couple of minutes away. Talk to you then.”
A few minutes later I heard a knock on the door and opened it. Evan, and his friend were standing on my door step. He introduced me to, Jon. The lighting was poor, but I immediately thought that, Jon, looked familiar. His stance made me think that I had stood next to him, somewhere before. It seemed like there was a wall in my brain, that wouldn’t come down. Nevertheless, we all walked out to the car, got in, and
Evan, drove toward the freeway.
“I want to take both of you to a new Chinese Restaurant that I found, just before I went to the Beach House.” Evan’s mouth began to water, as he fantasized about Sweet and Sour Pork, and his favorite, Beef and Broccoli. Unexpectedly, he was brought back to reality, when he received a call from his team, notifying him that he was needed at the newest crime scene.
That something very important had been found.
Since Jon, and I were with Evan, when he got the call, and we were on the freeway, there wasn’t anywhere that we could be dropped off, so we traveled with him to his assignment. The team had called to say that they had found two new bodies, that could possibly be part of the current serial killings. As soon as he received the call, he put the red and blue revolving dome light on the roof of his car. Off we went at lightning speed.
When we arrived at the crime scene, Evan got out of the car, asking me to stay with Jon, since I was still officially on vacation, until he could get back to us. Jon, and I, sat for a while in silence. Then my curiosity got the best of me. I asked him, “What is in the backpack that you are carrying, Jon?”
“I have written all of my most cherished memories in my notebook. I keep it with me in my backpack.”
“Would you feel comfortable in sharing any of them with me?” I asked.
Jon changed the subject, and stated, “Evan is really a great guy, isn’t he?” His voice sounded like he was reminiscing.
I realized that he was uncomfortable talking about his notebook, so I followed his lead, and asked him, “Are you a police officer also?”
“No. I’m an Attorney in Los Angeles.”
“What are you doing here in Sacramento?” I questioned. “I needed to come to talk to, Evan, about a case that I am helping a fellow attorney with.”
“You needed to come to talk to Evan about something that is happening in Los Angeles?” I asked in a surprised tone since each court district has different laws pertaining to crime.
“Had been happening,” he emphasized. “My client, the person who the police arrested for the same type of serial killings in the city of Los Angeles, escaped from the Court House during a pre-trial hearing, when he realized that he was going to be kept in jail for three months, until his trial.”
He continued, “About a month after he had escaped, I heard a news report concerning the same type of killings that had been happening in Los Angeles, were now happening in Sacramento. They were all happening under a full moon, just as they had in Los Angeles.”
“I went to the Internet, and saw the picture of you, and Evan, that had been posted, when you both received your Medals of Valor.”
“Next to that article, was the article that said that, Evan, was in charge of this investigation. The killer seemed to have the same M.O. that my client was suspected of. So I came to see if it was my client, or possibly someone else, so that I could potentially clear my client. I also wanted to congratulate, Evan, and meet you.” Jon, immediately sat back, and was quiet once again.
I was still sitting in the front passenger seat. I went to turn around to completely face Jon, but realized that I hadn’t taken off my safety belt. Rather than turning completely around to talk to him, I put down the front visor, and opened the mirror, so that I could see him as we talked. The light was shining just bright enough, that I could barely see him. At first I felt safe, because Jon was Evan’s friend, and I trusted Evan, knowing that he would never introduce me to anyone who would harm me in any way.
Suddenly, our car was in the direct line of a flood light, that was being used at the crime scene. It was the first time that I truly got a good look at what Jon actually looked like.
At first I couldn’t move! I believed in Evan, as far as his choice of friends and my safety were concerned. But, I also believed my dream. I sat there stiff as a board, juggling my thoughts back and forth. “He looks like him, but how could that be? Was my dream a warning?” I said over and over in my mind. Confused and frightened, my body froze. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk.
“Julia, are you ok?” Jon, asked with a concerned tone.
I thought to myself, “It’s him! It’s got to be him.” The executioner in my dream!” My mind began to thaw out, and I began to think. Once again, speaking to myself, I determined, “To me, my dream was a premonition. This man was probably the person that had been following me home from work. And if my dream was correct, he was going to kill me.”
I didn’t know who to trust. I hadn’t had time to talk to Evan because he had been at the Beach House for some reason. Now I was in a car alone, with this man who looked like the executioner in my dream. And Evan, the person that I completely trusted, was several yards away in the woods, investigating his newest crime scene.
Along with my dreams, I had been receiving letters which were very creepy. They were filled with words made up from individual alphabet letters, torn from newspapers and magazines. They had then been pasted onto paper, to spell out words and sentences, that threatened my life.
My dreams… the letters… together with being followed, as I walked home from work. All of these experiences came flooding into my mind. I took a breath, tried to relax and then asked, Jon, “How long were you at the Beach House with, Evan?”
“I’ve been at the Beach House off and on for the last few months. But, I was just there for a day before we traveled to come to see you.”
There. I had my answer. It must be him! And now I was sitting in a car, by myself, with this man who looked exactly like the executioner in my dream.
I decided to get out of that car as fast as I could. Quickly opening the door, and walking a few steps, I saw something move in the shadows to my right. I reached for my gun, but it wasn’t in my holster.
In my mind, I saw pictures quickly flashing, reminding me that I wasn’t wearing my official uniform, I was wearing my favorite basic black dress. “Ahhh, I remember. Evan, my partner, and Jon, his friend, were taking me out to dinner.” Unexpectedly I was distracted by someone yelling my name, directly behind me.
“Julia!”
The sound of having my name yelled had attracted the attention of the person I had seen moving in the shadows, on the perimeter of the crime scene. I could see his piercing dark eyes as he turned, looking in my direction.
At this same moment, I heard loud running steps quickly coming up behind me. I turned. It was Jon. “You left your gun in the car,” he said out of breath, and with a great deal of concern in his voice.
As Jon was handing the gun to me, he instantly realized that there was another person walking out of the shadows, coming towards both of us. He had a gun raised and pointed in my direction, ready to shoot.
“Julia,” the stranger said, more as a statement, than a question. His dark eyes glistened with excitement, penetrating my very soul, making me feel like I was his prey. His smile made me feel like we knew each other. Yet at the same moment, I realized that he was very pleased with the situation that he found us both in.
Feeling apprehensive, I answered, “Yes?” Hoping that he was part of the crime team.
Smiling, he then said, “You’re still much prettier in person.”
Two shots were suddenly fired from the stranger’s gun. I was stunned, not knowing how I should feel, realizing that years of training had taught me how to take the shots, but now I would know what it felt like.
Within seconds, I prepared myself, mentally, to take the hit, when I suddenly realized that Jon, had thrown himself in front of me. Both shots hit him directly, and he fell to the ground, as the shooter quickly ran back into the woods. I looked down at, Jon, not believing what had just happened. He wasn’t moving. A pool of blood was accumulating on the ground under him. His breathing was labored.
Kneeling by his side, I cradled his head in my lap. “Jon, why didn’t you stay in the car?” He looked up at me and said, “Katherine I will always love you. Our ring is in my coat pocket. Please give my backpack to Evan. He’ll know what to do with it.”
“Jon, why did you throw yourself in front of me?” I questioned. “Why did you do that? He wanted me, not you, Jon! You could have saved yourself.”
Everything seemed so weird. I was having trouble connecting with reality. Finally, my mind cleared, and I began to realize the veracity of the situation. In a pleading voice, I commanded, “Jon, don’t you die! You hear me? Stay with me. Don’t die.”
He looked up at me and softly said, “I love you, Katherine.” His facial expression slowly faded, and his breathing stopped, as his head slowly lowered to his left side.
The sound of shots being fired brought the Crime Team running in our direction, with their guns drawn. They arrived, just as Jon’s body went limp.
“What happened?” the first officer asked.
I was still in shock, but tried to remember my training. “The shooter is about 5 feet 10 inches tall, a slim build with long black hair, and dark piercing eyes. He is wearing a plaid cowboy shirt, with denim blue pants, dark brown moccasins, and a turquoise necklace. His belt has a huge silver buckle, and he is armed with a Beretta 92 FS. Be careful. He’s dangerous.” Looking to my right, I added, “I saw him run toward that grove of trees.”
Jon’s motionless body lay on the ground, and his head was still laying in my lap, when Evan arrived by my side. Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of grief, overcame my whole being. I began to cry uncontrollably. My reaction to this situation scared me. In my mind, I couldn’t understand what my body was trying to tell me. I began to wonder if I was losing it! I have always been able to understand death, and sadness, but this was uncontrollable grief. In my mind, I asked myself, “Why would I react this way toward someone that I have just met?”
In all of our police work as partners, Evan had never seen me lose my composure in any situation, much less uncontrollably crying after a shooting. When we helped the Governors on the Delta King River Boat, running back and forth, helping the hostages escape the fire, knowing that I could die at any moment, I had never felt like this! Several days after the terrorist episode was over, when I would have flash backs remembering specific parts of that assignment, I still never reacted like this. It was just part of the job, and I dealt with it.
But today, within three minutes after I had left Evan’s car, Jon was dead. His blood was soaking his clothes, and I was kneeling by his side, with his head on my lap.
This man, whom I felt I had been forewarned to be a danger to my life, in truth, at this very moment, had been my protector.
As I looked down at him, through new eyes, I thought, what was this peaceful look that he had on his face? What did he mean when he called me Katherine? Who was Katherine? What was written in his notebook, that he carried in his back pack. What did he mean when he said “our ring”?
After this terrible incident, and misinterpretation of my dream, I had a lot of questions that I wanted to ask Evan about Jon.
“Are you ok?” Evan, asked with an uneasiness in his voice.
I still couldn’t talk for a moment, so I just shook my head up and down, to let him know that I was ok. Finally, through my tears, I could see his concerned look, and said “Jon, threw himself in front of me. Evan, he saved my life.”
“Why did you get out of the car?” he asked. “I told you both to stay where you were, to keep you safe.”
“Initially, it was because of a dream that I had.”
“A dream?” Evan, spoke in a tone, that sounded like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Yes. I tried to tell you about it, when you called earlier.” Just at that moment, Evan’s crime team came back from searching the woods, telling him that they had searched the perimeter, and couldn’t find anyone fitting the description that I had given them.
Evan, responded to his men. “We’ll have to bring in more officers and widen the search. Sanders, would you call an ambulance? Anderson, Johnson and Schriever, stay here with Julia, and wait for the ambulance, while I finish this crime scene investigation.”
“Yes, Sir,” they all replied in unison.
“Julia, I’ll talk to you in a little bit. Are you feeling well enough that you could stay here with, Jon, while I get this other business taken care of ?”
“Yes. I’ll stay with him, until you are through.”
Two small bodies were found. They were young boys and their throats had been slashed from side to side. Evan would now have to look at Jon’s notes, to see if the throats were cut in the same way here, as they had been in Los Angeles. He would have to find out, if all of the bodies in Los Angeles were found in a woody area, and was it always a full moon?
As for now, it was late, and Evan wanted to make sure that Jon’s body was taken care of. After he returned, he asked once again. “How are you doing, Julia,” concerned with my emotional status.
“I’ll be fine, as soon as I process everything that has happened.”
“I’m going to have, Anderson, drive you in my car, while
I accompany, Jon.”
“Would you do that, Anderson?”
“It would be my honor, Sir.”
“Thank you. Julia, you and I will talk later.”
I rode behind the ambulance with Anderson, as Evan accompanied his friend on his last journey in this life.
Leaving the morgue, Evan, and Julia, dropped Anderson, off at the station. They then drove to Julia’s apartment where they rested, and thought about the events of the evening.
Finally, Julia handed Jon’s backpack to Evan. “Jon asked me to give you this.”
Evan, looked at the backpack covered with Jon’s blood. There was silence for a while, and then Evan said, “I remember watching Jon carry this all the time, at the Beach House. He told me what he had written in the notebook.” Again, silence over came both of us, as we washed his blood off of the backpack, remembering Jon, and the sacrifice that he had made for me.
After an extended amount of time, Evan broke the silence with, “Julia, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?”
I finally told him about the life threatening letters that I had been receiving, and the fact, that someone had followed me home from work.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”
“I tried to….”
“I know that you tried to tell me earlier today, but why didn’t you tell me about this when it first began?”
“You’ve been at the Beach House. What could you have done about it, Evan?”
“I’m sorry, Julia. You know that it wasn’t a vacation. And I needed to be there longer than I had planned. But don’t you know that whenever you are in danger, I’ll be there for you?”
“Yes I know that, but you’ve been under so much stress lately. Then you were assigned to this case….”
Evan instantly interjected, “Which brings up a point, you said that the person in the shadows knew your name?”
“Yes. When he called me, Julia, he wasn’t asking me if I was Julia. It was like he knew who I was. And then, he told me that I was still prettier in person.”
Evan, raised his voice. “He said, still?” Evan, paused, and then asked, “Did you know him?”
“No. I don’t remember ever seeing him before.”
“How would he know who you are then?”
“Well, for one thing, Jon called my name when he was bringing my gun to me.”
“Yes, but was this man calling you by your name just because he heard, Jon, call out your name, or did he realize that you were the person that he had been looking for?”
“Are you saying that he is the person that has been sending the creepy life threatening letters and following me home from work?”
“I don’t know. I’m just trying to figure this whole thing out.”
“Evan, why would anyone connected with these killings be after me?”
“Maybe it has nothing to do with these serial killings. Tonight, you were wearing a dress, and your hair was down. You weren’t wearing a uniform. Yet, you were the one he was coming after. When did these letters start coming?”
“Do you remember when we had both received our Medal of Valor awards, and then we were assigned to this detail, but I already had my vacation planned?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Well, the letters started at the beginning of the month. When I came back from vacation, I had a couple of these letters in my mail box.”
Thinking for a moment, Evan says, “Julia, do you remember a few days after the award ceremony, I had put out an article in the newspaper that specifically targeted the killer, saying that I would get him?”
“Yes, I remember that.”
“Do you have either of those articles?” Evan asks. Julia, walks to her den, with Evan, right behind her.
Picking up her scrapbook, she turns the pages, showing every newspaper article that appears in print, concerning her police work.
“Here are the articles. The only one that has a picture, is the Medal of Valor ceremonies, where we are both together. Here it is.”
CONGRATULATIONS TO
OFFICER EVAN MEYERS and OFFICER JULIA LLOYD.
ON SEPTEMBER 9TH OF 2009,
THEY UNSELFISHLY RISKED THEIR OWN LIVES, TO SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
FOR THIS HERORIC DEED
AND FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY ,
WE ARE AWARDING EACH OF THEM
THE SPECIAL ACT, GOLD MEDAL OF VALOR, THE HIGHEST AWARD
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
MAY THEIR LIFE TOGETHER BE AS WONDERFUL AS THEY HAVE MADE OUR LIVES.
After looking at the picture, and reading the caption, Evan, said “I always wondered if that last sentence would come back to haunt us. Why does everyone automatically think that we are a couple?”
“Maybe because we get along so well, and they are jealous?” Julia said with a questioning smile.
Evan responds, “Obviously the individual that is killing these boys, also reads the newspaper. I wonder if he is finding them through articles in the newspaper, the same way that he found out what we looked like, from this picture?”
“Evan, if that’s true, once he finds a boys name, or sees a boys picture, he could then find an address, go on the internet and find out where the house is.”
“Exactly. And he’s coming after you because he knows that I am the head detective on this case. I threatened him in the newspaper article telling him that he couldn’t escape. That we would find him. From the picture, he thinks that we are a couple.”
“Yes?” Julia questioned, wondering what Evan would say next. “Come on, Evan, out with it.”
“Well, his answer to that challenge, is to come after you, trying to let me know that I am not the one that is in control here. We’ve either got to get you to a safe house, or I have to be taken off of this case.”
“Evan, he’d still come after me, even if you were taken off the case. What would you think of me going to my mother’s house?”
“No, I don’t think that would be safe enough.”
“Evan, she lives in New Mexico. Do you know how far away that is?”
“Yes, I’m well aware of how far it is, Julia. But I just couldn’t handle it if anything ever happened to you.”
“I’ll take a leave of absence, go to my mother’s, and you and I will talk everyday on our cell phones. That should work,
Evan.”
“I don’t know. Let me think about this. Just get your bags packed, ok?” Evan, stayed the whole night with me. I had a good nights sleep because he was there. But, I know Evan well enough, to know that he would wake up at the least little sound that he heard.
By morning, he had formulated a plan. We would go to a safe house, a few miles from here. He had three cars that looked alike come to my apartment, early in the morning. I had an underground garage, at my apartment complex and the cars drove in one after the other. The police had formed a perimeter around the garage and didn’t allow anyone to come, or go, during the time that we were getting into the car. Since we didn’t know who to trust, Evan asked the officer driving the car that we were going to use, “Do you mind if I drive?”