The primary aim of the "Novel Excerpts" blog category is to showcase my creative writing, specifically from the novels I've written. Hopefully, these posts will provide a glimpse into my storytelling style, themes, and narrative skills. It's an opportunity to share my artistic expressions and the worlds I've created through my novels.
The Boaz Stenographer, written in 2018, is my fourth novel. I'll post a chapter a day over the next few weeks.
Book Blurb
Walt Shepherd, a 35 year veteran of the White House’s stenographic team, is fired by President Andrew Kane for refusing to lie.
Walt returns to his hometown of Boaz, Alabama and renews his relationship with Regina Gillan, his high school sweetheart, who he had ditched right before graduation to marry the daughter of a prominent local businessman. Regina has recently moved back to Boaz after forty years in Chicago working at the Tribune. She is now editor of the Sand Mountain Reporter, a local newspaper.
Walt and Regina’s relationship transforms into a once in life love at the same time they are being immersed in a growing local and national divide between Democrats and traditional Republicans, and extremist Republicans (known as Kanites) who are becoming more dogmatic about the revolution that began during President Kanes campaign.
Walt accepts two part-time jobs. One as a stenography instructor at Snead State Community College in Boaz, and one as an itinerant stenographer with Rains & Associates out of Birmingham.
Walt later learns the owner of Rains & Associates is also one of five men who created the Constitution Foundation and is involved in a sinister plot to destroy President Kane, but is using an unorthodox method to achieve its objective. The Foundation is doing everything it can to prevent President Kane from being reelected in 2020, and is scheming to initiate a civil war that will hopefully restore allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.
While Walt is writing a book, The Coming Civil War, he is, unwittingly, gathering key information for the Constitution Foundation.
Will Walt discover a connection between the Foundation and the deaths of three U.S. Congressmen in time to save his relationship with Regina, prevent President Kane from being reelected as the defacto head of a Christian theocracy, and the eruption of a civil war that could destroy the Nation ?
Chapter 70
Regina arrived at 1:30 a.m. Instead of investing time and thought into crafting an action plan, I had dozed off as soon as I had sat down in my recliner downstairs.
“Walt, Walt. I’m here.”
“I jolted upright when I felt Regina’s hand on my arm. I looked up at her and for an instant thought I was seeing an angel, that my world, our world, was still perfect. The dream didn’t last. I pulled my recliner upright and stood up. The hug was awkward. I hope Regina didn’t detect that something was wrong. “Honey, I didn’t hear you drive up or come in.”
“I got here as soon as I could. For all times to have a roadblock set up at New Hope, tonight was the perfect night. I was delayed nearly forty-five minutes there by the driver in front jumping out of his car right when the police approached his car.
“I’m glad you’re here.” I pulled her into me and lay my head on her shoulder. She clutched me with her hands around my waist. Her hair smelled like the Herbal Essences Naked shampoo I had given her. I kissed her neck and wanted this moment to last forever. I came close to thinking I wished I had never gone to Aurora Quik-Mart, never gone to her house and discovered what I had.
“Let’s make some coffee and talk. We really need to talk.”
Regina said pulling away and taking my hand, leading me to the kitchen.
As the coffee was making we didn’t talk. We smiled and kissed and hugged and just looked at each other. Her look was natural. I didn’t detect a thing. I couldn’t help but think, ‘Regina Gillan, you are an accomplished actor.’
We poured our coffee and sat down at the bar. I pulled my stool around to the other side. I knew we needed to be looking each other straight on.
“Walt, I want to apologize for what must look like me deceiving you.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“I know this won’t sound true, but I kept my relationship with Zell and Ginger a secret to protect you and us. I thought we could do so much better if we forgot the past and just started where we were. It was so dumb of me to think that none of this, the truth, would come out and it wouldn’t affect you and me. I was wrong. I’m so, so sorry. Can you, will you, forgive me?” Regina said, tears running down both sides of her face.
“Baby, you know I love you. I can honestly say, you are the only woman I have truly loved. Please know I want to forgive you but I must first know the truth, the full truth. I might as well make it a little easier on you. I have to tell you I know more than you think I do.” I said, hardly able to look her in the eye.
“What do you know, or think you know?” Regina said. I could feel a cool breeze enter the room. And, it wasn’t refreshing.
“I’d prefer you just tell me the truth. I think that’s fair.”
“You’re correct. I met Zell and Ginger fifteen, maybe twenty years ago. They both worked at Thaddeus Colburn’s Public Interest Law Firm. Zell was the lead attorney, and Ginger was his right hand. Later, I learned they were more than co-workers. Zell became well known for the cases he took on, mostly constitutional cases, high-profile cases. I met him through my work at the Tribune. Thaddeus introduced us. Do you know who he is?”
“Zell and Ginger told me he is their boss.”
“He started the public interest law firm and the Constitution Foundation. I got to know the three of them and we struck up a friendship.”
“So, you first met Thaddeus about fifteen to twenty years ago?” I asked.
“I did, but that wasn’t the first time I’d met him. This is the part I wanted to forget, to keep away from you and me. Thaddeus and I met in the seventies. We first were friends. Do you know that Juanita Tillman and I left Boaz after our graduation?”
“I’ve heard something about that.”
“Thaddeus and Juanita became friends. They met, we met, when we lived in Beattyville, Kentucky. Don’t ask me how Juanita and I wound up there. Can we save that little side story for later?” “That’s fine.” I said.
Thaddeus was from this gosh awful poverty town in east Kentucky. He too had just graduated from high school and was headed to the University of Chicago on full scholarship. We spent the summer living at his mother’s boarding house. Juanita fell head over hills in love with Thaddeus. I’ll summarize. In late August, he left for Chicago, for school, and Juanita fell apart. During the fall on our first drive up to see him we had a terrible accident that came close to killing us both. After we recovered, Juanita and I moved to Chicago. By then, Thaddeus and two guys from Wyoming, Logan and Landon, had their own place. I’m skipping a lot, but after a few months Thaddeus and I found we had a lot more in common than him and Juanita. We became lovers.” “Can I ask you something?” I said.
“Did you truly love him or did the relationship have anything to do with me?”
“I guess I can say that it was all about you. Thaddeus saved me. I was, on my own, incapable of going on without you. I have told you how deeply you hurt me. Haven’t I?” Regina asked.
“Oh yes, and I hope you remember how I’ve apologized. I still, to this day, regret what happened.”
“Thanks again. Thaddeus and I connected on almost a spiritual level, but it wasn’t religious, it was political. I, for the first time in my life, was exposed to political science and the U.S. Constitution. It seemed he knew everything there was to know. For some reason, he had gotten interested in this stuff way back in high school. He didn’t play sports. He just read and read and read. He was, he is, brilliant.”
“What happened between you two? I take it you broke up at some point and went your separate ways.”
“We lived together until he graduated. I was still in school. I didn’t start until a year and a half after he did. I broke up with him because he was becoming too radical. Over the years together we had kind of joined up with a militia type group, some called them a white supremacist organization. There was talk about developing targets and manipulating the public into a war. I got out.”
“But, years later you reconnected?”
“Sort of, kind of. I guess it was around 1995 to 1998 I met Zell and Ginger. It was a couple of years after that they introduced me to their boss. I was shocked. In several ways. That it was Thaddeus, but also that he was totally different from the last time I had seen him. He was now a professional, seemingly with pure motives. I learned his law firm and foundation were well respected and were working to make a positive difference in our country.”
“Were you aware of their plot to position me, to use me?” I asked.
“I didn’t know this until I saw Ginger at court that day. I hadn’t seen or heard from them in a couple of years. I had not told them I was leaving Chicago. Walt, I’m so sorry, I let Ginger persuade me to manipulate you into going to work for them. She and Zell, can be very persuasive. But, it should never have happened. It is no excuse, but I honestly thought it would be a good thing for you.”
“Anything else you need to tell me to allow me to understand the big picture?” I asked.
“Yes, there is. And, it’s really bad.”
“You know you can tell me anything. I thought the beauty and strength of our relationship was built on honesty and openness.”
“It was and still should be. I’ve screwed up and want with all my heart to make it right.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“I’ve lied under oath. Zell and Ginger conned me into believing it vitally important to our national interest to circulate a photo, the one I used in my article a few months ago, and to tell the court I got it at Aurora Quik-Mart.”
“Don’t forget Reyansh Johar.” I said.
“I haven’t. I was getting to that. I lied about him also. He lied about working at the Quik-Mart and that the photo came from their security system.”
“Why? What made you get involved with this?” I asked.
“Zell and Ginger and I met during one of my trips to Chicago. They persuaded me, saying Pastor Warren Tillman and his group, Club
Eden, was in bed with the President and were working to manipulate the 2018 mid-term elections and ultimately the 2020 Presidential election.
They said they, Tillman and company, were involved in the death of Kip Brewer and were going to get away with it. It was a way to tip the scales towards justice.”
“You bought that, hook, line, and sinker?” I asked.
“I guess so.”
“Now, it makes sense. I discovered this myself. What you’ve just told me. I got suspicious because of Micaden Tanner, Romanov’s attorney, how he made such a big deal of questioning the photograph at the preliminary hearing. I went to the Quik-Mart and learned that you were lying.”
“Oh Walt, what a mess I have made. Forgive me, please forgive me. I can’t lose you. I love you and need you.”
“I now know or suspect I know why Vann was at your house. I shared with him what I had learned. He must have decided to do some investigating on his own. Certainly, not thinking he was at risk.”
“Sweet, sweet Vann. This is so terrible. Have you seen Deb?”
“No, but I have spoken with her. She is, naturally, torn up beyond belief. I want us to go see her today. Let me ask you. Who on earth would have been at your house and shot Vann?” “He was shot?” Regina asked.
“That’s the word on social media.”
“To your question. I don’t have a clue. Seems to me it would have to be someone that knew I was out of town, and that Mom was too.”
“That’s what I thought. That’s pretty much just family. Right?”
“Yes. Me, Mom, Belinda, Frankie, probably Freddie, you, Vann. That’s all I can think of.” Regina said pouring us another cup of coffee.
“I take it that Frankie and Freddie stayed in town while Belinda took your mom to Gulf Shores?” I asked.
“Actually no. I’m pretty sure Frankie and Freddie were going deer hunting to their place somewhere in south Alabama.”
“Either way, I don’t see either one of them shooting Vann. Do you?”
“Well no, absolutely not. Why would they?”
“I agree, but just looking at the only suspects we have.”
“Walt, can we change the subject for a while. I really need to lay down a while. I also need you to join me. Please?” Regina said placing her coffee cup on the counter and pulling me up and over to her. She gave me the look that overpowered all reason. If I hadn’t been leaning back against the bar I probably would have slumped to the ground.
“Come on baby. I’ve missed you.” I said taking her by the hand and leading her up to our bedroom.”
The Pencil Driven Life 