The Case of the Runaway Orangutan, A James Cartwright P.I. Mystery, (Book 3 of 3)
Blurb:
Cartwright’s latest case starts off simple enough. Miss Stonewall, from the Mutual Trust Insurance Agency, wants him to track down a missing orangutan. The thing is, as Cartwright explains, he doesn’t do orangutans. But when Stonewall offers him a large wad of cash for the job, Cartwright’s suspicions are piqued.
Cartwright stumbles across a rare green diamond, setting off a chain of events that lands him in a tangled web of conspiracies.
From the Dirty Wars and Death Squads of Argentina to the greatest diamond heist of the century, to a deadly virus that threatens to wipe out humanity, and to a cold-blooded assassin determined to fulfill his destiny—Cartwright’s confronted at every turn in his efforts to solve one of the most tangled and diabolical mysteries of his career.
“The Case of the Runaway Orangutan is a nuanced and artfully layered mystery brimming with non-stop action, fueled by twists and turns that will keep you guessing till the very end.”
“Spencer’s latest fast-paced thriller features James Cartwright, an ex-cop turned private eye from the backstreets of Detroit. You won’t be disappointed. It has it all.”
“The Case of the Runaway Orangutan reads like a runaway freight train on the verge of derailing at every turn.”
Excerpt:
Lasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is all right, as long your values don’t change – Jane Goodall –
CHICAGO
01
HE FELL DOWN HARD—stone-cold dead, next to my feet. It didn’t take much—just a pull of the trigger. The way I figured, a bullet always had its way of settling things. It asked no questions. Just did what I was told. And I hadn’t planned on resolving my disagreement with the Thin Man that way. But he left me no choice. He pulled his Luger, deciding that one of his .28s was the only way to resolve the issue. Trouble was, he missed. But a .22 from my Colt didn’t.
I called Lieutenant Ant over at the 3rd precinct to fill him in on the unfortunate turn of events. I told him where to find me, along with the stiff. I explained how I’d been working on a case involving an embezzler I’d been tracking for a client. How it didn’t turn out so good for him. In his usual huff and puff manner, he told me to hold tight and he’d be there in ten. It was more like an hour, plus another two for his relentless questions. But finally, he let me go, satisfied with my side of the story. By the time I got back to my office, I was spent and had planned to head home right after. But in my line of work, nothing was ever straightforward.
I found her seated in my office, her back to me in the chair reserved for potential clients. When it came to new clients, first impressions and a healthy dose of skepticism were always in order. Except, everything about this unexpected visitor was telling me to turn and run. But I couldn’t. It may have had something to do with those long, slender, aquiline legs. The way they hung at a precarious and seductive angle from the edge of the wood-backed chair. Or her emerald, green eyes that had me transfixed, the way a tiger to its prey seconds before it’s about to pounce.
“Are you James Cartwright, the private investigator,” she asked. A hint of a southern drawl coloring her voice.
“I am.”
“And how does one go about hiring you?”
“They tell me a story, and if I figure there’s something to it, I go from there.”
“Very well, Mr. Cartwright—”
“Call me James,” I said, cutting in.
“I’d prefer to keep this formal. You know, so there’s no misunderstanding,” she retorted with a wry smile.
“Of course, Miss….”
“Miss Stonewall,” she threw out, not offering up her first name. She was serious about the formality. That was never a good sign. Experience told me she was hiding something—either her actual name or the true reason for her visit. Again, the thought crossed my mind to get out while I still could. But I suffered from two major personality traits. One was curiosity, and the other was women. The combination of the two had gotten me in more hot water than I cared to remember.
“All right, Miss Stonewall,” emphasizing her last name, “how can I help you?”
“Well, I’m sure you heard about the orangutan that escaped from the Chicago Zoo last week.”
“Sure, it was all over the papers,” I said, surprised and wondering what a missing orangutan had to do with me—especially one that escaped from a zoo three-hundred miles away.
“I represent The Mutual Trust Insurance Company. We insured the orangutan,” she explained, handing me a business card. I took it, giving it a once over. Her name and contact details were centred on the card in raised black ink. It still didn’t mean she was legit.
“So, what’s this orangutan worth?” I asked.
“About a hundred thousand.”
“Wow. That’s one expensive ape.”
“Yes, it is,” she returned with a faint smile.
“Any idea how and why it escaped?”
“The how, yes. The why, we still have no idea. The primatologist who cares for the orangutan discovered her escape route.”
“So, the ape’s female?”
“Yes, her name’s Samantha or Sam for short. And this wasn’t the first time she tried to escape. She was good at it. But in every case, she wouldn’t wander far. And she always returned.”
“Except this time.”
“Exactly. No one’s sure why.”
“But I still don’t get what this has to do with me. I usually take local cases, especially of the homo sapiens variety.”
“Sam was last spotted near a local park right here in your city,” she said, ignoring my rebuttal.
“That’s a hell of a way to travel, even for an ape,” I said.
“Agreed. Which got me thinking.”
“What? That she was kidnapped?”
“Sure, why not? The zoo would pay a sizable fee to get her back. Sam’s from the endangered Sumatran species. Less than eight thousand remain. It’d be an arduous process replacing her. Also, the zoo recently acquired a four-year-old orangutan from the Basel Zoo. They hoped that Sam would act as its surrogate parent. The two seemed to bond well. Then Sam disappeared.”
“Where exactly is this Basel Zoo,” I asked, exposing my ignorance about zoos and geography.
“In Switzerland, of course,” she answered with a smug smile.
“Right. But what if Sam and this youngster didn’t bond as well as everyone thought? And Sam hightailed it out of there, hitching a ride on the first train out of Chicago.”
“Anything is possible but highly unlikely.” A twisted smirk followed her words at such an absurd suggestion.
“Whatever the case, I still don’t figure out how I fit into all this. I track people, not animals. Besides, you’re not sure if someone took her. It’s only one of several possibilities.”
“Such as?”
“I’d have to give it some thought.”
“This may help change your mind,” she said, passing a plain white envelope across the desk toward me. I picked it up and had a peek inside. A quick count told me there were close to five thousand dollars in small bills held up in there. “There’s another five once you find Sam,” she added.
“I see. But if I were to take this case, I’d prefer payment by check.” As I passed the envelope back toward her, I added, “That way, everything stays above board. As you pointed out earlier, there wouldn’t be any chance for any misunderstandings.”
“I apologize if I’ve offended you, Mr. Cartwright. But I was under the impression that you preferred this method of payment.”
“Oh, yeah. By whom?”
“That’s not important,” she said, deflecting my question, “but finding Sam is. Will you take the case?”
“Let’s just say I’ll look into it and let you know.”
“That’s all I ask,” she answered, offering one final intoxicating smile. Then pulling out her checkbook, she wrote me a personal check to replace the five thousand dollars in cash. I couldn’t help wondering who suggested paying me off. I’d hold back cashing the check until I could be sure she was on the level. Either way, she’d piqued my curiosity. And once that happened, I was like a mad dog craving a bone—nothing would stop me.
Available on Amazon and other fine book stores
Publisher: Original Press (November 11, 2020) / Language: English / Paperback: 298 pages / ISBN-10: 1989577032 / ISBN-13: 978-1989577035 / Item Weight: 15.5 ounces / Dimensions: 6 x 0.75 x 9 inches