Smuggler's Dues

M. M. Routson

Description

“Smuggler’s Dues” picks up where “Jealousy Burning” left off…………. “No one can believe that Marty has dumped Mark and is now seeing Phillip, the guy who not only stalked her but also burned her house! What is she thinking?!

In Smuggler’s Dues you will read how this came about and how the lure of easy money gets Phillip involved with a Mexican drug operation. You’ll enjoy the author’s development of the characters.
See where it leads when Marty’s new affluent friends, Dee Dee and Bob introduce her to a higher way of living and get her hooked on Marijuana and cocaine.

Smuggler’s Dues is an adventurous ride from the streets of a small suburb in Ohio to the gulf coast of Florida to the Yucatan peninsula and back. This story is hard to put down and has the ending to Phillip that you have waited for.”

Sujets

• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Xlibris US
• Date de parution: 13 novembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781669853527
• Langue: English

Extrait

Smuggler’s Dues
M. M. Routson

Copyright © 2022 by M. M. Routson.
 
Library of Congress Control Number:
2022920266
ISBN:
Hardcover
978-1-6698-5353-4

Softcover
978-1-6698-5351-0

eBook
978-1-6698-5352-7
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rev. date: 11/10/2022
 
 
 
 
 
Xlibris
844-714-8691
www.Xlibris.com
846504
Contents
Introduction
 
Marty at Work
Phillip has Changed
Giorgio’s
Business Proposition
The Lure of Easy Money
Here’s The Deal
A Meeting
Anticoles Restaurant
The Bureau of Motor Vehicles
First Trip
Nico’s Restaurant and Fishing Lodge Since 1955
Out to Sea
How it All Began
Jack is Back
The Rendezvous
The Production Site
The Sparrow has Landed
Happy Hour
Position Accepted
Telling Marty
Love Scene
Making Money
Introduction to Cocaine
Marty and Phillip Making Money
Betrayal
Pulled Over
Out on The Gulf
Back in Ohio
Jail Time
Monday Morning
Marty is Addicted
The Last Straw
Only a Matter of Time
Paid Vacation
Trouble at The Cantina
Adios, Amigos!
 
Epilogue
The Confession
Marty Gets a Call
Bob Scores
Epilogue II

I wish to dedicate this book to Shirley Dye.
Shirley’s phone message motivated me to finish this book. She had read Jealousy Burning and did not like the way it ended. She had questions that only Smuggler’s Dues would answer.
Thank you, Shirley. Enjoy.
M. M. Routson
Introduction

 
October 1987
Clayton Daily News
Headlines Read:
Area Arsonist Set Free . . .
An area man, Phillip Plummer, age thirty-three, of Dayton, was released today on his own recognizance after he was found guilty of arson, evading arrest, and filing a false police report. He has been directed by the court to drug and alcohol rehabilitation and public service. Plummer will remain on probation for three years.
On October 13, 1987, Phillip Plummer did burn the houses of a Marty Johnston and a Mark Robinson of a northern county.
Ms. Johnston has spent the last year of her life putting her home and personal belongings back together again after this travesty.

Smuggler’s Dues
A SEQUEL TO JEALOUSY BURNING
Marty at Work
K aireman’s Jewelry Store opened at 9:00 a.m. The owner and two employees arrived, as customary, a half hour early to get the cases set up.
A customer enters the store.
“Good morning and welcome to Kaireman’s. My name is Marty. How may I be of genuine service to you today?”
The shopper responded, “My kids gave me some money for my birthday and told me to replace a ring that I lost many years ago. The ring was a gift from my late husband, Ivan.”
“Oh, how sweet,” Marty replied. “And happy birthday.”
“Why thank you.” The lady went on, “I loved that ring so much. It was a symbol of our love. I was just sick when I couldn’t find it.”
Marty tried to look sympathetic, and took the lady’s hand. “I am Marty,” she said, looking into the woman’s old eyes, and handed the woman her business card. “And whom do I have the pleasure of serving this morning?”
“My name is Thelma. Thelma Draving.”
“Well hello, Mrs. Draving, I am so happy to meet you.”
“Please call me Thelma,” she insisted.
Then Marty asked, “Can you describe the ring for me, Thelma, or would you like to see something different?”
“Well,” Thelma said, “it had a solid gold band with four small diamonds around a white pearl. Four diamonds for each of our four children. Ivan said that I was the pearl.” She leaned forward and smiled and made a gesture with her hand as if embarrassed.
“Oh, that sounds so beautiful,” Marty remarked. “Why don’t you have a seat here and we will see what might be available.” Marty knew that a sale doesn’t begin until the customer is seated at the diamond case. “Mrs. Draving, would you care for a cup of tea or coffee?”
“Please call me Thelma,” she reminded. “A cup of tea would be nice. No cream but just a little sugar.”
Marty offered, “Let me clean your other rings while you are here.”
Thelma smiled pleasingly and removed two other rings for Marty to put in the ultrasound cleaner, and then proceeded to bring her a hot tea. Marty was trying to build a relationship with her customer.
Mr. Kaireman was watching closely. It was important that they sell the first customer of the day. It was an old Jewish belief that you would have a profitable day if you sold the first customer. All employees knew this rule and would turn the customer over to another sales person if it looked like the sale was going south. Kaireman wasn’t worried. Marty was his best salesperson. She seemed to thrive on the pressure.
Marty served the tea. “Here you go, Thelma. Be careful, it is hot.” Marty then measured Mrs. Draving’s finger and opened the diamond case and began her presentation. Marty showed Thelma a gaudy ring that she knew Thelma would not like, then a few others. This was Marty’s tactic so that the next ring would always look better to the customer. Marty had a knack for “romancing the stone,” as jewelers say.
Marty went on. “Thelma, you will like everything about this ring except the price.” Marty held a closed ring box in front of Thelma to build suspense as she began telling the legend. “The pearl in this ring came from a small island called Neiafu in the South Pacific. Native divers dive into the crystal-blue waters just beyond a reef to secluded oyster beds, where occasionally they are able to harvest exquisite pearls such as this one.”
Thelma looked on with high anticipation as Marty slowly opened the box to expose this presentation. “Oh, how beautiful!” Thelma remarked. “I am sure I cannot afford anything like this. Just how much is it?” She slid the ring on her third finger and admired it as she waited for Marty to answer.
“This ring is competitively priced at seven thousand four hundred dollars.”
“Oh, I was afraid of that,” she said as she quickly removed the ring. “That is way over my budget.”
“I understand,” Marty commiserated but went on. “This ring is very unique. It is one of a kind. The solid gold band is thirty-two karats, and the diamonds are of VS I quality.” Marty handed Thelma the ring and a magnifying glass. Thelma held the glass over the ring. The special lighting over the counter made everything sparkle. “Notice how clear the diamonds are? See how they sparkle? Look at the fire in them!” Marty said excitedly. “I am sure Ivan would want you to have it. Don’t you think?” And then Marty just stared at her, waiting for an answer.
Thelma didn’t speak. She put the ring back on her finger, to Marty’s satisfaction, and looked at the ring on her finger through the magnifying glass.
“I love it, but I know Ivan would not want me to spend that much. I am sorry,” and started to remove the ring again.
Marty put her hand on Thelma’s to stop her from removing the ring, and said, “Let me ask you this, Thelma. Would you buy this ring today if could get my boss to come down in price?”
Thelma said, “It is a most beautiful ring.” Then she got quiet and just stared at the ring sparkling in the aesthetic lights.
Marty could she was considering it.
“I suppose I would buy it if he could come down on the price.” Thelma looked up sharply. “It would have to come down quite a bit!” Thelma said sternly.
Marty pulled the ring off Thelma’s finger and reassured Thelma just how beautiful it looked on her hand and “What a valuable asset to hand down to a loved one someday. A great investment that will only go up in value,” Marty enticed, and then walked the ring over to Mr. Kaireman, leaving Thelma to ponder about the investment factor and the value as an heirloom.
“Mr. Kaireman, I quoted her seven thousand four hundred. I believe she will bite at five something.”
Kaireman glanced at the ring, paused, never spoke, and nodded.
Marty returned smiling and put the ring back on Thelma’s finger. “Mrs. Draving, I am so excited. I can’t believe it! My boss said that you may have this beautiful ring for only five thousand three hundred dollars plus tax. He came down over twenty-one hundred dollars. Can you believe it?! I am so happy for you. Would you like to write a personal check today?”
Thelma smiled as she admired the ring on her finger and shook her head yes.
Marty closed, and reassured Mrs. Draving that she had made a good decision.
“You have made a very good decision, Thelma. Just make your check out to Kaireman’s and I’ll wrap this pretty box for you.”
Thelma was opening her purse as Marty walked toward the cash register. With the transaction completed, Marty extended her hand to Thelma a