A Season To Avenge (The Jack Wilson Crime Thriller Series Book 1) by Russ J. Taylor

Author:Russ J. Taylor [Taylor, Russ J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: kindle, ebook
Publisher: Amazon Kindle
Published: 2021-03-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

“They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force - nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others.”

- Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

It was sundown on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Row after row of cars were stopped at red traffic lights dividing the many intersections of the busy street. The taillights of these cars were highlighted by the diminished light from the sun and the coming of the night. Both sides of the street were lined with an assortment of businesses and restaurants. The sidewalks were bustling with people window shopping, mothers pushing strollers, business men in suits, couples making their way to one of the restaurants, and people in workout gear simply walking for exercise. None of the people realized that a killer was walking among them.

Richard strolled enthusiastically towards the Ring of Memories Jewelers carrying a black thermos with a chrome-colored top. As he entered the brightly lit store, he heard an electronic chime ring and saw a man whom he recognized as Nick clearing out the last display case. Nick was a short man in his early 60’s with thin grey hair, a grey mustache, and striking green-colored eyes. He wore a burgundy dress shirt with a grey tie, grey slacks, and a white coat.

“Sorry, we just closed,” said Nick without looking up.

“I know you did,” said Richard as he turned around and locked the door behind him.

“Oh, it’s you. You know you should call before you come,” said Nick as he pulled the last tray of rings out of the display case.

“Last time, you said to only come during closing time. Which is it?”

“I don’t want to argue with you. Come on in the back. Let’s see what you got,” said Nick as he set the tray on the counter behind the display case.

Before they walked into the back of the store, Nick shut most of the lights off in the front showroom and closed the curtain separating the back of the store from the showroom. Richard took the top off the thermos and opened the top by unscrewing the black plastic top. He poured the contents of the thermos out on a work table next to a jewelry buffing machine with gray buffing pads on either side. The top of the table was filled with an assortment of rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Richard had earlier retrieved these items from his hiding spot under the sprinkler valve cover at his apartment building. He was eager to get rid of it.

“There’s some nice stuff here. Some of this is costume jewelry, though,” reported Nick as he analytically looked at each item.

“That ring has a good-sized diamond,” said Richard as he pointed to one of the rings. Internally, he recalled stealing it from the woman whose car had broken down and how she’d cried. Externally, the thought made him smile.

Nick removed a watchmaker’s loupe from his jacket pocket and carefully studied the diamond.

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