| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted January 1, 2025 | Chapters: |
-Prologue- 1... 
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Mystery, Crime and Ghosts
A chapter in the book Veil of Secrets
Veil of Secrets- Prologue
by Begin Again
The smell of diesel and burnt rubber lingered in the air as Detective Matthew Donatelli stood at the edge of the crash site, his boots sinking into the frostbitten mud. The early dawn light struggled to pierce through the heavy clouds. Twisted metal and shattered glass littered the ground, the aftermath of a collision that claimed too many lives. Two buses had collided — one carrying orphanage children, the other transporting prisoners to a maximum-security facility.
Donatelli's gut told him this tragedy was no accident. His hands clenched into fists as he surveyed the wreckage. Paramedics had already taken several children to Frank DiVito's private hospital, a mobster fortress now serving as the town's best-equipped medical facility.
Further down the ravine, the prison transport bus lay on its side, its scorched shell smoldering after having the local volunteer firefighters put out the flames. Detective DeLuca anxiously waited for information regarding the inmates, John Doyle and Vince Rossi.
DeLuca's phone buzzed, and a quick scan of the screen told him Detective Donatelli wanted information he didn't have yet. "DeLuca here."
Donatelli's voice was clipped, "Any bodies yet?"
"Two dead guards. Another one is missing."
"What about the inmates?"
"Nothing from the forensic team — wait, she's coming out of the bus —well, what's left of it. Hang on—" DeLuca waved at the officer. "I've got Detective Donatelli on the line. What can you tell us?"
"Not much. The chains and cuffs were unlocked." The officer looked down at her notes and shrugged.
"So, they had help. Maybe the missing guard?"
"Possibility. The only thing I am sure of is that the two guards on the bus were shot. Never even got their revolvers out of the holsters. And there aren't any other bodies on that bus."
DeLuca spoke into the phone, "Did you hear all that, Matthew?"
"Yup! We've got two desperate inmates on the run, and they most likely had help."
"We've got another team working the roadway and a third in the undergrowth and woods. Haven't heard back on anything yet."
"Keep me updated. I know it's Christmas, but we've got to call in all the manpower we can get."
"I'm on it!" DeLuca hung up his phone and continued his conversation with the officer.
*****
As Donatelli shoved his phone in his pocket, an officer from the second forensic team approached him.
"Any idea which way they went?" Donatelli asked, his words clipped.
"Not yet," the officer replied. "We found vehicle tracks about a mile away in a clearing near the forest. Looks like they had help in their escape."
Another officer approached and joined them. "There's another set of tracks closer to the crash," she said, her voice low. "But they're faded — like someone tried to cover them up."
Donatelli frowned, the pieces falling into place. "Two sets of tracks? Any thoughts?"
"To me, it says someone was double-crossing someone, and John Doyle was caught right in the middle."
"If your idea plays out, this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment escape."
"Someone planned the escape, and another someone changed the plan."
As Donatelli shoved his phone in his pocket, an officer from the second forensic team approached him.
"Any idea which way they went?" Donatelli asked, his words clipped.
"Not yet," the officer replied. "We found vehicle tracks about a mile away in a clearing near the forest. Looks like they had help in their escape."
Another officer approached and joined them. "There's another set of tracks closer to the crash," she said, her voice low. "But they're faded — like someone tried to cover them up."
Donatelli frowned, the pieces falling into place. "Two sets of tracks? Any thoughts?"
"To me, it says someone was double-crossing someone, and John Doyle was caught right in the middle."
"If your idea plays out, this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment escape."
"Someone planned the escape, and another someone changed the plan."
"Looks that way. But who are they, and why?" Donatelli stared out across the wreckage. "And using a busload of kids on Christmas Eve to get what they wanted. That's sick, and if it's the last thing I do, whoever they are, they'll pay."
*****
The office felt unnaturally quiet as Donatelli stepped inside, exhaustion crushing him. The familiar aroma of coffee greeted him, and he looked up to see Danni perched on the edge of his desk, holding a steaming cup.
"You look like hell," she said, handing it over.
"Thanks for the reminder," Donatelli muttered, taking a long sip. The warmth spread through him, but it did little to ease his tension. "What's the word?"
"Garth took Rebecca back to her apartment and stayed with her, but Poppa will be taking over shortly, so he can join us here. Tango stood guard at my place."
Donatelli raised an eyebrow. "Since when does a ghost need a guard? Anything going on that I should be aware of?"
Danni rolled her eyes. "Don't start with that stuff. We're just friends, and he's a macho guy protecting a woman. Besides, it was Garth's idea."
"You are a ghost! They are aware that you're dead, right?"
"Nothing is going on between Tango and me and to answer your question, he is well aware that I'm a ghost like Eleanor and Miriam."
Donatelli nodded, setting his coffee down. "And the mansion? Any word on that situation?"
The office felt unnaturally quiet as Donatelli stepped inside, exhaustion crushing him. The familiar aroma of coffee greeted him, and he looked up to see Danni perched on the edge of his desk, holding a steaming cup.
"You look like hell," she said, handing it over.
"Thanks for the reminder," Donatelli muttered, taking a long sip. The warmth spread through him, but it did little to ease his tension. "What's the word?"
"Garth took Rebecca back to her apartment and stayed with her, but Poppa will be taking over shortly, so he can join us here. Tango stood guard at my place."
Donatelli raised an eyebrow. "Since when does a ghost need a guard? Anything going on that I should be aware of?"
Danni rolled her eyes. "Don't start with that stuff. We're just friends, and he's a macho guy protecting a woman. Besides, it was Garth's idea."
"You are a ghost! They are aware that you're dead, right?"
"Nothing is going on between Tango and me and to answer your question, he is well aware that I'm a ghost like Eleanor and Miriam."
Donatelli nodded, setting his coffee down. "And the mansion? Any word on that situation?"
Danni's expression darkened. "Bomb squad's there now. Garth thinks it might've come from the prison, but no one's sure yet."
"I thought it was addressed from Joliet Prison?"
"It was, but anyone can put an address on a box. Forensics is checking for fingerprints."
"Any idea on what's inside?"
"Not yet. They're taking every precaution in case it is a bomb."
Before Donatelli could respond, the door swung open, and Garth strode in, his FBI badge glinting under the light. His face showed fatigue, but his eyes were sharp.
"Morning! It is morning, right?" Garth asked.
"I just was asking Danni about the situation at the mansion. Any word yet?" Donatelli asked.
"The bomb squad is not sure what's in that box. They're bringing in an x-ray machine." He accepted a cup of coffee from Danni and then turned to Donatelli. "Any updates on Doyle and Rossi?"
"Nothing yet." Donatelli sighed. "Heck of a way to spend Christmas."
"Nothing yet." Donatelli sighed. "Heck of a way to spend Christmas."
"Amen - wasn't what I'd planned."
*****
Eleanor materialized near the window, her presence heralded by a faint chill. She cast a reassuring glance at Donatelli. "Jenna and Maggie are safe," she whispered. "Frankie's watching over them."
Relief flickered across Donatelli's face, but it was short-lived. "Good. Now let's talk about who planned this."
Danni crossed her arms. "I hate to be the bad guy, but Frankie's name has come up, though I don't buy it. He's out of the game. Retired."
"What about Jack Lexington?" Garth countered. "He's still active in Chicago and has the resources to pull something like this off."
Eleanor shook her head, her gaze distant. "Whoever it is, they're playing a long game. Maybe it's someone Doyle worked with during his trafficking days. Or it could be Rossi — his ties to the mob could run deeper than we ever uncovered. He could've arranged this with someone Lexington doesn't know about."
Donatelli frowned. "Or it's someone new. Another player trying to move into Bayside."
"Why Bayside, though?" Danni asked. "It's small, quiet. What could they gain?"
Eleanor's voice softened. "Sometimes, it's not about the place itself. It's about the people or the history."
Garth hesitated, then said, "What about Miriam's premonitions? She warned us something was coming. Do you think she saw this?"
Eleanor's expression turned somber. "Miriam's intuition has rarely been wrong. But what exactly she saw — she didn't say."
Donatelli nodded, his jaw tightening. "Either way, this wasn't a random act. Whoever planned this escape wanted Doyle and Rossi out for a reason. We need to figure out what it is. And if there was another party involved as well."
*****
Eleanor materialized near the window, her presence heralded by a faint chill. She cast a reassuring glance at Donatelli. "Jenna and Maggie are safe," she whispered. "Frankie's watching over them."
Relief flickered across Donatelli's face, but it was short-lived. "Good. Now let's talk about who planned this."
Danni crossed her arms. "I hate to be the bad guy, but Frankie's name has come up, though I don't buy it. He's out of the game. Retired."
"What about Jack Lexington?" Garth countered. "He's still active in Chicago and has the resources to pull something like this off."
Eleanor shook her head, her gaze distant. "Whoever it is, they're playing a long game. Maybe it's someone Doyle worked with during his trafficking days. Or it could be Rossi — his ties to the mob could run deeper than we ever uncovered. He could've arranged this with someone Lexington doesn't know about."
Donatelli frowned. "Or it's someone new. Another player trying to move into Bayside."
"Why Bayside, though?" Danni asked. "It's small, quiet. What could they gain?"
Eleanor's voice softened. "Sometimes, it's not about the place itself. It's about the people or the history."
Garth hesitated, then said, "What about Miriam's premonitions? She warned us something was coming. Do you think she saw this?"
Eleanor's expression turned somber. "Miriam's intuition has rarely been wrong. But what exactly she saw — she didn't say."
Donatelli nodded, his jaw tightening. "Either way, this wasn't a random act. Whoever planned this escape wanted Doyle and Rossi out for a reason. We need to figure out what it is. And if there was another party involved as well."
The room grew quiet for a few minutes as each of them considered what they knew about the situation and the possibilities.
Danni broke the silence, her voice tinged with unease. "I picked up something on the police scanner. Some Chinese gibberish. They were being transmitted before the crash."
Garth tipped his Stetson up, wiping his brow. "You sure it was Chinese, Danni?"
"Well, I'm not fluent in the language, but we'll get better information soon. I recorded it so the team could analyze it."
"Good job. Explains why you're the brains of this office." Garth chuckled, and Donatelli threw a pencil at the Cowboy, temporarily breaking the tension.
Danni snickered at Garth's joke, but then returned to the job at hand. "I can't say that any of it is connected, but I just thought we should cover every possibility."
"Well, I'm not fluent in the language, but we'll get better information soon. I recorded it so the team could analyze it."
"Good job. Explains why you're the brains of this office." Garth chuckled, and Donatelli threw a pencil at the Cowboy, temporarily breaking the tension.
Danni snickered at Garth's joke, but then returned to the job at hand. "I can't say that any of it is connected, but I just thought we should cover every possibility."
Donatelli's gaze hardened. "Doyle and Rossi didn't just vanish into thin air. Someone wanted them out, and they've got bigger plans. We need to figure out who's behind this before it's too late."
Eleanor moved to the window, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The first rays of dawn broke through the clouds, but the light felt cold and distant.
"We're not ready for what's coming," she whispered. A vision of Miriam and the mansion flashed through her mind. She sighed. "Miriam sensed it, too."
 Recognized |
Eleanor - ghost detective
Jenna - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, and falling in love with Donatelli
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie)
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge and current inmate at Joliet State Prison
Vince Rossi - mob lawyer and cellmate at Joliet State Prison
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Donatelli
Rebecca - Jenna's assistant, Miriam's granddaughter, and budding love with Garth
Miriam - a spirit from days gone by
Trevor Cascio - deceased owner of the estate
Joseph DeLuca - detective
Jason DeLuca - retired detective
Frank DiVito - a retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frank's right-hand man
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin with a soft side
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Jenna - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, and falling in love with Donatelli
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie)
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge and current inmate at Joliet State Prison
Vince Rossi - mob lawyer and cellmate at Joliet State Prison
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Donatelli
Rebecca - Jenna's assistant, Miriam's granddaughter, and budding love with Garth
Miriam - a spirit from days gone by
Trevor Cascio - deceased owner of the estate
Joseph DeLuca - detective
Jason DeLuca - retired detective
Frank DiVito - a retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frank's right-hand man
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin with a soft side
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