Family Matters Read online

  The ChucksConnection Presents

  Family Matters

  by Aiden Vaughan

  Cover Art and Graphics by Kurt Eberhardt

  Illustrations by Ricardo Carmona

  A Hunter & Holmes Mystery

  Hal Peterson Media Services, San Jose

  © 2010 Hal Peterson Media Services

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between the characters in this book and actual persons or events is purely coincidence. Locations and institutions are used fictitiously.

  This story is meant for readers 13 years old and up. If it were a film, it would be rated PG-13 or a television show Mature-14, due to some descriptions of violent acts including attacks on children and teenagers by predatory criminals, kidnappings, beatings, and the impact of captivity on young victims. There are also passages discussing teenaged sexuality and safe sex practices.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  First online edition February, 2010.

  ISBN 978-0-9821014-5-2

  For more information about Hunter & Holmes Mysteries, go to our website at http://hunterandholmes.com

  Other Books in the Hunter & Holmes Series:

  1. The Kidnapping

  2. Double Fugue

  3. When The Chips Are Down

  5. Eyewitness News

  6. Days of Destiny

  eBooks created by www.ebookconversion.com

  Table of Contents

  Pane e Vino

  Chapter 1. Jason and the A List Guys, Part I (Monday)

  Chapter 2. Daniel Starts the Band (Tuesday)

  Chapter 3. A Trip to the Magic Kingdom (Wednesday and Thursday)

  Chapter 4. The Reconciliation (Thursday Evening)

  Chapter 5. Terror in San Mathias (From Various Reports)

  Chapter 6. Daniel Wins A Contest (Friday through Tuesday)

  Antipasti

  Chapter 7. An Unusual Luncheon (Tuesday)

  Chapter 8. Mr. Feraducci’s Youth Tuesday)

  Chapter 9. Jason and Daniel Regroup (Tuesday Afternoon)

  Chapter 10. A Meeting with Jaime Orlando (Wednesday)

  Chapter 11. Crisis in San Matthias (Thursday)

  Chapter 12. The Recital (Friday Evening)

  Minnestre e Insalate

  Chapter 13. A Noteworthy Band Rehearsal (Monday Afternoon)

  Chapter 14. Fears and Concerns (Monday Afternoon and Evening)

  Chapter 15. Swimming Into Troubled Waters (Tuesday)

  Chapter 16. Daniel and Diana (Wednesday)

  Chapter 17. Jason and the A List Guys, Part II (Thursday)

  Chapter 18. A Visit to the Silicon Valley (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)

  Pasta

  Chapter 19. Tim’s Reconciliation (Sunday)

  Chapter 20. The Attack (Very Late Monday through Wednesday)

  Chapter 21. Diana Follows Through (Friday)

  Chapter 22. Family Crises (Saturday, Sunday and Monday Morning)

  Chapter 23. Nick Goes Missing (Tuesday Evening)

  Chapter 24. The Task Force Investigates (Wednesday)

  Secondi

  Chapter 25. Jason Goes Undercover (Thursday)

  Chapter 26. Angelo’s Chamber of Horrors (Thursday Evening)

  Chapter 27. Jason Turns the Tables (Friday Morning)

  Chapter 28. The Escape. (Friday)

  Chapter 29. The Half-Brother’s Revenge (Friday)

  Chapter 30. The Cavalry Arrives (Friday)

  Dolci

  Chapter 31. Reunion and Recuperation (Late Friday, Saturday and Sunday)

  Chapter 32. The Beach House (Monday through Friday)

  Chapter 33. Going Steady (Friday)

  Chapter 34. The Predator’s Tale (Monday)

  Chapter 35. Family Matters (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

  Chapter 36. The Gift (Friday)

  Chapter 1

  Jason and the A List Guys, Part I

  (Monday)

  Jason Hunter received the inbound pass from Reggie Adams and quickly dribbled the ball to half court. It was a normal summer day outside, but for all of the intensity on the YMCA basketball court it could have been the height of the league playoffs. As one of the newest members of the Merriam High School varsity basketball team, Jason liked to take advantage of whatever opportunities there were during the off season to keep up his skills and to keep in shape. Now that he had proven himself to be a contender on the court, Chauncey Jackson, Merriam’s premier athlete and star basketball player, regularly asked Jason to join in their scrimmages and pick up games. Jason was now considered one of Chauncey’s “A-List” guys.

  “Hey, Chuck! Over here!” Chauncey yelled at Jason, who expertly passed the ball to him. Immediately Chauncey was double-teamed by their opponents, but somehow he managed to slip around them and head directly to the basket. Their center came over and was about to lay a heavy hand on Chauncey as he went for a lay up, when Chauncey suddenly flipped the ball back to Jason who was wide open at the edge of the key. Jason dribbled the ball twice and then took his signature sky hook shot for two points.

  “Way to go, Chuck!” said Kololo Asasopo, another teammate. “That was an awesome shot!” Kololo and the other “A-List” guys called Jason “Chuck” because unless they were at a league game where he had to be in the school uniform, Jason always played wearing his favorite basketball and lifestyle shoes, a pair of red high top Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars. Although Chauncey and the others were always bragging about the features of the latest Jordans or other expensive leather basketball shoes, Jason still preferred the lightness and feel of his classic canvas high tops, which had been his favorite shoe since he was in elementary school.

  Jason had known Chauncey since they were in kindergarten together. As young boys, they were eager to talk about and play sports, and participated on some youth league teams together. Since those days, Chauncey had gone on to excel in many sports. He was an all league running back in football, a star pitcher on the baseball team, and a fearsome basketball player. Chauncey’s life was consumed by sports, and everyone was sure that he would go on to a career in professional sports. Although their lives had gone off in different directions, Jason and Chauncey still maintained their friendship, which was based on true respect. Jason greatly admired Chauncey’s athletic skills and his knowledge of how to compete and stay sharp in today’s world. Chauncey admired Jason for his analytical mind and ability to keep up with him on the basketball court. More importantly he respected Jason because their friendship was based on true admiration for each other, not posing. They both realized this last year after Jason was kidnapped (the events are described in the first Hunter & Holmes Mystery The Kidnapping). Chauncey played a key part in convincing Jason to go after his kidnappers, and later during their pursuit, Chauncey and his “A-List” guys, Reggie Adams, Kololo Asasopo, and Mariano Rodrigo, played an important role in their capture.

  Jason was very grateful for their assistance, and through his Whatever Foundation, which was devoted to helping teenaged crime victims and other charitable acts for teens, had given each of the “A-List” guys full four-year college scholarships. Even though it was pretty certain that Chauncey wouldn’t need foundation money, because he was already being scouted by university athletic programs, it was nice to have Jason’s scholarship as a backup, in case Chauncey suffered a career ending injury or other mishap. For Kololo, and Mariano, the scholarships were their ticket out of a life of poverty and struggling to survive. Kololo and Mariano would be the first members of their families to get college degrees. For Reggie, it was an option besides entering military service, like his father had to do to get an education.

  Ironically, with the presentation of these schol
arships, the “A-List” guys had acquired a new sense of responsibility in their lives when it came to school and their education. They would have the money to attend a good college or university; now they had to earn the grades to be admitted. Besides playing sports at a moment’s notice, they had to settle down and study on regular basis.

  Jason knew that academics were a struggle for Kololo and Mariano, and he would regularly encourage them, and help find them assistance in the form of after school study sessions, occasional tutoring, and making sure that each of them had a place to study and complete homework at their homes. The result of this extra attention was starting to pay off. Now the Rodrigo and Asasopo families were buying into the concept of their sons going off to college after high school, and they made sure that Kololo and Mariano were completing their homework. Their coaches were ecstatic, because their star athletes were not only eligible but raising their grade point averages.

  Now when Jason would hang out with the other “A-List” guys at practices and at school, the talk wasn’t just about sports. Kololo was finding that he had a real interest in science and physiology while Mariano discovered that he had some natural skills in mathematics. Reggie and Chauncey were already focused on keeping up with their academics. Reggie’s father was a retired Marine drill sergeant, and had raised Reggie to be very self-disciplined and self-sufficient. Chauncey was very bright. From an early age, his dream was to be involved in a major university sports program, so he knew that he had to take care of business when it came to his school work.

  When they were on the basketball court together, Jason felt a lot of pride that these four guys, who had selflessly helped him in his time of need were doing so well now. Being on the Merriam High School basketball team was his way of helping to pay back his debt to them and to the community for their support and assistance after he was kidnapped last year. And that was good because a lot of other things were occupying Jason’s time these days.

  His relationship with Laura Friesen had continued to grow during the past year. Inside, he could feel his love for her growing stronger each day, and he was beginning to realize what a serious obligation that could be. He knew that Laura was often uncomfortable with the idea of him being a detective and he tried to deflect that side of him from their relationship. Sooner or later, things would come to a head, and they would have to work that part of their lives out. The problem was that Jason and his best friend and detective partner Daniel Holmes had been very successful with their initial cases. Now more people were seeking them out for help.

  The mission of the Whatever Foundation also had an important part in determining these cases. Jason was determined to strike out against predators who would harm young teens whenever he could. He had the funding to do that when the opportunity presented itself like it did in the last couple of Hunter & Holmes cases. While the rescues of Eric Acosta, Cody Johnson, and Tim Wilkinson were clearly worth the risks that he and Daniel took, they also meant continued exposure to life threatening dangers whenever they went after predatory criminals.

  Jason often reflected on how lucky he was to have Daniel for a friend. After his kidnapping, when his life was spinning out of control, Daniel got him to re-channel his anger, fear, and loss of self-confidence into a positive direction. Instinctively Daniel knew that in order to be free of the demons that were possessing him, Jason had to go after his kidnappers and find out the answer to why he was their target. On that case, and ever since, Daniel was selflessly there to help him, despite his own misgivings and fears. Daniel was not only loyal, but would always attempt to tell Jason the truth in any given situation. He would trust Jason to respond in kind. Their honesty and loyalty to each other was the rock that their friendship was built upon, and was why it was at such a high level. Jason could not imagine what it would be like to pursue a case without Daniel by his side.

  Now that summer break was here, Daniel was at a critical time in his life. Daniel’s main career goal was to become a professional musician, and he was putting together his first band. Jason didn’t have any musical skills or knowledge of the music industry, so he couldn’t help Daniel out that way, but wanted to help him on the promotional side, creating graphics, putting up a website, and helping to get the word out about his new band when they were ready to start performing. Daniel was such a true friend to Jason, he worried that the band might get in the way of their friendship. It was a relief when Jason told him that he wanted to do promotion for the band. This meant that Jason would be very much involved in their day to day operations.

  With all these things going on in Jason’s life, it could have been easy to forget about his home life, but family was always important to the Hunters. Jason discovered the significance of family ties last year when he received the remarkable legacy of diamonds from his great grandfather, Winfield Hunter. Winfield, who had passed away many years before Jason was born, trusted with blind faith that his great grandson would have the ethical values to use the incredible fortune for the good of society. Not only that, but when he discovered the anguish that his parents Edith and Bill had gone through during the ordeal of his kidnapping, Jason realized that he was indeed fortunate to have such loving and devoted parents. Sure he was becoming older and more self-reliant every day, but he never could do anything to disappoint his parents after the sacrifices that they had made for him. Now another family crisis was looming over their heads. His grandmother on Edith’s side of the family who lived in New York was gravely ill. Edith told Jason that at any moment they may have to pack up and go back there to be with her. How would that end up impacting his summer?

  “Hey, Chuck! Here!” Jason snapped out of his reverie when Chauncey threw him a fast one bounce pass. Quickly dribbling into the key, he nailed another six-foot hook shot.

  “That’s the stuff!” Mariano shouted as the “A-List” guys went on to handily defeat their opponents.

  Chapter 2

  Daniel Starts the Band

  (Tuesday)

  Tuesday was a very important day for Daniel. The first formal rehearsal of his new band was scheduled for that afternoon. He was excited about it and determined that the band would become a success. Daniel possessed real talent as a singer, had been participating in school choirs for over six years, and currently was a first tenor in the Merriam High School Advanced Choir. In the past year, he decided that he wanted to pursue a career as a professional musician, and began taking guitar lessons so he could accompany himself. He had a good teacher who taught him not only performance skills but how to plan and prepare for performances.

  Over the past year, Daniel’s goal was sometimes helped and other times sidelined by the incredible series of adventures with his best friend, Jason Hunter. Daniel and his parents Gary and Melinda had only been living in the Silicon Valley for a little over three years. In the weeks after Daniel arrived, he made an effort to make new friends. Jason was one of the first persons his age that he met and connected with and it turned out to be a great development in both of their lives. Their friendship started when Daniel’s noticed that Jason liked wearing red high top chucks, just like he was fanatical about wearing his black high tops. His comment, “Hey, those are cool chucks you are wearing” started their first conversation. Quickly they discovered that they had a lot of common interests and feelings about things. Within six months they were best friends, and inseparable companions.

  Their carefree, happy friendship was cruelly interrupted early last summer when Jason was mysteriously kidnapped in broad daylight from City Park, and no one could figure out how it was done or why. Daniel went through a horrible week, not knowing whether he would ever see Jason again. Then surprisingly he received a call on Jason’s cell phone from the kidnappers to go and get Jason where he had been left in a maintenance building at the park. Jason was back, but the euphoria of his return was soon overshadowed by incidents of mental stress. At times Jason had trouble concentrating and his normal self-confidence was being drowned in a sea of self-doubt. Daniel
then realized that the only way Jason could get over what was done to him and become a whole person again was to discover the truth about why he was kidnapped and who committed the crime. Convincing Jason to do that put their entire friendship on the line, but resulted in the beginning of the Hunter & Holmes detective team.

  Several of their subsequent cases ended up paying huge musical dividends to Daniel’s career aspirations. Last summer, Daniel, Jason and their friend Joe Connor went down to a small town south of the Silicon Valley to try and intervene with another young teen, Eric Acosta, who had been victimized and abused, withdrawing into a shell of silence. When they made the intervention, Daniel never dreamed that he was actually meeting the future bass player for his band, but he always remembered how Eric, who was traumatized and very uncommunicative when they first met him, responded to a song that Daniel performed for him. That incident drove home to Daniel the healing power of music.

  Now that Eric was out of danger and living in the Silicon Valley with his aunt and uncle, he had blossomed into an active and happy teenager. One of his loves was playing the bass, and Eric had developed into quite a good musician, thanks to bass lessons and equipment provided by Jason’s foundation. Additionally, Eric was very skilled as a swimmer, and was competing on the Merriam High School swimming and water polo teams. Over the past year Eric and Daniel had become very close friends. At least once a week they would work out together at the Y, and they played together in the school jazz band. That musical experience allowed them to develop their performing skills to a point where they had a real musical rapport. Now their main goal of the summer was to form their own band, start rehearsing, and begin creating their own music.

  Around the same time, a chance meeting with retiring rock star Ethan Savage ended up with Daniel discovering a conspiracy to steal a lot of Savage’s money and finding out some amazing and shocking things about his parents, Gary and Melinda, and Ethan Savage. (A complete description of these events is contained in the second Hunter & Holmes mystery, Double Fugue.)