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The Trinket Ch. 01

By: My Erotic Tale



(Originally written as Dream Catcher Dreams.) Re-written, edited and expanded on to create this action packed, fiction thriller, fantasy novel, prepared for publication ... The Trinket. 
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Chapter One: Janes Dream ~

Jane crouched on a perch just above the pedestrians that walked along the city sidewalks. Her feet firmly planted on top of the newspaper stand. She looked to her left, then to her right. Watching the endless ribbon of people that flowed both ways, like two currents.

A White and Black feather flew by her face a mere inches from her nose. Like an arrow shot from a bow, it went straight across the street and into a dark alley. Jane crawled from her observation post and wedged her way through the crowd in pursuit. 

"Excuse me …excuse me!" She said while pressing through the crowd.

Making her way to the alley's entrance, Jane placed her right hand on the wooden stock of her pistol. Keeping her hand there as a rest, while her finger toyed with the holster snap, she walked into the dark alleyway.

As if day turned to night the alley was dark. Every step took her deeper into the shadow of the city. Looking up, she saw a sliver of blue sky between the towering buildings. She walked forward, cautiously.

An elderly woman wrapped in a blanket sat in the opening of a very large cardboard box. Jane took notice but continued to walk the center of the lane. A ‘click' sounded putting Jane's hand in motion. A flick of her thumb at the snap and she pulled the pistol from it's holster, aiming. 

The old woman had lit a match and was puffing on a pipe, then inhaled the smoke deeply. She waved the match in the air to extinguish it. Letting out a stream of smoke that rolled to the ground and turned into itself. Churning and growing, the gray smoke stretched outward and took the form of an Owl with wide spread wings. It began flapping it's smoke filled feathers and ascended above Jane's head, then took flight down the alley. 

Slow steady smoke trailed, wing beats, drifted for a short distance, then turned. Without missing a beating stride, the owl went through a chain link fence. Like a ghost through a wall. Small slivers of smoke hung and lingered on the metal stranded links of the fence.

"How did you do that?" Jane asked as she holstered her weapon, but left it un-snapped. 

"You look with two eyes, yet see only one image… a feather. You know the sun sits still, yet you call it a sunrise. The world is filled with illusions, then we slumber in a land dreams."

"You saw the feather? Where did it go?" Jane blared, while her eyes surveyed her surroundings.

The elderly woman raised her finger and pointed towards the smoke trail that now lay on the alley floor like a foggy carpet. "Follow the feather of the Owl and you will find what you seek." 

"What is it I seek?"

"We all seek the wisdom of the Owl?" The old woman snickered, "Dreams can teach us of the steps we will take in life."

"I don't believe in dreams," Jane said as she took a few steps towards the chain link fence's gate. Cautiously she stepped while glancing everywhere. She peered at the chain that wrapped the gates together and the lock.

"It's an Illusion." The old woman said loudly. Jane looked back at her then reached for the lock. She tugged at it several times but it did not open. Jane pushed the gate and shook it lightly. The two gates swayed back and forth and the chain link flapped and slapped near the first pole. She walked over to it and pulled the fencing back far enough that she could enter. She looked back at the old woman that was now …gone.

Jane slipped through the metal mesh and began walking towards an open parking area. She looked around herself, in a semicircle. Scanning the area that was visible. At the threshold of the back door entrance, lay the feather. She took a few steps towards it when a rumbling growl snatched her pant leg and shook it wildly. Growling, biting, clawing, barking and leaping. At the end of a long rope was a four-legged demon with jaws that waited till Jane was close enough and now had her pant leg and snapping. 

Jane Driscol, rose up in her bed kicking, panting and breathing hard. Her arms were slightly outward in front of her, for self-defense. She scanned her bedroom. The familiarity relaxed her enough to lower her arms. She wiped her eyes then pulled back her short sandy blonde hair. She twisted her body to turn towards the nightstand. Her pistol lay holstered next to her badge and keys. She looked at the clock, it read, 3:33.

"Same… damn dream!" She said as she laid back into her pillows, turning to one side. Curled up tightly, sank her head into an attempt to fall back to sleep. Her mind continuously replayed her dream, asking herself, "Who is she?"

The Trinket Ch. 02



Chapter Two: The Indian Reservation Station

A car sliced through the heavy hot air, roaring across the desert highway. Blasting past a rickety and wind worn sign, that read; Indian Reservation Station, one mile ahead. The wind slapped at the sign, vibrating it at a loose screw. It then settled into stillness, after the vehicles passing wake, subsided. 

In the Desert, on a hot sweltering afternoon, the sun literally bakes the Earth's crust. An unclear horizon lay in ripples of distorted reality. In a land thought to be too hot to live in, illusions dance with highway heat waves.

Sand and dust swirled in an upward curl behind the vehicle along the roadside as it drove across the asphalt pavement. Hot tar resembles the sound of a rain-wet road as the tires gyrate through the black soup. Like a still Black River on a gray highway, the tires rode in the groove, of the well traveled.

Lynn reached out and turned the radio off. The annoying 'crackling' sound disappeared and the wind rushing in the open windows became crystal clear. She pulled her whipping loose strands of short hair, up behind her head and held it there. Basking in the breeze that flowed across her neck and shoulders she charged through the blistering heat.

The car rumbled a thunderous sound across silent dunes and parches of cracked Earth. Echoing off distant pillars of paramount rocks and wind beat miniature mountains. Miles and miles of dirt grit and sand as far as the eye can see. 

Brown, dried and dead vegetation scattered in a peculiar pattern. Slightly, evenly spaced, possibly the exact distance needed to sustain vegetation with such a limited water supply. This dead brown color soaked into the landscape. Blending in the distance, into one solid dull, dry golden brown.

Lynn licked her parched lips, as the Station grew closer. It looked like a small tin barn with signs from the distance. As the rustic old service station grew closer, she saw a soda machine out front. Like an oasis in the desert or a magnet to the metal of her car. She pulled into the Indian Reservation Station, directly in front of the soda machine.

Lynn turned the car key off and the motor quit. She grabbed her purse from the passenger seat and with her other hand released the door handle. The car door swung open and she rolled out of the low riding Saab. 

Her blouse was soaking wet across her back. Lynn shut the car door and slung her purse strap over her shoulder. Then pulled her shirt outward, shaking it to allow air to her skin and to shed the sticky shirts grip.

She began walking towards the station entrance and stopped when she saw the large woven spider web at the glass. She took one step backwards, then saw the big sign posted in the door's window: Closed. 

Straight in front of her was the machine. A large picture of an ice cold can drink molded into the machines facial features. The cold sweat beads were in tiny bubbles along the can's picture. A tantalizing advertising sales incitement, out here in the desert. Teasing any whom didn't have change.

Lynn quickly began scrounging around the bottom of her purse. She mostly dropped her change into the large opening and rarely put coins selectively into a compartment. Her hand emerged with a small stack of coins and she began sorting the change.

A large gust of wind blew fiercely, slinging a million sand pellets against the stations structure. Lynn turned her head instinctively away from the on coming gust and shielded her eyes. She dropped a couple of coins but her mind was more concerned with ensuring her eyes didn't get sand in them than to bother looking where they fell.

The strong wind blew past and a calm to light hot breeze trailed. Lynn unfolded her hand and resumed counting her change. She flicked back her hair and stood in front of the machine studying the selections. As she recalled the coins that had fallen she turned to give a quick glance and saw an old woman standing next to her.

Lynn was at first startled then noticed the woman's hand was extended outward with two silver coins in her palm. 

The woman was much shorter than Lynn. Her gray hair lay in braids across each of her shoulders. Over a long sleeve, light blue shirt and an aged, long white dress.

"Thank you," Lynn said as she took the two coins from the woman's palm. The Old Indian woman smiled a toothless smile then turned and walked away.

Lynn slid a coin into the slot, then another. Pressing her selection, she listened as it tumbles to the bottom. Lynn turned towards where the old woman had stood and seen she had only walked a few yards then sat back into an outdoor lawn chair, under the shade of a tin awning.

Lynn reached down and pulled her soft drink from the dispensing area of the machine. Stood up and placed the cool can to her forehead as she turned more towards the old Indian woman. She began to notice the tables strung out along the carport-shaded area. What was once parking for cars was now a roadside 'used curios' sale.

Lynn rolled the cool can across her cheek and down her neck as she eased a step forward. She rolled her head around slowly then twisted her body realizing a good stretch was needed. She pulled the tab and opened the can drink. Gulped a swallow then licked at her wind and sun chapped lips.

Lynn ran her fingers through her wind blown, shoulder length, mid-night black hair. She made an adjustment to her shorts as she took a couple more steps.

She smiled at the old woman that sat quietly. Watching Lynn's every move for a lack of anything else to see moving, other than passing dust devils.

Lynn strolled to the row of tables that offered 'used' items. The first thing she noticed were the various size, stones and rocks. Obviously not for sale but for anchors and weights to secure the loose and light items that would sail in a gusting breeze. Oddly enough some of the rocks were very colorful and in some instances even more attractive than some of the curios for sale.

Lynn picked up a turquoise bracelet and put it on her wrist. Spinning it around and testing its fit. As she put her arm out straight and down, it slid off her wrist and back onto the table. 

A gust of wind whipped by and Lynn covered her open container with her hand. Sand sailed through the area lightly. She pulled her hair back again as she glanced at the woman whom just sat there staring patently and smiling quietly. She wore a sun-wrinkled face and sunken lip smile. She kept her leather-tanned hands together in her lap.

Lynn smiled and resumed her stroll along the covered tables more for the stretch than a shopping spree. Old clothes hats and blankets lay on one table. Jewelry and trinkets lay on another. Her eyes leap frog, from item to item, as she passed them up and came to the last table of the row.

The wind gust and a few long feathers flew up and outward then settled back to the table. Several long white feathers with black ends and quills. Lynn reached out and stroked their alluring texture. She went to pick it up and found that it was attached. She picked up the rock that held a small stack of feathers and placed it to the side.

She sat her soda can down and grasped the oval rod that held the feathers and raised it upward. The oval ring hung down ward swinging as She raised her hand even higher. Lynn gripped it at the bottom with her other hand and with outreached arms she observed the feathers flickering. Three on the right, three on the left and three that hung at it's obvious bottom.

A gust of wind blew hard. Lynn glanced first at her drink then at the feathers that took flight. Sailing outward while attached, nine feathers danced in the calming breeze then lay to gravity's hold and softly flickered to stillness. 

Lynn gazed at its center webbing of interlaced leather with various bead sequences. White, green then white again in several spaced out areas of the leather's web spun tied knots. It was as if they tried to recreate a spider's web in the center of a long thin limb that was encircled then tied to create a loop. In this case it was worn and oblong. 

The feathers were the lure, three rows of three feathers. Long white and black feathers with a different color bead tied to each quill. Lynn ran her fingers through their soft length several times. 

"It is a Dream-Snare," the old woman said loud and clear. Lynn looked at the old Indian woman more impressed with her breaking her silence than her sharp clear voice.

"How much is it?" Lynn asked.

"Twenty dollars," the woman replied.

"Twenty dollars for a stick, feathers and leather with beads?" Lynn laid the Dream Catcher down and placed the rock back over the feathers after one last long stroke with her fingers. "It looks like a spider web and ... I hate spiders."

"It will keep you safe when you dream. It can mirror the web of your life and help to untangle your life. It is good medicine." The Old Indian woman smiled as she got up from her seat.

"For twenty dollars? I'll let Prozac deal with my life." Lynn mumbled under her breath as the old Indian woman walked beside Lynn and took her by the arm gently. Leading Lynn back to the table.

"For you ... ten dollars," the old Indian woman said. She let go of Lynn's arm and reached across the table. Picked up the rock that lay on the feathered trinket, raised the Dream Catcher and turned. She handed it to Lynn as if certain she would go for the price reduction.

"Ten dollars?" Lynn said reluctant and with a calculating mind. She finally surmised the ten dollars would be a donation to the old woman's benefit more than a purchase. Lynn retrieved her wallet from her purse. Took the Trinket from this little old lady and tucked it under her arm, reluctantly. Then pulled a ten dollar bill out and handed it to the woman.

"Thank You," the old woman said kindly with a large smile. She took the bill from Lynn's hand. Holding her hand for a moment, the old woman then patted Lynn's hand in a humbling, thank you jest. Placing the ten-dollar bill in her bra, the woman turned and arranged some items, giving the rock a new job.

Lynn tucked her wallet into her purse then shoulder strapped it snug. She took the Trinket from under her arm and held it out slightly. A light breeze was cueing the feathers to flicker. Lynn half-smiled at her purchase, the dream catcher. It was worn with age, but it was entrancing to look upon.

The wind whipped a teasing gust and Lynn pulled the feathers and ring to her. "I better put this up before it flies away," Lynn said with a slight grin then started walking towards her Saab.

A dust devil swirled across the highway. The wind picked up and gust, Lynn turned her head and grasped her trinket tightly, making her way to the car.

"Bye," Lynn said as she opened the car door and lightly laid the trinket on the passenger seat. She climbed in the car and started the motor. Then glanced out at the Indian woman and waved. The woman waved back at Lynn as she sat down in her shaded chair. 

Lynn pressed the clutch, slipped the shifter in gear and the vehicle rolled backward in a half circle turn. Lynn shifted and dumped the clutch causing a slight gravel spin from the tires and she was headed back out onto the highway.

The warm wind began whipping through the open windows of the car as she gained speed. Lynn shifted gears and brought the vehicle to a comfortable speed. The airflow through the car's interior began to tease and slap at the feathers of the dream catcher. Lynn quickly placed her purse gently over the flapping feathers and it held them.

Hot air swirled in currents that just seemed to heat up everything. Lynn pulled her blouse forward and reached up and unfastened her bra and began removing it from under her shirt. Swapping hands on the steering wheel, pulling arms through, then let out a small sigh of relief as she tossed the small white bra to the passenger side. Wiping her muggy sticky hot palms on her shirttail. Then exhaling a heavy load of hot air that made her cheeks swell, then subside.

Lynn gazed out across the desert as she speed down the empty and sizzling highway. Taking notice that there wasn't a cloud to be seen. There was no hope for shade from cloud cover. There wasn't even a buzzard, circling. 'Even they are smart enough to hide from the heat.' Lynn thought.

"That's what I'll do," Lynn said to herself. Realizing the heat was just too miserable to bear. The next motel she come to, she was checking into some air conditioning and checking out of this desert heat. 



The Trinket Ch. 03



Room 333 

...of the Desert Oasis motel and cafe. 

Lynn stood at the room's door for all of about a second. She rattled the key to open the door and jetted towards the wall unit air conditioner. Turned it on, full blast and placed her hand at the vents, waiting.

The motel room appeared to be held together with bailing wire and duct tape. But Lynn was willing to keep silent if the room got iceberg cold. Misting, condensation vapors began to trail from the blowing wall unit, so Lynn took it as a good sign and darted to retrieve her things from the car.

She returned and placed her luggage on the floor and laid the Dream Catcher on the bed. Tossed the keys on the nightstand and went and stood in front of the blowing cold air.

"Aha," Lynn began to feel refreshed instantly. She pulled her shirt up slightly to allow airflow to the wet spots as well as the hot spots. She then began to unbutton her blouse and remove it. She laid it on a chair that sat in the corner then strolled casually over to the television set and turned it on. Then with out a glance at the set she went to the bathroom. Opened the door and reached a hand into the dark room and lightly felt for the light switch. Her fingers found their target and she flipped it.

She took a quick glance at her room for rent. Her hole in the wall in which to hide-out from the heat. Lynn did notice the room beginning to cool and was beginning to feel relieved as well as pleased with her decision to rest in the heat, then drive out in the cool night air.

Lynn began removing her clothing and went into the bathroom. She went straight to the shower and turned it on. The water sprayed and she scanned the 'rain closet' and was not content with the cleanliness of the run down motel room. But then she was not content with the whole trip in general.

Lynn stood in front of the bathroom mirror and gazed at her self. "I just don't tend to my 'Miss America' side any more... like I use too." She pulled her wind blown hair back with one hand and pulled her cheek downward with the other, "The grip of age in highlighted wrinkles?" She tilted her head back and forth with glances. "Who's kidding who ... I got a crows foot." She said with a frown, reaching back and pulled the curtain to the side then entered the shower.

The water pelted her petite naked body in a light message. She leaned down and adjust the temperature more to her liking. Then curled into her self and the feel of wet, refreshing cleanliness. She reached down and retrieved the bar of soap and began to muster up a lather. Her foamed hands just out of reach from the spraying water. She took her hands and began rubbing her entire body. Spreading the soapy lather along every curve and crevice.

The feel of her gliding hands over her breast bumped her nipples to demand more attention. Pulling lightly with soap soft fingers, Lynn continued to squeeze. One hand slowly sank between her legs as she instinctively pressed her own button. Rubbing it vibrantly, charging the hill of esctasy instead of a slow stroll. Lynn's fingers worked her pleasure points while she melted into her erotic self.

Lynn came out of the bathroom rubbing her wet shoulder lengths black hair with one towel while another was wrapped around her body. Terri cloth towel wrap over silken flesh untouched by the sun. Patting and wiping pellets of wetness from her skin that trailed in stream or clung as a drop in wait. Slowly wiping and walking she glanced at the television. Lines rolled downward through the fussy picture.

She moved the antenna around to find the best location for the clearest picture. She changed the channel by turning the knob and then turned it back. Finally she settled on a setting and began stepping backwards till she felt the bed behind her. 

Turning, she reached down, picked up her Trinket and moved around the bed to the bedpost. She hung the Dream Catcher on the post and sat on the bed. 

Lynn bunched up the pillows, fluffing them then patting them. She folded a fist and punched them a few times. She smiled as she pulled her arm back and took a few more 'venting' punches. She smiled at her undamaged pillows then sat back into them. Her eyes scanned the room. "No remote control?" She looked at the television and settled into watching it. 

She pulled the towel from her body and slipped between the cool sheets. The comforting feel enveloped her naked frame and she melted into the bed. After an over exaggerated stretch, more of a test of the bed length, she curled into a pillow hug. Fixing her eyes on the television, she watched it. The air conditioner hummed and blew the cold air perfectly. The Trinket hung on the bedpost close to her head. The feathers flickered lightly in the rooms air currents.

Catching Lynn's eye, "What am I going to do with you?" Lynn said settling into a long staring gaze at her new purchase. Taking delight in the Indian Trinket and the long attractive feathers. She became mesmerized in its weavings as if it were a black and white hypnotic wheel. The flapping feathers kept a steady beat, soundlessly brushing the air. 

"Why would I buy anything that looked like, a Spider web? I hate spiders, ...I refuse to fly," Lynn settled into the soft feel of the bed in a long reaching stretch, " and I do not like ...the dark." The feathers were charming but the oval appeared as..."One big spider web," Lynn mumbled.

Her eyelids became weighted and heavy. They fought to re-open several times, "I refuse to fly..." Her whispers came to blurts as she snapped out of the sandman's grasp for a fleeting moment. "I hate the dark," then slipped into slumber.



The Trinket Ch. 04



Lynn opened her eyes to darkness, pitch black nothing. She opened them both as wide as she could and quickly realized something was not right. She felt a draft over her nakedness, so she reach for the covers but couldn't move. 

Her arms were out beside her. They would not release from something. It felt like sticky netting glued to her body. It was as if she was metal and these strands were goo-magnets. 

Realization sank in, she was not in a bed but suspended. "How high?" She gasped and looked but couldn't tell. She went to glance around and found her hair was stuck to this tacky, yet sturdy stringing substance.

"Hello?" Lynn cried, tilted her head and listened for a reply. Hearing only a faint echo of her words in a distance. Her breathing was the only thing that broke the silence. She grunted lightly as she made a strong attempt to free one of her arms.

Pulling, then jerking to no avail. The netting wobbled in a wave of motion. Lynn stopped tugging and swayed with the movement like a finger in a barrel of water, her own movements made the ripple. Back and forth in a slight see-saw swing till her body hung there, still.

"Hello! ... Hello!" She gave several yanks in the darkness but felt the pain of her hair being pulled out on her forearm by this strange sticky string.

"Hello, somebody, please ... help me!" Lynn yelled as she kicked her legs and pulled her arms in a massive body struggle to get free. Gravity became her enemy when the tacky rope gave slightly and she almost went 'flying,' free falling forward. Lynn grasped the sticky rope to keep from falling and it bound her even tighter.

"Shit ... shit shit shit!" Lynn spat in anger at her self. Her fear of falling had her stuck even greater than before. "How fucking far is it down there? This is unbelievable. I am going to wake up and..." Lynn swirled her tongue around as she puckered. Then stretched her neck out and spit to test: how far it fell. She got quiet and listened, "Splat!" 

"That doesn't feel like a dream," she said as the saliva conformed to gravity and slid between her toes. Pooling in a hanging teardrop then dropped. "Damn-it!" She screamed in utter anger. She spit again, farther out and listen attentively. Her head move slowly in the dark so that her ears had the front row seat to whatever sound may reflect. There was no sound.

Her finger wrapped tightly around the strange sticky substance and twine. She became more curious of what was holding her. It resembled ... "A spider web?" Lynn panicked. "Help! Help, somebody please." She became frantic and shook to get free. The more she moved the more this stuff would toss her about aimlessly. "HELP!"

"Oh shit, if this is a spider web, imagine the size of the ..." Lynn struggled again, even more violently and was able to twist her body around to her side as one leg flung freely. "Ek!" She squeaked as her loose arm flung wildly.

Lynn fought with her sticky bindings till she was exhausted. She began to weep, hanging there mercilessly. "I have always been afraid of spiders. I don't know why." She started crying. "Hanging in the dark, naked. I hate the dark." She sniffled. Looking around her self, "I don't know why!" 

Lynn worked her fingers back and forth slowly releasing a finger at a time. "I am stuck to a ... sticky... WEB!" Her wrist pulled free and then the arm slowly released from the tacky substance's grasp. "This isn't a spider web. I have swatted at many of them. No matter how big the spider web is it is always stringy and easily walked through, this is has to be a dream, but I have never had a dream as real as this," Lynn sniffled then gave another angry yank at the sticky rope. "This stuff is worse than ... fly paper ... Oh, how gross!" She whimpered.

She squinted in the dark, thinking she saw something move. She sniffled and tried to sling her hair to the side for a clear view in the direction she saw movement. But the tacky thread pulled various strands of her short black hair keeping her head from total free movement.

Squinting her eyes even more, peering into the darkness it became clearer, as if a white ribbon flapped in a light breeze. A large ... white ... "feather?" 

Lynn worked her last finger loose then slowly pulled her arm free by pulling very slowly but steadily. "If this a dream, I should have some special powers!" She didn't slight a smile at her own humor. "I can do this!" Lynn glanced around for any sign of an on coming spider, uncertain of anything at this point other than she was alone, "Where's spider-man when you need him. Look's like I'll have to rescue my self."

She was able to get her body free but her hands and feet were still stuck and holding her. She pulled a foot free and began working her way down the web, very slowly. Then a hand pulled loose and found another hold, lower. Strangely, the less force used to pull away from the string seem to release it's peculiar 'messy' grasp. 

"This fly is getting out of the web," Lynn smirked with courage. Her hand grasped what felt like a stone. She turned for a closer look and saw that they were green and white. Like very large beads. Identical to the ones on ..."The Dream Catcher!"

Lynn's mind scrambled to solve the puzzle while her body worked it's way down the web till she felt a round limb that served as a good solid standing platform. Considering she just come from being suspended.

She worked down to having one hand holding the sticky netting while two feet were now able to stand. Her other hand fought sticky fingers, they kept holding to each other from the strange substance. Lynn tried shaking it off and rubbing it off ...but nothing worked. Even her feet stuck to where she stood.

"What is this stuff!" she said frustrated. She wormed and wiggled a foot free then stuck it out over the oval platform. Feeling the darkness, testing the depth of the nothingness. Hoping to find the ground she searched with her toes for something to touch.

"Hello," Lynn shouted and listened. Her voice echoed back as if she was yelling into a deep hole. "Damn, where in the hell am I?" She eased over the edge of the limb and reached as far as she could with both legs. Leaning over the rounded structure she began to slowly ease herself down farther.

She felt something with her toe. She waved her foot around to try and locate what it was. Then she brushed it again. With excitement she lowered her self even more and hung from her hands hold while her legs found what seem to be a rope. Her legs wrapped a leg around this thin sturdy rope and pulled it to her. It was not sticky other than her limbs tacky touch.

She inched to the rope and began sliding down but was abruptly stopped by something tied to the rope. She reached down and grabbed it but was unable to pull it upward. She held tightly to the rope, and took a moment to evaluate where she was heading.

"Shit, I wish I would just wake up in my bed." Lynn reached down again and pulled with all her might at what was under her. Her hand's grasp pulled and it gave way. She pulled even more and it gave way and rose. As if taking flight she found her hand wrapped around a very large quill, next to a green bead. She found she was pulling a very large feather up and before her. There was no black, the white arose like smoke in distorted dimness, one large flickering feather before her eyes.

Holding the quill tightly she gasped. "I see ..."

A bright light flashed. Seemingly right before her very face, she closed and shielded her eyes as the bright light flashed, then disappeared. When she opened her eyes slightly to see if it was gone. She found herself in her motel room, sitting upright in her bed.

She looked at her hand and saw she was holding a feather. It had a green bead at the quill, she jerked her head with a quick glance to the trinket that still hung on the headboard. The Dream Catcher seemed undisturbed, "Where did this come from?" Lynn asked as she raised her hand up to look at the feather. Her hand was empty. "What?" Lynn pulled the covers back in several layers searching for the feather, she had just held.

Moving from side to side. Then sitting up higher, looking, feeling under the edge of the pillows. 

"Now I know it didn't just fly away!" Lynn got out of bed and pulled the covers back as if to prove she wasn't going crazy. She searched under the bed and through every sheet and bedspread then finally gave up. She sat on the bed in the motel room. Looked at the television that was still playing, displaying the local weather and time, which read: 2: 33.

"Oh shit, I over slept."

She leaned over to the nightstand and turned the light on. On the nightstand, in plain view was a spider. Lynn instinctively jerked back and gasped, "Ek!" Under normal circumstances she would scream her head off, then her husband would come running to her rescue. Lynn reached slowly and picked up the telephone book from the under shelving and tossed it gently on top of the spider. She didn't slam it down or move it after the fact. She simply laid the thick book over the creature.

"I just came from your grand pappies," Lynn smiled at her triumph. Then sprang out of bed. 



The Trinket Ch. 05



Lynn closed the door to the motel room and walked to her car. Her luggage held in one hand, the Dream Catcher and purse in the other. Walking to the rear of the Saab, Lynn sat her luggage down and put the key in the slot and turned it. As the trunk opened she took notice of the lights by the highway. 'Grill' lit up like a beacon in the night to an empty stomach.

She put her suitcase in the hatch and closed it. She raised the Dream Catcher up and took a glancing look as she walked to the passenger side of the Saab. Stroking the feathers and contemplating where the lost feather could be. She left the clean up crew a big mess in her attempt to find it. 

She counted the feathers one more time. "123 ... 456 ... 78," Lynn sighed then put the Trinket in the seat and shut the car door. She turned on her heels and followed the scented trail of food.

The Last Chance Bar and 'Grill' was a service station, truck stop, café and motel combination. Lynn slid into a booth towards the back where it was mostly vacant. A few 'truck' drivers sat at the 'bar' and drank coffee and flirt with the petite young Native American waitress.

She walked over towards Lynn with a pad in hand and a glass of water. The two truck drivers lightly whistled as they got the 'wiggle' while she was walking away strut, a big tip encouragement.

The waitress set the glass of water down and then pulled the menu from the stand where it is kept on each table. Lynn smiled and took the menu from her hand.

"Thank you," Lynn said then began opening the menu.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" The waitress asked, standing there smiling.

"Uh, no water's fine, thank you." Lynn replied then scan the country cooking' gourmet list.

"When you're ready to order, just let me know!" She said then walked away. The truckers were in verbal wait like wolves unable to resist howling at the moon.

Lynn had pretty much decided on the chef salad but was thumbing down the list in case something grabbed her appetite's eye. Her scan of the entire 'grill' gripped her vision when she saw a wall with a lot of old Indian paintings and pictures. Some pictures were blown up in size like that of the Railroad and trains, an old ghost town, caves, silver mine and collection of local memorabilia. Local High School banners and team pictures.

One painting caught Lynn's eye. Old Indian women with long gray hair in braids over her shoulders and one feather from her hair. Her sunken smile was the give away. Lynn was sure it was the woman whom had sold her the Trinket.

"You ready to order?" The waitress appeared. Lynn hadn't seen her coming and was slightly startled but quickly smiled.

"Yes," Lynn looked at the menu then put it back in its place. "Chef salad please, with no dressing." The waitress scribbled the order then smiled.

"Coming right up," she spun a quick spin for the truckers viewing.

"Excuse me," Lynn said kindly and the waitress stopped. As she turned around, Lynn asked, "Who is that." Lynn pointed at the painting of the Old Indian woman that hung on the wall of pictures.

"Little Breeze? The Old woman?" The waitress asked in confirmation of what Lynn was pointing to. Just then the door to the 'grill' opened and a small gust of wind blew through the doorway. Another trucker walked up to the other two and they exchanged handshakes and "How do's!"

"Yes, the old Indian woman," Lynn said bringing the conversation back to focus.

"Hum, she is an Indian Medicine woman. 'Little Breeze' is very good medicine, as they say. She is like the white mans Robin Hood. She went around helping the poor people, fixing problems and saved the town a long time ago." The waitress shot a 'wait one minute' finger to the new customer and then turned back to Lynn. "One Chef Salad coming right up!" She smiled then left. 

Lynn heard her trail off, "Hi, how are you? What can I get you tonight?" The waitress had an inviting way about her. Charming the new customer and melting into her work.

"Little Breeze?" Lynn stared at the picture, trying to let everything soak in. Her dream came flooding back into her mind and she instinctively began looking for spiders. Then checked her fingers for tacky residue. She taught about the old woman and her purchase, Her life, the heat, the trip, her father's death and the reading of the will. Her marriage that seem to just exist. Lynn gazed back at the picture hard.

"White man's Robin Hood?" Lynn kicked the thought around in her head a moment, "Daddy always like to think he was Robin Hood," she snickered.

Lynn closed the door to the Saab and put the key into the ignition and turned it on but not to the point of starting the motor. She fumbled with the radio dial then settled on a station.

"Here we have country and western music, both in one radio station," Lynn chuckled, recalling a remark her husband always said that made her laugh. She reached over and set her purse to ride and hold the Trinket's feathers down on the car seat. 

Lynn took one of the feathers between her fingers and rubbed the texture lightly. She looked out in to the night sky for more of a way to keep from crying than to soak up the scenic view of the moon's rising.

She looked back at the dash of the Saab and found her strong inner self and turned the car's motor on. "I wish I was already there and didn't have to make this drive," Lynn said under breath as she put the Saab in gear. "Of course I wouldn't mention that to Tom."

She spun her tires on the gravel and the car shot straight for the highway. A diesel truck blew it's horn loudly and a set of big bright lights barreled towards her. When the loud horn quit blowing the sound of screeching, locked up tires filled Lynn's ears.

The crash was inevitable judging the distance of the truck at her grill. Lynn threw her arms upward. Expecting to be plowed over by an eighteen-wheeler and shielding her eyes from the blinding headlights. The last thing she thought about was ... I didn't fasten my seat belt! "Aaaaa!" She screamed.

Lynn sat with her arms up for a moment then began to scream again. As she lowered her arms from their protective blocking shield. Slowly she lowered them in front of her. The first thing she noticed was the feather in her hand. She put the feather in front of her face closely and looked at it long and hard.

"What the ..."

She looked outward, curious why she wasn't smashed from the crash she was sure she was just involved in. She felt her body, then her legs then turned to look around. A clock on the wall displayed the time: 7:00.

"A room? What in the hell is going on?" Lynn glanced all around the room. The bed she sat on had a gold, silken bed spread that she quickly became engrossed in the feel of her hands light glide over the cushioned plain. "That's not hospital issue."

Her long brushing arm come around to a part of the bed that showed the Dream Catcher hanging on the bedpost. She quickly pulled her hand up to view the feather she had held tightly only to find that she held tightly to nothing. It was gone. She sprang from the bed and quickly began looking around the floor.

"Not again," Lynn went to the Dream Catcher and counted the feathers. "123 ... 45 ...67," Lynn fumbled to count them several times to ensure her count is correct.

"What in the world?" Lynn's face rolled with realization as her mouth drew open as the thought grew. 

"I'm dead!" Lynn stood straight up and began feeling her body. Uncertain of her realities she was frozen where she stood. Glancing about and listening. She pinched her self, "Ouch!" She thought as she laughed at her silliness. She then began searching her room for answers. She saw her luggage at the foot of the bed. The Dream Catcher hung from the post. Her purse was on the dresser by the vanity mirror, along with her keys and digital wristwatch.

"I'm dead," she sat on the bed and allowed her head to fall forward. Unsure of anything at this point, Lynn took a deep breath. "I saw the truck! I know it hit the car! I didn't hear the crash?" Lynn tilted her head sideways and moved it slowly, in thought, as if to roll the answer around inside her skull.

The phone rang in the hotel room breaking the silence. "Ring ring ... ring ring," Lynn looked up at the phone. "Do they have phones in heaven?"



The Trinket Ch. 06



"Hello?" Lynn answered the phone, cautiously. 

"Lynn McCloud please!" A woman on the phone asks.

"Yes, this is she! Um, well…" Lynn sat on the edge of the bed, un-easy and nervous. Glancing around more at mental images than the room.

"Mrs. McCloud, this Evelyn Lawrence of James, Franklin and Beard, attorneys at law. We were pleased to hear you have arrived early." The woman sounded professional and courteous.

"It is actually Lynn Blackburn. My father's name was McCloud, I married and carry the name Blackburn, now." Lynn tried to make the point clear and at the same time looked around the room trying to decipher rather all of this was real or not.

"Okay, Mrs. Blackburn, we will have a driver pick you up in front of your Hotel at nine a.m. sharp tomorrow morning. We estimate a fifteen-minute drive and your appointment with Mr. Franklin are confirmed for Nine thirty a.m. tomorrow. Is this still executable?" The woman on the phone asked.

"Yes, that is fine. Nine a.m. tomorrow, got it. Thank you!" Lynn replied.

"We were just notified of your arrival and wanted to ensure that the accommodations meet with your approval?" The woman paused in wait for a reply.

"Oh yes, very much so …thank you!" Lynn said, expressing relief.

"Your welcome, We will see you tomorrow then Mrs. Blackburn. Have a good day."

"Bye, You too!" Lynn said as she hung up the phone. The Dream Catcher hung close and Lynn's hand reached for another quick feather count and used that for an excuse to feel the softness as she thought about the hard things in life, like the reading of her Father's Will, tomorrow. Her near miss, with the eighteen wheeler, that still has her mind raging a storm of confusion.

"My car?" Lynn reached and picked up the phone. The phone offered a directory for the hotel extensions in small print. She ran her index finger down the list. Lynn pushed 9 on the touch tone phone for the front desk. She put her finger over the 'one' and contemplated her emergency.

"Ritz Carlton, Jennifer speaking, how may I help you?"

"Yes, Jennifer …Hi! My name is Lynn Blackburn. I am in room … huh! Lynn darted glances everywhere to search for a room number. She turned the phone around and around looking for a clue to what room she was in. She pulled the nightstand drawer out and thumbed through the brochures and complementary matches, candies, pencils and stationary pad.

"Your in room 200!" Jennifer said politely.

"Oh great, room 200, thank you. Yes, well … this may sound strange but I am unsure of where my car might be? You don't by any chance have any idea … do you?" Lynn felt silly and put her head into her hand and rubbed her hair vigorously.

"Mrs. Blackburn all quests leave their vehicles with the valet. I can check for you if you like or you can press ext. 12?"

Oh yes, please, could you check for me. That would be great!" Lynn felt a bit more relieved but still concerned. 

"Yes ma'am, I'll let you know as soon as I find something out for you." Jennifer said. People have always done for her and this comforted her more than making the call herself.

"Great, thanks a million," Lynn replied and hung up the phone. After a scan of the room she sprang from the bed and went on an exploration of her deluxe suite Hotel room. She slid a large sliding door sideways and a Jacuzzi room unfolded. 

"Oh my GOD, I have died and gone to heaven," she giggled. Reaching in, she fiddled with all the knobs and switches on the wall. Some turned on lights others turned on the Jacuzzi jets. Some operated heat lamps. She found herself making a musical symphony of the different lighting and various sounds of jetting water at different settings.

She found a comfortable compromise with the lights and jet speed and left it. She turned the dial, which read: HEAT, almost all the way then walked off. 

She placed her luggage on the bed and began pulling out her clothes. Making a couple trips to the closet pole, hanging them up and hand pressing them out.

She passed the wet bar and stopped in her tracks. She looked at the refrigerator and smiled. She had to take a peek. Slowly she grabbed the handle and pulled. Inside were some drinks and bottle water, a lime and a lemon. A couple variety fruit cups and pudding packs. She licked her lips and shut the door. "I bet they have room service," she grinned.

Back to preparing her things she pulled out the complimentary large fluffy robe, then put it on over her clothes, just to try it out. Running her hands along the soft cloth as she came back toward the Jacuzzi room. When she turned the corner the telephone rang. Lynn rushed to pick up the receiver.

"Hello!"

"Mrs. Blackburn, your car was sent to Steve's garage for repairs, per your request."

"Oh, okay! Thank you!" Lynn replied. "I have been scatter brained lately, I really appreciate it." Lynn pause for a moment then blurted. "They didn't happen to say what kind of repairs … did they?"

"Your Air-Conditioner! I took the liberty of calling Steve's and they said it might be ready the day after tomorrow. They had to order an air conditioning compressor?" A questioning tone rang in her voice.

"Well thank you very much," Lynn was relieved.

"Would you like that phone number?" Jennifer asked.

"I don't have a pen. Could you hold it till I get by the front desk?" Lynn asked. Her face wrinkled up in tension when she recalled the drawer full of writing utensils. 

"Yes ma'am. Will that be all Mrs. Blackburn?" Jennifer asked.

Yes, thank you so much! You have been a great help." Lynn put the phone down and looked across the room in a fixed stare. The sounds of the running water in the Jacuzzi seem to snap her out of it and she followed the relaxing melody.

Testing the water with her big toe, she shed the robe and began undressing. She peeled her garments like a banana skin, allowing them to fall to the floor, all about her. She stepped into the whirling water, each step took her deeper into the pooled warm wetness.

Lynn sank into its mesmerizing sound and massage. Water engulfed her naked body as she descended into the swells, created by the rocketing liquid spray of the jet portals. She melted into the waters buoyant hold. Her body felt as if it was floating and this mirrored her worries. All her confusion seem to disappear for the time being.

She allowed the back of her head to rest on the rim of the Jacuzzi while the water danced on every inch of her wet naked flesh. She watched the water swirl and bubble. Flickering sub level lights reached for the ceiling's reflection. Flickering slivers of tantalizing blue lights cast rippled shadows along the walls.

Her head turned slightly and she saw the door, then the bed, then the Dream Catcher. She began to relax in the thought. Till an image of her husband flashed in her mind.

"What in the HELL do you mean you will not drive to California with me?" Lynn screamed and cocked her hands on her hips. She had a fixed angry glare at her husband. 

"Why drive, when we can fly. We could be there and back in the same day!" Tom said loudly waving his hands excitedly. "But no … you have a fear of flying. You have a fear of Spiders. Your afraid of the dark, your afraid to go swimming because you can't swim and Amy wants to go swimming but no mommy is afraid of the water and every 'Frickon' thing else!"

"That's is not fair, Thomas Alan Blackburn!" Lynn turned and walked around their bed. The canopy bed veil offered her some sense of being camouflaged. 

"Look all I'm saying is I am not going if you decide to drive. Yes, my Mother would watch Amy for us. But I am in the middle of the most important contract of our buisness career right now, I can't be gone that long. Not when we can fly there and back in half the time it would take, just to drive there."

"Every deal is the Big Deal! I just buried my father today, Tom. I need you now more than ever. Please don't push me away." Lynn began sniffling. 

"I am not pushing you away. I am telling you to be sensible. Get a grip on those fears of yours and do what is right." Tom paced his muscular medium frame and broad shoulders. This always intimidated Lynn. It was as if he was a pacing Tiger.

"Thomas Blackburn," Lynn said as she took a deep breath and bowed up like a cobra. "I have to leave first thing in the morning. Are you driving with me to the reading of my father's last will and testament, or not?" She said loud, clear and waiting for an answer.

Tom circled to a full stop, looking straight at Lynn. He rolled his head around his neck for a moment in thought. "No, I will stay here with Amy. You go do what you have to do. The way you want to. And God only knows rather that car of yours will make it, please reconsider." Tom at this point was wrenching his hands. Wringing them as if washing them under water only as a fidget nervous vent. "… And Lynn, when your done there and come back here, we need to have a very long talk."

"What the 'fuck' does that mean!" Lynn yelled and tears emerged. The damn of self-control collapsed. "Get out, just get the HELL out!" Lynn grasped the nearest pillow and threw it at Tom. It sailed through the air in a horizontal spiral like a cushioned sheriken. Tom caught it in flight and turned towards the door. Took the doorknob in hand and opened the door. He stopped as if wanting to say something but he charged out of their bedroom and 'slammed' the door behind him.



The Trinket Ch. 07



"Unit Seven to Unit One, I have a visual." 

"10-4 Unit Seven, confirm she is in the lobby? Repeat, you say; she is in the lobby?"

"Unit Seven, she is exiting the lobby. She is going out the main doors and heading your way. Wearing a short black dress and two nice long legs, you can't miss her!"

"10-4 Seven. Unit Two ... move in!"

Lynn walked out of the Ritz Carlton in a very sleek black dress. Her short black hair just graced her shoulders She came prepared and immediately put her sunglasses on. The doorman walked with her as she stepped down the walk, holding to her shouldered purse strap, tightly. 

The Limousine drove up with impeccable timing. The driver got out and rounded the vehicle and opened the car's door as Lynn walked up. "It has been a long time since I rode in one of these." Lynn said then smiled.

"Mrs. Blackburn?" The driver asked. His charming smile caught Lynn's eye. She glanced at the Californian pretty boy for a moment, then grinned. 

"Yes," she began getting into the limo. A lot of eyes watched her slide her petite frame across the smooth leather seat. Her legs were panty hose tanned while her arms were Arizona sunburned. 

"Would you look at those ..." Static gargled over the various police speakers.

"Steady boys, The fox ... is on the move."

The driver shut the limousine door and ran to the driver's side and climbed in. Strapping his seat belt he put the vehicle in gear and began to drive.

"Unit Seven to Unit One, Unit Two is mobile."

"10-4."

Lynn gazed out the window at what ever passed by. The Limousine was making its way down the street and so were several other vehicles. A black sedan tailed from a distance. The driver made several quick eye glances towards the rear but didn't seem alarmed.

Lynn absorbed the words from a huge billboard, 'You could be the next California 'Lotto' Millionaire! Play California Lottery!' Reading the sign till it vanished behind her. "Wish I 'had' a million bucks. That might solve some of our problems," Lynn said aloud but lightly.

"Excuse me?" The driver asked.

"I'm sorry I was mumbling to my self," Lynn said as she looked up at the driver. The sunrays shot through the front windshield in a bright blinding flash. Lynn shielded her sunglasses with her hand as the driver made a turn and this put the sun in a better position. She opened her eyes and immediately gasped for a breath.

In her hand was a feather. She froze and began calculating; rather she was awake or dreaming. Perhaps even... her sanity. She tried to keep her eyes on the feather and look around simultaneously. The long white and black feather was identical to those on her Trinket. She twirled it a moment, back and forth in deep thought. 

The car door flew open and Lynn was startled. The driver stepped back with an extended hand to help her out. She glanced at his hand them reached. She shot another glance to her other hand then the floor of the limousine. She moved her feet side to side looking for the feather she had just held. 

"Lose something?" The driver asked as he lowered his head to get a better look.

"Hum," Lynn gave up the search and climbed out of the car, continuously searching. Reaching for his hand and she arose from the vehicle by his powerful grasp. 

"I thought I had lost an ear ring. Nope, I have both, sorry." Lynn was feeling her ear lobes Lynn turned towards the glass building that towered before her. She glanced upward for a moment at its height, then began walking forward, towards the buildings entrance.

"Unit One to Unit Six do you have a visual yet."

Unit Six, I do not. I repeat, I do not have a visual."

Lynn stopped and turned around and the limousine driver was still standing there. Watching her every ... curve. "Are you going to wait for me?" Lynn asked with a charming smile.

"Yes ma'am, I will be right here!" The driver tried to revive his composure. He felt he had been caught staring, at her ... curves. He shuffled nervously.

"Good," Lynn said with a big smile then turned back to the building and went inside. Giving one last glance to the driver as the door closed. His eyes were still on, her.

"Unit Six to Unit One, I have visual!"

"10-4 Unit Six." A large bellied man sat back in his seat and looked at Sergeant Murphy.

"Don't relax yet, keep them on their toes. I want communication and eyes. Communication and eyes ..." Sgt. Murphy peered into a screen that displayed a conference room. He stroked his well-trimmed beard while sinking into watching everyone. His slicked back, gray hair seemed whiter in the screen illumination. "Are we patched in?"

"Yes Sergeant. It is just quiet in there." The large man replied then settled back into his headphones. Several screens showed various locations and several plain clothes officers scattered about in different places.

Lynn was ushered by the receptionist to a large dark wood double door. A plaque on the wall next to the door's trim read; room 222, conference room. Lynn followed the woman whom was announcing her.

"Lynn Blackburn, McCloud, Mr. Franklin." The woman smiled while offering Lynn a chair. "Can I get you anything, water, coffee, soda?"

"No thank you," Lynn answered and the receptionist left. Closing the doors slowly. 

An elderly man sat with his back to the glass window that showed the California valley. The city, buildings and the rolling mountain range in the distant. On the other side of the table were several other men with brief cases and scowled looks on their faces. A small wall of men sat in a row of black suits. Lynn smiled and nodded at a couple of them, trying to crack a smile from their frozen faces. A man nodded back and everyone remained quiet. 

The elderly gentleman that sat scribbling looked at his watch then up at the many faces that watched him. He looked over at Lynn for the first time in a slow, old man body turn. As if his neck had turned it's fullest and his frame needed to twist more so that he could see her fully. His warm friendly smile gave Lynn the nudge she needed to breathe again.

"Mrs. Blackburn, if I may before we begin. I am Theodore Franklin. I was your Father's attorney for many many years and I extend my deepest sympathy for both our losses. Gene was a dear friend as well as a client. This is Mr. Sanders, he is your father's business partner with M & S industries and subsidiaries."

Lynn glanced a head nod and smile to the man that sat there wrenching his hands slowly. His head was shaven as was his face. Lynn took note that she didn't even see any eyebrows. His head turned back to Mr. Franklin and she saw a shimmer of light reflect from the white hair of his brows.

"Mr. Adams is Mr. Sanders Attorney." Mr. Franklin pointed an open hand to the man sitting next to Sanders. 

"Mr. Jackson," The man whom was nice to Lynn smiled a one-wave hand raise. "He is with our firm as a witness to these proceedings and this is Mr. Malcolm."

Mr. Malcolm looked at Lynn with no smile but no scowl either. His stone tanned face showed his exposure to a lot of sun. Short black hair and big square jaw. His eyes locked onto hers and she felt shivers from his cold, piercing stare. 

"Mr. Malcolm is your Father's business partner with M & M Mining inc. Currently co-owners of the Black Mountain Silver Mine in Arizona."

And this Gentlemen of course is Mrs. Lynn Blackburn, Mr. McClouds only daughter. Also she is the only relative mentioned in his Will. Now let me begin by saying we here at..." Mr. Franklin spun off a lot of corporation legalities as Lynn's eyes drifted towards the heavenly blue sky outside the large windows. She saw a pigeon fly by the window and a very small dark colored feather fell. Gliding, then gusted by winds as she watched it sail away.

Lynn didn't really know what her father was into lately. He invested in various things and always lived a very luxurious life. 

That was part of the problem with her marriage. Or so Lynn thought, she was raised up with out the worry of rather she could afford it. Her husband Tom wants to provide everything, but can't afford any more than they have extended themselves. Is that her fault? 'Perhaps so ...' she thought.

All she was told about her father's death was that his car had been found engulfed in flames. On a highway out in the middle of no where. Which would normally be odd, except he traveled this road a lot, back and forth. Making trips to his other company periodically. The Arizona highway Patrol and the Department of Highway and Transportation investigation team had the County CSI team go over the vehicle and they found a fuel line that had ruptured and ignited on the exhaust. Case closed.

"Do you understand what I have explained to you Mrs. Blackburn?" Mr. Franklin addressed Lynn and turned his body to look her direction. Lynn snapped out of her daze. 

"I am sorry Mr. Franklin, I haven't been sleeping very well. I just drove halfway across the United States to be here this morning. Could you repeat the last part?" Lynn swelled up for the question with a deep inhaled breath, then release.

"I was to entrust to you the sum of one million dollars, until the liquidation of your father's business shares and estate. Which at that time you would receive the remainder of what was resolved. Less than fifteen minutes ago I got a call from the FBI and your father's affairs have been frozen, until after their investigation. This alone is not the only reason the sum can not be released to you but Mr. Sanders is disputing business divisions and stock counts. In short he is suing your father for back moneys and that currently puts you liable to pay one million six hundred thousand dollars if he wins in court."

Lynn melted, "What?" She couldn't believe her ears.

"I will continue to represent your father's interest and hopefully prove Mr. Sanders wrong."

"I am not wrong." Sanders slammed his hand on the table then got up. "Let's go," He barked at his attorney and they exited the room. Mr. Malcolm slowly got up.

"Is that all for now, Mr. Franklin?" Mr. Malcolm asked with a very deep and clear voice.

"Yes, at this time. I will keep those informed of the investigations progress and the court proceeding dates for Mr. Sander's dispute. You all are free to go." Mr. Franklin said politely.

Mr. Malcolm turned to Lynn and nodded a respectful bow. Lynn smiled and returned the nod. 

"Mrs. Blackburn!" Mr. Franklin said as he was struggling to stand. 

"Yes," Lynn replied as she stood. Mr. Malcolm rounded the double doors as Mr. Franklin pulled out a small envelope. He slid it on the table towards Lynn. 

"I am instructed to be sure you received this. If you would, could you sign this for me please." He laid a delivery confirmation form. Mr. Malcolm resumed his exit after a glaring glance at this small white envelope. Lynn quickly read it and scribbled her name. She signed it Lynn McCloud. She hasn't signed that name in a long-time and not sure why she did just now. 

"Thank you and as I said, as soon as I can liquidate his estate as his instruction. I will get in touch with you, Mrs. Blackburn." Mr. Franklin closed his files as if done and Lynn thanked him. Took the envelope in hand and slid it into her purse and left.



The Trinket Ch. 08



"Unit Six to Unit One, the Fox is on the move." A man reading a newspaper relayed. Watching two sheer pantyhose wrapped legs, crossing one in front of the other. The sound of her high heel halves clacked' with a rhythm as she fumbled in her purse for her shades. "She is exiting the building," he relayed.

"Look alive Unit Two, here she comes." Sergeant Murphy watched from his monitor while the large van geared up for being mobile. 

"10-4, My rear is here. You guys just keep your eye on it!" The limousine driver said as he walked to the back door of the vehicle and opened it for Lynn as she approached. 

"Thank you," Lynn said as she sank into the back seat. The driver shut the door and made his way to the driver seat. Fastened his seat belt and adjusted his mirror. Lynn sat in silence on the verge of more tears. She flicked her head to turn away as she saw his mirrored eyes glancing.

"Where to?" The driver asked

"The Hotel please," Lynn said. Her thoughts were filled with the events at the Attorneys office, unsure of the proceedings. She contemplated the strange feather and her wish, "I wish I 'HAD' a million dollars." Lynn thought and shrugged with more confusion and glanced out the window.

"Maybe I should have said, 'I wish I had a million dollars in my hand." Lynn said to her self. The limousine came to an abrupt stop. The force threw Lynn forward but not quite out of her seat. A man dressed like a street hobo slapped the hood of the Limousine. 

"Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry," the driver shouted. 

"Well... watch where you're going, ass hole." The man shouted. The sound of shattered glass rang out loudly. The glass from the driver's window sailed everywhere as a rifle butt flew through the open space. A second rifle butt jab hit the driver in the head.

A hand reached in as the car began rolling and the driver's door opened. A click sounded as her side door unlocked, then suddenly the door swung open.

"What the ..." Lynn screamed. A big man stepped into the back seat. She tried to evade, kick, punch and retreat but she was grabbed. His large hand reached in quickly with a handkerchief that now pressed around Lynn's mouth, as the door shut. 

The limousine driver was out cold. The vehicle spun off as Lynn felt something in her hand. Her eyes drooped, she became distort with vision. She raised her hand to her face. There in her palm, was the envelope the attorney had given her. Lynn's eyes closed as she faded to the strong smell of chloroform. Her eyes shot open one last time as she faded in to unconsciousness. There in her hand was a feather then her eyes closed.

"Unit Four to Unit One, we have an intruder!"

"Unit Two!" Seargent Murphy pressed the mic again. "Unit Two break silence and respond." He looked at the dispatcher. "Get that bird over them now! I want a visual."

The heavy set man wheeled his mic and rattled off call letters, "LA 12 do you have a visual?"

"Negative base, LA 12 to ground zero less than one minute."

"10-4 LA 12 please hurry, Intruder is present, I repeat, intruder present."

"10-4 base."

"Unit Four, I have been cut off I am not in pursuit, do you copy?"

"Why the... not. Where's Five? Unit One to Unit Five?" 

"Five here Sgt. No visual on Unit Two. They have not made it here yet."

"What? That can't be!" Sergeant Murphy exclaimed.

"LA 12, I am at ground zero and I don't see a long stretch limousine, any where."

"Oh bullshit, how the hell do you loose a big ass limousine, downtown, in broad daylight. Check the garages. LA 12 make a circle around ground zero, be sure they didn't get on the highway."

"10-4 base already in that maneuver."

"Where are they?" Sergeant Murphy clicked his computer. The GPS shows them to be ... close." 



The Trinket Ch. 09



In the darkness and dense nothing, Lynn put her hand to her face but she could not even see her palm. 

"Not again!" She felt her body and became instantly aware of her nakedness. "Why does that keep happening?" Her feet were bare as she shuffled a foot over the ground slowly. It seemed to be sand, dirt and gravel mixed. A dry sandy crust surface broke when her weight pressed toward the ground. 

"At least this time there is a ground." She scoffed.

Lynn looked upward for the stars. 'If there is dirt then perhaps there are stars,' she thought. But there were none. 

Lynn saw a small light move in the far distance. She pulled her hair back more for habit than to see as she peered harder. The light seem to flicker as it became clear, it was coming her way. She slowly allowed a foot to feel for a step toward the light, then another.

The light grew and it became more apparent that a person with a torch was coming down a tunnel towards her. She folded her arms and curled into her self to hide her nakedness as a very big man approached. The torch swung with his walking sway. A huge hand wrapped around the torch with a very muscular forearm. A thin strap of leather tied around his bulging biceps. Two small feathers dangled and sailed and jerked around from his movements. 

He was several yards away. Lynn could now tell he was a 'handsome' Indian brave with two lines painted on his face. A green line on the left side of his face and a white striped line on the right. He came to a full stop and Lynn turned slightly attempting to shield her naked body. 

Lynn smiled as she glanced at his buckskin waist cover. "I'm dreaming and your Tarzan," she said as she was now certain she was dreaming. His braids lay over his big brawn shoulders with two feathers that hung from his left braid.

The Indian held the torch high as he reached to his hip. He pulled out a ten-dollar bill and offered it to Lynn.

"I am not a prostitute if that's..." The Indian reached and stuck it in Lynn's palm. "Sorry Buddy, wrong girl," Lynn tossed the bill back at him and he caught it. The large man reached and grabbed Lynn's wrist and she jerked and pulled backwards. Pulling her hand free she stepped back from the torch as he turned towards her again. 

He quickly unsheathed his knife, pulling it up and drew it back behind him as if to throw it. Lynn's eye's got wide as she started to turn and run. 'Is he aiming at me?' She thought, Lynn's feet twisted as she tried to spin away. She fell and reached her arms outward to catch herself. 

As she was pulled to the earth by gravity, she saw something. A big ... spider, looking her right in the face! She screamed loudly. The knife sailed through the air spinning, sticking into the large spider. A loud death shrill came from the creature. It scampered and jerked it's multiple legs. Lashing aimlessly brushing up against Lynn and lay dying with very slow movements. Lynn shrilled a yell and then ... fainted.

"Like a fly that has flown without caution. Caught in the spider's web. We learn from this, to be cautious of where we go to quickly and put more thought into where we are going to end up. Problem is, most are to deeply tangled in their own webs of life to learn from a fly. There-fore they are easily caught." The old Indian woman from the Indian Reservation station looked up at Lynn. Smiling, as she poked a long stick into a crackling fire and drew a puff off of her long stem pipe.

Same clothes, same smile, and both braids still lay across her front. "Hi," Lynn said lightly and almost relieved to see a fire lit face, smiling.

Lynn looked at the warm fire then at her self. She was wrapped in a colorful, heavily woven, Indian blanket. 

A spider crawled across the sand. Lit by the bright fire, Little Breeze put her long stick on Lynn's side and the spider went away from Lynn. Who was petrified but didn't say a word. The spider crawled onto its web that was strung between some boulders.

"Spiders are afraid of you, too. That is the only reason they would bite. You are to big for a meal." Little breeze smiled as they both watched the spider, expanding its web. 

Lynn gripped her wrap's edges and pulled the blanket tighter. "Where am I?" Lynn asked. She looked up at the old woman, "Who are you?" Lynn felt her nakedness and molded into the blanket.

"I am called 'Little Breeze' and this is Chief Two Feathers and you... are here." Little breeze nodded towards the Indian that sat in the dark shaking some sort of snake rattle and chanting. "Ya, aya ya yeh yeh!" 

Lynn tightened her grip on the blanket at her neck. Little breeze sounded wise but poked at the fire like a little girl at play. Rolling red-hot coals with her long branch while the fire crackled and flickered. The stick caught on fire and the old woman raised it to her face and used it to puff on her pipe again. The charred limb held a small flame of fire as slivers of smoke arose from the burning wood. Little Breeze let out a long smoke filled exhale.

The smoke churned and grew as an Owl appeared sitting on the rocks next to the old woman. Gray smoke in two distinct round shapes. The owl's facial features and eyes formed as the smoke settled to steaming slivers of smoke. The feathers changed from gray to white as the majestic bird raised and stretched it' wings then folded them.

Little Breeze laid the pipe down on a rock next to her then began humming a pretty melody. Her face lit up with a symphony of expressions while she hummed. She reached over and very gently pulled a feather from the owl. Which leaped to the air with wings wide and began flapping and flew into the darkness.

"This is all a dream," Lynn said as she watched with amazement. She looked over at Chief Two Feathers. He just sat there chanting and lightly shaking his noise filled instrument. Chief Two Feather's head was not adorned with a full row of feathers. Two feathers lay tapered from his braids.

Lynn noticed an entrance of sort. She peered even harder from the light of the fire into the dark. She saw what appeared to be a cave entrance. Looking even higher she saw stars. That eased her some as she found her self being enchanted by the old woman's soothing tones.

"Am I dreaming you, or are you dreaming me?" Lynn asked with a clever eye raised grin.

Little Breeze smiled while sticking the stick into the flames, she looked at Lynn and leaned forward and whispered, "We are in His dream," Little Breeze tilted her head towards Chief Two Feathers and chuckled. Lynn smiled.

"A very big responsibility has been laid upon your shoulders and you will need courage. Do you know what courage is?" Little Breeze continued to churn the fire and keep it slightly roaring. 

"Sure," Lynn replied.

"It is doing something even though you are afraid." She shot Lynn a look and Lynn was giving her full attention. "You seem to ask all the wrong questions and wish for all the wrong things. You should be more clear and more careful of what you wish for. "

"Who's to say rather they're wrong or not?" Lynn boasted in defense. "How would you know this?"

"A bird told me," Little Breeze grin. "Let me get to the point... your life is in great danger. And so is your daughters if things do not change." Little Breeze got a real serious look on her face. 

"Amy?" 

Little Breeze held up the Owl's feather, "Tie a feather to the center of the dream-snare. This will allow your wishes to include a loved one as well."

"What about my daughter?' Lynn asked excitedly.

"The coyote is timid till it's young is endangered. Dark Cloud will stand in your way. You will need to control your thoughts and fears in your life, as well as in your dreams. You have a choice to sit back and watch your dreams happen or you can live them. Take control of your life and wake up from the veil of illusions you live in. The right dream path will lead to the right reality." 

Shuffling where she sat, a stone seat placed before the oval of the fire. "You can learn many things from the spider. Something so small can inflict so much fear. Yet turn and weave a beautiful home perfectly spun with time, motivation and love."

Lynn glanced at the spider that was busy stringing its web. It was probably the first time she had ever sat and watched one, without screaming. 'Now I know I am dreaming,' Lynn thought.

"You have something that a lot of people want?" Little Breeze broke the silence, "The decision you make will effect many lives for many years."

"What is that?" Lynn asked. 

"The color of the stars!" Little Breeze's voice trailed.



The Trinket Ch. 10



Lynn opened her eyes to a shiny, silver key, being held in front of her face. Her eyes slowly focussed on the moving object, then trailed up the hand to the arm. To the big bald man standing before her.

"A safe deposit box key!" The man's deep voice said as he waved the key slowly. The man spoke in an angry tone from a double chin neck that appeared uncomfortably tight. His jet black tie matched his jacket over a white shirt. 

Lynn made a dash to get up and run but the man grabbed her by the hair and slung her back into the chair with one fluid movement.

"Now, this is how this is going to work." The man said as he stood in front of Lynn. His long pausing thoughts were relayed in his eyes as he looked her up and down from head to heels. 

Lynn grasped the arms of the office chair. Scanning the dusty room's desks and filing cabinets. She pressed her legs together tightly as he glared at the shoreline of her dress and legs. He placed his brawny hand on her shoulder and gripped her tightly. His eyes raised up her body slowly. Tracing her curves and cleavage then eye to eye.

Lynn looked around the room at the other men trying to ignore him. Big bubble gum smacking jaws and rocking, swinging, waiting legs and feet. Three men slouched into the wall and furniture. A team of muscled thugs with shoulder holstered guns. 

Dirty smoked glass windows restricted visibility to the outside. The one door out was closed and behind Lynn. On the floor behind the man intimidating Lynn, was the limousine driver. He lay on his side with his arms tied behind him. He was unconscious as his body lay in a twisted manner leading Lynn to believe he may even be, dead.

"Look ... lady, we are going to take a little trip to the bank. You and Mr. Hobbs are going as husband and wife. You are going to open, empty and give the contents of that safe deposit box to Mr. Hobbs." He leaned into Lynn's left ear. She could feel his hot breath and deep drawn breath. Whispered seductively in her ear, "Am I clear so far?"

"I am not co-operating with you," Lynn blared.

"I thought you might say that. Detective Simons here, well, he is a pawn. He might not mean that much to you but while you were sleeping, I took the liberty of going through your purse and found this."

The big heavy set man reached in his pocket and pulled out a picture and held it at Lynn's eyes.

"Amy," Lynn gasped. Her daughter's picture was a year old but it was Lynn's favorite. Lynn burst from the chair with all her might only to be slapped back into the seat. 

"Now we're getting somewhere." The man said excited. "Like I was saying, we are going to take a little trip."

The man reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone and dialed. 

"Have they found the Limousine yet?" The man snickered as he looked at Lynn's legs and thighs. "Good! Keep me informed."

"Unit One to Unit Two, please respond." Sergeant Murphy sat scratching his head. "Where did they disappear to?" The Sergeant pressed the desk set microphone lever, "Unit Seven come in!"

"Unit Seven to Unit One, nothing yet Sergeant. They haven't reached the Hotel?"

"Unit Four to Base, we have the limousine. I repeat ... we found the limousine. Unit One, be advised ... it is empty. Four blocks down and one block left. The multi level parking garage, half way up, third level."

"Let's go!" Sergeant Murphy barked and the mobile unit was moving before the doors slammed shut. He pulled his estrange tie up tightly and straightened his plaid brown jacket then fastened his seat belt. "Where are they?" He mumbled to himself.

Several police unit vehicles emerged at the location of the parking garage building that was being sealed off. Officers stood at the street corners with barricades to re-direct traffic. The helicopter unit LA 12 circled overhead. The loud rotor blades swirled, gusting the streets with wind as it hovered over the area.

The large unmarked white step van (Unit One) pulled up to the curb and the back doors, explode open. 

"I want teams to check each building surrounding this parking lot. They haven't had time to go far so lets find a warm trail quickly. Go ... go!"

"Unit Five to Unit One, I think I have something. We are combing the limousine."

"10-4 Unit Five I am heading that way," Sergeant Murphy said into his walking talkie, while walking briskly. "Who is Unit Five?" Sergeant Murphy asked Barney, his aid. 

"Let's see Unit Seven is the County Sheriff so Unit Five would be the FBI, sir." Barney huffed and sluggishly trailed the fast pacing Sergeant Murphy.

FBI Agents; Jane Driscol and Bill Miller were combing the limousine with small flashlights and plastic gloves. They were on alternate sides of the vehicle, that was abandoned in a remote section of the parking garage.

Jane's short sandy blonde hair fell into her face while she searched the back seat. Her black jacket almost blended with the interior leather. Detective Bill Miller searched the front seat area. His large framed body sat while he reached his hand along the flooring, feeling for anything.

"What do you have?" Sergeant Miller asked as he approached the limousine. Jane reared up and walked to the trunk area and pulled up a large zip lock bag. She raised it up as the Sergeant came to a stop in front of her. 

"We found this in the back seat ... and Sergeant. We found traces of blood on the passenger side of the front seat." Jane held the zip-lock bag higher exposing a medium size white and black feather with a white bead on the quill.

"A feather? From what?" Sergeant Murphy asked.

"I found it in the floor board of the back seat." Jane said then shrugged her shoulders. An officer in uniform walked up and handed a note to the Sergeant, then turned to walk away. 

Jane gazed at the feather for a long time. Reflecting its fussy familiarity. The Sergeant was busy with note relays and his cell phone. Then the walk talkie and barking a command.

"I saw a feather, just like that one!" The officer looked at the feather that Jane held.

"Like this?" Jane asked. She raised from her thoughts and looked at the officer. "Where?" 

"Over there," the Officer pointed from where he had just came. Agent Jane Driscol took flight. The Sergeant took notice and began barking orders to follow her. "Let's go, we have a direction, let's go," 

Jane followed the Officer in uniform, while FBI Agent Bill Miller, Sergeant Murphy and his aid walked briskly behind.

"There it is," the Officer pointed to an identical white and black feather at the door to a stairway. They bolted through the door and the feather took flight.

The parking garage stairwell rang out with thundering swift footsteps. Stopping at each level and checking the doors, Jane and the officer kept descending while Bill went upward step by step and floor by floor. The feather was already sucked into a draft of an open door and out of the building.

Jane and the officer got to the street level with panting breaths and anticipation. A wall of citizens were walking. "Excuse me... excuse me," Jane said while trying to get through a mass of walkers and bumping into the on-coming wave of pedestrians.

"Damn," she spat as she realized she could not see two-feet in front of her self. She saw a newspaper machine and climbed on top to see down the street in both directions. She saw people, cars and buildings as far as the streets trailed. 

She turned and saw the feather sailing. The wind gust it up-ward and Jane's eye's locked on the floating softness. "Just like in my dream," Jane mumbled.

She showed fear at first then reality kicked in and Jane jumped down off the mailbox and headed towards where the feather drifted. It floated around a building and was sucked into the... alley. It swirled in a hanging breeze as Jane rounded the corner and glared down the back street. The loading zone for the next building had a few big trucks backed up to the loading dock area.

She pulled her pistol as she moved slowly down the alley. The uniform officer followed for a lack of anything else to trail. Jane looked high at windows and low behind dumpsters. The feather sailed lower and settled close to the ground near Jane. It swayed back and forth in front of a chain link fence. Then a breeze blew the feather under the fence.

"This is silly Detective, following a feather? Let's go back," The uniform Officer said. His hand rested on his holstered weapon but he didn't feel the need to have it drawn. He observed Lynn's overwhelming caution, curiously.

Jane pointed to the feather that now lay in the distance, at the back door of a warehouse. Jane looked at the fence and back at the officer. "Wait here!"

"You're kidding right!" He said. His deep voice carried while he scanned the area.

Jane walked to the gate and then past it. Jane looked back to where she expected to see a cardboard box and it was there. But the old woman was not. Jane pulled the fencing back and raised it far enough to enter. The Officer was trying to look the other way as if not to notice her intrusion. 

"How did you know that was there?" He asked while watching Jane slip through the fencing like she had done it a hundred times before.

Jane reached her hand into her pocket. Holding her gun with the other, slowly she walked forward. Glancing at the multi level building with smoked glass. A couple of vans were parked in the fenced area. It wasn't dark but shadowed. Jane eased forward with caution. Making her way slowly towards the feather.

"Ruff," a Doberman snapped as it took flight towards Jane. She pulled her hand out of her pocket. The dog started barking as it leaped at Jane. Ready with a stun gun, Jane zapped the dog and it yelped. It jerked in muscle spasms and hit the ground on its side, hard. Scrambling to get it's footing and run the other way.

"Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail," Jane said with a smirk to the Officer who was gripping the fence and shaking it. Nervously watching every thing, everywhere. "Look," the officer said as he pointed to a second story window. A man stood pointing to the Officer and Agent Driscol then another showed in the window. "Is that them?" The Officer asked. 

"I think so, call it in," Jane said as she eased forward to the back door. There at the threshold of the back door was the feather. She pulled her cell phone out and dialed.

"Sergeant, I think we found them."