THE Raymond Origins by K.R.Stuch
Chapter 1:
Past defines present
Moonshine Forest Grove, August 16, 1945....
Bang!
His corrupt past caught up with him on that cold night in Moonshine Forest Grove...you can't hide your true self forever.
A gun shot rang out in the brisk night air. Jessica Raymond could only watch in horror as her husband: Sergeant Bill Raymond landed on his back, dead. He was shot through the head, execution style.
The masked figure re loaded. He had personally gone after Raymond. He normally hired people to do this but wanted the pleasure himself. This pig had pushed the last of his buttons.
A movement from the neighbours caught her eye. She looked up. Her 7 year old son stared at them in shock from the two story window across the street. Jessica shook her head at him and he disappeared behind the curtain. Please God, she silently begged. Don't let him see John! She was frozen in fear.
'NO, please don't!' She screamed as the gun man turned his eyes on her. A second later she lay motionless on the lawn next to her deceased husband...
Young John Raymond stood behind the curtain. His heart pounded as the gun man stormed to a black Crystler and jumped in. It sped away. The horror of witnessing his parent's murder would stay with him forever....
♡♡♡
1965. 20 years before The Ghost of Moonshine Forest. Sophie Williams glanced around the flash apartment in Eden Hills, Victoria. She hurriedly grabbed her suitcase and started to pack. She tossed the essentials in. Anything else she could get her brother Steve to get later. She had limited time to get out of here and get somewhere safe.
At 22, she was living with her partner, respected social worker Richard Farris. She had started work at a primary school after completing a degree last year. She slammed her suitcase shut and pulled the zipper around. Her green eyes were wide as she picked it up and headed for the door.
He would be home any second. Sophie grabbed her keys and then froze as she heard the footseps. Too late. The door flung open and Richard entered the house. The door slammed shut. His face darkened as he noted the suitcase and her expression.
'I know exactly what you're doing,' he said in an eerily calm voice. He walked across the lounge toward her. She felt her heart rate speed up. She felt herself being seized by her wrists.
'Rich, no!' She begged.
'NO ONE leaves me!' He yelled. He slapped her hard across the face and then pulled her tightly into his arms, his hands sliding down her pants.
'What are you doing?' She asked. 'Let me go, Richard!'
'No!" He growled. He put one hand behind her head and pressed his mouth against hers as he pushed her down onto the floor. Sophie tried to fight him off but he was too strong. He kept kissing her as he lay on top of her, yanking her clothes off. No, she thought, panicking. He kept his mouth on hers so she was unable to scream.
A few hours later he rolled off her, and stood up, grabbing his clothes. Shaking, Sophie stared up at him. 'You can leave now; bitch,' he growled. He got dressed and left the room.
Sobbing, Sophie slowly got up and shakily got dressed. What I going to do? She wondered.
Richard was no where to be seen. She wasn't fooled by that. She knew from experience this was just the beginning...
♡♡♡
'Put your hands in the air! Now! Keep them up!' Detective John Raymond held the pistol on a known drug dealer. They had just busted them about to sell $6 million worth of meth. John held his gun on the ring leader as he put his hands in the air. Where is my partner? He wondered.
They had this abandoned warehouse staked out for months while they collected enough evidence to put these blokes away for good. John was training a new detective, taking him through the ropes. The two ring leaders, Bobbi Jonstone and Thomas Beckett had ties to a major drug syndicate in Melbourne. They used this supposedly abandoned warehouse as their criminal meeting place.
Take down the ring leaders, the rest crumble he thought. He'd seen it happen. They could let someone else take over but the division had almost enough on them. He knew they would get them before that happened. These same blokes had been linked to several drug related homicides.
He hadn't anticipated a secret door to the right of the building. Another crook entered the room, gun on John's partner, Dave. The crook John was holding up smirked. 'Let me go, Raymond! We ain't kidding! He'll blow your mates head off! We're walking out of here!'
'Not on your life,' John hissed.
John glared at each of them. 'I got your man,' the crook snarled. 'Do what he said!'
'What do you want?' Dave asked, trembling. John shook his head, glaring. I don't fucking negoiate! He thought. Don't put me in that position!
'We want to get out of here!' The man holding Dave said.
No way in hell! John thought. Once drug lords knew you were willing to negioate with them all bets were off. He had to avoid that happening. He had to come up with a plan and fast.
The other crook smirked. 'He ain't kidding,' he said. 'He'll kill him. Then we'll kill you.'
Thinking quickly, John shrugged. 'Kill him,' he said calmly. Dave looked horrified. What? He mouthed. Trust me, John tried to verbally convey back.
'What?' Bennet demanded.
'You heard me, kill the bastard. He's useless.' John raised an eye brow. The drug Lord looked stunned.
'John?' Dave looked confused. Play along, John begged silently. They had practised several options should things go belly up but this one had been unexpected.
'Jeez some mate he is,' he mumbled to Dave. John saw his arm starting to drop. Dammit, work, he thought. He had called his bluff; now he was praying like hell it worked. 'I almost feel sorry for ya.'
Dave frowned. 'Yeah when you need em the most, they do this to you,' he mumbled. Dave had caught the verbal cue and was now pouring on the dejected partner. He hadn't let onto John though and decided to play him a bit too. Let's see if Raymond is as cluey and great as he pretends to be, Dave thought. He kept a furious, heart broken look on his face.
'Funny they talk about this so called mate ship you guys have and you're being jerked around, mate,' Bennett said to Dave.
John shrugged. 'It's a real drag having a partner,' he said. 'Like fucking baby sitting. You'd be doing me a favour.'
Bennett was shaking his head. 'Fuck you, Raymond!' Dave snapped at John. John hid a grin. Nicely played, he thought.
Bennet let go of Dave and glanced at his mate who looked just as shocked. Perfect, John thought.
It was the ploy John needed. In shock the crook lowered his weapon. Before anyone had time to react he shot the ringleader in the chest. He aimed the automatic at the crook who had been holding Dave and fired, hitting him in the head.
He fell to the floor and Dave looked at John, stunned. John raised his eye brows. 'First rule of drug hostage negoiations,' he said. 'Don't negoiate. Watch the door. We don't need any more surprises. I'll radio for back up."
Dave grinned. 'We played that well,' he said with a wink.
John smiled at Dave. 'You should be an actor. You were pretty convincing.' He wagged at finger at him. 'Just don't play me again....'
Dave turned red. 'Not much gets past you does it?' He asked.
John grinned. 'Nope. You don't get into the homicide squad by being stupid.'
They both laughed. 'Well you saved me life Raymond, I think I can forgive the insults.'
John winked and removed his radio from his belt. 'You were bloody brilliant. Ok let's call this in and get back to the department. We've got a shit load of paper work to do and two angry dead people.'
♡♡♡
John arrived home to his apartment in Saint Kilda. At 25 he was a detective for The Melbourne Homicide Squad. He'd graduated the academy with honours and planned to be a sergeant one day, much like his birth father, Bill Raymond. He was working his way up the ranks.
John stepped through the door of his modest, two bedroom apartment. He locked it behind him and removed his black blazer. He was exhausted. He checked his answering machine and smiled.
'Hi Son, it's Dad, give me a call please.' Rev.Andrew Harrison had adopted John shortly after his parents died and he had been raised by his best friend Robert's parents. He was incredibly grateful to the Harrison's. He could have easily ended up in foster care.
'Hi John, it's Rob, when are you down again? Please give me a call.' John's smile widened. He called them both back, then switched on the tv and called out for pizza.
While it was being delivered he watched the 7pm news and had a quick shower. John caught a glimpse of his toned body and smiled again. Hours at the gym in between shifts had it is desired results. He was in top condition. John stepped into the shower, relaxing as the strong jets poured over his body.
A few minutes later he dried himself off and slipped on a pair of black jeans and a white shirt. He had the usual amount of interviews and paper work required after events like today but his sergeant had said he clearly acted in Dave's defense so he shouldn't have too many long term issues. Satisfied with how things had gone he was exhausted but happy.
The adraline was wearing off and he was starting to feel tired and sore. All he wanted to do was find something good on the tele and consume a whole pizza. It was Friday night and he had the weekend off. He could burn it off with a work out and a hard jog into the city and back.
One of his favourite ways to relax was a hard sprint along the Capitol City Trail. He did it most days of the week. It was how he kept his fitness up for policing.
The door bell rang. Thinking it was the delivery person, he raced to the door and opened it. His mouth dropped open in shock. 'Sophie!' He exclaimed in surprise.
She smiled shyly. It had been some time since they had split but they'd stayed in touch. They made the decision to break up when John got into the academy. He hadn't dated anyone since then. He always knew she was the one but didn't see how it was going to work, especially now with Richard Farris in the picture...
He was lost for words. She was as beautiful as he remembered. 'Hi John,' she said softly. All the bravado and cockiness went out of him and he felt insecure, vulnerable. She had always had that impact on him. 'We broke up,' she said sadly.
John tried to hide his delight. 'Are you ok?' He asked gently.
She shook her head. 'No,' she said. 'But I will be. Is it ok if I stay with you for a few days? Things are pretty rocky down there.'
John nodded. 'Of course. The spare bedroom is small but it's comfortable. Come in,' he said. He stepped back and held the door open for her.
♡♡♡
Sophie felt vulnerable as she stepped into John's apartment. After Richard's assualt she hadn't felt safe staying in Eden Hils or with family in Moonshine Forest. Richard had already been spreading rumours that she slept around.
She wanted to spend a few days with John while she looked for temporary accomodation in the city and apply for some teaching jobs here. She had a lot of leave and sick days piled up so she had taken them. She could have afforded a hotel room but her first thought was of John. He always made her feel protected. She didn't want to be alone.
John didn't look any different. He was still as handsome as she remembered and now being a homicide detective added to his appeal. He showed her to the spare bedroom and she unpacked a few things.
She had dated John ever since 6th grade. They had discussed the possibility of being apart when he was accepted into The Police Academy in Melbourne. She had been heart broken when it became a reality.
A few months later she had met Richard. He was charming, insanely attractive and swept her off her feet. They began dating and moved in together. John had been crushed and stopped contacting her.
Richard had slowly groomed her to accept abusive, manipulative behaviour. She had had a happy up bringing and the abuse wasn't physical, so she hadn't recognised it. It became more physical toward the end.
She knew he was controlling. He controlled what she wore, what she ate, where she went and who she associated with. He had been a close friend of John's for years so she had thought he was ok. Plus he was interested in studying social work. He was a study in contraditions.
In contrast John was protective, kind, manly, and direct. Richard's behaviour changed from one day to the next. John's was predictable. John had shown her the private spare room bathroom. She took advantage and had a hot shower.
She had several bruises around her neck, one on her sternum and some on her shoulders from where he had held her down. Sophie gently rubbed a sponge over them and rinsed them off. They were still quite dark. She prayed John wouldn't notice them before they healed. He would kill Richard. Or he would report him. She wasn't sure which option was worse. She couldn't stand the thought of facing him in a court room.
Sophie finished, toweled off and dressed in a forest green and tan two piece outfit. She loved the 60's fashions. The current style was very elegant. She felt a bit more human as she did her hair and spritzed some perfume on. She put a touch of make up on. Richard had hated her wearing perfume and make up. He said it made her too attractive.
Sophie walked into the kitchen where John had set two plates and some cutterly. There were two slices of Meatlovers Pizza, and some steamed vegetables. He smiled. 'I hope you're hungry,' he said.
She smiled. 'Starved. You didn't have to,' she said as they sat down.
John smiled broadly at her. 'Yes, I did,' he said with a grin. 'Sorry it's nothing fancy, I wasn't expecting company.'
'No it's fine,' she said. She picked up a slice of pizza as he smeared some fresh butter onto some buns. 'So, no date on a friday then?' Sophie asked, then blushed. She couldn't believe she was being that forward.
John shook his head. 'No ' he said, an amused smile on his handsome face. Then his eyes turned serious. 'There's never been anyone else but you,' he said.
Sophie blushed. 'I wish I could say the same,' she said. 'I wish we hadn't split up.'
John shrugged. 'Long distance...it would have been impossible,' he said. 'Even with just a few hours from Moonshine. The Academy was gruelling and I did extra courses to fast track my way through the ranks.'
He stared at her intently, mesmerised. She had dark eyes,full red lips and a stunning hour glass figure. Her dark hair was cut in a 60's bob. She'd always dressed very elegantly, chosing clothes that flattered her body and suited her colour.
She tended to favour high heels, making her long, shapely legs look longer. He'd heard that Richard had made her dress very planily and forbid her to wear make up or heels. What a control freak, he thought. He liked this Sophie, who was confident within herself, knew her worth and made herself look damn sexy without being trashy.
'I regret it though,' he admitted. 'I wish we could have made it work.' Her heart pounded. He still felt the same way she did! Despite time, distance and Richard. John was closed off around other people so she knew he was being up front with her.
Sophie smiled. 'It was real though, what we had?' She asked. She tip a sip of the wine John had poured for them. 'You and I were only kids but it was true love.'
John nodded. 'The kind of love that can last a life time,' he confirmed. 'You need to heal from Richard, and I'm still in Melbourne with homicide,' he said. 'What are you planning to do after this week?'
Sophie shrugged. 'I don't want to go back to that area, at least not for a few years. Richard is violatile. I want to try and find work here.'
When he smiled John Raymond was so handsome he took her breath away. She had to control herself. She didn't want to be on the rebound, it would only hurt them both. There was no denying the attraction was still incredibly strong. 'Well maybe I can help with that,' he said. 'I have contacts here. Both accommodation and work.'
She smiled back. 'Thank you,' she said. He touched her hand gently and she blushed. The spark was still definitely there.
John winked. 'No worries. You can crash here as long as you need, but I'm happy to assist with that.'
They continued to talk for many hours. Sophie felt like she was transported back in time to a place when Richard or nothing else could hurt her. She always felt safe around John. They said goodnight and she slipped into the spare bed. Sophie read for a while and then fell into a dreamless sleep.
