Clearwater Trickery

By Al Rennie

Joe has been hired to foil a scam directed at the man who might be next governor of Florida: Billy Ray wants to set up his own business: Robb Pogue passes along a request from the Chief of Police: Harley asks for his old job back: Joe is asked to negotiate with a youngster about to commit suicide: Teddy and Ross almost burn down an old hotel. Frank is on a diet: It's another few days in Paradise!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Al Rennie
• Release date: Mar 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005661342

Al Rennie

I was born and raised in Toronto. I attended Upper Canada College before taking a degree at Queen's University. I have worked as a lifeguard for the Toronto Harbour Police, a youth worker for the Toronto YMCA, and an English teacher in Lakefield. I am married with two great daughters and an extended foster family. My interests include Maple Leaf hockey - this is our year - New England Patriot football and writing.

Book preview

Clearwater Trickery

By

Al Rennie

Dedication

For my wife and moral compass

Marsha

And to all the kind and supportive readers of the Clearwater Series

Thank You!

Copyright © 2021 by Al Rennie

All Rights Reserved.

Cover Credit: Rita Toews – probably the most caring, patient and inventive cover creator ever!

Cover Image Credit: - Raven by Alexandra via Pixabay.com

Formatting Credit: Lucinda K. Campbell – as always, just great … thank you!

Table Of Contents

Acknowledgements:

Clearwater Series Sequence

What Readers Are Saying

The Party

Day One–The Problems Begin

Day Two – Didn’t See That Coming!

Day Three – It just keeps getting better

Aftermath

Note to Joe and Mia fans

Acknowledgements:

Thank you Gerry Pielsticker and Nancy Fox who, once again, supplied a collection of jokes that left me laughing so hard, I just had to find a place for only a few of them. Thank you Sally Wynn for keeping me updated on things of interest in Clearwater. Thanks also to Ken Jackman, City of Peterborough Deputy Chief of Police (ret.) for our occasional morning coffee time spent at Tim Horton’s. I always come away laughing with so many ideas to include in my books. You have the right to remain silent, sir … for about as long as you can withstand the pain.

Thanks also to ‘The California Kid’ for the nun joke. It arrived at just the right moment.

I’d also like to thank Sharon Goodman for the blonde in a snowstorm joke … So funny … unless you happen to be a blonde.

I’d like to thank Donna VandenBroek and my wife, Marsha, for their masterful work in editing yet another episode of The Clearwater Series. The Tim Horton’s, Amazon or Starbucks gift cards are in the mail … hold on, what Gift Cards?

On the advice of my lawyer, Fast Eddie Iceberg, I am including this brief statement of fact as there are a lot of ‘nutbars’ and ‘crazies’ out there who think apples are oranges.

This story is a work of pure fiction. All of the characters in this book are absolutely fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living of dead, is purely coincidental and likely a mistake. And to the lady in Missouri who keeps sending me those queries … I can’t tell you how to get in touch with Frank … sorry!

This is the Clearwater Series in the sequence that the titles were written.

1) Clearwater Journals

2) Clearwater Diaries

3) Clearwater Ambush

4) Clearwater Abduction

5) Clearwater Heat

6) Clearwater Kiss Off

7) Clearwater Showdown

8) Clearwater Magic

9) Clearwater Intrigue

10) Clearwater Danger

11) Clearwater Predator

12) Clearwater Extortion

13) Clearwater Killer

14) Clearwater Oops!

15) Clearwater Crazy

16) Clearwater Undercover

17) Clearwater Hunter

18) Clearwater Justice

19) Clearwater Skip Trace

20) Clearwater Assault

21) Clearwater Folly

22) Clearwater Homesick

23) Clearwater Hustle

24) Clearwater Stakeout

25) Clearwater Fit

26) Clearwater Double Cross

27) Clearwater Vice

28) Clearwater Escape

29) Clearwater Bubba

30) Clearwater Betrayal

31) Clearwater Penalty

32) Clearwater Deception

33) Clearwater Confession

34) Clearwater Promises

35) Clearwater Nemesis

36) Clearwater Glitz

37) Clearwater Mirage

38) Clearwater Witness

39) Clearwater Cowboy

40) Clearwater Retirement

41) Clearwater Spring Break

42) Clearwater Gun Thug

43) Clearwater Flip Flop

44) Clearwater Kidnap

45) Clearwater Seduction

46) Clearwater Resue

47) Clearwater Blackmail

48) Clearwater Princess

49) Clearwater Hope

50) Clearwater Birthday

51) Clearwater Mona Lisa

52) Clearwater Trickery

What Readers Are Saying About the Clearwater Series!

On the advice of the critics, my editors and Ellen, I have limited the number of reader responses to a few of the more recent ones (the most recent five episodes). The consensus was that no one reads them anyway. Er, that would be wrong! I know that I do ... even some of the older ones that I have read many times before. My apologies go out to those readers who didn’t make the cut. Maybe next time …

My allergies are acting up

Excellent read, once again! If you like fast and curious, this is definitely the author for you. I’ve never been let down by any of his books. He keeps it active, funny, up to date on current news, and makes you feel like you’re down in Florida watching this crazy group of people/family.

Then the heartfelt need to help others comes in and makes it just a little more special.

What a great book! Thank you Al/Joe

Chris Mamabear H Inuvik

Clearwater Hope

I have read all the of the Clearwater series books. I look every single day to see if Mr. Rennie has published another chapter in the lives of the CHIPs and Holliday family. They are always entertaining and capture your attention from the very first words. Was started I am unable to put the book down until finished. This book as always touched on many social issues with sensitivity. This book in particular focused on Joe’s compassion and feelings. Can’t get enough! Popalator

Again.

Mr. Rennie has continued to entertain us and keep the reading train traveling on down the track. His characters are so well crafted, that one is hard put to realize they are fiction. I use that word fiction loosely. I believe they are my spirit family. The plotting, the details and the execution of such are nothing short of amazing. I give five stars and would give more If at all possible. He is straight up one of the best of the best. Keep it up, Mr. Rennie. You have legions of readers depending on you. I depend on you. Bearknoll

An amazing series

Rescue is a great read. I was hoping that Hero was going to be allowed to get his point(s) across after all his training. Mr. Rennie didn't disappoint.

As with all of the Clearwater series, Rescue was hard to put down. Mr. Rennie's writing style has that effect on his readers, as I can attest to having read all of the series (so far).

Mr. Rennie, thank you for taking the time to share your stories with all of us. And thank Mrs. Rennie for her patience while you were writing these wonderful stories. Sharkster 55

Great again

Great read start to finish. Jesse

Love the series! Have read them all and will continue to watch for the next one. Would recommend to anyone interest in a clean fast paced read … D.C. Minden

Whenever there is a new Clearwater book released, it immediately goes to the top of my TBR list and I look forward to spending time with Joe, Mia and the CHIPs gang for another fast-paced adventure with plenty of humor and suspense. Al Rennie’s characters are unique, entertaining and entirely capable of getting into hair-raising and unusual situations while in pursuit of resolution for their clients. Their cases are timely, they will make you laugh and occasionally you will find your eye allergies symptoms exacerbated, but you’ll be sorry the story has ended and eagerly await the next book. Congratulations to Al on Book 50 and keep them coming! Edd

Another wonderful installment of the Clearwater series… Al Rennie has done it again. Intriguing, mysterious and funny all at the same time … I love this series ♥♥♥ Dana

It is hard tp.pick my most favourite book but Clearwater Birthday is definitely in the running. The introduction of Simon Martindale and his reason for contacting Joe was brilliant. Loved the whole birthday party idea and how a few let the surprise out of the bag. The party brought back past characters and new ones intermingling comfortably. New story lines seem.to.be popping up all through the final chapter. Keep up the good work Al, or should I say Joe! Susan L

I Loved Clearwater Rescue!

I love to read, but the story has to keep my attention and it is very rare that I find an Author and series that does that. There are books that I have read that take me a long time to get through, and I have come to realize that the Author has to have a 3-way gift. That is what Al Rennie has, he has an amazing imagination, plus a gift for telling the story that he artfully writes into this amazing series of stories that is The Clearwater Series. Clearwater Rescue is a bit different and that's what I loved about it. Mr. Rennie throws us these curve-balls every so often to keep us on our toes. The intelligence, humor, humanity, love, and mystery surrounding the characters in these books are addicting and inspiring. Clearwater Rescue is all that we come to expect from Mr. Rennie with a curve-ball thrown in. A Fantastic Read! Sharon

I found you first on Smashwords; after that, I kept hitting the buy button in iTunes. I laughed, cried, and told my patients how I almost went to You Tube to look for your video. I see patients in long term care facilities. I have shared your stories and with my patients living on the seawall in Galveston, Tx. You have brought life, love and a bit of silliness into the lives of my patients and have made me a better practitioner. I am forever in your debt. Katherine

If you love slightly wacky mysteries, this book - in fact the whole Clearwater series - is a must read for you.

Clearwater Trickery

The Party

John had been at this post Covid-19 get together for about an hour or so and nothing of any particular interest or consequence was happening. He was thinking that he might just as well have stayed at home and watched the ball game. Three semi-drunk co-eds – two blondes and a brunette - wearing dental floss bikinis were noisily playing around in the lanai pool along with two ‘buff’ guys who seemed to be more interested in each other’s tattoos than what the girls had on offer. Who knew, or cared, where that ‘menage a cinq’ might end up later on tonight? All of the other ten or twelve young undergraduates seemed to be happy enough listening to new rock and talking about their post graduation plans and dreams. Most of them were drinking Corona or Bud Lite beer, sipping white wine or ‘toking’ a new brand of weed called ‘wacky not tobaccy’. That was when, John’s closest bud, Bradley Simonds, the nerdy guy whose parents owned the trendy house, escorted an attractive newcomer over to where a semi depressed John was sitting. Brad did the cursory introductions and asked his friend to ‘entertain’ the young woman as she was new to the neighborhood and, except for Brad, she didn’t know anyone else here. Her name was Susan Harkness.

She was a cute little blonde wearing navy colored short, shorts, white leather sandals with a bit of a heel and a tight pink T-shirt. Her hair was cut short. It appeared from the color of her nails that she must have had a matching manicure and pedicure in the last week or so. ‘She’s quite a package!’ John was thinking as, always the gentleman, he stood and nodded to her before they touched elbows, a la Covid-19, and smiled. He figured he had to be taller than her by eight or nine inches.

To say that the two of them got off to an incredibly awkward start would be simply a gross understatement. It would seem to the casual observer that they were both timid introverts with limited interpersonal skills desperately seeking for something- anything else they had in common. There was no real direction to their conversation … just snippets of ideas that faded quickly and died in the ambience of the others and the loud music.

Do you think R. Kelly will get a pardon …? he asked.

Who’s that …? she replied.

Do you go to the university, Susan? Do you prefer Sue or …?

Sue or Susan, or even Susie is fine … I don’t care … my father just moved into the area and Bradley’s parents know my father and yada yada … This intro to you was all a set up to get me involved with a new group of friends … Really, I’d sooner be back in R.I… Bradley told me that you’re a smart guy. You probably get the picture …

Sure … where are you from in R.I.? Is that what you said …?

My dad’s a law professor at Brown … That’s a really well known university in Providence, Rhode Island, in case you didn’t know. He’s a guest lecturer here for the next semester.

Brown’s a good university … I knew where it was … just so you know. What’s his field?

Constitutional law … Talk about boring … but he got kind of famous at the end of the Trump era. Everyone in the media was coming to him to find out if what the guy in Texas was doing could save the day for Donald. And then there was the attack on the Capitol Building on January six … and all the fallout from that.

John didn’t want this conversation to turn in the direction of politics … too emotionally charged for so many people …

What about your mom?

They’re divorced … I can’t stand the guy she’s with now, and they move around a lot. I opted to stay with my dad. Best of two evils I guess…

‘Better’ rather than ‘best’, John was thinking as he nodded his head and smiled.

So what will you do while you’re here?

I’ve signed up for a few undergrad courses just to keep busy.

The stilted conversation went for the next twenty minutes or so. But Susan was gradually becoming a person of interest to John. Regardless of the ‘better’ and ‘best’ grammatical error, she was intelligent, really cute with a nice smile, a ‘killer’ body, and a surprisingly neat sense of humor. He was no longer thinking about going home to watch the baseball game. In fact, to his surprise, he found that he was kind of enjoying his conversation with Sue Harkness and was wondering where this might lead. He hadn’t felt so ‘involved’ since the breakup with Jenn. That was when Susie surprised him.

"Lady in Red …. That’s my favorite … come on, Johnny … let’s dance …"

Uh … there’s no one else dancing, Sue …

But there’s music … We’ll be trendsetters … come on …

I’m not much of a dancer.

I’ll teach you … we can go over there in the corner. We’ll be in the shadows.

What shadows …? There aren’t any shadows, Sue. The whole room is just semi-dark.

Semi dark then … Just pretend we’re alone … please … it’s my favorite slow dance song ever.

Okay …but don’t laugh at me …

I won’t …I promise …

John stood there with Sue looking up at him before she came into his arms. Then they started to move together to the rhythm.

This is kind of an old song for you … isn’t it, Sue?

Yeah, it’s a classic … Chris Deburgh … it was in a movie by the same name. I don’t remember who was in it. I think it was the guy with the crazy hair in that black and white Frankenstein movie. You can hold me tighter, Johnny …I won’t break you know.

John had only just accommodated ‘tighter’ when he felt her mounting his thigh and then her pelvis began to slowly ride his leg. He hoped no one could see what was happening. He hoped that she wouldn’t feel his response. He hoped she wouldn’t stop.

How did you like that move, Johnny? It’s called a ‘grind’.

My new favorite … you’re quite the dancer, Susie.

I know … I took formal dance lessons, but I learned the ‘grind’ from watching in the clubs back home. In fact, there are three types of ‘grind’. Do you want to go for a walk or something when this dance is over? I could show you the other ones.

It just ended … sure, let’s go for a walk. I’m in no shape to drive just yet.

While Sue went off to the washroom, John found Bradley to say they were leaving the party but thanks, he was glad he had come. Brad just nodded and took another heavy draw on the ‘spliff’ that he was smoking.

John and Susan had only made it to the front entrance before they were holding hands. By the end of the driveway, he had his arm around her and sliding south. She didn’t try to stop him. In fact, she seemed