Shadowlands

About the Book

SHADOWLANDS SUMMARY During an April thunderstorm, Los Angeles, an Oregon Private Investigator, working at Shadow Brothers & King Detective Agency, is approached by a wealthy business owner, Adam Reynolds. The prospective client asks Los Angeles and his team to investigate the murder of his daughter, Angela Reynolds. She was recently killed by a sadistic serial killer, wrapped in aluminum foil, and dumped in Shadowlands National Park. After handing Los Angeles a healthy check, the intelligent cat detective agrees to take Adam’s case and search for Angela’s murderer. Soon, Los Angeles and his associates clear their schedules, concentrating their time and energy in solving this difficult case. With five victims (3 female and 2 male) discarded in Shadowlands, Los Angeles and his detectives join a Special Task Force spearheaded by Veteran Detective Antonio Drakes. Pooling their manpower and resources, Mr. Drakes requests many of the finest Oregon police officers and detectives to join forces on this dangerous mission and important task: Apprehending the serial killer dropping off bodies in Shadowlands. At this important meeting, a criminal profile is developed on this organized offender and Mr. Drakes divides the law enforcement professionals into four rotating teams. Back at Shadow Brothers, Greer, an attractive, female Persian cat, and Los Angeles team together to search for clues to solve Angela’s murder as well as the other victims murdered by the hands of THE PUNISHER. After another body is discovered in Shadowlands, Greer and Los Angeles sift through a few clues which might lead to THE PUNISHER’S true identity. A rare brand of tires with a distinctive diamond-shaped tread—Rough Riders. Pictures processed at a local shop with a special 24 exposures for $10.99 rate. A black cross with the numbers 85427 etched in the back. Bizarre poetry left at the crime scenes, expressing the killer’s desire to silence the sinners. As the investigation continues, Greer and Los Angeles receive their first break in the case when they discover a place where THE PUNISHER picks up his pictures—JACK’S PHOTO KING. Although the criminal has given a fictitious name and address, two courageous female employees give a detailed description of the man’s appearance and dress. Greer draws the composite sketch and it is quickly circulated around to the Task Force members. Later, Los Angeles discovers that the serial killer often frequents two Salem establishments—The Rosemont Bar and The Silver Satin—a combination restaurant and dance club. Armed with this information, Greer and Los Angeles are notified by Monique, a beautiful waitress at The Rosemont Bar, who served THE PUNISHER dinner late one night. Intelligently, she picked up his discarded white plastic silverware and red drinking cup from an outside dumpster, holding it for the Shadow Brothers’ detectives so it could be analyzed for DNA. After the potential eighth victim, Daffney Hartfall, falls prey to THE PUNISHER’S intelligence and charm, Los Angeles continues to grind out leads and narrows his suspect list to five: Sampson Dennimay, one of the investigators working in the Task Force who resembles the composite sketch of THE PUNISHER and develops his pictures at the same photo shop as the serial killer; Antonio Drakes, the Special Task Force’s veteran lead detective; March Kennsett, the 20-something computer graphics designer and prime suspect; Adam Reynolds, the intelligent, interesting story teller, wealthy business owner and current Shadow Brothers client and Prince Rosemont, the loquacious and resourceful bar owner of The Rosemont Bar. During their Shadowlands rotation, Greer and Los Angeles have an encounter with THE PUNISHER in the national park’s West Quadrant. In the smoke and the confusion, the serial killer escapes and leaves two crucial clues for Los Angeles: his blood which is quickly processed at the scene and the last three digits of his license plate—LH4

About the Author

John W. Chergi was born on May 18, 1974 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduating with honors from South Park High School in 1992, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and worked as a hospital corpsman, serving at Branch Medical Clinic in Parris Island, SC, Portsmouth Naval Hospital, and as a member of Fleet Surgical Team 2 in Little Creek, Virginia. In 1997, John finished his four-year enlistment and he entered a junior college-CCAC South Campus. In 1999, he graduated with high honors, earning an Associate’s Degree in Psychology. From 1999-2004, John entered Point Park University—a four-year university in downtown Pittsburgh. During his five years at this academic institution, he succeeded academically, earning three degrees: a B.A. in Psychology in 2002, a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 2003, and a M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration in 2004. This is Mr. Chergi’s third detective fiction book penned in 2006: The others include Winston—Golden Retriever Detective and The Kincade Street Kidnappings. His fourth book, Psychic Sapphire, will be finished sometime this summer. When he’s not writing, John enjoys drawing cartoon sketches and finishing Sudokus, feeding blue jays and woodpeckers at his outdoor feeder, watching baseball, football, and hockey games, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins, and watching syndicated episodes of Hawaii Five-O, his favorite all-time crime drama, and Unsolved Mysteries.