Trouble And Money #40

My Hotel With A Free Breakfast - Charlottesville, Virginia

I was lucky to have spoken with four friends of Jason Falter and one girlfriend, who may or may not be an ex-girlfriend.

 I'm sitting in the hotel, drinking a beer, and compiling what I learned. Gator is snoozing. I let him run on the UVA campus to chase squirrels until Campus Security politely asked us to stop.

 I think an animal activist called the cops. (Summary: An animal activist called the cops on an animal chasing an animal.)

 So, I made a little chart to summarize all I was told today, and I have a whopper of a story that I coaxed out of two individuals and Jason Falter's girlfriend.

 There is reason for concern, so Jason's real friends, those who care for him, dropped the wall routine.

 Slaughter Recreation Center, UVA Campus - October 2024

 Of course, beer was involved, and the two young men playing ping-pong against each other respected each other but did not like each other.

 Jason and Kevin were defense prospects for the Lacrosse team, and there would be animosity when practice started for the new season. They were trying to get the same position.

 They had been drinking blackberry brandy and beer before they entered Slaughter to settle a dispute by playing a table tennis match.

 The discussion leading up to the match was the war in Ukraine. Jason told Kevin Vongeist that he understood Russia's position and why they needed to invade Ukraine.

 As the game's stakes became known, a large crowd of students gathered around the table and were riveted by each volley and serve. 

 By the end of the match, close to 600 students would be watching thanks to instant communications.

 The stakes between the two required both an extreme sense of honor and sacrifice.

 College kids can be idiots, and this match pushed the needle into the red zone of idiocy.

My Hotel With A Free Breakfast - Charlottesville, Virginia

TEXT CONRAD: Tammy, you will not believe this story, but it will have to wait until I get home tomorrow. You were right to suggest I come here.

 TEXT TAMMY: Did you say I was right? Can you tell me that 10 more times to save you from having to say it the rest of the month?

 TEXT CONRAD: I need to meet with the Falters soon. Gator misses you.

 TEXT CONRAD: Oh yeah, I miss you too.

 TEXT TAMMY: See you tomorrow. I miss you. Keep me updated.

I wanted to tell a few people in my inner circle about this, but the Falters deserve to know first. 

I may need help from the F.B.I. and other agencies, depending on what they say.

"Gator, my boy, you will not believe this story. Oh, by the way the squirrels are slow down here. I think you could catch one."

( I love this case now and what it may require me to do for the Falters. - I'm thinking about Private Francis Sawyer (Psycho) in the movie Stripes, who said, "All I know is that I finally get to kill someone." I genuinely hope it doesn't come to that. Like Francis Sawyer, I need to lighten up. Conrad Grange - Private Investigator.)

Trouble And Money is published Monday through Friday. It is a free serial fiction detective story with characters you will love. Read the adventures of Conrad Grange as he solves cases and contends with a harsh world.