Capitol Crimes
A Novel of Suspense
by
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Her scream echoed off the rotunda walls of the near empty Oregon State Capitol Building. This was not the conclusion to her life that she had expected or deserved. She had worked so hard to graduate from law school, to pass the Bar exam, and to land a prestigious job with a powerful state senator. Her dream was to live a fulfilling life that included a career, marriage, and children.
An early death was not something that 25 year old Melissa Walker had ever contemplated -- until now. As she continued her sickening 100 foot free fall through the air, she felt as though she had been catapulted into a state of near timelessness. Her entire life seemed to flash before her eyes.
She remembered the little black lamb that her daddy had brought home one Saturday afternoon when she was barely two years old. Her daddy, Albert Walker, was the Sunday school superintendant at her church. He had borrowed the lamb from the local zoo. He wanted to create a memorable Sunday school lesson for the church children. The lesson was about Jesus being a good shepherd.
Her mind then flashed to riding in the old Studebaker pickup truck that her daddy used to drive. She recalled looking through the holes in the floorboard near the gear shift lever and seeing the pavement fly by underneath her feet. Once in a while, her daddy would place her in his lap and let her steer. He took her to all kinds of places when she was a kid -- to the hardware store, to the plant nursery, to his office, and to the Dairy Queen for a soft ice cream cone.
She then flashed to her big brother. Sure, they fought like cats and dogs in their adolescence, but, underneath their sibling rivalry, there was loyalty. She loved her big brother. "How will he cope with my death?" she thought. She felt empathy for him.
Of course, her mamma flooded her thoughts too. She could remember her mamma holding her against her soft chest. Her mamma would often rescue her when she had trouble falling asleep at night. She'd carry her in her arms down the first flight of stairs and into the kitchen. She'd then hold her on her hip with one arm while standing in front of the Sears Kenmore stove to heat up some milk for her.
The movie of her life neared conclusion as it displayed her high school and college years, her graduation from law school, and her recent passage of the Bar exam. She was glad that her family had celebrated those moments with her.
Just before impact, she found herself at peace. She imparted these thoughts: "I am ready. I accept my fate. I forgive my transgessor."
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About the Book
The 25 year old woman was too young to die. She deserved to be loved -- not murdered. A recent law school graduate, Melissa Walker had a bright future ahead of her. But, her dead body was now lying in the middle of the Oregon State Capitol Building directly on top of the brass replica of the state seal. Salem homicide detective Jack Davis is assigned to investigate. Jack hates killers -- almost as much as bureaucrats. However, he quickly finds himself caught in a web of political cover-up and federal government espionage. The murder victim was a legislative intern for a powerful state senator, who flees by private aircraft to Bogota, Columbia. But, eventually, the senator must place his life in the hands of his son, an ex-Navy fighter pilot who attempts a daring night takeoff from a mountaintop runway. As the investigation unfolds, Jack and his partner, Eva Tolento, are led to Zuni, New Mexico, where they search for the killer and also meet an old Indian shaman. After they return to Oregon, the investigation takes an unexpected turn that places Jack and Eva in harm's way . . . and perhaps no way out.
About the Author
Kirk Spangler is a 19 year Administrative Law Judge with the State of Oregon, and a licensed attorney. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and Willamette University College of Law. He is also a former flight instructor. He resides in Salem.