Aiden Vaughan - Double Fugue

2009 Hal Peterson Media Services

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between the characters in this book and actual persons or events is purely coincidence. Locations and institutions are used fictitiously.

This story is meant for readers 13 years old and up. If it were a film, it would be rated PG-13, or a television show Mature 14, due to some descriptions of violent acts including sexual abuse, frank discussions of the thoughts and actions of predators, and the impact of traumatic crimes perpetrated on a young teenager.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

First online edition March, 2009.

ISBN 978-0-9821014-1-4

For more information about Hunter and Holmes Mysteries, go to our website at http://hunterandholmes.com

Other Books in the Hunter & Holmes Series:

1. The Kidnapping

3. When the Chips Are Down

4. Family Matters

5. Eyewitness News

6. Days of Destiny

Fugue.

1. A musical composition of imitative counterpoint in which a short melodic subject is introduced by one voice and successively restated and developed by other voices.
   
2. A term in psychology referring to the loss of ones identity, often coupled with flight from ones usual environment.

Double Fugue.

1. A fugue on two subjects in simultaneous contrapuntal combination.

ROBERT FISCHER RETURNS

(Monday Morning)

I t was another glorious summer day in the Silicon Valley. Even though it was the first part of August, the evenings had been cool due to the fog layer that rolled into the coast every afternoon. The presence of the fog kept Bay Area cities and towns very pleasant with low humidity and beautiful sunny days that had highs in the mid-eighties. It was perfect weather for playing sports, bicycling or walking, going swimming, or just hanging out like Jason Hunter and Daniel Holmes were doing.

The two teenagers had experienced quite a summer already, forming a detective team to solve the mystery of Jasons sudden disappearance from a public park in broad daylight back in June. This extraordinary adventure was chronicled in the first Hunter & Holmes mystery, The Kidnapping. Their success at solving the mystery led to the capture and sentencing of the criminals responsible, and Jasons full recovery from the trauma of his ordeal. Jason had just turned 15. Now he was a carefree teenager again, having a great time, and enjoying the last part of the summer.

Jason had a slim athletic build, with sandy blonde hair, almost yellow in color, a pleasant and outgoing personality, and a desire to keep his life simple, even though things were constantly coming up to complicate his life. During the summer time, and most of the spring and fall, he lived in his favorite clothing, tee shirts, print shorts, and a pair of red canvas Converse Chuck Taylor high tops. He had resided in the Silicon Valley his entire life, and loved the area and its lifestyle. He had a brilliant analytical mind, which made schoolwork very easy for him, as well as solving mysteries, but he never bragged about it or lorded it over others. Outgoing, polite, and friendly, Jason had quite a network of friends and acquaintances, many of whom he had known since his kindergarten and primary grade years. Best of all, he truly enjoyed helping other people.

Jason was an only child and lived with his two parents, Bill and Edith Hunter. Bill owned an art and antiquities import/export business that had been in the family for three generations, while Edith worked in the marketing department of a software company. Jason was also a person of destiny, something that was another unexpected component of his amazing summer. Unknown to Jason or his father Bill, Jasons great-grandfather Winfield Hunter had selected him to be the recipient of a fortune in diamonds that had been hidden away for over sixty years to keep them away from neo-Nazis. The gift came with one requirement: use them for the greater good of society. Jason decided to use the fortune to set up a foundation to help teenaged crime victims since he knew personally what it felt like to be one. Last week Jason had gone back east and done an interview for national television talking about his recent experiences as a victim, then a detective, and how that inspired him to set up the foundation. All of this would go public in a month or so. In the meantime, he wanted to enjoy just the simple pleasures of being with his friends, playing games or sports with them, and staying out of the public eye while he still could.

Jasons best friend, Daniel, was a year older, but was in the same class at school as Jason, because his birthday was just past the cutoff day for registration. As a result he was a little more mature than most of his classmates. Daniel had spent a lot of his early years living in a Maryland suburb before he and his parents moved out to the Silicon Valley a few years ago. Daniel was about an inch taller than Jason, and had curly black hair that he kept medium long. Daniel was a talented musician, singing in choirs, and this summer had been learning to play the guitar. He was very interested in becoming a professional performer and much of his life focused around music. Daniel also liked to swim and work out regularly to keep his body slim and fit. He cultivated a rock star look, which in the summer consisted of denim shorts, band tee shirts and a pair of black high top chucks. Wearing chucks was how he met Jason. When he first came to the area, he didnt know anyone, but was placed in Jasons homeroom, due to their last names beginning with the letter H. He noticed that Jason was wearing red high top chucks, and figuring that they might have some things in common, got their first conversation started by saying Hey, those are cool chucks you have on, to Jason. The two boys quickly discovered that they did have a lot in common and soon were best friends.

Like Jason, Daniel was an only child. His parents, Gary and Melinda Holmes, were accountants and investment counselors, running a financial services business out of the front rooms of their home. Both Jason and Daniel were very perceptive, and they quickly established a deep mental and spiritual connection that was truly exceptional for kids their age. Jason had never had a friend before that he could talk to on such a high level of understanding. Daniel would always speak the truth to Jason, no matter how painful it was. Because of his keen ability to understand what was real and point out what was posturing, Jason called him his great sounding board, conscience, and bubble popper when I get too out there. Daniel was not as extroverted as Jason, but he was always a loyal friend, willing to drop whatever he was doing to help out Jason. As a result of this strong bonding, they had gradually become surrogate brothers to each other.