Picture Them Dead - Ronald Higgins - Bog

Sam Ryan - Private Eye/Actor and New York-based is heading to California on a request from his Aunt for the reading of his Uncle Hobart's will. He uses Amtrak instead of flying. He's has a fear of airplanes. On the train, he meets a model named Marilyn Williams who is on her way back to LA with one stop off in Denver for a photo shoot. Sam is introduced to her by the waiter in the dining car. They have lunch and Sam tells her he is a P.I./Actor. She wants to hire him for a case. Before she could tell him what it was all about. She is found dead in her compartment and Sam is the number one suspect by the Denver Police. He arrives in LA and his Aunt Gladys is waiting for him so she can take him home to the house where he grew up. He settles in and tells his Aunt about his experience on the train. He decides that he has to solve her murder. He meets a righteous biker guy named 'Lone Wolf'. They become fast friends and Lone Wolf wants to help him. Marilyn gave Sam a key on the train the night before she was murdered to hold for her until the morning at which time she would explain to Sam what it was for. Only she didn't have any time left. A big goon jumps Sam at his Aunt's house where he is staying. He is wearing a ski mask to hide his face. He is looking for the key that Marilyn gave Sam. When Sam gains consciousness after his bout with ski mask he sees his old childhood friend. He finds out that is friend 'crazy Joe' chased ski mask out the door. After Sam recovers three days later he goes to Marilyn's apartment to meet her roommate Debbie Pittman. Debbie drugs Sam and he wakes up in a boxcar up at San Louis Obispo. By the time he gets back to LA, he finds out that Debbie has been murdered. That's when he meets a beautiful uniform policewoman named Kathy Kelly. It turns into a serious relationship.Meanwhile, the clues lead to a Sondra Chase Modeling Agency and the Pacific Yacht Club which is also owned by Sondra Chase. By this time Aunt Gladys is kidnapped and Lone Wolf - who was protecting her- got beat up and left for dead.Sam goes to a party onboard one of Sondra's yacht club down in Newport. He was dressed as a Texas Oilman. While on the yacht he decides to search the aft stateroom. While searching he's got hit on the head and when he awakes he is back home. He discovers Aunt Gladys lying next to him. She was shot once with Sam's gun. She was dead. Sam and Lone Wolf go back to the Pacific Yacht Club hot on the trail of the bad guys down at Newport Beach. A battle ensues between Sam, Lone Wolf, and Kathy Kelly and the bad guys and Sondra Chase. During the rescue, Kathy is seriously injured. The case comes to an end.