Summary

Free chapter

Facts

Testimonials

Home

Contact

Buy

Retailer info

Not a very good idea…
If a man spends a year at the bottom of a remote bog dressed in his best suit, it's a good guess that something went wrong. Certainly, some people would do anything to escape paying their taxes, but taking such dives is overdoing it. Most of us would hesitate to go for a swim in our second best suit...

Options…
If it had been possible to choose parents - who would you pick? Rockefeller? A member of a royal house? Maybe a brilliant scientist or a famous film star? OK, you're perfectly pleased with your parents as they are. But if there had been a choice, it's not likely a street-walking hooker had been on top of your list…

On the Edge…
Many people have no idea what the slightest disconnection in the brain can do to the mental status. Fragments of Decency takes you on a trip to the wasteland of the human mind where you can learn a little about it. Brutal confrontation with split-personality disease shakes everyone involved, including experienced policemen...

Greed…
When a rich man dies and leaves no ancestors, someone is likely to pop up from nowhere and claim kinship. With modern methods and enough knowledge such individuals would consider it possible to fake sophisticated evidence. Private Investigators Freddy Larson and Robin Webster bump into a woman who can tell them more. Another piece of learning is that when distinguished lawyers and honorable undertakers mingle with prostitutes, discretion is recommended...

**************************************************************
top

Undesirable…
Leopold matts looks up Christine Rolf at her regular café. They have never met before. The message that he claims to be the recently deceased Sven Bendow's natural, though illigitimate son gives Christine a slight shock. She is the sole heiress through a written will. She doesn't possess enough knowledge or evidence to challenge the assertion, but she makes up her mind to do everything in her power to keep this intruder from sharing the the fortune left by Bendow.

Fatherhood…
Freddy Larson and Robin Webster meet young Miss Rolf at a concert and invite her to dinner afterward. When she takes in that they are in the investigation business she engages them to find out whether Leopold Matts is Sven Bendow's natural son or not. She doesn't mention that there are reasons to doubt that she is Bendow's natural daughter. Fatherhood has never been proven. Her mother Margaret was a prostitute and the wealthy bachelor Sven Bendow was one of her regulars. The word is that she died of heroin overdose.

Inside information…
Bendow's body was dumped fifty miles from the town where he lived. You don't find the bog deep in the forest without local knowledge. None of the people involved has any connection to the region. At least they deny this when asked. The police have no suspect at this stage of investigation but they keep one very delicate piece of information to themselves. They realize that the person who slips anything about this disgusting detail is likely to be the culprit or to know who the killer is.

Forest region…
As Larson and Webster dig deeper they find that more than one of the suspects has a connection to the region. The owner of the forest where the body was found tells them that Margaret Rolf rented a cottage of him fifteen years ago. Her daughter Christine - twelve at the time - spent the summer with her. They also sample interesting information about Leopold Matts. The new learning makes it clear that everyone seems to be lying about the local knowledge.

Secret motive…
Wilhelm Averander is a successful lawyer. He was a close friend of Sven Bendow's and he knew Margaret Rolf well, though he denies he was customer. As Bendow's lawyer he takes care of the estate. He proves to have a surprising relation to Christine Rolf, the heiress.
A clause in the will delays the payment for two years. Averander is in control of financial action in the meantime. The document gives him the right to speculate on the stock market to increase the fortune. As Freddy Larson by accident finds out that the lawyer has a very secret and very expensive hobby, the seemingly innocent clause transforms into a major frustration.

Suspicion…
The police summon Leopold Matts to questioning. The nervous computer expert realizes that lying about his name and origin wasn't a very good idea. He has another secret he is desperate to keep from public knowledge. Chief inspector Robertson allows him his freedom and he looks up Freddy Larson to engage him to prove his kinship with Bendow. Larson doesn't tell him he is already engaged by Christine Rolf to prove the opposite. He thinks he is very smart. Robin Webster doesn't agree.

Memories…
Larson and Webster take Christine Rolf to the cottage where she spent a summer with her mother. Forester Anderson turns up and supplies interesting information about visitors who came to see Margaret Rolf and probably take advantage of her services. He even remembers one of the cars. Robin Webster thinks it odd that Christine doesn't recall any details from the time. He decides to make a closer investigation on the subject of the young woman's trustworthiness…

Split-personality…
Leopold Matts disappears unexpectedly. One of his employees gets in touch with Larson and Webster. He is really worried and reveals details about strange emails he found on Matts' computer, threatening emails addressed to Averander. The threats don't make sense but Webster has found out that mental disease is haunting members of Matts' family.

Margaret's estate…
Christine Rolf hasn't paid her mother's left belongings much attention. All Margaret Rolf left was a couple of documents stashed in a box. When Christine takes a closer look she finds another will, dated just before Bendow died. This will makes Margaret Rolf the sole heiress. Christine understands this is dynamite stuff but she can't decide whether it's to her advantage or not. She gets in touch with Webster to ask advice. Webster listens to her story but understands that she is only releasing fragments of the truth.

Yvette…
He has a feeling that the key to the solution is Margaret Rolf and makes up her mind to find out more about the woman. He is certain that Christine is reluctant to supply the desired facts so he visits the prostitutes' district. Through an informative chat with one of the ladies he takes in that another disappeared prostitute might play a leading part in the mess. Her name is Susan. He receives an address to a secret recreation home for prostitutes and female drug addicts.
His visit at the place turns out a complete fiasco. The matron is extremely contrary and annoyed that he came. No men are allowed. She accuses him of jeopardizing the poor women's treatment.

Coincidence…
Freddy Larson is summoned to Averander's office to discuss an invoice. Christine happens to be there too. As Larson leaves he forgets his jacket with a running tape recorder in the pocket. He turned it on by mistake. He returns after a while to fetch the jacket. The conversation on the recording proves to be dynamite stuff…

Free Chapter

top

Fragments of Decency

Albert Loren

Chapter One

People who believe that the Scandinavian climate is chiefly arctic would change opinion if they landed in the south Swedish inland a hot day in July. Temperatures, easily matching the heat of Mediterranean seaside resorts are not unusual. The deep forest glades where no wind stirs are even warmer. Sensible people don't think of setting out for those spots those days, not least because of the myriad of mosquitoes and flies.

Except for his students, most people considered biology teacher John Johanson fairly sensible. His eccentric disposition and devotion for disgusting little creeps had brought upon him a reputation, but if left alone with the insects he was usually harmless. Besides, he hardly noticed other people.

To reach the little bog where he meant to study a rare specimen of dragonfly, he had walked three hours on hilly footpaths and waded across miles of muddy marshland. By all means, tractor roads led to the spot from other directions, but Johanson was not in possession of motor transport and he enjoyed the trekking.

Within ten minutes after arrival, he had had the opportunity to through his binoculars a female ready to reproduce at the far end of the bog. This was luck beyond expectation. He meant to secure a sample of the ova. The spot might be difficult to approach but his boots reached his knees.

Sitting on a sloping rockside with the pad in his lap he made industrious use of his pen. The essay to come, sure to be published in the Biologists' Periodical, would make his name known among zoologists throughout the nation, perhaps the world. He was positive that this dragonfly hadn't been observed before.

Regardless of weather conditions, he was seldom seen without his spotted gray blazer - probably inherited from his grandfather - but the heat of this day forced the sacrifice upon him. He pulled a small packet of sandwiches from the pocket and folded the article over a fallen off pine tree branch that stretched from under the water surface and bent in a comfortable angle to his side. The weight made the stick move and a huge bubble found its way to the oily surface. Even John Johanson concealed a mischievious boy inside him and he couldn't resist to pulling the stick again. Another bubble emerged. His turned inward giggle reddened his face as he pressed his lips to choke it. Laughing was no habit of his and laughing when alone was an offense to his dignity. A horrifying imagination of one of his most disgusting students, finding him laughing alone in a secluded glade moderated his hilarity. He corrected his air and cleared his throat as if preparing a rebuke.

He unfolded the sandwhich paper and chose between the two items, one cheese and one ham. As he opened his mouth for the first bite yet another bubble emerged, larger than the the other two and followed by a sickening stench. The noise and the smell made him lose his appetite. His eyes flashed another teacher's reprimand as to inform the bog it was overdoing the joke.

His air and mood changed as his attention was drawn to an object slowly rising to the surface, an object that hadn't been there a minute ago. The particular seemed to be alive. He took off his spectacles, polished them against his skirt and put them back.

The sandwhich fell out of his hand as he realized what he was staring at. The thing wasn't alive, but it had been once. The sight of the sorrowful remains of a human hand sticking out of a sleeve with a gleaming cufflink squeezed the pit of his stomach. He forgot all about dragonflies and sandwhiches…

Excerpt 1
Clever girl…
…Robin dipped his spoon in the hot shark fin soup.
"Freddy is running two firms, by the way. One is a shady import business, the other one is a private investigation agency."
The information pricked up Christine's ears and a number of expressions passed over her face, among them curiosity and admiration.
"Is he…I mean, are you a private detective, Freddy?"
No other topic favored Freddy's self-esteem as the mentioning of his investigation agency. He had to check him not to reach for his wallet and show his card.
"It's a well reputed agency. The police sometimes ask us to help out with difficult cases. Robin is my assistant."
Robin couldn't decide for a smile or a shake of his head. Freddy Larson's reputation at the police headquarters happened to be as their chief annoyance. He had certainly interfered in a couple of open cases, but the police hadn't required the assistance. On the contrary, Chief Inspector Robertson had asked him to stay out not to jeopardize police investigation.
"I'm proud to be Freddy's assistant. His power of conclusion is a stock topic at the headquarters. Tell Christine about one of your cases, Freddy."
Freddy ignored the irony. His soupspoon described circles in the air.
"Later perhaps. Some of the details might ruin the appetite."
Chistine's eyes kept gleaming with excitement:
"It sounds so thrilling. Is engaging you very expensive?"
Robin interrupted his eating to scrutinize her profile. A streak of real interest had changed her language melody.
Freddy hadn't caught any such stress.
"It depends. Sometimes we work 'Pro Bono' for people we like."
"What's Pro Bono?"
"It's when you don't get paid."
Her smile added shyness as she quietly watched him. Freddy didn't notice that the air had filled with expectation. Her chest heaved as she took a deep breath and put down her spoon.
"Do you like me, Freddy?"
He returned her scrutiny with a gaze that instantly passed from bafflement to lovesickness.
"Of course I do. I'm very fond of you."
Robin almost laughed out loud. This was a clever girl. Between two spoonfuls of soup, she had engaged Freddy with no intention of paying and the chief detective had no idea what was going on. He waited in silence for the next move. Christine ogled him as if she sensed he had revealed her little plot.
"I didn't answer the question about my father. There is a reason."
Robin moved his eyes from the girl to Freddy's still amorous-looking face. The new change of atmosphere had become so obvious - almost obtrusive - that even the boss realized something was happening…

Excerpt 2
Refinement…
…Wilhelm Averander's office in central town had the kind of atmosphere that brought reverence. The jacaranda paneling, the carved mahogany desk and the shining leather armchairs seemed to appear piece by piece in the subdued light. Velvet curtains and an enormous Persion carpet forified the dull mood. Art nouveau-style lamps eased the impression of heaviness and added elegance with its graceful design; the perfectly tailored man behind the desk looked like part of the decoration. His thick brown hair was combed back in strict style; the David Niven-style mustache was well trimmed. His smile welcomed the visitor and at the same time informed that familiarity wasn't customary around here.
The latter suited Chief Inspector Robertson well. His disposition was in all respects conventional, in particular when on duty. He took the offered position in one of the English armchairs and slowly rubbed his palms over the smooth leather.
"I know your time is precious, Mr. Averander. I won't used up more of it than I have to."
"Whatever I can do to help the police, I'll be glad to contribute."
Robertson took a notebook from his blazer inner pocket and turned pages for a moment. He didn't normally take notes during this kind of questioning, but he sensed that a notebook was required to make him appear official in the sober atmosphere. He felt like a figure in a Somerset Maugham story.
"As one of Bendow's closest friends, do you know if he had any connection to the region where his body was found?"
Averander shook his head and pushed forward his lower lip.
"That's the major puzzlement in this whole embarrassment. During the thirty years we knew each other and frequently socialized, he never mentioned that part of the country. When he went for recreation, he always chose the coast, never the inland. His taste and situation were such that only five-star accomodation was regarded."
"Are you familiar with the area?"
"I have passed through the nearby municipal on my way to negotiation elsewhere. I recall stopping to buy a bottle of port at the liquor store. But this must have been fifteen years ago."
Robertson scribbled down a note he realized he wouldn't be able to decipher afterwards. The lawyer's crystal clear memory and ready answers would have aroused suspicion if the man hadn't radiated such intelligence. Naturally, his profession colored his behavior.
"Is Christine Rolf a personal acquaintance of yours?"
"I know her only as Sven Bendow's illegitimate daughter. Over the last weeks, however, we have had some contact due to his will. She's a very bright young lady."
"Did you know her mother?"
Robertson sensed that the question might be regarded as impertinent because of Margaret Rolf's way of living. Speaking the word "whore" would probably count as air pollution in the sophisticated room. Averander didn't show sign of being offended, though. He didn't show sign of anything…

Excerpt 3
Surprise…
Robin stopped dead in the office doorway. His old joke about Freddy's huge sofa being meant for group orgy flashed through his mind but didn't pull the expected smile.
Stretched out in a delightful pose, Christine lay stark naked on that piece of furniture. He felt rather than noticed her scrutiny of his reaction. Despite his irresolution, he established that her thighs looked more slender when not pressed into tight trousers. Her breasts were grapefruit size, firm-looking and well shaped. He tried not to stare at the dark triangle but realized that his eyes time and again slipped to that particular. The thing was too large to be ignored.
"Hi, Christine, am I interrupting anything?"
She smiled and stood up. Robin had never stumbled into an equal situation and felt dizzy as she walked towards him. It crossed his mind that it was something bewitching about a naked woman walking towards a dressed man. He prayed she wasn't thinking of seducing him.
She stopped six feet away, apparently to allow him one another scrutiny.
"No, you're not." She gestured down her body. "You don't mind my dress, do you? It's a habit of mine to walk around like this. I'm a nudist." She paused to again study his reaction. "Any prejudism against nudism, Robin?"
Robin shrugged and pressed out a smile.
"My reaction is caused by pleasant surprise, nothing else. You have a beautiful body. It's very feminine."
She nodded and looked happy. Hankering for compliments seemed instinctive despite the awkward situation.
"You don't think my thighs are too thick?"
"The proportions are excellent."
She gave the smile he had interpreted as shy when he first met her. Her behavior here and now didn't support that judgment of her character.
"Thank you, Robin. Freddy will be back soon. He ran off to buy some wine."
Robin hinted that his elegant outfit fortified her nakedness. He nodded backwards to the hall.
"The door was open ajar. That's why I didn't ring."
"He must have forgotten to close it."
Robin didn't believe that. It had never happened before that Freddy had left his apartment door unclosed. He suspected she had opened it to allow this little performance. If someone else had arrived, there would have been a call from the hall, giving her time to swing on a bathrobe. She had reckoned that Robin would walk straight in.
She took her position half-sitting on the desk-edge with one foot on the floor and the other one dangling in the air. Normally this was Robin's position in the office when he talked to Freddy. Her most intimate parts were exposed between her slightly divided legs.
"You went to see Averander?"
To escape looking at her sex, Robin walked to the other side of the huge desk and took his seat in the swivel chair. He carried on a little struggle to get into his mind that this was Freddy's woman, not his…

- end of summary and excerpts -

A Modern Thriller…
As you may have hinted after reading the above samples, you need not be a devoted thriller fan to appreciate the accounts of Freddy Larson's optimistic conception of investigation work. Some people prefer to read Albert Loren's books as any fiction novel. Still, all the characteristics of a traditional thriller are there; excitement, puzzle, mystery - and of course - the struggle of wits between private investigators and the police…

Join the growing circle of readers who have learned that a book by Albert Loren is a reliable friend…

Over the years 2000-2002, Albert Loren published four thrillers as paperbacks in UK.

2004 he moved his activities to USA and signed a contract for his fifth book Fragments of Decency with PublishAmerica. Published May 2005.

His sixth book On No Account will be released by PublishAmerica March 2006.

Click to Buy Paperbook

Click to buy Ebook
PDF format

Ebookomatic

albertlorenonline.com

Top

Home

Contact

Buy