Ella & Jasper Shorts by Jennifer Oberth
Copyright 2014 by Jennifer Oberth
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Mom, Dad, Dana, Aunt Sue, Renae Oakes, Julie Leahy, Dan Eavenson, Izabelle and Mellie
Edited by Jessica Dall, Red Adept Editing
Dedication
To my new readers
I hope you enjoy this quick introduction to these characters and my writing style. If you like these short, short stories, and/or want to learn more about Ella, Jasper and Joe, please look for my longer works in the Ella Westin series.
To my wonderful, loyal, dedicated readers
Ella and Jasper’s relationship is tenuous, unique and fun and I hope you get as much of a kick out of reading these short stories as I had writing them.
Thank you all for reading
Table of Contents
Ernest Effort (2,205 words)
Missing Monkey (1,479 words)
Close Quarters (3,500 words)
About the Ella Westin Mysteries
Married To Murder (#1) Excerpt
Connect With the Author
Disclaimer, Credits and License Statement
For your information, the short stories comprise of roughly 55% of the book. Please keep that in mind as you read. One of these days, the ebook companies are going to have to include only the stories in the page counts, not the front and back materials. There will be roughly 30% of the “book” left when you’ve reached the end of Close Quarters. I’ve included information about the Ella Westin Mysteries, including an excerpt and reviews.
Enjoy!
Ernest Effort
Port Bass, Maine/Early 1800s – On the Docks
Husbands should come with warnings. For example, ‘Caution: I have a pirate father who will kidnap you one day and ask you to find a missing parrot-keeper.’ The typical troubles that follow a wife into marriage.
Jasper Westin, pirate—excuse me—retired pirate, with a wooden leg, diamond-sequined eye patch, gray beard and permanent crooked grin. This afternoon, he wore a white tunic, red vest, buckskin pants and reeked of gin.
“It’s not me, Ella.” Jasper’s voice was soft but rough, as though he genuinely cared what I thought. “I fell into a vat of—”
I held up my hand. The strong odor emanated from his clothing, not his breath. “I believe you.”
We stood on the docks and even the salty breeze couldn’t carry the stench from my nostrils. A few ships, barely secured, banged against the pier, while a dozen others, of all shapes, colors and sizes, dotted the horizon. Bells rang faintly in the distance and I noticed the blue skies had turned gray. I smelled the barest hint of rain, mixed in with my father-in-law’s booze-soaked clothes.
“It’s true. The bird tripped me when I—”
“The parrot that got your pirate friend kidnapped?”
“Ernest is not a pirate. He keeps birds. He raises them. He loves birds and now he’s missing.”
I took my time smoothing my skirts, brushing against a couple hilts of the various weapons I hid on my person. Then I reached up and patted the bun not quite holding my blond hair out of my face. I liked making Jasper wait, but this time I actually wanted to stall before asking my next question, because he would answer. Jasper always had an answer. “And what do you want me to do about it?”
Jasper spread his arms, encompassing the pier. “You find people.”
“I find murderers. Did Ernest kill anybody?”
“Recently?”
I turned to leave.
“Joking, Ella, Joking. No, Ernest wouldn’t kill a gnat. He’s good people. He’s never even broken the law, if you can imagine that.”
“Then how do you know him?”
“He’s the son of a…a friend of mine, who may or may not be so inclined to follow rules invented by politicians as a way to keep poor people poor.”
“A fellow pirate?”
“He had six sons but the blood didn’t take in the youngest. Ernest gives money away, he can barely hold a sword and, the worst part of all, he’s honest.”
“The horror of it.”
Jasper nodded solemnly. “It was a sad day when Ol’ Bill—that’s Ernest’s daddy—finally accepted the fact that Ernest wouldn’t be partaking in the family business.”
“Ol’ Bill didn’t put the boy in a sack and drown him?”
“I talked him out of it. Told him to look on the bright side. Five sons did follow in his footsteps; three in jail, two dead. And Ernest is…Ernest. He’s always there for Ol’ Bill.”
“Except when he’s been kidnapped.” Something that had always bothered me about Jasper suddenly became clear. “That’s why you let Joe work for the government.” It slipped out. Joe was an honest man, much to Jasper’s unending frustration. But Joe wasn’t dead and he wasn’t in jail.
Jasper sighed. “Joe’s a good boy. Heaven only knows why or how—but he’s not a bird-keeper, Ella. We both know how dangerous his job is. He could end up dead or imprisoned at any point. But yes, if you must know, I learned a lesson from Ol’ Bill. Let your children be who they are. Remember that, Ella, and pass it down to my many grandchildren and their children. Even if one of them wants to be a…” Jasper swallowed and choked out the next word. “Sheriff.”
Incredible. Jasper rarely showed a maudlin side.
He leaned in close to me, the fumes overwhelming. “Are you armed?”
I was thrown at the sudden change of topic. “Uh, yes. Of course.”
“We’re about to meet Ol’ Bill. Be polite. This is his territory and his people.”
A group of smelly men draped in rags and jewels rounded the bow of a rickety ship and marched toward us.
“I thought you said he was a friend,” I hissed.
“I did. The old gizzard stole my favorite knife.”
“How’d he do it?”
“It’s not worth talking about.”
“Ahhh. What’d you do to him?”
“He stole my knife! I’d just been attacked by a…anyway, I nearly died. As I lay there senseless, Ol’ Bill limped over and plucked it from my grasp.”
“When was this?”
Jasper waved a hand. “Years before you were even born.”
“What, were you twelve?”
“I went everywhere with that knife. It had diamonds in the golden hilt.”
“This is your friend?”
“Well, if you can’t steal, you can’t be trusted, can you?”
Truth be told, that was how I’d lived the first decade of my life. Had working for the government or marrying Joe changed my beliefs that much? The group of noisy men stopped in front of us.
“Be nice, Ella.”
Grabbing us by the elbows, they led us toward a grand ship. The salty air breezed past me as we boarded. The deck smelled of fish and oil. The pirates pushed us inside and we were brought to a fat man drenched in jewels sitting in a gold chair. Perhaps crime did pay. Personally, I’d sacrifice some flash to buy a little more soap, but that was just me. The plump man waved a hand at his men. I tensed, waiting for them to push us to our knees. Just let them try; ‘polite’ was not a word I was fond of.
“Jasper. Who is this woman?”
I glared at the chubby man and then at my father-in-law, daring him to answer.
“She finds people.”
Not exactly true.
“Then you will find my son,” Ol’ Bill announced.
I turned back to the fat man. “I will?”
Jasper elbowed me in the ribs. “This is Ol’ Bill, a respected pirate.” He smiled at Ol’ Bill. “This is Mary Smith. A hunter.”
Mary Smith? What had he gotten me into now?
Ol’ Bill regarded me over a hooked nos
e; his pinched cheeks reddened. No wonder Ernest took to birds, he came from one. “He’s my only son. I want him back. I won’t pay what they ask.”
“What who’s asked?”
A black-haired man with an eye patch shoved me. “Don’ speak to `im like that.”
I pushed him right back. “I’ll speak to him any way I please. Answer the question, Ol’ Bill.”
“Ella,” Jasper whispered.
Ol’ Bill got off his throne, having difficulty maneuvering his bulk. “Those who kidnapped my son. I won’t pay `em what they ask. Jasper said you’d bring him back to me. Do so. Now.”
“I most certainly will not.”
He bounced across the deck as though he weren’t carrying an extra hundred pounds. In one swift move, he brandished a sword and thrust the blade toward my throat. I drew my own sword from my skirts and deflected his attack. The ominous sound of multiple blades drawn and clanking together filled my ears but I didn’t dare turn to look or show fear. I stared, as calmly as I could, at Ol’ Bill.
Jasper’s voice rang out, loud and clear. “Harm her and I’ll kill you all.”
The tiniest spark of appreciation surfaced, even though I knew Jasper would never escape Joe if anything happened to me while I was in Jasper’s presence. I continued to stare at Ol’ Bill, willing myself not to think of anything, not to break my concentration or show any weakness. “If you’re not going to move, you’re going to have to kill me because I can’t take much more of your breath.”
Jasper tensed beside me.
Ol’ Bill laughed. His massive shoulders relaxed and he stepped back, lowering his sword and waving to his men.
Jasper was laughing, too.
“I had to check, Jasper. You take no offense.”
Jasper tucked a gun into his belt and shook hands with Ol’ Bill. “Course not. You never believe me, you old gizzard.”
Ol’ Bill shrugged. “It’s my son, you know. You started with only one, I’m down to only one.” He swung a savage look my way. “I still won’t pay you.”
“Yes, you will.” I refused to acknowledge Jasper. He lied to me. Instructing me to be polite was to upset me before I stepped foot on this boat. Had I been anything but my usual self, I’d probably have been thrown overboard before now. “I have your son.”
Ol’ Bill glared at me. Some of the other pirates began whispering.
“What are you doing?” Jasper hissed.
“Oh, did I forget to mention that?” My tone was crisp.
Ol’ Bill put an arm around Jasper’s shoulder and began to squeeze his neck.
I kept my voice calm. “I’ve got him, you want him and now we deal.”
Ol’ Bill spoke loudly into Jasper’s ear. “Who is this woman? Who have you brought here?”
“Speak to me or never see your son again.”
Jasper glared at me. “What are you doing? You don’t have Ernest, why are you saying you do?”
“You kidnapped me right off the street. I didn’t have time to tell you that I was in the middle of something. When I realized you were talking about the missing Ernest, I chose not to tell you.” I raised my chin high. “Ernest came stumbling past me earlier this morning. I didn’t kidnap him.” I shrugged. “Well, not until this very moment, I suppose. He’d escaped from his original kidnappers and I took him to a safe place until I figured out what was happening.” I brought myself up to my full height and eyed Ol’ Bill. “You can ignore their demands, but you don’t want to ignore mine.”
Ol’ Bill narrowed his gaze. His sword twitched as he sized me up, deciding what he wanted to do. “What do you want?”
“A ruby.”
“Just a ruby?”
“I’m not too particular.”
“I give you a ruby and you give me my son?”
“Don’t make it sound like a ransom.”
“Johnson! Bring this lady a ruby! Now!”
A pirate scurried away.
“I want that, too.” I pointed at his waist.
He glanced down and pulled out the dagger and handed it over, hilt first. Golden hilt first. Diamonds sparkled as he passed it over. I tucked it into my skirts as he turned to Jasper. “You played that well.”
“I didn’t.” The lines around Jasper’s eye and mouth deepened. “I’ll probably never see that knife again now. At least on you, I always had a chance of getting it back.”
I smirked because Jasper was right—I’d have gray hair before I gave it to him. He owed me for my wedding day and I couldn’t envision enough payment to make up for it. When Johnson handed me a nice-sized ruby, I glanced over his shoulder. One of the pirates, who’d been inching toward the gang plank for the last five minutes, finally broke away from the rest. When he thought no one was looking, he stepped off the ship and headed west.
“You’ll take me to my son?” Ol’ Bill asked, hope lacing his words.
“No, I won’t.”
Ol’ Bill advanced on me. Jasper grabbed my arm.
“I’m busy. But if you follow him…” I pointed to the wayward pirate. “He’ll lead you right to your son.”
It took a few seconds for Ol’ Bill to understand my meaning, but he was able to put it all together before Jasper, and that was actually saying a lot. Ol’ Bill shouted orders to the rest of his men before narrowing his eyes at me. “You’re a little too clever for my liking, Smith.” He glanced at Jasper. “Or whatever your name is. If he’s alive, I’ll owe you a favor.”
I shuddered at the thought.
Jasper stared at me. I took pity on the old coot as I led him off the pirate ship. “I don’t have Edward,” I whispered.
“Ernest.”
“Ernest.”
“Where is he, Ella?”
“I have no idea.”
“But you…Ol’ Bill…”
“Flew the coop? Yeah, one of his own men kidnapped the boy and panicked when I happened to mention I supposedly found him.”
“You mean…” Jasper peered over his shoulder. “They’ll just follow the kidnapper to Ernest?”
“Of course. He’s gotta see for himself if Ernest escaped.”
“Which he didn’t.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“They’ll lead Ol’ Bill right to him.”
“I earned my ruby. And I love my new knife. It’s a great weapon. I like the heft.”
Jasper glared at me but his good eye shone with something that made me uncomfortable.
“I can’t believe you found him.”
“Then why’d you ask me to?”
He shrugged. “Every time I’m sure a thing is impossible, I come to you and you deliver.”
“So that’s where I keep making my mistake.”
“Come on.” He put his arm around me. “Let’s tell Joe.”
“I’ve got something to do first.”
“I’ll help ya.”
Just what I needed. He hung onto me, whistling and that eye still shining with pride. When would I learn to keep my mouth shut?
THE END
Missing Monkey
Port Bass, Maine/Early 1800s
“Ella, you’re my favorite daughter-in-law. I’m just an old man, and I need your help to catch a monkey.”
I was his only daughter-in-law, he wasn’t all that old—I called him ‘old man’ regularly because it bothered him—and there was no way on God’s green Earth that I was going to help this pirate catch a monkey.
“His name is Sweet Feet and he’s really agile. We’ve been searching for him since yesterday.”
I stared at Jasper’s eye, the other hidden behind a diamond-sequined patch, and tried to picture what he was saying. “You mean to tell me a bunch of pirates are combing the town shouting for their Sweet Feet?”
“It’s caused endless trouble and fighting. That’s why I need your help. The reason he’s called Sweet Feet—”
“Jasper.” I held up my hand, clattering my breakfast dishes as I did. He’d cornered me on a full stomach. I stood up and
made sure the edges of my green skirts fell to the kitchen floor before facing him fully. “I’d almost agree to help if you promised never to tell me why he’s named Sweet Feet.”
“Good. Now that’s settled—”
“Why is this monkey so important?”
“Ella! I’m surprised at you. He’s one of God’s creatures.” Jasper waved his arms in the air, pulling the blood-red tunic out of his worn, gray trousers. “He was injured. We took him in and he recovered fully. He’s become a member of our group.”
“I’ve never heard of him before. So why now?”
Jasper glanced around the kitchen as if searching for an answer I would believe. “You like to keep your distance. If you want to be more involved, we’re having a meeting—”
“No!” I sucked a breath through my nose. Being a former-thief-turned-government-agent, the last thing I needed was to find out just how unretired Jasper was from his illegal activities. “I’m busy that day.”
Jasper smirked. “Anyway, he may or may not have taken a diamond or two, and I may or may not have a vested interest in finding both animal and mineral.”
“He stole your diamonds?”
“I never said they were my diamonds. He’s just a monkey and I’m concerned. We need to find him before the others do.”
“Your fellow pirates?” I frowned. “Why are you so involved? You’re retired.”
“True. I also may or may not be on the minds of certain unimaginative people who seem disinclined to believe that a monkey could have disappeared with their booty.”
I tried not to chuckle at his predicament. This could only happen to Jasper. “They think you stole it.”
“One or two blood-thirsty pirates might be under that delusion.”
“So when I overheard you last night saying, ‘It wasn’t me, it was that thieving monkey—’”
“I was being literal, Ella.”
I took a deep breath and considered his options, which appeared to be my help or a violent death. Standing in the doorway, he almost looked as though he’d rather face the violent death. “How much trouble are you in, Jasper?”