"Jake Randolph Origins" drabbles by Christopher

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 49

Jake Randolph Origins #49

"We believe," Rivers continued, "that Col. Hall and Schmidt made a deal. Schmidt knew where a large cache of Nazi loot was being stored. We think Hall helped Schmidt escape Germany, and in exchange Hall and Schmidt would recover the loot and split it."

Just the thought of that angered me. "That son-of-a-bitch sent us out repeatedly to get shot at by those damned Krauts and then at the end of the war he goes and makes a deal with one of them? I hope I can find him so I can kick his arrogant, traitorous ass!"

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 48

Jake Randolph Origins #48

I looked surprised, "And you want little ole' me to find all that plunder?"

Rivers shook his head. "No, we want you to find a person. Jake, do you remember Colonel Hall?" he asked after downing the last of his coffee.

I rolled my eyes, "Pompous, swaggering bastards aren't easily forgotten, Lieutenant."

"Yeah. Well, we have reason to believe that during the fall of Berlin Colonel Hall colluded with a German officer named Schmidt, who was in the Kunstschutz."

"For what purpose?" I asked, not really surprised. Col. Hall reminded me of a sort of shyster-type used car salesman...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 47

Jake Randolph Origins #47

"Jake, have you ever heard of the Kunstschutz?"

"No, but it kinda sounds to me like some sort of German venereal disease."

Rivers grinned, "Not quite. They were German military units tasked with collecting all the Nazi plunder; currency, gold, silver, art work, religious artifacts."

"That must have been quite a task with all the stuff they stole. Oh, excuse me, they called it confiscating, didn't they?"

"Yes. Well, whatever you call it, it's a massive collection. And the Allies are now saddled with trying to locate this loot and return it to its rightful owners. That's why I'm here."

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 46

Jake Randolph Origins #46

We were both hungry so we decided to discuss the matter over dinner. I locked up my broom closet for the night and we went downtown to Le Bistro De Paris. Rivers told me he'd "fallen in love with French cuisine" when we were stationed over there, so what the lieutenant wanted the lieutenant got.

It was all I could do not to vomit all over the table as I sat there watching Rivers eat his plate of escargot. Gastropods aren't exactly my idea of suitable dinner fare.

We had settled back with coffee before Rivers got down to business...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 45

Jake Randolph Origins #45

Lieutenant Rivers nodded, "Definitely. Speaking of Sgt. Harrigan, he's the one that told me of your new business venture and that I should look you up."

"Good ole' Harrigan," I said. "Still looking out for me."

"Yes, well, can we talk for a few moments, Jake? I have a business proposition for you."

His referring to me by my first name threw me off. The same thing occurred whenever Harrigan did it. It always made the subsequent conversation seem so much direr.

"Lieutenant, you don't even have to ask. Whatever it is you need I'm there. No question."

He smiled...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 44

Jake Randolph Origins #44

"Not just like me, sir. I would've ridden out the war in the stockade if it hadn't been for you," I said truthfully. "You were a cut above the rest."

He looked embarrassed and then said, "Yeah, you were something of a loose cannon, Randolph. But I saw the potential you had. I knew you couldn't be controlled like the others. But you always came through when the chips were down. There are a lot of men from our platoon that wouldn't be alive today if not for you."

"Well," I said, "Harrigan had something to do with that too."

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 43

Jake Randolph Origins #43

I came around the desk and we shook hands heartily as he slapped my shoulder with his free hand.

"By God, Randolph, it's good to see ya! You look good!"

I eyed his clothes up and down, "And you look like a real dandy in civvies, sir."

He grinned. "Well, I wasn't born in the Army, Randolph! I did have a life before that, you know," he said before pausing and then adding, "and after."

"Did you resign, sir?" I asked in a rather shocked tone.

"Yes, and stop calling me sir. I'm a civilian now, Randolph, just like you."

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 42

Jake Randolph Origins #42

It had only been a few months since I'd seen Lieutenant Frank Rivers but he was a welcomed sight. As officers go he was one of the good ones, and seemed to us more like an enlisted man than a stuffy, tin-plated officer.

It was weird seeing him in civilian clothing. I'd only ever seen him in a uniform. I rose to my feet and stood at attention. He opened the door with a grin.

"Randolph!" he yelled, still smiling. "If you salute me I swear by Heaven I'll punch you right in the kisser!"

And I believed him...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 41

Jake Randolph Origins #41

I sat in my office most of Monday without a single person entering. I mainly stared out the small window that fronted on the Sunset Strip. I watched pretty cars and pretty girls go past the window all day.

I figured I would close the office at 6 pm. Most of the other businesses in the building closed an hour before that. There didn't seem any point in staying open any longer.

I was about to get up and grab my hat and coat and call it a day when I saw my old lieutenant appear at the office door...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 40

Jake Randolph Origins #40

I opened my eyes, trying to look around but my vision was blurred, my head was swimming. I was coming out from under the anesthesia. I assumed that meant I'd come through the surgery.

I'd been on a case that drew me into contact with an old foe, a man who'd shot me back in 1945 and then disappeared. Now it was 1962 and I'd ran across him again and the bastard shot me for a second time. At least he was consistent.

But this wasn't a stranger. I knew this man well. My mind slipped back into the past...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 39

Jake Randolph Origins #39

I could see through the glass into the office. For some strange reason it actually looked bigger once it had the desk and chairs and file cabinet in it. It was arranged in a way so as to maximize the available space. I couldn't have thanked Todd enough for what he did, but I knew I didn't need to. Now that Claudia was back in his life he was riding so high in the clouds I'm surprised his nosebleed didn't cause him to hemorrhage.

I stepped into my office, not knowing how much that step would change my entire life...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 38

Jake Randolph Origins #38

When I rolled up to the Lassiter Building on Monday morning I was feeling very anxious. I thought this was something that I could do and I've never been a stranger to danger, but I couldn't help but feel ambivalent about it all. I wanted it, but I was scared

I entered the building and approached my office, my stomach quivering. Todd had put a new door in with a big pane of glass that read "Jake Randolph, Private Investigator." I guess investigator sounded a bit more upscale than detective and I assumed that was the reason Todd used it...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 37

Jake Randolph Origins #37

I told Todd I would be honored to act as his best man. We shook hands and he assured me everything would be ready to go by Monday morning. That meant I had about four days to kill before I officially started my career.

I spent a day at Laguna Beach, went bowling with Harrigan, and then attended church on Sunday morning. I've never been a particularly religious man and I hadn't been to church since I was a child, but I figured if I was going to start this new endeavor I needed all the help I could get...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 36

Jake Randolph Origins #36

"Leave everything to me, Jake. There's enough room in here for a desk, file cabinet and a place for your clients to sit, so I'm going to have some men come in this weekend and get the place ready. You can open on Monday."

I shook my head, "I need a business license."

He nodded, "I know someone downtown who can get that expedited. Fear not, Jake. I'm going to make sure you have what you need."

I smiled, "Thanks, Todd."

"There is one more thing, though."

I looked at him suspiciously, "What's that?"

"Would you be my best man?"

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 35

Jake Randolph Origins #35

He must have seen the look in my eyes because he immediately came to the defense of this poor, hapless room.

"Look, Jake, I know it doesn't look like much, but you would probably keel over if you knew what this office rents for. It is very small, but you are on the ground floor of the very hub of L.A. business. With the lawyers, stock brokers and others in this building I think you're going to be up to your ears in clients before you know it."

That little thought helped assuage my doubts about this tiny cardboard box...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 34

Jake Randolph Origins #34

True to his word, we headed down Sunset Boulevard to the Lassiter, a luxurious sandstone office building containing many famous Los Angeles businesses, law firms and stock brokerages. It looked like Claudia wasn't the only one moving up in the world, all thanks to Todd Silver.

We went in the building and Todd directed me to an office on the first floor. He opened the door to the janitor's closet by mistake, and then I realized I was the one who'd made a mistake.

This matchbox wasn't the janitor's closet; it was my prime office space on the Sunset Strip...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 33

Jake Randolph Origins #33

I met Todd the next day at an apartment building in Huntington Park that was owned by his company. Claudia had gone to Oxnard to see her parents and tell them the news of her forthcoming nuptials as Todd and I lugged all of her junk into her spacious new apartment. She was already moving up in the world and she hadn't even been back in touch with Todd a full 24 hours yet.

After we finished with the move Todd and I went to grab some lunch and then he suggested we head out to see my new office...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 32

Jake Randolph Origins #32

I could tell by their expressions that they were about to find a place with ample room for them to lie down in. As they approached the car I told Todd to call me the next day and we could get Claudia's things to wherever she was moving into. He told me she would temporarily be in an apartment he had until they could plan the wedding. I thought they were moving awfully fast, but learned the next lesson of a detective: do the work and don't get involved with the client's personal business, even if you know them personally...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 31

Jake Randolph Origins #31

When we got out into the starry California night I realized that this was a love seat moment and I was sitting on the ottoman. I backed away and headed for my car as they just stared at each other, both smiling. Then I realized I still had all of Claudia's worldly possessions crammed into my car. So I just climbed up onto the hood and rested my back against the windshield, looking up at the light show the heavens were putting on.

I had two old friends who needed time to get reacquainted, so I gave them that time...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 30

Jake Randolph Origins #30

Claudia and I were in the back row of a lecture by a Professor Cronus entitled, "Why Pluto Should Not Be Considered A Planet."

Yeah, that idea will never take root, I thought.

The door to the lecture hall opened and Claudia and I turned to see Todd come in carrying a bouquet of roses. He was smiling from ear to ear. We both got up and went towards him.

Todd handed the roses to Claudia, who received them gladly and smelled them before smiling back at Todd.

I suggested that we all head outside to continue this little reunion...