The Case of the Frozen Horse: A Sam Cloudstone Novella by Jimmy Martin

I like weird, the unusual, something that is new and allows you to experience more than what you're likely to find in another book. Take for instance, The Case of the Frozen Horse, begins your questioning of what the book is about. Readers will almost surely guess that it is not a real horse, and indeed the author immediately identifies the victim of the murder Sam has been asked to work on... But even then, Martin does not present the usual PI investigation story...you just never know what the storyline from this relatively new author will cover! In fact, solving the case is not the primary goal...rather it is the setting, the characters, and the subplots that become intriguing and pull readers into the book...

Sam and Brew Ha Ha were barreling down Texas Highway 35. This highway parallels the coast, occasionally a fishing town on a bay or on the Gulf coast. Under normal circumstances they would have stopped in Palacios or Port Lavaca or even detoured down to Port O'Connor for some fishing or at least a good seafood lunch. But these weren't normal circumstances.

The drive was scenic, particularly to people partial to Texas coast fishing hamlets. They were soon in the vicinity of Corpus Christi, crossing the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway to get to North Padre Island with Snoopy's

Pier. They pulled up to Doc's Seafood and Steaks, went in and headed straight to the bar. They wondered if Horse's lady friend was on the day shift. Luckily, she was.

When she recognized Brew Ha Ha, she ran up to them and asked where Horse was. However, being the intuitive woman that she was, she immediately sensed that something was wrong from the look in Brew Ha Ha's eyes.

Sam broke the silence. "When you get a break we need to talk to you." That was all she needed to hear and she said she could take a break at one thirty, after the lunch rush. Sam and Brew Ha each got a beer and went to a booth to wait for her.

"I didn't expect to choke up! I barely held it together!" Brew Ha admitted. His eyes were unexpectedly misty.

"I know," Sam said. "That's why I jumped in there."

They sat at the booth and discussed what they planned to tell her. A couple of beers later she showed up and sat down with them.

Sam was surprised, and a little amused that she even referred to him as Horse. Brew Ha got up his nerve and finally said, "I have some bad news for you Miss, ah, Dammit! I don't even know your name!"

"It's Gracie, Gracie Lynn Bicchieri. Bicchieri means 'drinking glasses' in Italian. I come from a long line of people who have made their living from handing out glasses filled with beer, wine, and spirits!"

Sam noted that Italian seemed to fit her, although he never thought about it before, of course the only times he had ever seen her was the short periods between arriving at the bar and her and Horse ducking out the back. That was only a handful of times.

Brew Ha continued, "Gracie Lynn, I have bad news. Horse was murdered back in Galveston a few days ago. I don't know of any family that he had and the only person he ever seemed to have any long-term relationship with was you. We came here to tell you because we figured you would want to know. Also, we were hoping you could shed a little light on why anybody would do this. As long as I knew him. I really didn't know that much about his past."

While visibly shaken, Gracie was able to keep somewhat composed. "Do you know what happened?" she asked.

"It's strange. He was shot and we presume that's what killed him. But then he was frozen solid and left in a hotel ice machine on the Seawall in Galveston."

Sam looked at her and noticed that she shuddered at the description. She cleared her throat and begin to fill them both in on the mysterious history of Brew Ha Ha's first mate, Horse.

"His name was
Richard Cappello, Italian, like me. We had a thing for each other from the time we were teenagers. I waned him to marry me long ago, and he even knocked me up once when we were young. I thought I had him then, but I lost our baby." She let out a stifled laugh between tears. "He never would have married me because of what he did for a living..."

~~~

Sam and Brew Ha Ha had come to meet with the only individual who they knew Horse had been involved with for a lengthy time. They discovered Gracie and Horse had been an item since high school days, even that was a surprise, wondering why they had never married. What they learned was shocking and more than they could have imagined...

Horse had been a mob hit man and his last assignment involved a Vietnamese gangster! Horse had decided after that he no longer wanted to continue killing for a living... And somehow, though there was lots of trouble, Horse had succeeded in leaving the mob behind and starting his job with Brew Ha Ha...

So, where do you go to investigate how the previous life of Horse may have led to his death?! At least it did explain to some extent, the strange decision to murder than freeze him... Maybe... Soooo, Sam went out looking for help from Cyber Harry, who among other interesting activities, was obsessed with Vladimir Putin and paranoid about what he was involved with... I had to laugh that one website had explained that Stalin's brain had been saved and when science had figured out how to transfer it, they had given it to Putin... Just goes to show there really is fake conspiracy news out there...right?   right?

One thing you will discover that there is a lot of extraneous humorous storytelling and dialogue in Martin's books...but all are geared toward the storyline and adds a level of depth, but also frivolity rarely seen in PI cases... Or it might be said, that there is really no hurry to solve the case since the guy is already dead and the investigation will take us how ever long it takes...

I enjoyed the activities of Sandra (Sam's ex) and Melissa (Sam's present lover). Sandra works at a small clinic which is very important to the area...but when Sandra must be absent, Melissa is standing in...as long as they have telephone contact to discuss what to do for each case! LOL

Sam and Brew Ha Ha arrived at Harry's office around 9:00. After building Harry up all the way from Corpus Christie, Sam was somewhat worried that he might have gone too far. He was afraid that Harry wouldn't live up to the billing he had made for him. Those fears were quite unfounded.

They knocked on the office door, but let themselves in in spite of the formality. The door was one of those with frosted glass that you would expect to find in an old Sam Spade movie. On the glass window was written the words 'Harry Kohlmyer, Ethical Hacker and Cyber Security Specialist." As they walked into the office they were greeted with Harry's oft worn impudent grin. His demeanor and general appearance gave him a forty something year old Dennis the Menace kind of vibe...

~~~

Meeting Cyber Harry was a fun experience...First Sam and Brew Ha were introduced to various women (pictures on the Internet) from Russia who he was trying to bring over as a mate...but was clogged with the bureaucracy... and frustrated...

Finally they got down to business...all of them felt the police knew more than they were willing to share...and specifically, Harry reported that there had been six separate murders up and down the Gulf Coast using the same M.O. When Sam mentioned the Vietnamese gangster, Harry first admitted that they scared him more than Putin... He then went on to say that a printed card had been left at each murder scene with "Courtesy of Dr. Freeze-Kill!"

Readers are taken back to 1989 when Horse was caught in something that would result in his major life change. Then moving forward into the investigation, soon getting into a place from which they needed to leave...soon! Somehow Sam always solves the case and somehow stays alive, many times due to a little help from his friends...Great Characters!

And, of course, a stop at casinos allows for more drinking and storytelling. This time Sam, with Jimmy Buffett songs playing in the background tells his friends about meeting Buffett when he was doing his "Buffett's Brother" act to gain an image... and how he was caught by Buffett himself! More traveling, drinking and meeting up with friends...and one of those places was the Jazz Preservation Hall, with a group I've enjoyed through the years... and then on to Pat O'Brien's to see the Flaming Fountain!

Sam and and Brew Ha are giving the police detective trouble just by looking at his case...but nothing, not anybody, could have given them more trouble than the...Dragon Lady...! I'm thinking you're really going to enjoy this third novella in the services... Do check out my reviews on the first two books as well...you just may want to start right from the beginning and get in at the first of series of a truly enjoyable and quite extraordinary private investigator by the name of Sam Cloudstone! Enjoy!

GABixlerReviews

I was born in the 50's and therefore was a child of the 70's. Born and raised in Houston, I have lived in or around the Houston area all of my life. Like my main character Sam Cloudstone, I am a graduate Mechanical Engineer from Texas A&M University. Having attended there in the late 70's, I experienced an early adulthood much different than kids do today. We had no technology like what exists today, so we were much more dependent on our own insanity for our entertainment. I made many crazy friends, and I am proud to say that I still keep up with most of them.

I became an avid reader as soon as there wasn't some professor forcing me to read. It has always been a goal of mine to become a writer. My earliest heroes were the likes of Hunter S. Thompson, Douglas Adams, and Tom Clancy, but over the years I have read everything I could get from Hemingway to Kinky Friedman. 

I've always liked adventure novels, but I have always been a sucker for a good joke. Many of the characters in my first book, and hopefully subsequent books to come, are inspired by real friends and acquaintances. 
​

The Case of the Hobo's Son: A Sam Cloudstone Novella by Jimmy Martin

As the last rays of the sun shrunk down below the trees, a white mist seemed to Sam to appear in the corner of the kiva. As he concentrated on the mist, it slowly formed into the visage of an elderly Indian man. It was Grandpa and he'd come to talk with his favorite grandson.
"Hello Yanny-va-oo'ah." This is the name Grandpa had always used for Sam, which meant "laughing child" in Comanche, and it was based on the fact that Sam was the happiest baby Grandpa had ever seen. Sometimes he simple called him Yanny for short.
"Hello Grandpa. As usual I'm very glad to see you!" Sam said. "How are things in the great beyond?"
"Fine. And I'm glad to see you too. But you must stop this, it's not right. Besides, I have told you over and over that you are doing this all wrong. You should eat the Sacred Cactus, not drink a tea made from it. And you are not using enough, you cannot see your spirit animal at such a level. All you are doing in conjuring me."
"My spirit animal is an idiot. He is a magnificent White Wolf, so regal and majestic, but when I ask him questions he always disappoints me" Sam lamented. "Every dialog we have degenerates into a discussion of the Kennedy Assassination! I'm asking questions that to me should lead to the reasons for my very existence, and he keeps going on about the Grassy Knoll and multiple shooters.. Do you understand how disappointing that is to me?"
"Maybe you are to discover something about that. Maybe that is what he is trying to tell you. You ARE an investigator, aren't you?" Grandpa asked him.
"That I am. But mostly, I'm just a wondering spirit, and you are the only one from the other side of the spirit world that ever makes any sense to me. For that matter, you are one of the only ones that ever made any sense on this side of the spirit world too."

~~~

The Case of the Hobo's Son is the second book in the Sam Cloudstone Series by Jimmy Martin. The debut proved to be a fun book so I was happy to move forward with Cloudstone, a quite unique character. I encourage you to check out the first novel to taste the flavor! Sam's a PI by profession, but there is a lot of fun time that takes place, it seems, no matter what particular mystery he is asked to work with...

Sam and Melissa have continued to live together, so in this book, we actually get to participate in two adventures as each plans a trip to gather with friends. Interestingly, Sam's ex, Sandra, has become friends with Melissa and it is a delight to watch what interaction occurs among the threesome. Melissa and Sandra are heading out for a girl's weekend trip that has been a tradition for 8 years...They're heading to a dude ranch!

Sam is headed to Arlington to stay with his friend Richard Serling, with the obvious nickname of Twilight Zone  (or Zone)...but when Sam gets there, Zone has a semi live-in that immediately gets on Sam's nerves... "Don't get me wrong, man, I like her but, damn!" Zone just looked at him with that look that two race car drivers might have across a crowded bar that say "I get you!"


Zone's crazy girlfriend named Luz was there when Sam first got there and hung out with them for a little while. She came from Columbia, and she had the type of personality that reminded people of the comedienne Charo, the famous "cuchi-cuchi girl." She left after about 30 minutes in order to let them catch up on old times. Sam was actually relieved! spending 30 minutes with someone of her ebullient personality tended to wear Sam out. Actually, Luz tended to wear most people out so Sam wasn't in any minority. When she kissed Zone goodbye and went out into the ever present rain, both men looked at each other with a certain relief on their faces.

Kicking back Sam and Zone caught up...and invariably brought out the guitars--Sam remembered when he used to live in a tent and wrote songs for beer.

Somewhere in the middle of their rendition of "Whisky River" Sam decided to give Melissa a call...but after one no answer he got an answer, berating...Sam had played a dirty joke on her and she was fuming! Oh well...we'll be seeing how that works out!

I've always been intrigued by the spiritual relationship with ancestors and spirit guides by Native Americans. Sam had been discouraged by his new partner to use the drugs that sometimes accompanied those connections. Still, Sam was really confused when his spirit guide kept talking about the Kennedy Assassination...But when things later came about that he was being shown to the Dallas Underground, pieces of the puzzle began to come together...
Years ago, I visited old Underground Atlanta Georgia and enjoyed a delightful dinner with a companion, although I would not wish to live there if I had a choice... But it seems from Sam's informant, there were hobos living underground during the 60s and they were going to meet the son of one of those who were there in November, 1963...

OK, it's a story that's has been used many times, but there is sufficient background and character development by Martin to allow readers to enjoy once again playing "what if..." with a fresh, alternative history story for the Kennedy Assassination, like no other! For instance, on continuing the search they discovered a false wall and behind it they found the message: To solve the riddle, and be a good learner, Take a water trip, to the falling castle...Mr. Turner... Who was Mr. Turner, how long had that message been there, and many other questions occurred to Sam as he willingly decided to enjoy a scavenger hunt with history being the theme...

While the hunt begins for Sam and others, Melissa and her group of friends have run into a little trouble... Seems one of the group has a real delight with her Tequila which she takes everywhere she goes... and she had gotten into a hassle with the male friend of a woman who was a member of a Mexican Girl gang who thought nothing of taking out anybody that crossed them...and when she saw the woman that had done her wrong, the whole gang started out after The Coven, which was what Melissa's group went by...Funny yes, but also not so much since the gang member was aiming to rid herself of her perceived enemy!

And all the wild happenings took place in the rains that caused the Great Texas Springtime Floods of 2015!

And if all that is not enough to keep you interested, you'll be visiting a casino for craps, learn some language about playing such as a Little Joe or a Yo, all of which I hadn't a clue how to interpret, LOL, listening to guy stories from the past and sometimes leaning in on some music...

Then I heard the Kinks were coming to town and I decided I needed to go see them! Anyway, like I said I was broke, but I found out through a guy down the hall that there was a little known "Distressed Student Fund" available to students to use in an emergency. Well, like I said I hadn't been laid lately so I figured this qualified. I made up some sob story and got $175 from the school on loan. I then bought two Kinks tickets and then proceeded to try to find some girl to go see them with me."

"Which I have always maintained is a mistake." interjected Sam, "Women in my experience will go with you to a concert, but they will usually just go to be seen there, or just go to get trashed there. Which is fine if you just want to get laid, but if you actually want to enjoy the band I've always found it's better to go with a buddy or at least a girl that truly loves the band!"

!!!

You might think it is a guy book, but it was fun and when Melissa believes Sam is in trouble and rides in to save the day, well, in my opinion, it doesn't get better than that. Enjoy!

GABixlerReviews

Jimmy Martin Presents The Case of Section 950, Seat E-14 - A Surprising Chaotic Mystery!

Sam drove into the parking lot, onfident that he hadn't been followed and went into the bar. It was a hot day for october, screaming hot, in fact, and Sam relaxed at the feel of the cool air inside. He walked to the bar, tosses out a 'hello' to his favorite bartender Mike, and pulled up a stool. All he wanted was peace and quiet, just a place to relax and enjoy the company of some, more or less, friendly strangers, who happen to be passing through life, at this place, at this time just as he was. He just wanted to be left alone, without anything that might lead to any problem. He wanted peace. 
He ordered a beer. His friend Mike was already bringing one before the words were out of his mouth. He was a regular and enjoyed the perks.
"Rough week, Sam?" Mike asked.
"Rough month, Mike."
They talked of the Halloween party that was coming soon. They bet on who they thought might win the 'Sexiest costume' award, any nonsense they thought of and nothing important at all to keep it light and insignificant.

Sam looked at the door as it opened, and there she was. She had the body of the progeny of a linebacker and a porno queen, with eyes Charlie Manson would love to fear. He tried to look away as fast as he could, but they made eye contact. She immediately made a bee-line for his position at the bar. He tried to make himself small. It didn't work.
"You're the guy I'm looking for!" she said to me.
"No, I'm not that guy," Sam said, hoping it would deflect her away.
"No, You ARE the exact guy I am looking for!" she exclaimed with a big, and horrible smile on her face.
"I was, maybe, but I'm sure as shit not anymore!" he said, hoping she would leave him alone. "I retired!"
"No, you're the guy. As soon as I saw yu I knew I needed YOUR help and none other!" she countered.
In her defense, who knows if she knew who or what he was. He had spent years as a contract this, or a freelance that. He'd been an engineer, written songs, took photos. He was an architect, a bartender, and a writer. Sam had sailed from the Bahamas to Belize, and trekked from Luckenback to, Hell, ALL the Hill Country venues. Most recently he was a bounty hunter, mostly anyways!

He felt he was losing the argument. He bowed up and proclaimed, "So, what if I AM that guy?!
"I'm in trouble," she said, and then she started to cry. Sam reacted like all men do, "What's wrong?" he asked...

~~~

The Case of Section 950, 
Seat E-14:

A Sam Cloudstone Novella

By Jimmy Martin

Get ready for a Fun Read!

A full-blooded Comanche, Sam has not really found his place in today's world. But, he's made his way through a number of occupations that have kept him fed. But when he meets Melissa Steinhardt, his life changes just by being around her! (Note that I couldn't find any Comanche actors, so I hope you agree with those I've chosen...I think you'll recognize both!)

It was funny since we never know whether Melissa had just chosen Sam randomly or he just looked like somebody who would help--and she needed it right away. Men were following her and she quickly led him to her car--a Porsche--to immediately move on and away...

For all Sam knew, she could have been a serial killer, since he had no idea where they were going and she was one wild woman! So Sam decided to take control of the situation, demanded who she was and what was going on. That's when he learned that her brother was in trouble, and probably already captured. Now they were after her and the only thing she had as a clue was a can of WWII C rations.

She looked at him with fiery hot eyes that could melt stone.

"They are after my brother, and I think they already have him. All I have is this." She showed him what, for all the world, looked like a can of World War 2 C-rations. There were some letters scratched onto the top. The letters and numbers etched were:

"11 20 78 MNF 950 E 14"

He looked at the series of numbers and thought that something about them was oddly familiar. He decided that he would figure it out later and stay focused on the imminent danger. He knew in his gut it would come to mind anyways and he could determine the relevance then...

"Tell me just exactly what you've gotten me into," Sam demanded of her. He drew in a deep breath and more gently continued, "and why c-rations?"

~~~

Sam was able to figure out what the message was and Sam and Melissa were soon on their way... the only thing is that the place to which the message referred to a football game held on November 20, 1978, and the Astrodome was no longer used for football! But that didn't stop Sam from some interesting memories...

At that moment, Sam felt really old and realized she looked like some kind of high school teenager. At least one with a smoking hot body! His mind began drifting off to images of a cheerleader outfit he'd seen looking online for the Halloween party, he quickly chased those thoughts away...

It didn't take long for them to find out the disposition of the seats in the Astrodome...only to complicate the whole case...because not only were they being chased by those who had Melissa's brother, they now had to find a way to get close to the seat now owned by a Oilers super fan who also happened to be a super-rich drug lord! 

In addition to the chase now going on, a twist takes readers into the background of what happened 70 years ago, in May 1945, in a little pub, "De Kleine Donig, in Wiesbaden...

...If we had attacked Scotland, instead of Germany, you would not only have an entire squad of Highlander's around you, you would probably have married one of them by now!" Heinrick replied.

March chuckled. "You're probably right. Well, since I'm hammering on your anyway, why are you always carving little notes on those old used C-Ration cans? Why don't you just use a piece of paper and a pencil like everyone else?"

"Pieces of paper I lose, but I can feel a C-Ration can in my pocket. Anyway, sometimes I do use paper, but I carry them around in my C-Ration can."

Fortunately Sam is normally ahead of what's happening, even to the point of making a call, "Kobayashe Maru, Kobayashi Maru, 2 hours." and simply getting "Understood."

While this may be a shorter book, the surprises keep coming all the way through and even Sam and Melissa quickly get into a sexual relationship with Melissa as the instigator...until Sam decides to take over control there as well...

"No Mike, that's not necessary. "This
time, I AM that guy!"

And when the mystery has been solved and Sam heads back to the Devil's Backbone Tavern,  to spend some time with Mike, his favorite bartender, once again, a "crazy woman bursts" in and comes racing over to say, "You're the guy!"

We've got one lone American Indian up against our government, a drug lord, with criminals coming out from everywhere. Sam is just what he says...he's trying to make it in today's world, without not too many of his people still around... I really enjoyed his character.

Now Melissa was something totally "wild" as the author said...It's a wonder she just didn't take her gun and take on everybody around by herself! She's bound to get your attention. I liked her a lot and, if the ending of this book ends as it seems, then I'm hoping both of these characters come back in a new mystery realllll soon! Enjoy this one!

GABixlerReviews

I was born in the 50's and therefore was a child of the 70's. Born and raised in Houston, I have lived in or around the Houston area all of my life. Like my main character Sam Cloudstone, I am a graduate Mechanical Engineer from Texas A&M University. Having attended there in the late 70's, I experienced an early adulthood much different than kids do today. We had no technology like what exists today, so we were much more dependent on our own insanity for our entertainment. I made many crazy friends, and I am proud to say that I still keep up with most of them.

I became an avid reader as soon as there wasn't some professor forcing me to read. It has always been a goal of mine to become a writer. My earliest heroes were the likes of Hunter S. Thompson, Douglas Adams, and Tom Clancy, but over the years I have read everything I could get from Hemingway to Kinky Friedman. 

I've always liked adventure novels, but I have always been a sucker for a good joke. Many of the characters in my first book, and hopefully subsequent books to come, are inspired by real friends and acquaintances.