Second Robert Thornhill Novel, Lady Justice and the Conspiracy, Continues to Please!

When I read my first Lady Justice Novel,  Lady Justice and the Candidate, which would be a great novel to read during this presidential election, don't you think, I was having fun with the non-traditional pictures I found of Lady Justice. Maybe that's part of why I  was so interested in continuing this series. But this book, Lady Justice and the Conspiracy, is the first I've had a chance to read since then.

But I love that the lead and many of the other characters who, as senior citizens, still are active and concerned about what happens around them. So I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book and highly recommend it to those looking for books about the reality of today's world and reading about it within a mystery setting and with a good dose of comedy!

Lady Justice and the
  Conspiracy
A Walt Williams Mystery Comedy Novel

By Robert Thornhill

Jack Carson switched on the dome light of his car and looked at his watch for the fourth time. The man he was supposed to meet was forty-five minutes late. His first contact with the man who would only identify himself as ‘Falcon’ was two weeks ago. He had told Carson he had contacted him because he had seen his name in numerous bylines in the Kansas City Star. It certainly made sense. Carson was the number one guy working the Star’s crime beat. His name was connected to at least a half-dozen stories every day; everything from drive-by shootings to domestic disturbances. Carson had nearly hung up on the guy when Falcon announced he was an Air Force pilot who had been recruited to fly missions solely for the purpose of dispersing deadly chemicals into the atmosphere. Carson received bogus calls every day which included everything from Elvis sightings to alien spacecraft landings, and part of his job was to sort the newsworthy tips from the obviously absurd. He was about to dismiss the guy as just another crackpot when he happened to glance out the window and see a series of fluffy white trails crisscrossing the sky. The trails had become so commonplace he hardly paid any attention to them anymore, but he remembered wondering once, why there seemed to be so many more and why they lasted so long before dispersing and forming a grey haze which blocked the rays of the sun. What the hell, he had thought. It was a slow news day and what did he have to lose other than an hour of time? He agreed to meet the man for the first of what turned into three clandestine meetings; all were at secluded locations and all were under the cover of darkness. 
The first time they met, Carson had halfway expected to see a guy wearing one of those tin foil hats which are supposed to keep evil forces from reading your thoughts, but quite the contrary, the man could have been the poster boy from an Air Force recruiting ad. He could have been Tom Cruise’s stand-in as Maverick in the movie, Top Gun. Falcon made it clear from the beginning he was to remain anonymous and under no circumstances could the information he would give be attributed to him. If his identity was disclosed, at the very least he would be court martialed --- or worse. Just like Woodward and Bernstein’s ‘Deep Throat’ in All the President’s Men, Carson thought as he listened to Falcon’s demand for anonymity. At that meeting, and the two which followed, Falcon shared details which turned Carson’s blood cold. He took meticulous notes about the men who were recruited to fly the covert missions, the planes that were loaded with deadly chemicals and the purpose of the ‘chemtrails’ which stretched from horizon to horizon across the entire United States. After each meeting, Carson would spend long hours trying to verify what Falcon had given him. He found enough evidence to give some credibility to the frightful scenario which Falcon had painted --- enough that he was willing to move forward if Falcon could provide him with the one piece of evidence which would convince him the story was true --- a sample of the brew Falcon said was pumped into barrels in the huge bellies of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. Falcon had agreed and was supposed to deliver the sample at tonight’s meeting. Carson looked at his watch again. Falcon was an hour late and probably not coming. His story had been captivating, but when pressured to produce the one thing which could verify his wild claims, he would come up empty, because his story was just that --- wild claims which could not be substantiated. Carson sighed, started the car and headed home. On the one hand, he was relieved. It would be far better for our country if Falcon’s assertions were figments of his imagination. On the other hand, if what Falcon shared was true, the story he would have written had Pulitzer Prize written all over it.

~~~

As Carson pulled out into traffic,
he remembered Falcon talking
 about his commanding
officer’s
dire predictions
 of what might happen to any
pilot divulging information
 about the
 program known among the
aviators  and crews as
 ‘Indigo Skyfold.’
Falcon had done just that,
and now he was dead.
A coincidence?
 Carson didn’t think so.
~~~

Jack Carson, crime reporter for the Kansas City Star, was used to getting calls about a possible story, some were cranks which he quickly eliminated. This time, he had listened enough to think that his contact, known only as Falcon, may be giving him a real story that could, if true, be big--maybe even Pulitzer Prize material.

It was an expose' on what the government was doing. Specifically, that they were planting what, in essence, was poisons into the sky! Which, obviously if true, would eventually come back down to the surface...

Jack had put the Falcon on the spot...In order to proceed, he'd need a sample of what was being blasted into the atmosphere...

When Falcon didn't show up to meet, Jack figured that was the end--the informant had made up the story...

Except by the next morning, Jack saw an incident report, went to the morgue, and verified that Falcon was dead. And he'd been an AF pilot as he'd earlier shared...

It was Jack Carson who had gone to Walt to see if they could learn more. Walt was an ex-cop and his partner, who still worked, had been the officer who caught the AF pilot's accident. Jack was positive that it was not an accident. Ox confirmed that Walt had been right about how the wreck occurred, but that there was no proof that it had not happened as vehicle failure... the case had been closed.

So there it was. The reaction of the average man on the street, totally awed by the phenomenon and totally unaware the brilliant colors were being reflected from poisons sprayed into the sky. One more example of wolves disguised in sheep’s clothing.
~~~

Walt thanked Ox and then asked for the address of the victim...He wasn't satisfied... He became even more agitated when he shared with his partner, his brother-in-law, and learned that Kevin had already considered the problem of chemtrails...and was quite willing to accept that the pilot had become a whistleblower, was discovered, and had to be eliminated!

“I believe chemicals are being sprayed into the air. For Chris’ sakes, Walt. All you have to do is look up most any day of the week and see dozens of fluffy trails crisscrossing the sky. The official word is those are water condensation trails, but that’s bureaucratic bullshit. We have them almost every day here in Kansas City, but it was much worse in Phoenix.”
Before coming to Kansas City, Kevin lived in Phoenix for thirty years and worked as a private investigator. “Angel hair,” he continued. “That’s what we would call the stuff which fell on us after the sky had been obliterated by the chemical emissions. They looked like very long cobwebs, but unlike cobwebs they would completely dissolve into our skin when we touched them. When we held a match to them, they would blacken and curl like plastic or some polymer burning. Scary stuff!” 
I was stunned by what my partner was saying. “If that’s true and the stuff was falling everywhere, why didn’t someone report it?"
“Oh, they did!” he replied. “The Air Force denied they were spraying chemicals and the EPA said there was nothing to worry about. So who you gonna call next?

~~~

Well, Walt was on the trail and wasn't going to give up...Soon he learned about the "weather manipulation" issue...

But, the number of bodies climbed the more Walt asked the right questions to the right people...

Could Lady Justice work any magic in this conspiracy?! The problem readers face is the same one we all experience daily with political ads. One group praises one candidate and another group spreads dirt about the same person. No wonder the public has no way to get to the truth?! How can Lady Justice?!

But what Walt faces is much more than he's willing to... In fact he was planning to leave town and visit Branson... And I immediately thought of how much I enjoyed my visit there...Here's one of my favorite shows, just because Dino is a favorite of mine... I sure wish he could have made that trip!


But Walt wasn't able to leave... Danger lurked...

Thornhill keeps readers moving quickly in the investigation of the conspiracy and his character, Walt Williams, is a joy to meet through the book. The ending caught me off guard and was certainly a surprise that most readers will find as intriguing as I did! Don't miss this series! And this one just might capture your interest to keep reading Robert Thornhill! Enjoy.


GABixlerReviews

Award-winning author, Robert Thornhill, began writing at the age of sixty-six and in six short years has penned twenty-one novels in the Lady Justice mystery/comedy series, the seven volume Rainbow Road series of chapter books for children, a cookbook and a mini-autobiography.

Lady Justice and the Sting, Lady Justice and Dr. Death, Lady Justice and the Vigilante, Lady Justice and the Candidate, Lady Justice and the Book Club Murders, Lady Justice and the Cruise Ship Murders, Lady Justice and the Vet and Lady Justice and the Pharaoh's Curse won the Pinnacle Award for the best new mystery novels of Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Summer 2012, Fall 2012, Spring of 2013, Summer of 2013, Spring of 2014 and Fall of 2014 from the National Association of Book Entrepreneurs.

Many of Walt's adventures in the Lady Justice series are anecdotal and based on Robert's real life.

Although Robert holds a master's in psychology, he has never taken a course in writing and has never learned to type. All 30 of his published books were typed with one finger and a thumb!

His wit and insight come from his varied occupations, including thirty-three years as a real estate broker.
He lives with his wife, Peg, in Independence, Missouri.

Visit him on the Web at: http://BooksByBob.com

Vote for Benjamin Franklin Foster for the Next President! Let's Start right now and find our Champion for Change!

One of the basic premises of the Lady Justice novels is that life doesn't end with retirement.
Walt Williams, the hero of the Lady Justice novels, decided at age 65 that he wanted to be a cop!
Author Robert Thornhill, after a thirty-two year career in real estate, decided at age 65 that he wanted to write a book.
In three years, he has written twenty-one!
Life doesn't have to end with the arrival of the first social security check.  



It could just be the beginning!

And then work to get a new, fighting, Lady Justice selected!

Lady Justice and the Candidate

A Walt Williams Mystery/Comedy Novel

By Robert Thornhill

 “Walt,” Mark continued , “I’m sure you’re aware that this is an election year.” 

Duh! How could you not know? At least fifteen minutes of every TV hour were filled with campaign propaganda and since the beginning of the year, the newspaper had been reporting primary results ad nauseum. “So what does that have to do with me?” I asked. “Looks like the slate is set. The president is a shoo-in and the Republican guy seems to have wiped out his remaining challengers.”

 “Then I guess you haven’t heard of Benjamin Franklin Foster.”

 I shook my head, “Should I?”

 “If you haven’t, you soon will. It seems that many Americans aren’t exactly thrilled with either the socialist Democrat or the snooty, rich Republican.” 

I could certainly understand that. I could never figure why, out of a population of over 300 million people, we can never come up with two truly qualified candidates to run for the highest office in the free world. “So who is he?” I asked. 

“He’s an independent, not affiliated with any political party, and he’s causing quite a stir. “His message is ‘reform’ --- everything from the U.S. Tax Code to the abolition of the Electoral College. “The good news is that his campaign is winning the support of voters. The bad news is that he’s making a lot of enemies.”

 “Like who?” I asked.

 “Take your pick,” he replied. “It’s in the best interests of both political parties to maintain the status quo. No one wants to admit it, but our government is built like a house of cards . The balance of power is precarious at best and if any one agency or department is affected, the whole thing could come tumbling down. “The alliances that exist have taken years to form, and they reach from the local precincts to the halls of Congress and even to the White House itself. “The policies that Ben Foster is promoting would disrupt all of that and no one on either side wants to lose their position and influence. “There are powerful people out there who want to see the man dead.”

 I understood what he was saying. A year earlier, I had been involved in an undercover operation involving the collusion between a giant pharmaceutical company and corrupt politicians. An assassin had been sent to kill a holistic physician that was poised to disrupt the 'status quo.' Our investigation uncovered a tangled web that included a local law firm, the Department of Corrections, the Food and Drug Administration and a U.S. Senator. “I see your problem,” I said, “but again, what does all this have to do with me?” 

He handed me a photo. “Meet Benjamin Franklin Foster.” I took the photo and it was like I was looking in a mirror. If my mother had sired identical twins, this guy could have been my brother. I didn’t know what to say. I had an idea where this might be going, but the concept was just so outrageous, I quickly dismissed it.

 “Here’s the situation,” Mark said. “Once an individual becomes a viable candidate, he is assigned a Secret Service detail. “We have enough creditable intel to know that the man’s life is in danger and it’s our job to protect him. “We need you to help.” 

There it was --- I was being offered the job of sacrificial lamb. 

Mark could see the wheels turning. “I know how this must sound ---.”

 “Do you really?” I said, cutting him off. “This Foster guy is important enough that you’re willing to set up a private citizen for his enemies to bump off --- your own flesh and blood, for chrissakes!” I didn’t mean to say that, but it just came out. “Then what happens when I’m blown away? Will you have another stooge waiting in the wings?”

 “Walt , you’ll have the same protection that we give to the President of the United States.”

 “Which president?” I asked sarcastically, “Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy?”

~~~

I had expected to be whisked aboard a private jet,
 but when the limo pulled up at the curb of
 the KCI airport, I noticed that we were at
 the Southwest Airlines gate.
 “What, no private jet?” Paul Ford smiled ,
 “Sorry, Marvin. Since Ben won’t accept
 any money from the big corporations or
 Super PACs, we operate on a tight budget.
I’m afraid it’s commercial --- coach!
”Swell, I thought. With my luck, I’ll be seated
by a lady with a screaming kid.
After checking in, we made our way to the
 boarding gate and the line stretched out
 for a hundred feet. While we stood there
 waiting to be frisked and x-rayed by the TSA,
a guy came up to me and sang quietly
 in my ear, “You babe. I’ve got you babe,”
 and wandered away grinning. Mark saw
 the exchange, “What was that all about?”
“Nothing that involves national security
I assure you. That fellow and I just
 shared a sixties moment.” He shook his head
 and walked away.
~~~

Somehow I'd missed this great series and now wish I could stop and read all the stories, but time does not allow that for me... But, readers, you just may want to check out all that are now available! You will see that Walt Williams, after becoming a cop in a special group of older citizens, often is called upon to go undercover. This time he appears as two different characters--one a lookalike for a candidate for president, who amazingly looks just like Walt! And the other as a member of his campaign entourage who happens to look like a former U.S. Representative.  You may recognize him...

“You are --- just not in public. We can’t have two Ben Foster’s running around the airport, now can we?” 

That did make sense. “So what do you have in mind?” He tossed a bag on the bed. “Nothing elaborate --- just a wig and a moustache so you won’t look like Ben’s double --- something easy to get you in and out of.” I took the bag into the bathroom and after showering, I pasted the black moustache on my upper lip and slipped on the wig. I looked like Sonny Bono. 

Mark had been patiently waiting for me in the living room, and when I emerged in my new do, he smiled, “Perfect!” He handed me a packet. “Here is your new identity for the next four months. You’ll find everything you need in there, driver’s license, passport, even a debit card, but don’t get too excited, it has a $ 500 limit.” 

I examined the contents of the packet. “ Marvin Fitzwater? Really? With all of the cool names available, that’s the best you could come up with?”

 “It’s a name that nobody will notice --- I mean, who could possibly care about Marvin Fitzwater? By the way, if anyone asks, you’re part of Ben’s publicity team. That could mean most anything.” He looked at his watch, “The limo leaves in fifteen minutes. Better hustle.” 

As I was packing my suitcase, I marveled at the expediency of our government. In less than a week, Walter Williams had ceased to exist and had been reincarnated as Marvin Fitzwater. I began to wonder if the real Walt would ever return.

~~~

“I believe that slowly but surely, we have

 strayed from the path that once made

 our country the envy of every other

 nation. “I believe that the basic freedoms

 on which our republic was founded are being

 eroded away. “I no longer trust that our

 government is acting in the best interests of its

 citizens, and worst of all, I don’t believe that

 the other candidates running for office are 

committed to anything but

 maintaining the status quo.

 “Will Durant said, ‘A great civilization is not 

conquered from without until it has destroyed

 itself from within.’ “I think that is happening

 before our very eyes and unless someone

 sounds the alarm, our country will continue

 down this destructive path. “Can we win thi

s election? Only time will tell, but win or lose

, the American people will have the 

knowledge to make informed decisions for the

 future and vote for the candidates that

 will right the course of this great ship.”

~~~

Walt and his wife met Benjamin Franklin Foster and immediately was attracted to what he was saying. After thinking about it, both decided to do this...what that meant was that Walt Williams was going to have to die...

The fantastic think about his death was that he was actually on the job and, in dying, ensured that nobody else was hurt on the bust... It was fantastic because it almost succeeded in actually getting Walt killed!

So after watching his own funeral along with his lookalike candidate, Ben, Walt was immediately on the campaign trail...directly into a path on which he could get killed! You see, once Ben had given his speech, it was Walt that came out to meet and greet all of his new fans--and enemies...

The intriguing part for me was that everything that Benjamin Franklin Foster covered on his campaign trail was exactly something that I and most average citizens would want! That's why I thought that if we could turn this fiction book into a real campaign, that it would be the best possible outcome... Soooo, how about it? Vote for the next president using his pen name Walt Williams, Ben Franklin, Ben Foster, Sonny Bono...or, even...Robert Thornhill! After all, he's the real speech writer that has given us exactly what we want!

I might even vote this time for a very viable candidate!

Seriously, this is meant to be humorous, but there were many serious issues and facts that were enclosed in this short book. We already have been doing worse because no other candidate has ever told us that "status quo" was not going to be! 

I would have preferred a different ending, but the important part--the changes that are needed to get the United States back to being the great country it once was, are all right there... Find a man like Ben and let's support our champion for change!

A must-read recommendation on this one...And if it sounds like it's saying what needs to be said, let the author know! We support Thornhill for President! Loved it!


GABixlerReviews

Robert Thornhill, author of Lady Justice Takes a C.R.A.P.: City Retiree Action Patrol, Lady Justice and the Lost Tapes, Lady Justice Gets Leid, Lady Justice and the Avenging Angels, Lady Justice and the Sting, Lady Justice and Dr. Death, Lady Justice and the Vigilante, Lady Justice and the Watchers, Lady Justice and the Candidate, Lady Justice and the Book Club Murders, Lady Justice and the Cruise Ship Murders, Lady Justice and the Class Reunion, Lady Justice and the Assassin, Lady Justice and the Lottery, Lady Justice and the Vet and Lady Justice and the Organ Traders.