The Vault: Tab 2013-15: Four Old Friends This is the story of the importance and sustaining nature of friendship in our declining years. It takes place in a small village in an overlooked corner of France.

Observations: Essay: A Rumination on Life Remembered The trigger to the essay talked about “finishing/endings”. I chose the following sentence: “And there it was, as he had remembered. Perhaps smaller, perhaps less dramatic but nevertheless an unforgotten piece of his history.” Thinking on that sentence led me to write about looking back at life but allowing it to be OK being where you are.

Both novels: The Ex Affair and 1st Transcendence are moving to their conclusions. However, there remain many difficulties facing our characters before there can be resolution

Jack Driscol Mysteries: The Ex Affair

Chapter 16: Accounting Me Out Harold Waters, accountant from Milton Porters law firm of Porter, Liston and Reed, is the exclusive accountant to RV Enterprises. He knows all the schemes and dark money payments being used to build Vargas’ empire. He begins to realize how deeply involved his is and how precarious is his position…and life. He turns to Bessita and unburdens himself asking for help.

Chapter 17: The View From the Windows We find Ramon Vargas in his 35th Floor Office of the First National Building. We find out how he came to Circle City and began amassing power and money. He recommits to taking down Jack, any way he can.

Chapter 18: The Chef’s Surprise Bessita calls Jack to share with him what she has learned from Harold Waters. She comes to his house late in the evening to discuss the information and they talk well into early morning to decide what should be done. Staying overnight, Jack fixes her breakfast when there is a knock at his door.

Chapter 19: From Princess to Pauper Jack’s Ex wife Rachel pleads for Jack’s help after Milton Porter tells here there is no money in the estate for her. She and son Will, will end up with nothing. She admits to Jack that when she left the morning of the murder, there was an RV enterprises blue van parked behind the garage. Later in the day, Jack learns the real whereabouts of Milton at the time of the murder. He passes along the info from Harold Waters to Justin Brand, the former IRS investigator.

1st Transcendence: Chapters 40 to 45 Both Earthers and the Neologues arrive at the rendezvous point. The Neologues have set a trap to destroy the Arcielle as it leaves. But the Earthers offer to share technological information which is too good for the Neologues to pass up so they delay plans to destroy the Earthers and the Arcielle. Jonathon Cross goes alone to the Neo 1 to meet with the Doleur Council and present some of the information as samples. It is decided that Baktor accompanied by a Milito Guard, will go to the Arcielle to examine the equipment to determine its adaptability by the Neologues while Jonathon remains aboard the Neo1. Meanwhile, Tranche finds the device used by Baktor to communicate with the earthers and presents it to the Doleur Council resulting in Baktor being recalled and his mentor and protector on the Council, Gargan being imprisoned along with Jonathon. Through his nanobot contacts, Jonathon sends a message of warning to Ginger and Baktor.