GoT Poems and Stories

Zachary's Journal

5. He found the journal on the train.

A detective from Billings, Montana, John McCray, paced up and down the platform, looked at the status board when the train will pull in, then glanced at his watch. His peppered-colored black hair blew in the Northeasterly wind as he paced.

He spotted an elderly gentleman sitting on the bench and asked. “Am I in time for the 7:15 AM train to Houston, Texas?”

“Hey, young man! Yeah, it should be rolling in any minute now.” The old man coughed, and looked over to the stairs.

“Are you okay?” John sat down next to the older gentleman.

“I’m okay, just waiting for my daughter who is supposed to pick me up, but is a half hour late.
The train arrived, and I was torn between wondering if I should stay with him, or get on the train. The other man noticed my hesitation, but waved me on.

“I’m okay, she’s just a little late is all. Go do what you came to do in Houston.”

John shook hands, and climbed aboard, settling in for the long ride, and noticed a tattered book of sorts under the seat in front of him. He wondered whose it was, and being a long-time detective, became curious what could be inside. He opened the cover and found out it was journal dated way back in the mid-nineteen hundred.

Dated January 1, 1958 … I am sitting in my boat I built, hoping to share it with my wife, Elaine, but she passed on two years ago. We made so many plans together but cancer took her away from me. It’s just not the same without her.

John looked at the pages, the ink seemed to run in places as if tears fell down as he was writing this. He noticed on the front page it said, ‘In loving memory to my wife, Elaine, may she rest in peace.’ Zachary Paget.

I know what I'll be doing when I get back, I'll look up Mr. Paget, and give this book back to him. I turned another page, and saw that he lived on this boat he built, and sailed around to all the different places he wanted to see before he died.

January 28, 1960
I had a close call today, almost lost my ship, and myself. If my ship goes down, I go down with it. I’m good at reading the weather, but this was a freak storm that came up suddenly, but disappeared just as fast as it came, thank goodness!

John thought this was quite a way to live, and he thought his life was exciting. Figuring out the clues, trying to find who did the crimes kept him busy. He was following up on a case in Houston, and return to check out another lead to bring the murder case to a successful end. He loved it when all the ends came together, and he was up for another raise. That also gave him an initiative to try harder. Well, when I get back, I shall find out who this Mr. Zachary Paget it. He definitely my kind of guy.

The train came to a halt at the train station in Houston, and John immediately traced down the man who could help him. Talking with him, John knew he was on the right track, and the killer was as could as caught in his web of lies. Smiling, he shook hand with his informer, and headed back to the train station to catch the 12:15 PM train home.

He told his captain what he found out, and soon the killer was brought into questioning once again, but this time John was ready for the lies that this guy spouts. Caught into his own web, the man confessed, and the case was closed for the judge and jury to decide.

The next morning, he began searching for Zachary Paget, and when he found the house he lived in, he eyes opened wide when John saw the beautiful brunette standing in the open doorway.

“I’m sorry, I must have the wrong house, I was looking for Zachary Paget, and following up on the info, it led me here.”

“You came to the right place, he’s a little grumpy, but come with me, Granddad is sitting out on the patio.”

“Oh, so he’s your Grandfather? Thank you for letting me talk to him, I found something of his on the train I took to Houston the other day.”

“Could it be his journal, by any chance?” Her eyebrows lifted as she asked the question.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I found. Is that why he’s grumpy, he thinks he lost it?”

Her laughter thrilled him, she was so beautiful. When they arrived on the patio, John was surprised to see it was the elderly gentleman he talked to at the train station.

John walked over to Zachary, and handed him the journal. “I found this under the seat in front of me on the train.

Recognition and tears sprung up in the old man’s eyes, his hands shook when he reached out to take back the journal he thought he lost for good. “Thank you so much, Son.”

“Hello, my name is John McCray.” John sat down next to him.

870 words