READINGSAMPLE TheLostSon ByJuneStephenson

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www.JuneStephensonBooks.com

The Lost Son A Mystery Novel

The reason Emeryville, the city across the bay from San Francisco, smelled like a sewer before the anti pollution laws of the 1950s was because that is what it was. Emeryville pumped its offal into the bay as did Berkeley and Oakland, sending their garbage down from their affluent hilltop homes in large pipes, picking up the refuse in middleclass and lower class neighborhoods and pumping it all into the bay at Emeryvlles muddy feet. Their waste was mixed with the mudflats saturation of affluence from previous meat packing plants, which had dumped stripped animal carcasses into the bay. The toxins killed the oyster fields and clams which previously had provided the small population with a reliable livelihood. There were few people in that small city until the 1950s, when the population grew with the returning WWII veterans returning home to the San Francisco Bay Area needing housing. Their G.I.Bill benefits included houseing

mortgages guaranteed by the federal government. Developers were quick to meet the demand for new houses, finding cheap land in Emeryville. Growth in new tracts of inexpensive housing was accompanied by the arrival of small industries producing products to meet the pent-up demand for goods which had not been available for four years of war. Businesses as well as housing developers were attracted not only to the cheap land, but also the convenience of SLUSHING
Their

waste products into the bay. Emeryville citizens did not complain of the sewer smell.

They had traded it for inexpensive housing and a good tax base from the new industries which made it possible for the town to build a new first-class stadium for their football games, the pride of the East Bay and winner of most district competitions. While Emeryville citizens did not complain, the motorists on Eastshore Highway, the only north-south transit way from Vallejo and points north, to Hayward, and points south, needed to roll up their car windows and hold their noses as they drove quickly through the city limits of Emervyille. Into this new post-war Emervyville era, putric smell and all, Margaret was born to Vivian and Edward Her crib was placed alongside her two year older Simond, sister

Elizabeths bed. She sister Elizabeth, older by two years. -VivianMarshall was the typical mother and housewife of the time, as her husband was the typical working man who reported everyday at eight in the morning for his job at Pabco Paint and Linoleum Company, in charge of the warehouse. As the years went by the Marshall girls thrived in their schools and the family enjoyed what city life there was, most especially the Friday night high school football games in the citys large stadium, the envy of Berkeley and Oakland. Though Margaret excelled in all her classes, wrote daily in her journal and won the graduation award in literature, she yearned only to qualify for entrance to the University of California in Berkeley, a twenty minute bus ride from her house. She was crestfallen when she failed to achieve that goal simply because she could not pass her geometry class. There were no local junior colleges in the area at that time where Margaret could make up her math deficiency. And because of her fathers limited factory salary, there was no dormitory money for schools away from her home. After Margaret had exhausted all avenues to a college education, she resigned herself to a sales job at Sears Roebuck Company. Determined to continue her desire to be a writer, she set a strict schedule for herself, selling at Sears in the

daytime, and writing short stories after work. Margaret lived at home, paying her parents twenty of her sixty dollars a month for room and board. Though attractive and friendly, she spent most of her free time reading and she avoided opportunities to date. A devastating experience with a popular boy in her last year of high school, had turned Margaret inward. She had been foolishly flattered by the attention of the high school Romeo, Roy Carlson. She was astonished that he seemed smitten with her, but unaccustomed to praise of any kind, she eventually succumbed to his sexual pleadings, mistaking them for love. Be careful Margaret, her older sister Elizabeth warned her. Roy Carlson has a reputation. Love em and leave m.. He loves me. I know he does. Elizabeth was right. Margaret in the throes of her first love, gave herself completely to Roys experienced lovemaking. It was the most magical, though at times painful, night of her life. She would forever love Roy and he would forever love her. That is what he told her as he undressed her. But the next day at school he didnt even look at her when they passed in the school hall. Maybe he hadnt seen her. In the English class they attended together, Margaret made a point to stand by his desk when he came into the room. He purposefully avoided her as he talked with

animation to several girls waiting for class to begin. This time Margaret was sure he had seen her. Her heart sank as she realized Elizabeth was right. Everyone in high school must know she had become one more of Roys conquests. He had flaunted her like a trophy he had won before he dropped her completely. Her fathers suspicions were justified when his wife told him why Margaret spent so much time in her room, crying. Lets hope to God he didnt get her pregnant. Ill kill that Son of a Bitch. Shes not pregnant, his wife assured him. Now who the hell is going to marry her? Who doesnt know about this? Roy and his dad are both braggarts. After high school graduation and for several years Margarets father found having a single daughter at home was an embarrassment, and he did not like his wifes defending their daughter. I wish youd stop nagging her, Ed, his wife would say. Margaret is not Elizabeth. Margaret will do all right. Shes twenty-five, Evan reminded his wife. She gonna live with us the rest of her life? Its not normal. His wife would drop the discussion. Though Margaret appeared unconcerned about her marital status, she often wondered if her life at Sears, selling

sheets and frying pans would be her life-long fate. Also her dreams of being a writer began to fade. After a day of walking around on Sears concrete floors in the houseware department, Margaret was too tired to be creative. She used up her persuasive energy to encourage customers purchases, as her sales commission depended on her sales volume. She had seen her high school girlfriends, one by one married at seventeen or eighteen. During the war she said her goodbyes when they left for various military camps to be near their husbands before being shipped overseas. Margaret sensed she was being left behind. She consoled herself by enjoying her few girlfriends at Sears, where they talked of books they shared, or discussed movies they had seen together. Though she had given up on her writing, in the evenings for something to do she sometimes sat in on the poker games with her brother Stanley. One of his friends, Andy Marshall, a boy she had heard about when he was one of Emeryville High Schools best football players often joined them. Though he was a few grades ahead of Margaret, she knew of him because football stars were important in Emeryille. In the Bay Area Football League, Emeryvilles team was considered tough to beat. It was an especial victory for Emeryville when their High School won a game against

Berkeley High. Though Margaret knew Andy as a football star, she otherwise thought of him as rather dull. At poker games she noticed that all he did was make his bet, pay up, or collect chips, drink a couple of the bottles of beer he had brought for everyone, and then politely say goodnight. He had no conversation to offer. One night at the end of the game while her brother was putting the chips away, Margaret went out on their front porch and sat down, oblivious as always to the odor surrounding her. Andy stepped out on to the porch and stood awkwardly, seemingly not wanting to leave. She saw that he was embarrassed, and surprisingly had something to say. To make him feel comfortable, she invited him to sit in one of the porch chairs. Thank you, he said, rubbing his hands on his corduroy pants. Did you win any money tonight? she asked, knowing he had. Margaret, he said, ignoring her question, and speaking slowly, word for word, his hands in continual motion, Would you marry me? Then into the silence, in a rush of words, he continued. I make good money at

P.G.& E. I would buy us one of those houses on Second Street. I have enough money so you could furnish it the way you want. Ive been saving my money living at home. Andy didnt look at Margaret. He just kept his hands moving on his knees. Margaret was stunned. Words wouldnt come. They both sat, silent. Andy, mortified by what he had done, and not getting a reply, assumed there would be none. He got up from his chair and took a couple of steps to the stairs as though trying to escape. Wait, Margaret said. Let me think about this. We dont really know each other. Margaret, Andy said, sounding her name carefully, when I have been coming to your house, mostly I came to see you. I didnt care about the poker game. It was awkward for them both, but in the days ahead

they saw each other somewhat frequently. Margaret opened herself up to see qualities in Andy she could appreciate. He was a man she could depend on, but mostly she saw a man who loved her, something she had not known before. They managed to get through a short engagement period before their quiet wedding two months later. Margarets mother and father were delighted about the marriage. They knew their daughter was not in love with Andy, but as her father said, Hes got a good steady job. Hell get her nose out of all those books. Her mother was happy that Margaret would be living, right here in Emeryville where youve lived all your life. No flitting off to all those other states where your girlfriends went when they married those army boys. You see them coming home now. Some without husbands who got killed overseas, or husbands without legs, or who are blind. Youre safe here and nearby. Margaret had not wanted to be safe. And she especially did not want to live in Emeryville with its foul smell. But Andy had bought a house two blocks from Margarets mothers home, and opened an account at Breuners Furniture Store in Berkeley, telling her she could buy anything up to a total of three thousand dollars to furnish their home. He had invested his total life savings in their

marriage and Margaret in exchange was determined to be the good wife he deserved in return. Through the first years of their marriage, she saw Andy as an ideal husband. He worked hard every day, turned over his monthly paycheck to her, never looked at another woman, didnt drink. He adored their only child, Raymond, born on their first anniversary. From the time he was about two years old, every night Raymond ran to greet his father when he came home from work, bounding out their screen door to be lifted into Andys arms. Just as her mother had done for her father, Margaret had dinner waiting for Andy on the table at five thirty every night. When they ate, they exchanged few words. Raymond alternated between banging his spoon on his high chair tray, and eating mouthfuls offered by his father. Margaret cleared the table while three-year-old Raymond attempted to help. Andy and Margaret shared the dishwashing and drying as Raymond played with his toys in their small living room. Continuing the nightly ritual, after the dishes were dried and put into their cupboards, Andy leaned back in his overstuffed chair to look at the evening newspaper, usually falling asleep before he reached the third page. The water running in the tub for Raymonds bath woke him from his after-dinner nap. Then he would joyfully bathe his son while

Margaret relaxed in her easy-chair, finding her place in one of the many books sitting by her table. From the living room, Margaret could hear the laughing and splashing in the bathroom. She could picture Andy wrapping his small son in the bath towel, tossling his wet hair and getting him into his sleeper-feet pajamas. Together they put their son to bed, kissed and snuggled him, turned off the light in his room, and went to their reading and listening to the radio until nine-thirty when they went to bed. Tired from his days work, Andy fell asleep quickly, after giving his wife a perfunctory kiss, if she offered her cheek. Margaret often lay awake at night, desiring the touch of a man. She didnt feel guilty about discouraging Andy because he was so clumsy and tentative. He was a virgin when they married and didnt know that she wasnt. He had graduated from high school four years before Margaret and had not known of her humiliating experience with Roy Carlson. He saw her as beautiful, and smarter than he was. He loved her wholeheartedly, but he had no idea how to be romantic. After Raymond was born, Margaret was determined not to get pregnant again. She loved her little boy and was glad she had given birth to him, but for her, one child was enough, though she knew Andy wanted more. She found

reason time and time again to avoid intimacy. When she worked at Sears, Margaret developed friendships there. But when she married Andy and quit her job as he asked her to, she missed the camaraderie she had with her co-workers. Sometimes the boredom of her life was overwhelming. She saw no way to extricate herself from the life she settled into. She dared not voice her thoughts about her shallow existence because she didnt want to put words to her feelings. That would make them true. Sometimes she thought she hated Andy for the dull life they led, yet reason told her she had been glad to accept the marriage when he offered it. She couldnt bring herself to do any writing because she was mired in self-pity, believing she was better than the life she was leading. After Raymond was born, and without those few workplace friends, it seemed her life had closed in on her. She couldnt share much with Andy because he was not interested in much. If they went to a movie, leaving Raymond with Margarets mother, she knew he only went because she wanted him to, and then she couldnt get him to talk about it as she used to do with her girlfriends. He just agreed with everything she said. He barely read more than a few pages of the newspaper, and never read a book or magazine. He listened to weekly radio programs such as

Fibber Magee and Molly, and on TV watched The Ed Sullivan Show. On weekends he listened to football games all day Saturday and Sunday. There was a time she thought she could love her husband. He was a good man and he was reliable. If he said hed do something, he did it. He was not handsome, but he was not ugly. To Margaret he seemed to be all angles, and he walked as though his shoes were too big for him, though she knew they were not. When he combed his hair it always looked too slick for the rest of his appearance. During the first months of their marriage, Margaret was busy furnishing their home, and then getting ready for her baby. She made frequent visits to the public library, bringing back enough books to last a week or so. She knew after her babys delivery it would be difficult to leave the house to get books, so she jammed as much reading into her days as she could.