Brian Lane - Mind Games with a Serial Killer

3. I’m in a field, trees a few yards to my left and back. To my right, the grassy field slopes gently away. In front of me is a cliff that drops off to the ocean. Far out to sea, there is a huge wave building and it’s coming towards me. But I know I’m safe because the wave won’t crest over the cliff. Next to me, lying on a blanket is Florence (Don’t you dare tell her!) and she’s saying, “Come on, we’ve got just enough time.” She’s fully clothed and so am I. (I don’t have dreams where I or a girl are nude. Never have!) I know what she’s talking about (so do you !), but I can’t bring myself to make love to her. Not that I wouldn’t want to. But I don’t. Suddenly, Bonnie drives up in a pickup truck, gets out stands at my left side, holding my hand and Florence drives off in the truck. Bonnie and I sit down on the blanket and watch the wave splash against the cliff face. From the spray that washes over the top of the cliff, Myrtle the dog comes to us completely wet and lies down to the right of us on the blanket. And here I awoke! Explain that one to me, if you can! What I wouldn’t give for a good Dream Interpreter!

Well, it’s now 2300 hrs (11:00 p.m. to us civilians) and I’d better attempt to get some sleep. Maybe I’ll get lucky and have an important dream. Good Night and I’ll write more tomorrow.

Hello again,

Sorry. A few days have passed and I’m just now getting back to your letter. I just re-read what I’ve already written and see I left out who the other two visiting questionnaires are for. I told you about the one for Bonnie and then got side tracked (that’s been happening a lot lately). Anyway, I mentioned to you several times about a nurse at the county jail I became friends with. She testified in my behalf during the penalty phase of my trial. Her name is Janet, her husband’s name is Ed. Would you please try to call the jail to talk to her. She usually works second shift (7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). Find out from her where you can send the other two questionnaires. She expressed a desire to visit me when she comes up here to San Francisco. I’d kind of like to see and talk to her again, AND meet her husband.

Now—what’s been happening to me since I arrived here. Not much good. I’ve been to the Law Library once . Was told about an interesting case and decided to look it up. A Federal case: Donald O . Coe v . Otis Thurman , Warden #90-55128, I think it was a 9th Circuit case, but I’m not sure. Anyway, case cite is: 922F2d528 . Submit date was Nov. 5, 1990 and the decision date was Dec. 28, 1990—Reversed and Remanded. I was told that it had to do with the excessively long time it took to appoint an appellate attorney. I don’t know, I didn’t get a chance to get into the case. I had to tell the librarian what case I was interested in, then he had to find it and bring me the book. I had time to write down the case name, the decision and then a few of the cites mentioned. Next thing I know, it was time to leave and I had to give the book back.

And I received my first visit: Patty Daniels came over and saw me for about an hour and a half yesterday (Wednesday, the 29th). They put me into the booth as Patty came out (after she visited someone else). Then she asked me what I wanted. ???!!! I didn’t have any idea what she was talking about. I finally replied, “I was called out here by you , what do you want?” She laughed (a beautiful laugh) and said “No, I mean what do you want to eat or drink?”

Then I remembered something Jim told me earlier, so I asked for a Pepsi. She wanted to know if I wanted a sandwich or anything and I said that I didn’t feel comfortable about her spending her money on me. Again she laughed, told me it came from an expense account and for me not to worry. So she brought me a BBQ beef sandwich and a Pepsi. Good Lord, they tasted good! There were all kinds of vending machines out there that I didn’t even notice when I entered and I walked right past them ! Patty and I talked about a lot of different subjects; she had me talking so much about myself I didn’t get a chance to learn anything about her ! But I do think I settled her fears about the book. While we were visiting she had me sit by the window after she saw me looking out it before she joined me in the booth. Had a great view of part of the bay. Couldn’t see THE Bridge , but I could see the toll bridge that we travelled over when I arrived here. The windows of the visiting room face East, so I get a fairly decent view of the San Francisco skyline. All in all, it was a very nice visit.

I got my hands on a very good Thriller/Mystery novel. Clive Cussler’s “Night Probe.” Also got the catalog of available books in the SQ library and noticed several more of his books that are available. I’m going to look forward to reading his “Vixen 03” and “Raise the Titanic!” All three books are ‘DIRK PITT’ books, the central character that has the most exhilarating adventures. In “Night Probe” he comes up against a British Intelligence Agent named ‘Brian Shaw’. From hints and other statements, you know that ‘Shaw’ is an alias given to this “Super” agent when he retired from Her Majesties Secret Service. But the book doesn’t come right out and SAY that Brian Shaw is James Bond, even though the hints are rife throughout the book. Anyway, it is a real good read. I haven’t read anything I liked this much since I last read the Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonrider of Pern series, 10 books strong!

My TV Guide subscription has finally been transferred to this new address. Now if I only had a TV to use it with. Still waiting for my crossword puzzle subscription to catch up with me. Going to be strange working crossword puzzles in ink again. I used to do my crosswords in ink all the time. Bonnie would get frustrated working them in pencil and have so many erasures, she sometimes erased through the puzzles, Cheryl hated crossword puzzles, just as she hated any word game. Cheryl’s speed was ‘SORRY’ and ‘LIFE’! Any game that required her to think , she stayed away from. Aw, but the sad times in my life are depressing. I’d rather keep my mind occupied with the happier times. And that said—I think I’ll end this letter so I can get it out tonight. Take care and I’ll talk to you on the phone soon.

Brian—

Just a quick note to let you know that the accompanying letter from the memorabilia collector is the one I told you about on the phone. If you really want a response written by me for the book, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll not be wasting my time on his letter.

I hope today was a lot better for you than it was for me. One of the c/o’s finally got me a pair of shoes (that I was supposed to have gotten when I first arrived here). Of course, they were a little late as I already got a nice pair of Tennis Shoes on my own (going to cost me 2 books of postage stamps when I get them). I stayed in all day. Had a nice Christmas Dinner. Those were the good points. The bad?! I had to put up with ear-shattering yelling from downstairs. And my allergies erupted with a vengence… Sneezing and a nose-running marathon.

While it was quiet this morning (people sleeping and out to the yard), I re-wrote page 13 of “Whisper From the Dark”. Changed a few things, added a whole new aspect to the ‘Cloaked Figure’! That character is now an “outcast Ancient” by the name of “ZERNEBOCK”. By the way, the name did not come from ZELLERBACH. According to the New York Times Crossword Puzzle Dictionary, “Zernebock” is the name of the “God of Evil, incarnate”! When did the Ancients roam both the Land and the Earth? That will be answered in the story. But it coincides with a minor belief of mine about a missing part of the Bible in the book of Genesis. And it happened long, long before the Dinosaurs were roaming the Earth.