Characters in the Hunter & Holmes Mystery Series

Eric Acosta. When we first meet him, Eric is the abused and neglected kid living in the small town of Springdale that Jason and Daniel go down to intervene with after his aunt tells Jason that Eric has suffered some sort of attack and has shut himself off from the rest of the world. Eric is one of the main characters in Book 2 of the Hunter & Holmes Mystery Series, Double Fugue. When Jason, Daniel, and Mr. Connor go down to Springdale they are appalled at his condition and what he had suffered through. But once they are able to get Eric away from his abusive and friendless life, Eric turns out to be a very nice normal boy with a lot of heart and potential.

After Jason and Daniel help Eric recover from the abuse and neglect he has experienced, we discover that Eric is an attractive and handsome young teenager with a tall slender body, big feet, and blonde towhead of hair. He has brown eyes and a winning smile. With good posture he is about an inch taller than Daniel. Eric is an outstanding swimmer whose interest in the sport had been derailed by his abusive stepfather. He also has musical abilities, and is becoming an excellent bass player. He becomes a regular character in the series and a member of Daniel's band.

Teresa Barnwell. Teresa is Timothy Wilkinson's girl friend and the person most responsible for Jason Hunter investigating Tim's situation at Camp Chinquapin in the third Hunter & Holmes mystery, When The Chips Are Down. Like Tim, Teresa was on the outs from her family. Abandoned by her father, whom she never knew, and then turned over to the foster care system when she was nine by her mother, Teresa struggled to survive with no family support. Because she truly understood the feelings going through Tim's head when he became estranged from his parents, she could interpret what he was trying to tell the outside world in his letters from the camp. She pleaded with Jason to check out what was going on with Timothy after his letters mysteriously stopped coming.

Joe Connor. Joe is a retired business owner and former Special Forces operative who Daniel first met when his father Gary invited Joe over for dinner one evening. Gary had met Joe by accident at a Rotary Club luncheon, and the two hit it off. Daniel got to know him a little at the dinner. They found they had something in common: they both liked to wear chucks. Joe used to sell them in his surplus store before he retired. When Daniel and Jason were just getting started as detectives, they consulted with Joe and they developed a friendship. Mr. Connor also helped them when they went to intervene with Eric Acosta, serving as their driver and counselor. Because of his exceptional powers of observation and knowledge of people, Jason asked Mr. Connor to serve on the board of his Whatever Foundation.

Victor Encino. Jason’s second cousin Victor Encino was just about the only person in town that he didn’t get along with. But his parents insisted that Jason do things with him because even though the Encinos were not close relatives, they were considered “family”. One of the reasons that Jason didn’t get along with Victor was because he was always trying to prove how much better he was than Jason or anyone else. They could never have just normal time to talk or have fun. Instead every activity they did together was always a challenge designed in such a way that Vic would have the advantage. Victor wanted to become a professional baseball player and liked to wear the latest in logo athletic wear. He was a year younger than Jason and lived with his mom and little brother Kyle.

Marilyn and Jorge Ferreira. Marilyn and Jorge are Eric’s aunt and uncle, who agree to take him in after a very troubling call that Marilyn received from Anna Acosta, Eric’s mother. They live just down the street from the Hunter family and knew about Jason’s kidnapping and his success as a detective. They ask Jason for his assistance in trying to get through to Eric, because Jason is the same age as Eric, and he understands what it is like to be the victim of a crime. Marilyn and Jorge have already raised two sons, but take in Eric as their own. They are very warm and loving people, down to earth, and provide a great cushion of stability for Eric. They do everything that they can to make him feel welcome here and recover from his ordeal. Marilyn is like everyone’s favorite grandmother or aunt, and is an excellent cook. Jorge works as a mechanic and likes to do repairs and other practical activities around the house.

Laura Friesen. Laura is Jason’s girl friend, and their relationship develops as the series goes along. Laura is a very pretty brunette with a fit and shapely body. Laura is well tanned from spending a lot of time in and around her swimming pool. Jason is physically attracted to her, and knows that she is making a play for him. Laura has had her eye on Jason for a while and was hoping that maybe their friendship could develop into something more. When Jason went missing, Laura was very upset by it and moped around the house all week. She and her best friend, Diana Miglione, went out and bought new low cut Converse chucks as a good luck charm to bring Jason back home. Laura later told Jason that “It is so much nicer seeing you here in my back yard than on the news.” Laura lives in a big house with an Olympic sized swimming pool. She gave him a pool party to welcome him back after his ordeal of being kidnapped. Jason was very grateful. “Thanks for thinking about me, Laura. The thought of friends like you is what got me through my ordeal.”

Melinda and Gary Holmes. Daniel’s parents are both accountants and run a financial services business from their home. They moved to the Silicon Valley from the Baltimore area just a couple of years ago. Because they work from their house, they are more aware of Daniel’s daily activities, and become very concerned about Daniel’s state of mind after Jason goes missing in the first novel. Gary helps Daniel deal with his emotions during that horrible week. Daniel’s parents also play a significant role in the second novel Double Fugue. Things in the Holmes household become strained when Daniel believes that for the first time in their relationship his parents are hiding things from him, and when some interesting things about their past are revealed. Much of Daniel’s look comes from his mom, Melinda, who also has jet black hair, dark eyes, and Italian features.

Antonio Garcia. Antonio Garcia is a rugged looking officer in his early thirties, When we first meet him he is the lieutenant in charge of the Missing Persons Unit in the Silicon Valley Police Department. He was one of the first responders when Edith Hunter called the police about Jason’s disappearance. He then made the decision to activate Jason’s case with a full team. With so little hard evidence to go on, his task is very daunting. He describes it to his colleague, Detective Andrea Spencer this way: “Damn, this is the worst type of missing persons case! Already five hours have passed by, an intelligent and charming poster boy kid with loving family and friends has suddenly vanished into thin air from our showcase downtown park, in our low crime rate city, in the middle of broad daylight. If the media gets on this before we find anything substantive out, I sure hope we can come up with some good answers for the mayor, chief of police, and every concerned parent when they ask us. ‘How could this happen here?’ ” As the series develops, Antonio, Jason and Daniel become closer as they work together on other mysteries that they are both involved in. Antonio Garcia is promoted to Captain and Chief of Detectives in Book 3, When The Chips Are Down.

Bill and Edith Hunter. Bill and Edith Hunter are Jason’s parents. Bill owns an art import/export business with a gallery in town and Edith works for a software company in their marketing department. They play quite an important role in the first novel. First they are devastated when Jason is kidnapped, and they agonize over why he was picked out because they had made a point of raising Jason right, and always being honorable and forthright with their clients. Bill and Edith also don’t understand why their family would be targeted because they are a typical middle class family and don’t have a lot of money like many Silicon Valley CEOs. After Jason and Daniel start doing detective work, they keep a watchful eye on Jason, although they are generally supportive of what he wants to do, for example when he is asked to intervene with Eric Acosta. Like all moms, Edith gets upset with Jason when he takes what she considers to be unnecessary risks. Jason gets his sandy blonde hair and much of his look from her side of the family.

Chauncey Jackson. Chauncey is a star athlete at Merriam High School, and someone that Jason has known since kindergarten. They have always maintained their friendship even though they now travel in very different circles. Jason has great respect for Chauncey’s athletic abilities and knowledge of how to succeed in the face of adversity, and still relishes the competition they have when they play a one-on-one game. Chauncey respects Jason for his brilliant analytical mind and because he always treated him as an equal and a friend since they were five years old. Jason calls on their friendship while he is trying to solve his own case, and they both realize how important their friendship is to each other. Chauncey often hangs with his A-list guys, other athletes that he often gets together with to play pickup basketball games.

Cody Johnson. Cody is a big bluff surfer from Malibu who was sent to Camp Chinquapin by a family member who wanted to get rid of him and control the family finances. He was taken to the boot camp against his will, and the injustice of what was done to him caused him to fight against the camp system however he could. Just like Timothy, he was sent to “anger management training” to break down his will to resist the camp authorities. Later Cody and Jason develop a special bond of friendship as Jason helps Cody heal from the horrible experiences he had to endure, and encourages Cody to go for his dream and become an oceanographer.

Richard Liu. Richard is a neighbor of Jason, and they have played pickup basketball games together for many years. When a series of hijackings plague the DCC Chip Company where his father is the Vice President of Operations and the police are unable to discover the perpetrators, Richard asks Jason and Daniel to help investigate because he is afraid that his family will lose everything if the company goes bankrupt. With the cooperation of Richard's father, Junjie, Jason and Daniel bring a “fresh set of eyes” to the investigation, and pose as student reporters when they visit the plant to see what is going on.

Diana Miglione. Diana is Laura’s best friend and Daniel’s girl friend in the series. Diana is a singer and musician like Daniel and they met in the school’s advanced choir. As Daniel describes their friendship, “Mostly we have focused on our musical interests when we are together. Or we just do fun things together like riding our bikes. I really do feel a strong connection when I am with her, though.” At get-togethers or parties, the two of them will huddle and discuss their musical interests with great passion and intensity. Diana was also responsible for Daniel’s chance meeting with Ethan Savage because she overheard her uncle who worked on his security team mention that he would be leaving town on Valley Road, a popular bicycling route. Diana’s mother is a fabulous baker and sometimes Diana helps her with her catering business.

David and Davey Molinari. David Molinari is the instrumental music teacher at Merriam High School in the Silicon valley. David really has the look and presence of a symphony conductor. He is six feet tall, with a jet black shock of hair, and very Italian facial features, including a Roman nose, and piercing dark brown eyes that could stare anyone down through his rimless eyeglasses. In Double Fugue, he was the conductor of the honor orchestra that Robert Fischer and several other Merriam High School students performed in.

David could be genial and friendly with his students but when he was involved with music he was all business. The students loved and respected him because he was a genuine teacher and leader. As he result he always had fine ensembles at Merriam High School and in the community. His family also includes his wife, Marie, and eleven year old son, David, Jr., who was called Davey. Marie was about five feet six inches, with light brown hair and light complexion. Davey was an enthusiastic bicyclist, and that interest is how the Molinaris first get hooked up with Daniel and eventually Jason. Davey’s hair and facial features come from his mother, and he has a sprinkling of freckles on his face.

Rebecca Navarro. Rebecca Navarro is a pert brunette with pretty brown eyes, a few freckles, a nice smile and a slender build. Just like Eric Acosta, Rebecca was new to the Silicon Valley. Not only that, but when they met, they had an immediate rapport, something Eric really needed, given all the adversity that he had been experiencing in his life. Later Eric told Daniel that his life was complete if he could swim competitively, play the bass, and spend the rest of his time with Rebecca.

Jaime Orlando. Jaime is a television news reporter for KHHT television in the Silicon Valley. He is able to get Jason's cell phone number from Captain Garcia, and persuades Jason to meet him face to face. He proposes that they set up an informal network of information sharing. Although hesitant at first, eventually Jason agrees, and the arrangement turns out to be incredibly beneficial for both of them.

Dominic Sanchez and Martin Severino. Dominic and Martin are retired Navy SEALs who used to work on covert operations with Joe Connor. Joe calls them in to help Jason and Daniel when they become determined to search for Tim and Cody. Martin is a muscular man in his mid-forties with dark hair in a brush cut, dark brown eyes, a ski slope nose, and military style mustache. Dominic is a little younger than Martin, taller, and much thinner. He has short hair, a moon shaped face with rugged features and a big smile.

Justin Thorne. Justin is several years younger than Jason. He is the son of Randall Thorne, the manager of the bank where the Hunter family does business. They first met in Little League, when Jason was asked by one of the coaches to help Justin with baseball fundamentals. That help turned Jason's life around because now he could compete with the other boys on a more equal basis. When he heard about Jason's kidnapping, Justin returned the favor by sending him a Willy Mays baseball card and a thank you note that really helped uplift Jason's spirit when he was feeling down. Jason told Justin that if he ever wanted to bat some balls around to just give him a call. Eventually Justin did take Jason up on his offer which led to another adventure, when Justin went missing the morning that they were supposed to play ball. Later, Jason continued to mentor Justin and help him become a happier person.

Timothy Wilkinson. Timothy Wilkinson was a kid with a lot of talent as a musician and actor, but whose life had begun to fall apart when his parents had a messy divorce, and his mother remarried. Timothy took all these events very personally, and began acting out in school and toward his mother and stepfather. Even more devastating was the absence of his real father in his life during this time. Eventually Tim's behavior was so out of control that his mother and stepfather, who he disliked and didn't get along with at all, decided to send Timothy to Camp Chinquapin, a boot camp for teenagers. Cut off from his family and friends, Tim fought hard against the system. When the camp authorities decided to send him to “anger management training”, his girl friend Teresa became very concerned for his safety because suddenly all communication with him was cut off. After his first appearance in When The Chips Are Down, Tim becomes a regular in the series.

Jeffrey Wilkinson. Jeff Wilkinson was a very successful building contractor who had a very bad run of luck in his life. He starting drinking a lot and having extra-marital affairs. His wife divorced him and got hold of nearly everything in his life, including custody of his children, Timothy and Grace. Rather than fight to retain his rights as a father, he continued a downward spiral until a friend of his got him to take a look at his life and give up drinking. Slowly he got his life back together and then at a very opportune time, took the steps to get back into Tim's life.