When Opportunity Strikes 8

Mavis' eyes lit up when she saw Jean and Lucien enter her hospital room that evening, 'ello Luvvies!' she cried out with delight. 'You two are a sight for sore eyes!'

Jean leaned forward and gave Mavis a swift kiss on the cheek and handed her a small parcel of her shortbread. 'How are you feeling, Mavis?' she asked.

'Fine, I'm fine. But going stir-crazy in this place! When can I go home, Doc?' Mavis asked Lucien.

'Well, let's have a look'. Lucien read the chart at the foot of her bed, then he examined Mavis, shining a torch in her eyes, testing her reactions, gently manipulating her head from side to side and inspected the dressing on her forehead. 'Any soreness in the neck or headache?'

'A little bit of a head, but mainly the bump throbs a bit.' Mavis indicated her bandaged forehead.

'Let me see you walk about a bit please, Mavis' Lucien instructed.

Mavis swung her feet over the side of the bed and walked to the end of the room and back with no difficulty. 'I been getting up to go to the loo by myself all day, can't stand the idea of a bedpan!' she declared. Mavis then returned to bed and rearranged the sheets over herself.

'Well, I'd say it is safe for you go to home tomorrow,' replied Lucien. Mavis smiled broadly. 'But,' Lucien continued, 'the after effects of a concussion can be troublesome. You may have headaches or experience fatigue. I need you to take it easy for a while.'

Mavis' smile had faded. 'Can't I go back to the shop?'

'Can you promise me you will just sit there and not do any lifting or anything strenuous? Office work should be fine as long as you stay quiet,' asked Lucien somewhat sternly.

'I can tell the other ladies to keep an eye on her as well,' put in Jean.

Mavis sighed. 'Yes, alright. I promise.'

'Then you can go back in after the weekend, providing, you keep your promise.' Declared Lucien. 'You need to stay at home and rest until then.'

Mavis smiled in relief. She was a too active and busy person to be happy lolling around in bed all day. 'Thanks Doc.'

Jean looked at Mavis, 'Have you remembered anything else about who might have done this to you?' she asked.

Shaking her head carefully Mavis replied, 'No. And I have thought and thought. Not much else to do in here but think! All I can remember is someone knocked at the back door, Ben answered it and was talking to someone, then there was that sort of thump. Nothing else, I think maybe I got up to see, heard a noise or something… but nothing else.'

'You may never remember everything, Mavis' said Lucien. 'Try not to worry about it, head injuries can be funny things, you might remember tomorrow, or next year, or never.'

'Ah well,' sighed Mavis. Then she brightened a bit and patted the side of her bed and said to Jean, 'Sit here Jean, dear, I could use a good chinwag. Tell me everything that has been happening!'

Jean sat as directed and Lucien settled himself down in the visitors' chair. Between the two of them they filled Mavis in on all the details of the shop, Pat and what they could about the investigation into Ben's death.

'Goodness!' she exclaimed when she heard that Pat had been sleeping under her back stairs. 'Is that where he's been kipping? And I just thought the garbos were being a bit slack lately in their pick-ups. Poor old bugger. You know he was gassed?' Pat informed Lucien.

'Oh?' replied Lucien. 'Well, that could explain a lot…' he mused.

A disturbing thought occurred to Mavis, and she turned to Jean, 'Who's looking after Ben? He's got no family, I guess I was the closest to him after Pat. I don't want him going in a pauper's grave!'

'Don't worry Mavis,' said Jean consolingly, 'The RSL is going to give him a funeral, with full honours and he will be buried in the serviceman's section of the Ballarat Cemetery.'

'You told us he was a hero,' continued Lucien, 'we found his medals in his desk at the shop. He must have been a very brave man.'

'He was,' nodded Mavis gravely. 'And I'm glad you found his medals, I wasn't sure where he had them hid. I've already had that Baker feller sniffing around here asking me if I had any medals to sell! As if I'd sell Ben's medals to that weasel!' Mavis was indignant.

'Really? Does he often buy medals from you?' said Jean with raised eyebrows, surprized to hear that Baker had been visiting Mavis.

'He tries, but any that do come in I send straight to the RSL and he's not getting his hands on these ones either! I'm going to give them to the RSL where they will be put on display and properly respected. With Ben's name underneath and what he did to get them written up in nice words!' declared Mavis stoutly.

'I think that would be an excellent idea,' said Lucien approvingly.

Visiting hours were nearly finished, so they made their farewells before the Head Nurse could throw them out. Jean promised to visit Mavis and let her know how the shop reopening went, and Lucien also arranged to come with Jean to check Mavis over again.

As Jean and Lucien walked out of the hospital, Jean turned to Lucien and asked, 'I wonder if Mr. Baker was really asking about Ben's medals? Or was he hinting at something else?'

'Hmmmm.' Was Lucien's only answer.

…..

Early next morning at 8am saw Jean arrive at the Animal Charities Op-Shop with key in hand. Standing outside the shop waiting was Bill Hobart.

'Good morning Bill!' greeted Jean. 'Matthew still wants you here today?'

'Morning Mrs. B.' he answered back. 'Yes, the Boss says to stick around for a while, interview customers, keep an eye on things.'

'Well, I hope it won't be too boring for you!' she replied.

Bill smiled back, 'Bit of a holiday, really, Mrs. B.'

Jean opened the shop and let Bill in, then locked the door behind them. Looking over the shop as she entered, she strode to the office and flung over her shoulder, 'What say we have a cup of tea first? I've brought the milk as well as some of my shortbread. It's a bit early for sweet things, but I won't tell if you don't.'

Bill followed her into the office with alacrity. Jean's shortbread was not to be missed. While they drank their tea and indulged in a sweet biscuit each, Jean reviewed the accounts once more. Bill briefed Jean on how he would approach customers. Betty Jamison, the volunteer who was helping Jean today arrived, knocked on the window and was let in. Jean introduced Betty to Bill, explained why he was there, showed her the arrangement of the mirror and then it was time to start the day.

Jean unlocked the front door promptly at 9am, surprised to see a small bustle of 9 or 10 people waiting for her to do so. As the group filed in they smiled and chatted with her, crowding around to find out about Mavis, how she was doing and when she would be returning. There were a few curious questions about Ben's death as well, but when Jean told them to ask Sergeant Hobart, 'over there', about that, the questions dried up.

But Jean was quite surprised at how personable Bill could be with the customers. He had stationed himself by the front door, and while he wasn't exactly cheerful, he was certainly pleasant to the them all. He was polite and discreet with his questions, taking names and statements as unobtrusively as possible. After a few minutes she all but forgot he was there but was amused later to turn and see him patiently holding up two frocks in front of an elderly woman who was debating which to buy. Jean was even more delighted inside when the old dear ended up buying both frocks 'on the recommendation of that nice young policeman over there.' Jean sent Bill a quizzical look, he just shrugged back at her with a wry smile.

The shop was flat out all morning. Betty and Jean hardly had a moment to take a breath. Jean tried to stay behind the counter as much as possible where she could keep an eye on everything. Near to lunch Trash and Treasure flounced in and began to rifle through the 'after 5' rack of dresses, trying things on and rejecting them onto the floor. Jean pursed her lips and kept a close eye on their antics, but then was interrupted by Betty who had a confusing question from a customer.

'Jean, its most peculiar, but I've got a lady asking for her donation back!' Betty tipped her head in the direction of a washed out, tired looking woman in the front corner of the shop. Jean looked back at Betty and shook her head a bit in disbelief.

'You're kidding!' she exclaimed softly. 'I don't know if we can do that, I've never had anyone ask for things back before. I guess, if she can tell you when she left it, what it was and get her name we can search the storeroom afterhou….'

Jean caught a glimpse of something in the mirror across the room. She was sure she had just seen 'Trash' roll up and slip a lovely silk scarf into her handbag!

Distracted, she glanced back at Betty and said, 'Get her name and number, I'll call her later.' And Jean returned her attention to the mirror in time to see 'Treasure' stuff a satin blouse into her bag.

'Gotcha'!' thought Jean to herself. Quickly and quietly she slipped over to Bill. Turning her back to Trash and Treasure she pretended to fix something in the window display while whispering to Bill out of the side of her mouth, 'Those two women by the dressing room, the ones that have been throwing clothes about, they just stuffed their handbags full of goods.'

Bill shot a keen glance at the ladies then looked away.

'Right', he muttered quietly back. 'Got 'em. You go back to the counter, if they buy the stuff then no worries, but if they try to leave the shop, I'll nick 'em.'

Jean scuttled back to the counter and plastered an innocent, bland smile on her face as she looked about the shop. A young teen approached the counter and handed over some money to buy a rhinestone hair clip she fancied. Trash and Treasure were moving around the shop, angling towards the doorway. While Jean took the girl's money she couldn't watch what Trash and Treasure were up to, but she certainly heard it.

'CERTAINLY NOT!' shrilled Trash.

'How DARE you!' screeched Treasure.

Heads turned to watch in delighted shock. Bill blocked the doorway impassively. He looked at both women again and repeated his request, 'Please ladies, I need to see inside your bags.'

'You have NO right!' Trash was indignant.

Bill simply gestured to the sign clearly posted behind the counter that read 'We reserve the right to search all bags' and reached for the bags.

'Well I NEVER' huffed Treasure. She and Bill engaged in a bit of a tug-of-war before she finally relinquished her handbag. With a snort Trash followed suit. Bill opened both bags and withdrew the items in question.

'Ladies?' he queried. 'What are these?'

'Oh!' tittered Treasure, 'I must have forgotten to pay!'

'You too?' Bill asked Trash.

'Must have.' She replied insolently.

'Ladies, I am afraid I have to arrest you both for shoplifting. I need you to come down to the station with me. Now.' Bill was grim.

Trash sputtered, and Treasure looked pale and frightened. 'You can't…' she whimpered. 'Can't I just pay now….'

'Do you know who you are dealing with?' declared Trash. 'I'll have your badge for this! Arresting me over second-hand clothes!'

Bill merely looked over to Jean and said, 'I have to take these items of clothing in for evidence. These two ladies will be coming to the station with me. I'll check back in later.' He stuffed the clothes back into the bags, looped them over his arm and then grasping each woman firmly by the wrist that he hustled the two protesting ladies out of the shop, much to the delight of the onlooking customers.

'Well I never!' said a flabbergasted Betty approaching the counter.

Jean looked around the shop at the thrilled customers cheerfully gossiping about the latest drama in the shop and sighed. 'With luck this will stop the thefts. I cannot know what or why they were doing it!' Looking around the shop she searched for the woman Betty had been talking to.

'Betty? Where did your customer go? The one who wanted items returned?' she asked.

Betty shook her head, 'As soon as Bill left, she ran out of the shop. Refused to leave her name or number like you asked.'

'I wonder…' mused Jean. Just then another customer demanded her attention and she put that thought out of her mind.

…..

Sorry if you couldn't find this chapter. For some reason the system keeps putting coding into the story. Hopefully it works this time...