Virgil sat on the sand, hugging his knees. He had changed back into his regular red check shirt and jeans, but he had removed his boots and left them at the top of the beach, out of the way of the waves. He wiggled his toes into the sand and wondered what kind of information John could have come up with that merited meeting here, on mom's beach.
If John had chosen to talk to him here, then clearly, he was concerned about Virgil's possible reaction. No one ever raised a voice on mom's beach. This was where they came to remember her, to think about her. If ever religion was considered amongst the family, this was their quiet place for such contemplations. John knew that Virgil would control his reactions here on this beach. What kind of information could he have found that would prompt him this far?
A hand dropped lightly on his shoulder holding a can of beer. Virgil accepted the offering, and cracked it open at once, savoring the flavour of his favourite brew.
"This is an ominous sign."
"It's a beer."
Virgil glanced round as his older brother dropped lightly down on to the sand beside him, placing his backpack down behind him and leaning casually against it.
"Well, a beer on the beach with my brother is a good start anyway. How many have you got there?"
John grinned cracking open a can for himself and taking a long swig.
"Enough to take the edge off the pain without adding any more to it."
Virgil nodded.
"Fair enough. I gather the news you have for me will give me all the pain I need?"
John met his eyes.
"It's…"
He faltered, and Virgil felt for him. Clearly imparting bad news whatever its nature was not John's forte. John's powerful feelings for his family made him too sympathetic. He would make a terrible field medic in that case, and a worse doctor. He took another sip of his drink and gave his brother an encouraging nod.
"Johnny, whatever it is, I'm going to have to find out; and I would sooner you told me than find out some other way. Tell me what you've found before I get too blotto to care."
John nodded and removed his computer pad from his bag and activated it.
"At first the information seemed straight-forward. I became suspicious because I did not have to hack into anyone's systems to find it. You know as well as I do how hard it can be to dig up the personal files of orphaned and; or adopted children."
Virgil nodded.
"I know. All in the understandable cause of child protection. You mean the files on Connie weren't protected?"
John shook his head.
"Just a single layer of protection. That's all. I found details of the crash that killed her parents, and her older brother, and a pair of twin girls that were taken to an orphanage and later adopted by two different families. Then the information said that the adoptive parents of one of the girls emigrated to California, whilst the other child was taken to Orkney by her new parents."
Virgil nodded, a gleam in his eye.
"Identical twins? That would explain a lot!"
John looked doubtful.
"That's what I thought at first, but Virge, you need to read the whole file. I was worried because of the lack of security on the files, and I asked Eos to check it out. Here, I downloaded everything I found, and Eos' findings as well. Look for yourself."
Virgil read the file through, and his face fell. Finally, he looked up.
"Okay, I can see why you are worried. But it still explains who she is."
"But Virge, if all that information about the twins was already in the files, why did someone have to go to all the trouble to delete it all and replace it? Some of this is obviously a fabrication, and we know that the information on Connie is true, so it follows that any fabrication has to be in connection with her twin."
"John, you're suggesting that either there was no twin, or that there was, and the twin died or something. But if that is the case, then who the hell is Bonnie? That would bring it back to being the Hood in disguise or something, and I just cannot believe it."
John looked sympathetic.
"Virgil, I'm not telling you what this means, neither am I telling you what you should or should not believe about it. Kayo and Penny are investigating things for you. I've given them this information, and they'll check it out. They can at least find people who knew the girls and confirm what we've learnt. I would say that this information would answer our questions about Bonnie if that file had not been deleted and rewritten. Almost as if someone knew we would want to check it out sometime."
"Eos is not mistaken about it?"
John shook his head.
"She told me the file was deleted by a computer virus programmed to destroy all personal details about Connie Hayes. She said that it was cleverly done, but that the date stamp of the new file is irrefutable. Just eighteen months ago. The original file is deleted beyond recovery, but the space it vacated is still there, with the original date stamp of when the original file was created…in the early summer of 2040."
Virgil bit his lip.
"Well I don't know who could be responsible for that. Certainly, Connie would not have known anything about her personal information being tampered with. She would have been incensed. As for Bonnie, it seems to me that someone is using her somehow to get to me, but she is no less real for all that."
John drank the last of his can of beer.
"She is certainly a real girl, and she seems very…ordinary…I mean, nothing that might suggest she is the Hood in disguise or anything."
He turned to his younger brother, anguish on Virgil's behalf showing on his face.
"Virgil, I truly hope everything turns out the way you hope it will…but in case it doesn't, please try not to fall too far. I can't bear the thought of you being hurt all over again."
Virgil managed a wan smile.
"It was already too late for that John, the moment I first laid eyes on her. If it's any comfort to you, she has already turned me down. She wants to be loved for herself, not for the ghost of someone else."
John shook his head in wonder. He opened his mouth to comment; but thought better of it and grabbed two more beers from his pack instead.
"Here bro, perhaps this will help to dull everything for a few hours."
The two brothers drank their beer, and reminisced until they both fell asleep. Darkness fell over the island, and the two brothers slept on their mother's beach safely side by side, Virgil resting his head on John's chest. It was just after midnight that, on being missed by their family, were both located through their watches.
"On mother's beach?" Asked Gordon, in puzzled amusement. "Together? Shall I go and check on them?"
Jeff shook his head.
"It's alright, son. You and the others get back to bed. I'll go down there. I can find my way to Lucille Beach blindfolded."
Jeff found his sons sleeping peacefully and couldn't help smiling at the sight. This was the sort of thing that had happened a lot when these two were children; especially if one or both of them had things on their minds. It was not difficult to guess what had happened; especially when he shone his torch around them and found the empty beer cans. He collected the cans and placed them back into John's backpack; and withdrew from it the emergency kit he knew sensible John always kept in there. He unfolded the emergency foil blanket and spread it over the two of them, then stood back, resisting the temptation to photograph them. They were far enough up the beach to be safe from the high tide, so they could be safely left. They would likely benefit from the time together. He smiled, kissed them both lightly on the forehead, and returned quietly to the villa.
In lady Penelope's drawing room, Kayo sat with Penny and Parker, sipping English tea, discussing the information John had sent them.
"We seem to have two avenues to investigate, Kayo." Penny said thoughtfully. "Both girls. Bonnie…or Sonia Warren as she was; and Connie, or Amelia Warren as she was."
Kayo nodded.
"Well, we already know a great deal about Connie's background. She and Virgil practically grew up together. I remember her adoptive parents pretty well."
"Are they dead?" Parker enquired. Kayo shook her head.
"No. After Connie's death, they decided to get as far away from California as they could. They are working for some charity in Africa, looking after elephants in a sanctuary. `Doing something useful with the time they have left' as they put it." Kayo replied. "I suggest that we split up, Penny. One of us can find the place in Ireland where they were taken after they were orphaned, find out if there really was two of them, and if necessary, go to Africa and speak to the Hayes' about what they know. The other should go straight to the Orkney Islands, and find out everything they can about Bonnie. Her adoptive parents, who they are, what they're like, where she lived, her schoolteachers…"
Penny nodded.
"Well, Parker and I ought to go to Orkney. I can use the story that I am contemplating employing her and wish to check up on her before I make the offer. That will give me every reason to be there and ask questions."
Kayo grinned.
"Good idea. That means I am off to Cork in Ireland."
"Cork? Oh yes, where the Warren family came from and where the children were born. Kayo…be careful. If the Hood is somehow behind this…and I am hoping we are wrong this time, but if he is, he won't appreciate us poking around."
"Well, if Bonnie is a plant somehow, and the Hood is involved, then you will be in even more danger."
Penny nodded, smiling serenely. She nodded towards Parker, who was reluctantly serving tea in a saucer to Sherbet.
"I will have Parker to watch my back. All the best Kayo. Let's keep in touch."
Kayo laid her half empty teacup aside and stood up.
"I'd better get started. I'll let you know what I find. Parker."
Kayo made it as far as the doorway when the little pug reached her side and yapped indignantly. Kayo grinned bent down and scratched his head.
"You look after those two won't you Bertie?"
Sherbet yapped in response and Kayo winked at him.
"Good man."
She hurried outside. Presently, Penny and Parker heard Thunderbird Shadow taking off. Penny stood up.
"Parker we too must prepare to leave."
Parker nodded and collected up the tea things. He frowned as he looked into Kayo's cup.
"Milady! Miss Kayo did not drink her tea!"
