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The Junkyard

Chapter 25

"Heading out for a little walk while it is still cool outside?" Megan, who was already behind her little reception desk, greeted him with a smile and a friendly nod. "Good morning."

Heero returned the gesture. "Good morning. Well, kind off. I figured I'd run to that coffee shop down on main street. The coffee here at the hotel is...just terrible. No offense."

"Non taken." She chuckled. "To be honest," she lowered her voice as if she was revealing some kind of secret, and winked. "I have always been suspecting some kind of conspiracy between our kitchen staff and Penny's Cafe to make all our guests go there. I mean really, is it even possible to cook coffee this bad without trying very hard?"

The young man laughed as he turned to leave. "I think you could be on to something." He almost reached the door when she called out to him.

"Oh, Mister Yuy, I almost forgot. This was in your mail-slot this morning."

She was holding up a small white envelope.

With a slight frown Heero walked back to the counter. "Who is it from?" he wanted to know.

The young woman shrugged. "It was here already when I started my shift this morning. I suppose the night clerk must have put it in. But there isn't an entry in the book; we usually make a note of every delivery for any of our guests."

"Okay, thanks." Still frowning the young man studied the envelope as he crossed the lobby again and walked out of the hotel. Someone had printed his name on the paper with that seemed to have been a felt tip marker but there was no stamp or return address. He turned the envelope over to check the back, but it was empty.

The sun was up already and with it the heat of the day had returned. It looked like it was going to be another scorcher.

Walking slowly down the street Heero pulled his car keys from his pocket and sliced open the top of the envelope. Inside was a letter, written with the same marker on a piece of yellow lined paper. His frown only deepened as his eyes flew over the short note. There was no signature or name; nothing indicating who might have sent him the message and why.

As he reached the coffee shop Heero carefully folded the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket. He walked into the store, still lost in thought and didn't even notice the man sitting at one of the tables until he called out to him.

"Mister Yuy?"

He turned his head, slightly surprised, then recognized the old man. "Doctor... Fletcher was it, wasn't it?" he said as he stepped closer.

"That's right, but everyone here just calls me Doc. You are alone today?"

"My friend isn't as much of a morning person as I am, so I figured I would get some coffee while he is still asleep. Mind if I grab a cup and join you for a bit."

"Not at all, go ahead."

"Can I get you another one as well, Doctor?" Heero asked with a nod at the other man's half empty cup.

"No, no I am already on my second. That's more than enough for my old ticker."

Heero nodded understandingly. He walked over to the counter, bought a large cup of dark roast and went back to the table where Doc Fletcher was sitting.

"You know your way around town, right Doctor? So you probably can tell me where I can find a place called McGinty's," he asked as he settled down across from the old man.

"McGinty's pub?" Doc Fletcher scratched his head. "You can't, not anymore that is. The place closed down about ten years ago."

"Closed down?" Heero echoed.

"Yeah. 't was a bloody shame too. McGinty's was a fine Irish pub. Had been around since the town was founded. But with the mining company using all that new technology and so many people out of work back in the 90s, there weren't many left who could afford to go there. They hung on as long as they could. but finally sold the pub, and a few years later, after the economy picked up a bit, it was expanded and reopened as a family restaurant, The Claim Jumper."

"The mining company?" It was the second time Heero had heard that term. "What is it they are mining for?"

"Well, Emeralds of course." The doc told him. "Green emeralds; it's what put this town first on the map, you know. You see, back during the gold rush down in California a handful of families from Ireland threw together everything they owned, put up a wagon train and headed west like many others. But they never got there. Through a stroke of luck they discovered some emerald deposits here in the valley and took it as a sign from the good lord. People from the Emerald Isle finding emeralds, get it?"

"So they stayed on and founded this town?"

Doc Fletcher nodded. "Six families originally, the Kennedys, The O'Briens, the Flynns, the Murphys, the O'Reileys and the Kaenes. Each of them got their claim on the mine and it was decided that the profits would be divided equally. Soon others followed like Old McGinty who opened his pub in the quickly growing town, the Whealan's little department store became eventually the local supermarket and the Fletchers..."

"Your family?" Heero asked. He had been listening with interest while slowly sipping his coffee.

The old man nodded. "My great-great grandfather was the first and only doctor in the entire state for a long time," he declared not without a certain amount of pride.

"Sounds like an interesting bit of history. Do those six families still own the mines today?"

"Oh god, no. Only one person owns the mines now, Nolan Flynn."

"Nolan Flynn, I think I have heard that name before," the young man mused.

"You might either have seen the sign outside the local library or at the health clinic: he donated the money for their construction. Or maybe you've read about him in some society paper. He is one of the richest people in Nevada, you see..."

"I am afraid I don't read society papers. But anyway, what happened to the others; the other 5 families that owned the mines I mean?"

"Life, I guess." The old man shrugged. "A couple of them fell on hard times early on and sold their claims to the others. Actually it's said that Benneth O'Reiley lost his share in a poker game one night. They found the poor man dead in his barn the next morning. He hung himself they say, rather than facing his family and explaining what he had done. And when Cole Kennedy died in 1927 without any heirs to leave his estate to, the Flynn family acquired the last remaining claim on the mines as well. Things have changed a lot since the days our ancestors settled here, but one thing hasn't changed and never will. The people in this town live and die with the mines, and I am not only talking about those actually working there."

"Thanks, Doc. This was a very interesting story. I have a friend; well, he is my history teacher actually. He loves these kind of things. Living history is what he calls it."

"Well, well, if it isn't Mister Yuy and the good Doc. Never thought I would see you two here."

Sheriff Perkins was holding an extra large cup of coffee in one hand a bag with bagels in the other.

"What are you talking about, Ben? You know I am here every morning," Doc Fletcher grumbled.

"I guess what I mean is, I didn't expect to see the two of you together." Perkins set his breakfast down and pulled up an extra chair from the next table. "So, what are you guys up to? "

"I was just giving young Mister Yuy here a lesson in local history."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he wanted to know where McGinty's pub was, you see."

"McGinty's?" The sheriff echoed. He looked at the doc than at Heero. "What's so special about McGinty's?"

"I am not sure?" The young man shrugged as he pulled the note he had received, from his pocket and put it on the table. "Someone sent me this. Megan, the girl from the hotel said it was left in the mail-slot over night. But no one signed for it."

Perkins reached for the piece of paper, unfolding it slowly.

"If you really want to know what happened, start by talking to the people who were at McGinty's that night."

The sheriff raised one eyebrow then handed the letter off to the Doc.

"You recognize the handwriting?"

The old man pulled a pair of wire rimmed reading glasses from the breast pocket of his shirt and put them on. He studied the note for several minutes before shaking his head.

"Doesn't look familiar."

"It seems to be a woman's handwriting." Heero pointed out.

"Yes," the old doctor confirmed. "It has that feminine style to it doesn't it?" He looked once more down at the paper then at the sheriff. "Do you think it might be the same person who called in the accident?"

"Wait a moment," Heero's gaze moved between Perkins and the doc. "I thought Odin Lowe reported the accident."

"Technically there were two calls. Odin Lowe phoned the police, but at about the same time someone called me at home," Doc Fletcher explained. "It was a woman, a girl rather, but I didn't recognize the voice. She told me something terrible at happened at Raven's Cross,- that's what the locals call that stretch of road. When I started asking questions she hung up on me."

"So then there must have been at least one other witness," the young man mused.

"Nobody has ever come forward." Sheriff Perkins replied. "But this is it, I am officially reopening the case. And I'm going to start by talking to a few people." He reached for the note. "I hope you don't mind if I keep this."

Heero shook his head. "Not at all."

"Who do you want to talk to? The McGintys moved after selling the pub, and so did... What was her name, Eileen Makham's daughter, she worked there as a waitress, remember?"

"Shannon?"

"Yeah, that's it. Last I've heard she lives on the East Coast now."

"That might be. But there is someone who was at the pub that night, I'm pretty sure. Because he used to be there every night."

"Pat Malony?"

"Who is Pat Malony" Heero wanted to know.

"The local auto mechanic. He has his garage on the other side of town."

"And the local drunk," the doc added. "Or at least he used to be. He managed to pull himself together after his younger brother died of liver cancer. I suppose something like that can be a real good wakeup call."

"I want to go with you when you talk to him," Heero demanded.

"Out of the question."

"But...!"

"You have got to understand," Perkins sighed. "The people in this town are very cautious around outsiders. Look at me. I have lived here for almost twenty years now and some of the folks still refer to me as 'the new guy'. I might be able to get Pat to talk to me if I play my cards right. But I assure you he wouldn't give us the time of the day if we waltzed into his shop together."

"Alright. But be sure to keep me in the loop," the young man grunted. He couldn't say that he liked it, but he saw the logic behind the sheriff's words.

"You know, I had planned on talking to Pat anyway today," Perkins announced. "I spent most of the night going over old speeding tickets, you see. Very old speeding tickets. Turns out there was someone driving a red sports car around here back then. Care to wager a guess who it was, Doc?"

The old man shrugged. "Not much guess work involved if you ask me. I can really only think of one person who could afford a ride like that. Nolan Flynn."

"The guy who owns the emerald mines?"

"No, that would be Nolan Sr.," the doctor explained. "The one with the love for fast cars is his son, Nolan Jr. "

"You think he could be the one who drove my father off the road?"

"We will see if Pat remembers repairing any headlights the day or so after the accident," Sheriff Perkins replied somewhat evasively.

Heero frowned. "Isn't that something you should have investigated 15 years ago. It's a little late now, isn't it?"

"Back then I was told to wrap things up quickly and not waste any more taxpayer's money and man power on a case that was obviously nothing more than a terrible accident. But you showing up here and this anonymous letter put a whole new spin on things. Besides I received a call this morning from the Ogiwara family, Keiji Ogiwara to be precise. Apparently he found out about that alleged second car as well and is demanding a thorough investigation of his brother's dead."

"Oh, this reminds me," Heero told him. "If you need to get a hold of me call my cell phone, not the hotel. I will be out of town later this afternoon. Keiji Ogiwara and I will be flying to Reno. I found a independent laboratory able to do a DNA test within a couple of weeks and made an appointment for this afternoon before the Ogiwaras have to head back to Japan."

"A DNA test? That might come in handy, especially if we might not be able to track down that Dr Maeda guy."

"I take it then you haven't heard back from the medical board."

Sheriff Perkins shook his head. "Not yet."

Heero was about to ask another question when his cell phone started to ring.

"Excuse me." The young man got up and walked outside before taking the call. As far as he was concerned there were few things worse that answering your phone in a crowded room and forcing perfect strangers to listen to your private conversation.

"Hey."

"Where are you?" Duo's voice sounded like he had just woken up.

"Down at the coffee shop. Ran into the sheriff and Doc Fletcher. Want me to bring you something back?"

"No, give me ten minutes," his lover yawned. "I'll meet you there."

"Alright, I will have a cup of coffee and some bagels waiting for you."

"Thanks."

#

Slipping his phone into his pocket Heero walked back into the coffee shop. He stopped at the counter to put in Duo's order and get another cup for himself before he headed back to the table.

Sheriff Perkins was just about to leave and the Doc looked a little concerned.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Ben."

"Don't worry, I will be very diplomatic, Doc," Perkins assured him. "I can be diplomatic, you know."

He nodded at Heero, and the young man's eyes followed him as he left the shop.

"What was that all about?"

"It's a long story."

"I am not planning on going anywhere anytime soon." Heero put down the coffee and bagels, slipped back into his seat and looked at the old man expectantly.

"Alright, I guess I will take you up on your offer for another cup of coffee, after all. But make it a decaf. Do you mind getting it while I...?" He gestured with his head in the direction of the bathroom doors.

"Sure thing." Heero got up again. Taking their empty cups with him he went back to the counter and got the drink the doctor requested. A few minutes later the old man returned, at just about the same moment as Duo walked into the coffee shop. Heero waved his lover over to the table.

"Doctor, you remember my friend, Duo Maxwell?"

"I am old not senile, you know." Doc Fletcher nodded at the young man with braided hair.

Duo grinned as he settled down in the chair next to his lover. There was something about that doctor that was quite likable, in spite of all him grumbling and growling.

"Anyway," the doc continued. "You were asking me about the remark sheriff Perkins made earlier."

"Yes, what was he talking about," Heero nodded. He too had taking a liking to the grumpy old man.

"Like a said it's a long story; an old story. Soon after Perkins came to Cloverfield as the new sheriff, there was an accident in which a young girl got badly injured. The driver of the car was Nolan Flynn Jr. He was just 16 at the time, and had only a learners permit. In other words he shouldn't even been driving with an passenger in the car. But he insisted that she had begged him for a ride because she didn't want to get home late, and he was just trying to be a good friend."

"I take it he wasn't hurt?" Heero asked.

"Barely," the doctor confirmed. "I believe they kept him in the hospital overnight for observation but he was home the next day. The passenger side of the car took most of the damage. It's a miracle really the girl didn't die on the spot. "

"Why do I have the feeling there is more to this story?" Duo smothered one half of his jalapeno bagel with cream cheese then topped it with the other half.

"Perkins said he smelled alcohol on Flynn's breath when he helped him out of the car, so he ordered a blood test. But before he could file any charges that paperwork disappeared and the doctor who did the test was suddenly transferred to some clinic in the middle of outer Alaska or somewhere. Ben was furious. He was sure someone must have seen Nolan Flynn drink that evening, but all of his friends suddenly developed amnesia and couldn't remember being with him or even seeing him that day." The old man gave a snort that was underlined with disgust. "And Nolan Sr. went as far as to file charges for harassment and got himself a restraining order that kept the sheriff away from him and his family. Don almost lost his job over this. Even Molly's parents accused the sheriff of witch hunting. But then that shouldn't be that surprising, considering that the girl's medical bills for the past 18 years have been taken care of by Nolan Flynn."

"She is still receiving medical care?" Heero asked surprised

"She is still in a coma. If you ask me it would probably be best to let her go in peace. But I suppose her parents are still hoping for some kind of medical miracle."

"And of course," Duo added grimly, "if she would die the charges against Flynn, would he ever be prosecute, would change from reckless driving to manslaughter. So it is in his best interest too if she stays alive. Although I am not sure what the statue of limits on a case like that is."

"In any case... If the sheriff tries to go after Nolan Flynn again he'd better we very careful about it, and very sure about what he is going, or he might find himself without a job quicker than he can read the Miranda rights."

Duo blinked, his brows furrowed. "Did I miss something?" he asked.

"I'll fill you in on everything on the way back to the hotel," Heero told him, and then directed at the old man. "Thank you for your time, Doctor. I really appreciate it. I would love to talk more, but unfortunately I have a plane to catch in a few hours."

Doc Fletcher nodded. "I probably should be on my way too, before the wife sends out the cavalry and the mountain search team. I am sure we will see each other again."

###

"And all this happened while I was sleeping?" Duo snorted. By the time his lover had finished telling him about the mysterious note, the reopening of his parent's accident case and his talk to the sheriff and Doc Fletcher, they had reached the hotel.

"Maybe I should just go back to bed. You might have the whole caboodle wrapped up before nightfall..." He paused, looked at Heero and winced. "I am sorry that didn't come out right. I didn't mean to sound insensitive."

The other youth smiled softly as the pushed the button to call down the elevator.. "I know how you meant it. And I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. As for going back to bed, though... Keep dreaming. - no pun intended. We have got things to do."

The elevator doors opened with a swoosh and they stepped into the little car.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to Reno with us?"

"Quite sure." Duo nodded. "You are only going to visit Kingston Labs and fly right back, right? Unless of course..." He grinned as he leaned against the wood paneled wall. "You need me to be there and hold your hand while they take your blood."

Heero gave an amused huff. "They are not taking blood. It's just a swap from inside your mouth," he explained.

"Well maybe you need me to hold your hand for that."

"I think I will somehow manage."

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open again. Heero looked back over his shoulder at his lover as he stepped into the corridor. "But maybe you can comfort me when I get back," he suggested, a sly smirk on his lips.

"Oh? I have been told I am very good at comforting," Duo assured him.

Heero gave a quiet laugh as he unlocked their hotel room. Then he grew serious again.

"You know I have been going some thinking when I was walking to the coffee shop," he said as he slipped off his shoes and left them by the door.

"About what?" His lover wanted to know.

"Different things. Like, why wasn't Odin Lowe with my parents when the accident happened?"

"I thought he was." Duo dropped into one of the arm chairs. "He was right behind them, wasn't he?"

"I'm not so sure. He told he sheriff he didn't see the accident, only heard it and saw a car pass him before he reached the scene." Heero turned up the AC before taking the other seat. It wasn't even 10 o'clock in the morning and it was already hot. "Remember that area? It's a straight piece of road. He would have to have been quite a bit behind them to have lost sight of their car."

"Maybe he stuck at a traffic light?" Duo suggested.

"What traffic light?"

"Hmmm...point taken. So, what are you suggesting? You not blaming him, are you?"

"Of course not. I just want to know what happened. He seemed like someone who knew how to do his job. Letting the people you are supposed to protect out of your sight doesn't seem very professional, does it?"

There was a long moment of silent contemplation before Duo spoke again. "Maybe that's it."

"What is what?" His lover gave him a puzzled look.

"The reason why he is still hanging around. He had a job and blew it. And then he died before he could even come back here and make sure the people responsible got caught. No wonder he can't find peace with something like that on his conscience."

"You know, you might be on to something. We always assumed he was trying to clear his own name and proof that he wasn't a kidnapper, but from the moment he first tried contacting me it was always about my parents and the accident," Heero mused. "Quatre said they were heading back to school today, didn't he?"

"Umm yeah, why?"

"I should call him. I have got to a favor to ask."

TBC

Author's Note: