Chapter 26

Patrick smiled his thanks to the beautiful brunette behind the reception desk, and walked out of the hotel lobby to get to the car park a short walk away. Usually he hated 6.30 am wake up calls when off duty, and technically he was off duty, but as this case just got more intriguing as the hours rolled by, and as he wanted to be in Sunset Beach when the family rolled in, he accepted it.

He toyed again with the idea of finding Sy, see if she decided to see her parents and needed a lift. He could spare the few minutes it would take … after all, he knew a bit about her and where her Uncle John lives. He'd already emailed Jude with his new findings … what's more been good and not trodden on any toes … well, as far as he knew that was, and in a town this size he reckon he'd know pretty quick.

As the hotel was not converted to computer terminals … work on that would start two hours after he left … missing it by a whisker felt like a personal snub. The small internet café … well had been way too public so it was the library, which stayed open late last night and, what was better it had all types of facilities. After that, as it was a nice evening he strolled to the church and let the warden talk as they stood by the graves of Betsy's parents and past relations. …You soon found out who was respected and who was neglected in the town.

In this case the warden took him straight to the graves, without looking up any plans or hesitation and they were nicely kept with fresh flowers. The warden was of the old guard who spoke with respect about the family's fortunes and misfortunes, when gently pushed he confirmed the brother's trucking company was closing in the next day or so, and Bob was considered a 'light worker with itchy feet', would come and go, do odd jobs between the two families when down on his luck. And that no one was really surprised that the family with Betsy were thinking of moving on rather than staying in town.

As he'd listened to the man he'd realised if Jude was right about Bob being Special Ops, then the cover story was very good. It allowed space of movement and privacy if wounded, as well as easy police protection from the highest quarter if needed. His sister and her husband were well respected doctors. The family were not running away from any obvious dirty deed, they were just cutting their losses and moving on if something came up, if not then they would return and stay in town.

Of course, it hadn't helped him find out when Ben turned up or what state he was in, as the warden had gently ignored the photo he'd offered with the excuse his reading glasses were being repaired and he needed to go and pick them up. Patrick wasn't daft, he knew it was a nice way of ending the conversation, so gently pointed out it was way past closing time … and without the usual hints of a cover story, it came out the man's brother-in-law was the local optician. So, with comfortable companionship they'd left the low lit graves and walked down the street, till they got to the optician's where the warden knocked on the door and was greeted with a hug from his sister, exclaiming night cap and glasses were inside, along with their other halves who were wondering if they should send out a search party as the bell ringing had ended a while ago. Yep, small towns were great like that … along with no traffic jams to get to work.

Thinking about things, he hadn't been too sure whether what he'd found out was good or bad news. Ben's business venture wasn't the farm, that was a dying duck beginning of January and dead in the water February … as far as he could tell the brother's trucking business collapse was too recent to count. So, the email warning of a big withdrawal due to a business idea had to be up north not here. If Ben had been here in December things might have been different, but not a lot, the farm was doomed anyway.

No the only thing worth saving was the house, providing it was moved bodily to somewhere else, which Ben could have arranged easily … One call to Charles who would have been here like shot and growled at the large Corp. about improving the access, and found a firm to do the work. Unless of course Bob out of desperation did a scam on it and it failed … Ben would have been feeding the crops, as in under the ground and not walking the streets. Unless, of course he really was the cat he seemed to be … and hadn't used up his nine lives yet. In which case Jude would have to be very careful bringing the two men together … but he'd covered that in his email to Jude so that should be okay.

Trouble with that theory was he hadn't seen any fight for the land or house, it looked as though they knew they were beaten and were trying to leave with pride intact. It had been a classic case of the big Corp. swallowing up the other farms first, and being the last in line got a low price for land and the house, well that was a liability. There had been a promise of a roof over their heads till a new home was found, now that was being called in because the harvest was due. That would mean big machinery would churn up the drive as they drove across it once the weak wire fence was taken up.

They had had no choice really, the money for the land had gone to pay debts, leaving a small amount to start elsewhere. As it was a small town the two doctors could not increase their part time work, till someone left and there was Betsy's future to think about. Her parents' insurance cover brought nothing, as the company nit picked about the claim and went out of business without warning. Without money to pay lawyers to fight the case, they would have to wait with all the other people in the hope there would be a couple of cents sometime in the future.

Yeah, he'd heard that one before, so it looked as though the family decided to make … … Patrick came out of his musings realising he didn't need to find Sy after all, and smiled trying not to hesitate to show his surprise.

She was there waiting for him, not by his car but draped seductively across the bonnet of his car. There were two snags though, one she wasn't dressed in the low cut clothes the models wore in the magazine shots … no, she was wearing a close fitting trouser suit, which he had to admit looked great.

And the other … was her damn minder sat in the police car and next to his, which could mean this was a new way of arresting FBI Agents who'd stepped out of line … But on the other hand, the man was out of uniform and smiling, so perhaps not. Trying hard to sound serious yet casual rather than a man drowning in thoughts of all possibilities, he asked. "Do you do this to everyone Sy?"

Sy shook her head and laughed, then very ladylike slid off the bonnet and waited knowing full well that Patrick would come to the car, and her luggage would be unloaded for her from the other one.

Patrick watched her move, pleased the car was clean and was trying to get his senses going in the right direction … especially as her laugh was nice, and was sending ripples through him. So, he did the obvious and concentrated on the minder, knowing full well no one kept the Police Chief hanging around a car park on a whim, and asked Sy. "How did you know I was leaving this early?"

Sy flashed a brilliant innocent smile and said "A little bird told me." then turned serious but could not resist a tease at the end, after all she liked the man. "Mum needs her files by personal carrier as they are very very confidential. So, I accept your generous offer, and in case you are wondering Mister FBI man, you're not going to peak either."

Truth be told the smile and gentle tease that could be taken two ways nearly got him, but he was wise, knew all about being knocked off his feet by beautiful scheming women, from both sides of the law, and knew they were definitely not the weaker sex. So far though everything about her felt genuine, and he was willing to play along with his feet firmly on the ground, and smiled then answered back likewise. "Yeah right. … So the lovely brunette who deals out early wake up calls and late night orders sung to you … Well, we can't disappoint Mum or my boss now can we, and as I hate travelling alone I'll let you come."

He opened the trunk of his car and put his bags in, then saw what was coming out of the other car … the bag of files, plus what looked like a lap top and three or four other cases, and possibly a coat …. and turning back to Sy with a very innocent expression said. "Moving house as well I see." Then deciding to help with the loading up, after all a collapsed police chief in the car park was not a good idea and those cases did look heavy.

Sy laughed and said "Oh just a bit to wear, and a few things for the family to replace the things they've lost. Did think about Edward the four foot to five foot teddy for Betsy, then decided against it."

Ignoring the snorts that came from both men, Sy turned to her life long friend who'd stopped loading and was looking at her. She sighed and feeling tight with emotion and truth said. "I hate goodbyes. Thanks for your help." And, reluctantly held out what she'd been holding tight in her hand, as she carried on, knowing it would be gone forever once she let them go. "Here are the keys to home … John will need them for the packing people. … I know you'll help him … I'll be in touch when I've talked to Mum."

They hugged and broke with a soft 'take care' from each, and Sy watched him walk back to the police car, then sighing turned to Patrick, who had just finished loading up, and said. "I need to be at Sunset Beach Police station by 11 am to meet the family, if their van holds out of course."

Patrick closed the trunk down and replied. "Okay I can cope with that. But I'll just warn base you are coming so they can tell your parents if they should ring in." and took his phone out and left a message for Jude to pick up later, also knowing it would act as a safe guard just in case she was not as innocent as she seemed. He then tucked the phone away, opened the door for her and as she slid in added with a smile. "As you know this area perhaps you can navigate, save us getting lost."

Hearing the slight tension in Sy's laugh as he walked round to the driver's side Patrick got in, then asked gently. "How's the family?" And switched the engine on and got ready to leave the car park.

Sy sighed, which made Patrick smile realising just how apt her nickname was, and it was a lovely gentle heartfelt sigh, and listened to her instructions. "Left out of here then take the first right and then second left. Not good really, everything seems to be going down hill fast with no breaks.

Once the house is empty the bulldozers will go in, it didn't stand a chance. I mean who would live there with that damn crop outside, and a huge rent for the driveway, which would be churned up every sowing and ploughing time. The packing people say it will take two days to do the whole complex, and given a possible date of early next week, John's got to ring the firm this morning to check it, then he'll call me as Mum's not on the phone … we both know it will have to go ahead. Then I'll have to tell her and she'll have to ring John etc."

She sighed again, and paused trying to fight all her feelings, then carried on, finding it a relief to talk to someone not involved. "I've had to arrange for my stuff, which is coming over from Europe to be stored elsewhere as John's business has collapsed completely, which means he's lost everything so he and family will move in with Uncle Bert … that's the police chief. John's wife is his niece, but their house is small everything but their essentials will have to be stored. The whole lot homeless now … well as good as."

"Oh right." Patrick said gently, knowing anything else that came to mind sounded trite and he wasn't going to push about Bob's state, and couldn't help his gentle laugh as Sy sighed again.

Hearing Patrick's gentle laugh made Sy realise what she'd done, and smiled then said. "Guess they are right about my nickname ... its worse when I get emotional, which I am at the moment." She took a break for air, trying to hide another sigh and the lump in her throat, and saw something that could distract her and not Patrick as no one could miss it as they drove by, and commented "That burnt out wreck of a house has been there nearly three years … it's lived in … the downstairs outside front rooms on each end. What a sight to greet you as you enter town or leave as in our case."

It certainly was a depressing sight and Patrick also noticed they were going a different way from the one he'd come last night, and realised she hadn't wanted to pass her family home for the last time so ending an era, and asked. "What's the history?"

Sy brightened a bit it, as it was a juicy tale. "Mum and two adult sons lived there, she owned the house, when she died the Will stated that the house should be divided in half, as the couldn't agree as to who would have upstairs or downstairs, the Judge decreed it should be left and right side and who would live in which half. Or they could sell if they both talked to each other and agreed that was what they wanted to do and the price was right. There was a time limit of twenty days or it would be sold for two dollars and they would have one each."

At Patrick's gentle exclamation. "Really?"

Sy nodded and admitted from memory. "They were a very weird family, husband included, some say the boys have never spoke to each other and others said they did once or twice, but only when they argued. Of course, one wanted to stay and the other wanted to sell up and move, neither would talk to the other to sort things out. On the final day they managed to say they would stay, and the house was partitioned down the middle, only the wooden stairs stayed unchanged because they were so narrow.

They settled into life, the story goes that on the day of the fire they both got distracted. One was in the garden dumping rubbish out back, and the other one answered his house phone which was near the front door. They were both using deep fryers on the stoves; a wooden panel that divided the kitchen ran between the cookers, so that lot went up inflames along with the wooden stairs and the upper floor along with part of the roof. Rumour has it they never used upstairs as they didn't want to meet on the stairs, so all their things were the two outside front rooms, which were saved from damage as the doors were closed. The one on the phone rang the fire station, which is just round the corner so they were pretty quick, and the one in the garden grabbed the hose and tried to put it out.

No doubt the insurance company and the police asked questions, no arrests were made; don't know if any money was paid out either. If they didn't, that's most probably why nothing has been done. If they did, well both would have to agree to the work, and as you can imagine they aren't talking to each other and now the judge has given up on them doing anything to the house."

Suddenly seeing a picture in her mind, Sy gave a gentle wistful laugh and sensing he wouldn't mock her, carried on. "I wonder if our house would like it there, assuming we could offer the brothers something they could not refuse and then move it there of course. … It would certainly have a different view from the one now … but that takes money and time, which we don't have."

Patrick smiled thinking back over his previous thoughts with a new one creeping in … if Ben was involved and everything was above board, the man could still save it, and said casually. "You got a few days yet, so things might change."

Sy looked at him and giving a small shake of her head, as well as a sigh exclaimed. "Yeah and pigs fly, I know!"

Patrick knew she was looking at him but kept his eyes on the road, and could not resist a gentle comeback. "Yeah, in planes." then added as they were coming to an unmarked junction. "Right or left."

Sy came back to earth, looked around and realised where they were, and said. "Oh! Right … as in right hand road, then stay on it and we should meet the freeway." Realising she'd not been on this road for rather a long time, and changes happened to minor roads sometimes...

"Hopefully?" Patrick gently questioned sensing more than a slight hesitation in Sy's voice. He took it anyway, reasoning they were heading in the right direction, and most roads met with the freeway in the end … just might not be straight away ... or was she worried it was a dead end …

Sy laughed suddenly feeling much better, and said positively. "Okay … Yes we will meet the freeway very soon." Then raised her hand and started to count things off as she carried on. "So, all we have to do in the next few days is, to look for someone who would buy and flatten the burnt out wreck successfully an clear it. … Buy my family home off the evil Corp. … then could either, move the house brick by brick or shore it up and put it on a wagon and move across town. …Therefore must have several million dollars to throw away … And last but not least, would offer it free of charge to John and Sandra so they could stay and run it as a hotel, which they've never done before." Giving a hint of a sigh she added forcefully. "Then Mister FBI man, your pigs can fly."

Patrick chuckled glad she was perking up, and nodded hoping she wouldn't insist on his pigs actually flying if his supposition from his quick profile of the man concerned was right. And realised he hadn't actually said his pigs were real live ones … so they could fly … if, of course she settled for little fluffy plain or multicoloured ones, and a short trip to Hawaii perhaps. …

A truck coming towards them and hooting 'hi' to the van in front them made him come back to full concentration. … He had work to do and guard to keep up … He knew just because she had been out of the country for a while didn't mean she couldn't be part of a family cover up, could be after the fact … whatever that fact had been. Also, he wanted to get back to where the action was going to be, safely and sooner the better.

Oxoxo

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