I am sorry I have not updated recently. I have been trying to work out where I take this story next. In this chapter Brax guesses how that lawyer died. I hope you enjoy how I killed her off.
Both of them stared at the screen for a few moments. It was Brax who spoke first. "I wonder how she died." He grinned. "Maybe the glass sliced off her head."
"Brax that is not nice. I know what she did but she did not deserve that. I know I could have thrown her over the balcony but not that Brax."
"I can't forgive her for what she did. If she had not got Jake out of goal we would have been in the city by now." Brax grinned at her widely this time. "We might have got married by now and maybe started a family."
"Are we going to help your Mum move this morning?"
"Yup. She rang me after I got up and told me she is going to stay with a friend up the coast. She met her after dad got sent down. Shelia's old man is doing a stretch as well. Life I think. He murdered a cop during a bank raid in the city." Brax paused. "How after we get Mum sorted we go further up the coast for the night. I just feel the need to get away. You take her up there and I will jump on the bus and you can pick me up. Dad won't know who to follow if he is watching."
"You don't like your dad do you?"
Brax did not reply for a moment before he turned to Charlie and said. "He beat Mum up and Heath. His way of getting us to man up was to beat the crap out of us. That is why I don't want him anywhere near you or Ruby. When is she due back from her course?"
"In the middle of September why do you ask?"
"Because I want to get dad to leave the bay and if Ruby isn't here then he can't use her as a lever to get to you and me." He looked at Charlie for a minute. "I am going to do it legally. Maybe pay him off and see if he will leave that way."
"You can have some of my compensation money. It will get rid of him quicker."
"No Charlie. That money is for you to use. Anyway you are going to use some to help Ruby get through uni. Dad is my problem."
Charlie stared at Brax. She understood why he wouldn't take the money but she wished he would. Her coppers nose told her that Danny Braxton was trouble with a capital T. She looked at Brax for a while longer before she spoke. "Brax, I know you don't want me to help but let me."
"No Charlie. I told you I don't want you near my dad ever. He is too dangerous. I know you can take care of yourself but I don't want that." Brax stood up and held out his hand to Charlie. "Let's go and do the one thing you can help me with. We will go and get Mum moved out of harm's way." Brax paused. "Let's get packed and then we can go and sort Mum out."
Charlie got up and went to pack a few things for their night away. As she did so she could hear Brax talking to his Mum on the phone and telling her the plan for today. As Charlie took her bag out to her car Brax put a few things in a rucksack and followed Charlie out. Throwing her his bag they drove off in convoy to Mangrove River. When they got there Cheryl's reaction was as Brax thought it would be.
She stood in her front doorway and screeched at them "What is she doing here. I don't want help from some cop. Especially her."
"Mum that is not nice. Charlie does not have to help but it makes it easier. She can take you to Shelia's and I can distract dad if he comes here. Have you packed?"
"Yes I have." She paused looking at Charlie. "I suppose I have no option but to let her help me. You're better than that stuck up school teacher." At that Cheryl turned on her heel and went inside. Brax turned to grin at Charlie. They followed Cheryl inside to find all that she had packed dumped in bags on the floor in the living area. Charlie and Brax began loading her car up while Cheryl just stood and watched.
After the first few bags Brax turned to his mum and said to her. "You could help Mum. Unless of course," He paused. "You do want to have that reunion with dad. If you do Charlie and I will make ourselves scarce."
At that Cheryl began picking up a few bags. The one thing she did not want was an encounter with her husband. As much as she was not keen on Charlie she would rather spend time with her than meet her old man again. She thought Charlie was not the one for her eldest son. She preferred her on off girlfriend Tegan but she went and got herself killed. Worse still she had tried to con Brax into thinking that he was the father to her child Darcy when it was in fact his brother Heath. The drive to Shelia's house was a quiet one. Cheryl sat next to Charlie and just looked out of the window. You just don't talk to the woman who not only booked you for speeding but arrested your favourite son. Cheryl would not admit it but Heath was her favourite. Brax might have bought money into the house and put food on the table but Heath remained her favourite.
As Charlie got closer to her friend's house Cheryl gave her directions. As they pulled up outside her friend's house Cheryl turned to Charlie and spoke.
"I don't think you are suitable for my son. But you are what he wants." She paused. "I am relying on you to keep him out of trouble with his dad. That dog is poison and I don't want him dragging Darryl down. He is dangerous but I think you being an ex-cop you can look after yourself but I don't think my son will let you. He will try and do it himself and look what happened last year."
As Cheryl finished speaking her friend came walking towards the car. Cheryl opened the door and got out and hugged Shelia. Her teenage son came out and helped Charlie unload Cheryl's bags. After taking one bag each Cheryl and Shelia sat down on the porch to watch Charlie and the teenager unload the bags. When they had finished Charlie said goodbye and left. Cheryl barely looked up as she waved. It was left to Shelia and her son to wave Charlie off.
Brax watched Charlie drive off with his Mum. He did not want to be in that car. He was just glad his mum was safe. Now all he had to do was to get his dad to leave the bay as soon as possible. No sooner had Charlie turned the corner out of the way than a taxi turned up. Brax smiled to himself. Talk of the devil and who should appear – his dad.
Brax watched as he got out of the taxi. Danny approached his eldest son.
It was Brax who spoke first. "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to see your Mum." He paused. "I have also come to collect the money. The money I stashed all those years ago."
"It's gone." As Brax spoke he got a sense of satisfaction seeing the smile wiped off his dads face. He waited for Danny to react just like he thought he would.
"What do you mean it has gone?"
"It was spent. Food and the bills you weren't here to pay."
Danny grabbed Brax's face between his hands. He glared at his eldest son. "You had better get it for me or that pretty girlfriend of yours might get a visit from me."
Brax moved his arms to knock Danny's hands off his face. "Why should I give you the money? What we supposed to do starve?"
Before Danny could answer Brax pushed past. As he got to the gate he turned round and spoke to Danny. "You go anywhere near Charlie…" Brax left the threat hanging in the air. He walked quickly to his ute and got in before he did something he would regret. He drove quickly to the surf club and parked his ute. He went in and told John he would be leaving it there overnight and that if he needed it moving to contact Heath.
Brax walked away from the surf club and headed towards the bus stop. He jumped on the bus when it turned up. It dropped him off further up the coast. When he got there he found Charlie was already waiting for him. Brax walked up to her and kissed her.
As they got into her car and they drove off Brax asked her. "Did Mum give you much trouble?"
"No she did not. She was quiet all the way. I don't think she will ever be happy that we are together."
"I don't care what she thinks about us. My future is with you and if she does not like it well it is hard luck. Where are we staying tonight?"
"I have booked us into a guest house. It has an annexe so we are staying there."
Danny Braxton watched as his son walked away from him. His son had not turned out the way he had hoped he would. His girlfriend was a cop, an ex-cop but as far as he was concerned she was still a cop. She was the enemy. Someone whose colleagues had conspired to have him jailed. He turned back to walk into his old home. He walked in through the front door. Apart from the furniture it was empty. He walked into the kitchen area to find on bottle of beer was stood on the work top.
He stared at it briefly before he picked up and threw it against the war in frustration and anger.