PART 26

Lexie sat hugging her knees looking out to sea the picnic spread out beside her. She turned and spotted a dot in the distance she knew was Archie, as he got closer she could see he was smiling with a distant look in his eyes.

"all booked" she asked

"ah, well um no they were fully booked, must be the weather"

"oh well we'll just have to go home after our picnic, pity though would have been fun to have a night away"

"well I did have an idea" Archie said grinning

"yes?" Lexie responded questioningly

"well we could always stay the night on the beach"

"on the beach, Archie Macdonald are you completely mad?"

"but we did those two times on honeymoon"

"yes but Archie that was different those were beaches in the Bahamas and the Indian Ocean, this is the north sea in the north of England, very very different"

"I suppose, but we are having a heatwave Lex, its humid it will stay warm all night and you've got me"

Lexie smiled at him" but Arch the breeze is getting up and this sand is very fine, it will get everywhere"

"oh go on Lex, where is your sense of adventure?"

Lexie looked at Archie's pleading face "oh alright, but on one condition if it gets too cold or uncomfortable we go home"

"fantastic" Archie said kissing her, "right I'm starving lets eat this picnic."

As they ate, they watched various people taking an evening walk along the beach. They followed the progress of a couple with a young child and a very lively labrador.

"You know Arch we should get a dog" Lexie commented "I miss not having dogs around"

"mmmm" Archie responded "well as long as its not like Useless, that dog was something of a liability"

Lexie smiled "he just had a strong personality"

"but Lex I mean do you think its a good idea"

"what do you mean?"

"well you know a baby and a puppy do they mix"

Lexie laughed "Arch aren't you jumping the gun a bit, we've not got either yet!"

"no, no I guess it is quite a good idea"

"of course it is, it was my idea" Lexie yawned

Suddenly she stood up and started shaking herself

"Lex what on earth are you doing" Archie asked looking very puzzled

"its this sand, its getting everywhere"

"well you're shaking into the strawberries, I don't like crunchy sand encrusted strawberries"

Lexie turned and grinned at him "well Archie Macdonald you're just fussy"

"me fussy?"

Laughing Lexie sat back down and settled herself against a sand dune

"Arch its going to be a long night its only 9 o'clock, what time is sun rise about 4.30?"

"mmm about then, oh I'm sure we'll be fine" Archie replied as he eased himself against the sand dune next to her.

"well don't you go getting any ideas, that sand will get everywhere"

"ok ok"

"I wonder where that money did come from that Dan gave Mandy if he did come by it by illegal means"

"oh Lex we're not back to you being Miss Marple again are we?"

"no but aren't you just a little bit intrigued?"

"no not really" then seeing Lexie's face, Archie added "well just a little bit"

"so what shall we do to find out then?"

"hang on what's this we and what do you mean find out?"

"I mean find out where Dan got the money from"

"well supposing he had a flash of guilt and withdrew the money legitimately from his savings?"

"Arch, this is Dan we're talking about sleazeball of the century, as if he would do something like that!"

"yeah I guess you're right"

"don't know about you but I'm feeling a wee bit sleepy" Lexie said as she tucked her head in the crock of Archie's arm "trouble is Arch, you're not quite as comfy as my pillow at home!"

"well I'm very sorry I don't fit your specifications" Archie responded with mock consternation

Lexie giggled as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Archie reached into his pocket for his mobile to set the alarm, he didn't want them waking up late and missing the sunrise altogether.

A little after midnight Lexie woke up feeling cold, as she came to she realised Archie was missing.

"Arch, Arch where are you she called"

As her eyes became accustomed to the light, she could just make out a figure a few yards away from her

"sorry Lex I couldn't sleep and was looking at the castle reflected in the moonlight" Archie said as he sat down again and cuddled up close to Lexie and leant down to kiss her

"that's ok I just wondered where you were"

"well its nice to be missed"

"of course you were!" Lexie said kissing him back, as she drifted back off to sleep

The loud beep beep of the mobile alarm woke them both just as the sun was peeping out on the horizon, They sat together, in a companionable and happy silence watching the beautiful sunrise in front of them.

"That was just stunning Arch, well worth the effort"

"it was truly amazing, you know sometimes it has to be said that there is nothing more amazing than nature, come on you time to head home I think"

Nodding her head and yawning Lexie agreed as they collected their belongings together,

"Arch stop or slow down do something"

"Lex what on earth..."

"I'm sure I just saw Dan in that lay-by back there putting something into the back of his van"

"Lex its 5.30 in the morning, why on earth would Dan be in a lay-by with a van"

"precisely, turn around and go back, drive slowly and I can take a photo with my phone"

"Lex..."

"go Arch, we've no time to loose, this could be us uncovering his scam"

"Lex I really I don't think"

"oh Archie for goodness sake, are you a man or a mouse just drive"

"ok ok"

"now you'll have to avoid the bumps and potholes so I can hold the phone steady to take the photo"

"Lex what are you planning to do with this photo anyway?"

"no idea but it's evidence"

"evidence of what?" Archie asked as he tried to execute a three point turn, a little tricky in a 4x4

"no idea of that either"

"right"

"its just round this bend Arch, ok here goes"

Lexie leaned out of the window as casually as she could and captured Dan by the side of the road

"I got him Arch I got him, now we have something. I'm sure he was up to no good, you have to admit it is very suspicious"

"well yeah I suppose it is a bit odd, so now you have this photo, now what?"

"well I don't know but at least we have something and I'm sure more will happen, I just know it"

"oh you do, do you"

"yep, lets face it that man deserves his comeuppance and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be the one to deliver it, mind you I suppose Mandy has a greater claim than me, oh well"

Archie smiled at Lexie's musing as he turned the car round and headed back in the direction of Banbridge. They arrived home just after 6am,

"I'm off for an hour's sleep after that night on the beach, before we get started on the work we need to catch up on from yesterday" Lexie said smiling at Archie, "what about you?"

"well I'm not too sleepy think I'll get started on the paperwork, whilst my distraction is sleeping!" Archie replied

"your distraction, I think you'll find you're the distraction, honestly!"

"ok Mrs No Distraction at all, lets make a date 7.30 in the kitchen for breakfast smoothies"

"you're on see you then"

Archie was preparing the smoothies in the kitchen, pondering the mystery of Dan and the money. Whilst he wasn't sure about Lexie's desire to solve the mystery, he had to admit there was something odd going on. He desperately tried to think of a plausible explanation for Dan's lay-by rendezvous.

"morning Mr Distraction" Lexie said, interrupting his thoughts as she put her arms around his waist. He smiled at her claim she wasn't a distraction, when here she was making him loose his train of thought.

"what are you smiling at?" Lexie asked

"oh just you, claiming to be no distraction when you interrupt my very important thought processes about Dan Dan the nasty man"

"oh and?"

"well I don't know you interrupted me!"

Lexie hit him playfully, "oh you, so what's in this morning's smoothie concoction then?"

"yoghurt, milk, banana, strawberry and honey"

"mmm yum" Lexie said as she took a sip

"I've done heaps of work Lex, we've got four menu plans to work out though, so how about we start after this?"

"sure, though of course if you think I'll be a distraction you could do them by your self and I could just lie out in the garden with a book!"

"no, I'll value your input and expertise thank you very much, but if you're very good I might let you chill in the garden later!"

"why thank you kind sir"

Lexie and Archie had been working on the menus for about an hour and a half when they were interrupted by a knock at the door, and Emily came bounding in

"Lexie, Lexie" she cried as she came bounding up to Lexie and flung her arms around her

"hello Ems" said Lexie as she kissed her on top of her head

"oh Ems I told you to wait until they said it was ok to go in, you never know..." Jill said grinning at Lexie

"oh you're fine today we're working"

"oh well I meant we might be interrupting your work and we are"

"Jill Langley I know that isn't what you meant and I have only just recovered from embarrassing myself in front of Matt yesterday" Lexie laughed

"Jill you're a welcome break, menu planning can be very tedious" Archie assured

Emily bored by the conversation, went and tugged on Archie's hand "Archie please can we go and see the chickens and look for eggs, please, please"

"ok Ems, lets leave your Mummy and Lexie to chat then"

"so" said Jill smiling

"what?"

"well how was the rest of your day?"

"very lovely thank you, until I embarrassed myself, I'll never be able to look Matt in the face again"

"oh Lex come on it was Matt and it wasn't as if you were dancing naked around the house, anyway you're going to have to face Matt again and hopefully tonight"

"oh, when, where, why and how?"

"well there is a midsummer barbecue at the pub tonight and we were hoping you two would come along with us. I know you've not been near the pub since that horrible business with Dan at the May Fayre but you can't stay away forever, and we can sit out in the garden away from him and Mum is coming too with her handbag, so if there is any bother"

Lexie laughed, "well I'll ask Arch when he comes back with Ems but you're right, you'll never guess what we did last night"

"Lex you sure you want to share!"

"we spent the night on Bamburgh beach to see the sunrise"

"oh that is so romantic"

"well I'm not sure about that, it was jolly uncomfortable, Arch doesn't make a great pillow"

"Lexie Macdonald are you taking my name in vain again"

"no Arch just telling Jill about our beach exploits"

"look Mummy look, 3 eggs and Archie says I can take them home with me for my tea! He says he likes scrambled eggs best" Emily informed Jill excitedly.

"Arch, Jill has invited us to go along with them to a midsummer barbecue at the pub tonight, what do you think?"

"sounds good to me, but what about you Lex, are you happy to go" Archie asked slipping an arm round her waist

"yes I think it would be good to go, Jill said I can't stay away forever and she's right"

"that's great then, look Em and I will leave you to get on with your work, see you at the pub around 7"

"ok Lex you ready for this, we don't have to go if you don't want to" Archie asked as they stood outside the pub

"no I'm fine" she replied squeezing his hand

"you look gorgeous by the way" Archie replied smiling just as Emily came bounding round the corner

"hey you two" called Matt "glad to see you could tear yourselves away from each other and come out for the night"

"thank you very much Matthew. lovely to see you as well" Lexie replied

Matt laughed "come on first rounds on me!"

They found themselves a table in the garden and settled down. Just as Matt was returning with the drinks, Lucy approached the table

"Hi Arch, Hi Lex, good to see you"

"hey Lucy how are you?"

"well to be honest not so great, its bad news about Duncan isn't it?"

"what's bad news about Duncan?" Archie and Lexie asked together concerned

"you mean you haven't heard?" Lucy replied

"no" Archie said

"well he's not coming back to Banbridge, I'm not too sure exactly what happened, but apparently it all got a bit tricky on the estate, Paul kicked up a fuss and Dunc felt he couldn't leave"

"well that's just typical Paul" Archie said crossly "that man's always making life difficult"

"I don't understand Lucy, you mean Paul said no to Dunc leaving" Lexie asked perplexed

"yep that pretty much sums it up, I didn't want to say too much I know you're related"

"well only just" Archie replied crossly

"poor Dunc and poor you Lucy, I'm really sorry that is very unfair of Paul, perhaps the power of running the estate has gone to his head and he thinks he can run people's lives as well" Lexie added

"well I better get back to work" Lucy said, leaving Archie and Lexie stunned at this turn of events

"who's Paul again?" Matt asked

"my half brother, but we only found out about his existence about 3 years ago, and lets just say we didn't really hit it off"

"I see" said Matt sensing this was not a subject to pursue.

Archie sat silently fuming at Paul, what was wrong with him. He knew he'd found his peace with him, but there was despite everything still that little nagging voice in the back of his head, telling him Paul had driven him away from Glenbogle. He knew he shouldn't let it get to him, but sometimes...

Archie looked up as he became aware of Lexie holding his hand and quietly saying his name, she smiled as he caught her eye, instantly making him feel lighter

"come on Arch, don't let it bother you, remember we are only hearing this second hand and lets face it, Duncan could have just walked out if he really wanted to, I know its hard and I'm cross with Paul too, but you've got to just let it go"

"I know Lex I know"

"so Mr Distraction, let me see if I can turn you into the life and soul of the party" Lexie teased.