This is basically just a filler to show you some of her day-to-day activity, with a little fun in there too… I just wanted to show people how her life worked, and why she likes it more then Trenton. Enjoy xD… and and a little cliff hanger thing. I just wanted to get this chapter out.
Chapter Six: Donuts Over Shrimp.
Grace Newmancy lived in Torquay, a far way from the office by Hervey Bay standards. It actually took us twenty minutes to get there, peak hour here. Jackie's stereo system was blasting Panic! At the disco loudly out its surround sound system. Let me just say it was really loud.
Newmancy's place was fairly respectable, certainly nothing to write home about, excuse the pun. Freshly cut green grass, neatly trimmed rose bushes, and a little yapper dog barking at the metal fence. Overall, doesn't look like the type of house an arsonist would live at, but appearances can be deceiving as I have found out.
Jackie decided to take the back door, just in case Grace ran through the back. To tell you the truth I think he was afraid of the little Terrier dog. I put that thought to the back of my head as I opened the gate. Not even a squeak. The little dog stopped yapping to smell my jeans for a moment, considered Im not a threat, and went back to being watch dog on the porch.
I followed it to the door, and knocked with the door hammer, delicately designed with bronze.
"One minute!" There was some shuffling, and a few curse words as I heard something crash. The door was opened and Grace stood in it, hiking her loose sweat pants, covered in paint spots, higher on her hips with one hand, the other hand fixing her curly red hair. She had a round face, and a thin nose, tightly closed lips as if she was frustrated.
"Hello, how can I help you?" She didn't look like she would run, or punch me, so I gave her the whole deal.
"Hi, Im Selene, and I work for Dom Bail Bonds, you missed your court date and Im here to take you to get rescheduled." Something clicked behind her brown eyes and she got a small, purposefully, sheepish smile on her paper thin lips.
"Sorry, I had to get my divorce papers signed that day. Give me a moment while I get dressed more presentably." I was a little torn. What if she tried to get away? "Oh sorry, excuse my manners, please come in and have a seat. I shouldn't be long."
I nodded and followed her into the house. Polished wooden floors, beautiful paintings that I have never seen before. She led me to a sitting room, and motioned for me to sit on the brown suede chair, barely broken in yet. The room smelt a lot like paint, fair enough since there was a canvass with a freshly painted picture half-way done. She's a painter? That's a new one.
"You'll have to excuse the smell, ever since the divorce I've had a creative streak, plus I have nothing better to do, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." I was once married too, Dickie "Horses Ass" Orr. I was married until I found him and a friend (read: arch nemesis) and him playing 'hide the salami' on my dinner table. I couldn't touch a table for two weeks after without being grossed out.
She didn't reply, but instead gave me a weak smile and headed towards the stairs. A few minutes later I heard drawers being opened and relaxed some. Wonder what Jackie was doing, probably still waiting at the back door.
I shrugged to no one, and heard Grace come down the stairs, two at a time.
"Okay, Im ready." She grabbed her shoulder bag, and got her shoes on while she walked, or hopped, to the door. I wouldn't have had the grace to do that without falling over at least once. I just shook my head, and grabbed my bag that I left on the floor beside the chair. The bag was full of my Bounty Hunting equipment; cuffs, keys (yes, I have extra copies of them!), cuff keys (two pairs), files. And a few other things that help with a successful take down… or the not so successful ones that need a little extra planning, like pepper spray and admittedly a gun… with three bullets. If I cant stop a person with three bullets, then Im going to have to find another way.
I almost forgot, again, about Jackie, but he was patiently waiting in the car, a blue sedan, Ford. It was a cool car, I must admit. I just hope Grace didn't have a mood swing anytime soon; the Ford was Jackie's pride and joy.
Grace was momentarily stunned from Jackie afro, which touched the roof of the car, but she got in the back seat all the same. I shut the door for her, thanking child proof locks.
"Grace, this is Jackie, my partner for bond enforcement. Jackie, Grace Newmancy."
"Oh, please don't call me that. I hated my husbands last name. Grace Velance."
It only took about ten minutes to get to the cop shop, and I brought Grace in without any cuffs or chains, she wasn't running, so what was the point of it.
Tim was at the dock station, clearly watching soccer. He's a good guy, and his blond hair just makes him look lovable. Plus he has a really cheeky grin, which I happen to see a lot of because of my unfortunate skips.
"Hey Time. This is Grace, I need to get her bonded out soon, so can I use the phone?" I pointed Grace towards the comfortable looking chairs, where she went and sat cross legged.
"What? No garbage? Im disappointed." I could see his dimples from the grin, he had a more childlike face then any cop I have ever seen.
"Yeah, Grace is cool." Grace smiled at me, but ducked her head shyly as she made eye contact with Tim. "Anyways, phone?"
"Yeah, here you go. Don't worry Grace, I won't put you in a cell, I like talking to people so drag your chair closer." Grace got even redder in the face but did as he said. That's good, Tim is single as far as I know, and Grace is definitely single. I smiled at both of them and went around the corner to Tim's desk and used the phone to call Dani.
"Hello, Dom Bail Bonds, how may I help you?" Her voice sounded professional, and it suited its purpose; friendly and welcoming business.
"Hey Dani, Lee here, Grace is ready to be bonded out."
"Okay, Selene, I'll be there soon." Code: she was with a client and would… be there soon.
"Thanks." And I hung up. Ton's phone manners were rubbing off on me. Im pretty sure that's a bad thing though, oh well.
Grace and Tim were laughing with each other, friendly. Im happy for them.
"Hey, Dani's on her way, just hang tight. I have to go pick up some others so I'll see you soon, Tim. Nice meeting you Grace and good luck with finding a new man." Her cheeks burned again, catching my hidden drift. I continued smiling all the way to the car, even though it was slightly raining probably making my hair frizzy.
"Where to now, darl?" Jackie asked me as soon as I got buckled in. Where to? Where to?
"Hm, I want you to meet someone. The Telstra shop across from Centro."
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"Ty, meet Jackie, my partner for work. Jackie this is Ty, the one that helped me get here." They shook hands and smiled.
"Thank you for helping Lee, certainly lightened up everything around here. Whats Ty short for though?"
"Tyoku, I'm a fifth Asian. And it was my pleasure to help Lee, she's such a good friend." I smiled, but continued only half listening to them as I looked at all the phones. I need to look for my next victim, its been a while since I had my phone blow up, bound to happen soon.
"Im just going to Blondies. I think they have donuts. You staying a while Jackie?" He nodded at me, still talking to Ty. Well, seems they like each other, Im glad.
Blondies was a café like place diagonal to the Telstra shop, it was mainly pink, but it had a nice new feel to it and they had good hot chocolate. It was also next to the Common Wealth Bank, and I needed to get some money out, I used the rest yesterday for cushion shopping.
To my surprise, both Ton and Tank were standing near by, in between Blondies and the Bank, arms crossed and an extreme staring competition in progress. I decided to leave them to it, and went through the side door to Blondies, instead of the front door.
"Hello, welcome to Blondies, how may I help you?" She was a chipper blonde, normal for here. Her name tag read Tammy.
"A medium hot chocolate, and three cinnamon donuts, thanks."
"No problem. Eat it, or take away?"
"Uh… take away please." I looked outside and saw that Ton and Tank weren't staring anymore, but still had harsh lines on their faces, talking. Normally they are better at hiding their expressions then this. Standard issue Range men, always stoic.
"Here you go, Miss. Will that be all today?"
"Yes, thank you." I handed her the correct change, and carried my food with me in the brown paper bag, the Blondies logo on both sides. I slipped past both Ton and Tank so I could use the ATM. I withdrew enough for the next two days and shoved it in my wallet. I also managed to get past them again, and slipped through Blondies again, giving a small wave to 'Tammy' as I passed through the side door.
Ty and Jackie were giggling when I got to the Telstra shop again, and Ty was having a hard time getting her sentences to make sense.
"She had no clue what the answer was, but managed to guess it anyway." Oh, no. She wasn't!
"Ty, you are so not telling that story are you?"
Ty and Jackie both looked at me, then burst into helpless giggles again. She did. Bah, humbug. This is what I was afraid of; she was sharing my embarrassing moments with Jackie!
"Ty, please tell me you didn't tell her the one with the shrimp…" When she shook with a new batch of laughs, I sighed, resigned. There was no stopping them now… unless… "I have donuts."
The giggles subsided almost immediately, and they both pounced on me, grabbing the paper bag from my hands and almost spilling my hot chocolate.
"Okies, how about we go out back and eat. I'll close the shop for a while. Lunch break, and all." Ty said as she started munching on her donut and went behind the counter, taking out a sign and hanging it on the front glass door, locking it in the process. I don't think one donut constitutes as lunch, but I knew Ty would have some other source of food around somewhere. For a stick she eats surprisingly well.
"I have lamingtons in the back staff room, I'll grab them. The back door is just there, there is a few chairs back there. Make yourselves comfy."
And we did.
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"Call me soon, guys!" I had no doubt that Jackie would. We spent half an hour on 'lunch break', and I was thoroughly embarrassed at the stories Ty told Jackie. From my shrimp dream, to my bad hair day. I didn't think I could be that red, from both laughter and blushing.
"Time to get Dave, he should be on break right now." Dave works at a crappy mechanics. John Repairs may be crappy, but it will keep your car running for a week more if your down on cash, though Im not sure all the parts are entirely legal. Dave seems to enjoy working there, so I don't say anything about it.
"Okay, girl." It took us about ten minutes, since the shop was a little out of town. Dave was sitting on an old wooden chair, that looked as if is should be fire wood by now. His puppy dog face was basking in the sunlight we just got; his large ears were sticking out slightly like normal. He must of heard us coming up the gravel path because he jumped up and was at Jackie's car in a few seconds, pulling the door open and heaving his thin frame into the car. He didn't even glance back at the tin shed he called work.
"Jack, See, nice to see you, nice to see you." He nodded his head like a noddy dog, his stoners' voice slightly crackly.
"Hey, you ready to get re-bonded and rescheduled?" He just continued nodding.
I called Dani on the way to the cops, and I went in with Dave. Tim was still at the dock, so I managed to get the receipt easily. I was out the door within ten minutes. I love easy skips.
But the last skip, Umack, wasn't anywhere around. Not at home, not at work, and not with any of his buddies (he only had five). We would have to wait for tomorrow to finish it. Oh well.
I asked Jackie to take me home instead of the office. I just wanted to rest and veg out for a while. Watch Ghostbusters with surround sound volume.
"Uhoh girl, you got company. Want me to come in?" A black SUV was parked in front of my fence, Tank leaning his impressive size against it, looking at my house.
I took a while to consider his question. Did I want him there with me? Maybe. Would it help any? No, it would just make Tank hold back on whatever he wanted to tell me. I told Jackie no, and I'd see him tomorrow at ten o'clock at the office.
Tank nodded at me, and helped my open the gates so he could drive his car into the two car patio. Guess he is going to be staying a while, but I don't necessarily mind, I want to know how people are doing in Trenton. No matter how much I love it here, I still missed some people in Trenton… and Pino's.
We sat on my couch in a silence that had lasted five minutes so far. It was annoying me.
"One of us should talk before I get hungry," he smiled, but my stomach rumbled. "Too late. You want anything? Tofu, cabbage, ice cream?"