Guns and Switches.
Still entertaining at the Silver dollar, Alexandra continued her Magic tricks, trying to get enough of a purse to pay Frank Garner - Hallett off and get him out of town.
Chapter 20: It Ain't Over Till The Fat Lady Sings Pt2
The young traveller, dressed in a neat suit, stood at the bar and laughed along with the animated crowd waiting for the children's next magic trick to start. He was glad the young magician changed tactics when the crowd started growing annoyed at losing their coins and dollars. He would have thought the two children may have counted their blessings and taken off with their loot, but obviously they hadn't reached their goal. He turned to the bar man and asked. "Your saloon often hire minors as entertainment?" he asked.
"Nah," said Zeke Clancy, "The Virginia City stage has had themselves some grief taday, with delayed stages and what not. Been like a weigh station in here all day. The entertainment is part of the complimentary service along with yer drink there, fella. You want something stronger?" he asked.
"No thanks, I have a meeting with the sheriff and the town judge later today, but I may jist come back later. You offer board and meals?" asked the young traveller.
"Sure do, but we ain't nothin' fancy. Why do you have to meet the judge?"
"I'm a lawyer from Stockton. I'm defending the Hunter brothers."
"Oh, a lawyer, huh! Well The International House might be more yer style, mister," recommended the bartender.
"It might, but I'm not out to impress anybody; just do an honest day's work for my clients. I also don't want them thinking they owe me anything for my trouble. If they insist on paying my expenses, I'm not about to hand them an expensive accommodation bill. Your establishment is fine and will meet my needs," he smiled.
Zeke was impressed with the man. Not many lawyers would think to be so selfless. "Well then drink up, sir and I'll go get the register. Ya can take yer bags upstairs and then freshen up before you head to the courthouse."
The smartly dressed young lawyer turned around and leant on the bar, sipping his cool drink and watched the two youngsters entertaining the crowd. The little girl was good, animated and funny. She was now pulling bits and pieces out of an old opera top hat...
"Oh and what have we here," Alexandra exclaimed melodramatically, holding up an old tobacco pipe," Hey, Mister, I think this here is the pipe you lost jist five minutes ago." Alexandra handed the pipe to a portly man seated to her right.
He laughed, "No sweetheart that ain't mine..."
Alexandra frowned at the rotund patron.
"Oh why Yes," suddenly said the man, playing along with Alexandra's act. "I believe you are right; now how did you do that?" he asked surprised.
"It's magic sir," smiled Alexandra. "A good magician never gives away their secrets. Now I think there is two more items in here." Alexandra dug her hand and cleverly mimed a struggle with the hidden object, trying to set free it from the confines of the old hat. She pulled out a wallet and opened it up only to find it empty. She then showed the audience. "Well now why da yer suppose this here magic opre hat didn't want ta give this up," she scowled. "Thought I was gonna need a crow bar ta get it out. Its jist an old wallet, ain't got no money in it!" she announced as she ruffled it upside down. "Hmm maybe it's a magic wallet," she whispered. "I heard tell once that a great wizard found out a way ta make money have babies; not human babies, but gold babies; Jist like in the story of Rumpelstiltskin. He were the clever wizard that helped a princess that was in distress. He helped her by spinnin' her straw inta gold so she could become a queen. For helpin' her the Queen said she would give ole Rumple her first born child. But she didn't keep her bargain and when he didn't get ta take the queens baby fer helpin' her, old Rumple was real mad. Story has it, though, that Ole Rumple never give up, so the Queen done hired a lawyer, which was real smart, even though she was still breaking her promise. Anyway she couldn't give up her baby. Well this lawyer was a magician too, so instead of a human baby, he called old rumple by name; his real name Rumpelstiltskin, and then he done made the Queen give Old Rumple a wallet. This wallet would turn two silver dollars inta a wad of paper money; Money babies and it still was legal tenderising."
The young lawyer nearly spat out his drink; the little gal had impressive an narrative ability and he was surprised at her basic understanding of the law and justice. Good, he thought Kid's gonna need a lawyer one day fer sure. She reminded him of his youngest sister, she was only nine, but could talk her way out of trouble. Most of the family would melt at her puppy dog expression or her lively enthusiasm, except for his mother; a wise women well aware of her daughters skill in using her cuteness and charm to her best advantage.
"Well, maybe this here wallet is old Rumpelstiltskin's money wallet. Wanna try and see iffin it can make gold," continued Alexandra.
"Yes," chorused the crowd.
Josh was beginning to feel a little on edge. They had made about forty dollars over the afternoon and felt Alexandra was pushing her luck. Oh, she was entertaining and all and for every dollar she made she gave a nickel or so back; letting the audience or punters, as Alex called them, win every now and again.
Josh wasn't the only one feeling they were pushing the limits of the crowd. The young lawyer had offered her a quarter for her first trick, but now was wondering if the little minx might of dug herself in a little deep with this latest trick. He watched from the bar and waited.
"Very well," said Alexandra. "All I need are two silver dollars."
"I have one!" said a tall miner standing at the other end of the bar.
"But I need two, sir, can't have a momma without a papa!" explained Alex, smiling at the crowd and revelling in their laughter.
The young lawyer stepped forward again and offered Alexandra a second silver dollar. "Here you go little lady. We'll go fifty/ fifty on the proceeds," he said to the miner.
Getting a nod from the two men, Alexandra placed the silver dollars in the wallet on either side of the fold. She closed the wallet and placed into the top hat. She tapped the hat once, twice, three times. " Wig Wham Wallamaloo-ooo " Alex herald, curling her tongue around the L's and elongating the O's and theatrically exaggerating the incantation. The hat started to rattle a little then stopped abruptly. Alexandra smiled.
"I reckon yer in fer a real surprise folks." She put her hand into the top hat and then announced, ""Abracadabra! and whipped out a large pair of ladies bloomers. "Ooops!" she squealed.
The entire crowd erupted with laughter. Well except for the tall miner, who seemed to be very unhappy to lose his last silver dollar.
"Hey you little..."
"Hey yourself sir; It was a trick, take it in good spirits man," laughed the young lawyer.
"No; she's a little thief, a con, a bunko artist. I've heard of them. She needs a good lickin' iffin yer ask me. Kid you better give me back my dollar or I'm callin' the sheriff!" bellowed the man and grabbed Alexandra by the arm.
Josh got nervous and started immediately to gather their props and hoping the man would see the humorous side of it, before they had to run. The young lawyer stepped forward again. "Take your hands off her." he turned and looked down at Alexandra. "Little Lady, I think you should give the man back his silver dollar... Now!" he warned scowling at her.
"I will iffin he'll let go my arm", she shouted.
The tall man, shook Alexandra. "I ain't doing nothing of the sort; let's get the sheriff to handle this", he bellowed, lifting Alex up, by her wide star studded collar, off the ground and glaring straight into her face.
Suddenly Josh, having bundled up everything in his arms moved forward and kicked the tall man in the shin, "Run, Alexandra, run!"
The tall man yelped, but did not let her go. Alexandra squirmed in his arms, but with no sign of her release, she grasped the boomers and shoved them over his head. Josh added another kick to the man's other shin. Alexandra was instantly dropped to the ground and both children took off in a flash.
Once again the crowd erupted with laughter as the tall miner fumbled around blindly; trying to get a large pair of ladies bloomers off his head. Meanwhile the young lawyer took off through the front doors of the saloon, intending to catch up with the two miscreants. He spotted them down the lane way between the stage depot and the Saloon, so he ran to the next lane and waited.
As Alexandra and Josh came running past, the young lawyer promptly scooped up the girl and held her tightly in his grasp.
Alexandra screamed and kicked with all her might, "Josh run, keep running," she yelled.
Josh did nothing of the sort. He stopped and turned around, "Let her go, mister. Here you can have the money." Josh held out the flour sack full of money they had worked all afternoon for.
"Are you crazy Josh; we done worked our ar...butts off for that. Mister let me go. You can have yer dollar back but you ain't gettin' it all. I need it real bad," begged Alexandra.
"Stop your kicking, little girl, and I might just listen to you."
Alexandra stopped kicking.
"Good, now I'm going to put you down, but you run off and I'll catch you again, and I might just take that man's advice and give you a whopping good spanking," he warned, before finally lowering her to the ground, but still holding tightly to her forearm. The young lawyer had to suppress his mirth at the expression on the child's face.
Alexandra scowled and screwed up her lips. "I ain't scared of no spanking. Why I get spanked all the time. Ain't a week go by that I don't get my backside blistered for some minor infruriment..."
"Infringement," he corrected, "And that doesn't surprise me at all," he laughed.
"Pont is I ain't scared of one, this here moneys too important. It's a matter of life and death, Mister."
"Well that's interesting and I'd be more than happy to listen to your story, but you nearly got yourselves into a very dangerous situation in there with your little con job."
"It weren't no con. We done entertained those folks going on near three hours. Iffin yer went to a theatre; a seat in the stalls would have cost yer three dollars, one in the front row woulda cost yer five. We done tried ta make things fair and square, but magic comes at a cost. We got overhangs yer know."
"Overheads."
"Yeah them; gotta take them inta account an all."
"So true, however I don't think that man was going to take that into account and I'm sure the sheriff wouldn't. Then what about your parents, do they know what you have been up to?" he asked.
"Well they might," offered Alexandra.
"Really? You wouldn't be telling some lies there would you? I'd say they don't know. I'd say they'd be wondering why you aren't in school. I'd say..."
"I said they MIGHT know, and well... they MIGHT not. Iffin you knowed, why'd ask me?"
"Because, I want to help. Now why do you need so much money?"
"Wait, how do we know we can trust you?"
"Well, because, I'm a lawyer, and maybe I could help you figure all this out without you needing so much money."
"Yer are? Hey, you could help, jist like the Queens Lawyer. He sure sorted out that Rumpelstiltskin. Got him ta go away.
"Yeah and twas a bung wallet too-boot," added Josh.
I think it was more the lawyer called him by name. And the fact, Rumpelstiltskin was greedy.
"Sure was. Why he'd need a wallet when he could spin gold anyhow?" asked Josh.
"I made the wallet part up, Josh, though its kinda fitting under our circumcision." Alexandra answered in all seriousness.
The young Lawyer shook his head. "Well how about you tell me about these circumstances. He asked patiently."
Alex took a large mouthful of air. "Well you see; this bad man wanted ta hurt my momma. This bad man looked the same as another bad man that hurt my momma a long time ago. She though he was supposed ta be dead. This second bad man; he scared her so bad, that when Darcy Plummer surprised her in her dressing room, she thought he was the bad man, and so she shot Darcy with her gun, but she couldn't have because the bad man had her gun. But, the sheriff didn't know that at the time, so they put my momma in jail. They's was gonna hang her until my daddy came along and stopped them. Said she was crazy scared when she accidently shot Darcy Plummer. Anyway they put her in a jail hospital and my daddy's been tryin' ta peel her out. But, now this bad man has turned up here; the one that looks like the first bad man. He ain't a ghost like I first thought, cause my daddy says theres no such things. He's jist the first bad man's son, that's why he looks like him... Fooled my momma. His names Frank Garner- Hallett and he wants my share of the theatre that my momma left to me and Molly, but my daddy's in charge of it until I'm older. This bad man said he would shoot my daddy, iffin he didn't get what was his. I heard him say that to my momma a couple of days before they took my momma away... So when I seen the gun here in the sheriff's office, I done took it, so he couldn't shoot anyone , ceptin' that wasn't such a good idea, cause I ain't supposed ta play with guns and my daddy threatened ta take a switch to my bare bottom iffin I did, so I owned up to it jist this morning. Oh, I got spanked for it, but only two whacks with the switch. My daddy don't like ta smack me really, says it makes him sad, so I'll try not ta let him hafta use a switch on me ever again, cause well, my daddy deserves ta be happy and all... Then, I figured out another way ta get Frank Garner- Hallett ta leave town. I thought iffin I offered him a lot of money; say a hundred dollars, he will take the money and leave us alone. But, I need someone to offer him my terms, cause I ain't supposed ta be in town and my daddy don't want him ta know I'm here, because I done seen him threaten my momma when we lived at the Star and Garter. I'm a witness an all, and Frank Garner -Hallett; the bad man, won't like that. So iffin ya really want ta help, I'm happy to retract you..."
"Retain me."
"Retain you; that mean hire you ta do my biddin'?"
"It does."
"Okay then will ya do it, Mister? Will ya take this money to him and tell him ta go away now. Iffin he wants more, he can have it when I'm older and when my daddy lets me keep all of my birthday money."
The young lawyer looked at Alexandra, curiously. He'd managed to get the gist of the story, a story that sounded vaguely familiar... Star and Garter rang a bell. He looked at the little girl in front of him. "What did you say your momma's name was?"
"Katherine; Katherine De Foe, but that ain't my name. My names Alexandra Willameena Cartwright. That's my daddy's name; Adam..."
"Cartwright."
"Yep that's right, that's him, Mister," said Josh, confidant now the man was not going to hurt them or haul them off to Sherriff Coffee.
Alexandra nodded, and then smiled at the young lawyer. "What's your name? Iffin I'm retainin' yer, I should know yer name, and then we should spit and shake on it."
"Yeah, it's the cowboy's way of sealing a contract," explained Josh.
"Not a magicians' hey?" quipped the young lawyer as he tussled Josh's head. "Name's Jarrod... Jarrod Barkley," he said then spat on his palm and held it out to Alexandra, "Deal, Alexandra Willameena Cartwright."
Alexandra spat on her hand then took Jarrod's hand and shook it firmly. "How did you know who my daddy was?"
"Well your daddy's well known around the territory and your granddaddy, too. But, most of all, I know about your momma. I haven't been long out of Law school and your momma's case was discussed in some of the lectures I attended. They were discussing the defence of diminished responsibilities. Your daddy did a fine thing getting your momma's sentence reduced; it was ground breaking in criminal defence law."
"He did, and good thing too, Mr Barkley, cause momma might be even more diminishing now, and get pealed out of the jail and get ta go to a proper hospital where they can make her better. That's why this Garner Hallett fella can't stay. He can't hurt my daddy. There would be no one ta get my momma outta there. You got Kids? Do you know what's it's like ta be worried about yer folks, worried about not having them around; needin' them missin' them, even iffin they do spank yer when your only a little bit naughty?"
Jarrod Laughed." No I don't have children, but I have two younger brothers and one little sister. She's about your age."
"My age? I'm eleven! hec; there's a lotta years between you and yer sister then."
"A few yes. I have a younger brother, Nick he's seventeen. Audra is next she's eight..."
"I'm, E...LEVEN!"
"Yes, eleven, I beg your pardon. Audra is only eight and Eugene is six. There is a big gap, because my father went missing for a long time. We thought he was dead, but he came home. So I do know what it's like to worry about your folks."
"Good then you'll help me?"
"I will, but I don't think giving a bad man money is very clever. What say I go talk to the sheriff first? I have to see him over at the courthouse about two friends of mine. Then when I settle that, I'll go and talk to the sheriff and have him accompany me to see this Garner- Hallett. Do you know where he might be?"
"Ah Huh, He's staying at the Bucket of Blood, but yer can't tell the sheriff. I want ta pay him off."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Alexandra."
"No, but you done shaked on it and yer spited on it, so yer can't break my deal, that's wrong ain't it... it's... it's client confidence."
"Client privilege or confidentiality, but I can only do my job within the confines of the law. My client can't ask me to something illegal."
"I ain't doing nothing Illegal."
"Look, I'll tell you what. I will still go and see the sheriff; I'm going there anyway to see the judge about my friends; my other clients. I won't mention you, but I'll bring up the case with him. You can meet up with me later. We can discuss the options from there."
"Okay then, I'll meet you at the bank, I'm supposed ta meet Marty and be there by 5 o'clock. I hafta deposit my birthday money. We still a bit short of the hundred dollars though; maybe the man can't count," Alexandra mused out loud.
"Worry about the money later. We may not need it at all. Now off you go, I'll meet you at 5 , at the bank."
Josh and Alexandra took off around the corner at lightning speed, nearly running into the finely dressed Frank Garner - Hallett, who had spotted the two children as he passed an alley near the Silver Dollar. He'd stopped and listened to the conversation from the corner, then quickly flattened himself out against the side of the building when the children bolted out passed him onto C Street.
Jarrod stood up and went to go back the way he came, when he caught movement from the corner of his eyes from the back of the alley way that lead to C Street. He moved slowly and when he came out he noticed a well-dressed man walking briskly down the boardwalk. The scene sat uneasy with him, so he continued to watch until the man entered the mercantile. Jarrod searched the area and spotted the courthouse, then took off in that direction, determined to meet up with Sheriff Coffee and the county judge. Hopefully he could kill two birds with one stone; get the Hunter brothers released on a bond and then get the sheriff to fill him on this Garner - Hallett feller. Hopefully he could stop Alexandra Willameena Cartwright from doing anything stupid; and be damned with client privilege and confidentiality... it didn't pertain to minors anyway... did It?"
~oOo~
Alexandra and Josh pulled up at the bank. "Josh you take all my props and stuff and head over ta Hop Lings. Tell him I'm at the bank. Tell Marty I'll meet her there."
"Why?"
"Cause I don't want ta miss Mr Barkley. I better deposit my birthday money while I'm here too, in case I forget."
"Too bad, that extra twenty dollars would make it sixty, that's closer to a hundred than forty."
"Yeah, suppose I could not deposit the money…Tell Marty I already done my banking business when she arrives an all, that's if she asks."
"Thata a still be a big lie, Alexandra."
"Hmm, sorta, ceptin it is my money, so it ain't stealin'. Look; dad even give me the deposit slip. I could always deposit it later. We could do another concert and then replace what I used." Alexandra handed Josh the deposit slip, while she rummaged in their loot bag for the twenty dollars. "And, if Mr Barkley reckons we don't need the money after all, why I could deposit the whole lot, well half; you really earned the other half, Josh."
"Gee thanks, Alexandra. Hey Alex," said Josh as he stared at the deposit slip. "You sure this here is a deposit slip?"
"Sure it is, they use the same slips for deposits and withdrawals; you jist circle which one, put in the amount, and then my daddy signs it. He already filled it all out see..."Alexandra leant over and pointed to the draft Josh had in his hand.
"He filled in the amount, and signed it, Alex, but he didn't say whether it was a deposit or a withdrawal; you look."
Alexandra smiled at the validation of Josh's information. "Okay Josh, go tell Marty I will meet her here, instead of Hop Lings. The bank closes in half an hour anyways, 5 o'clock woulda been too late."
"Sure," said Josh, "Here better take your school books, too."
"Whew! Nearly forgot them; I'll need ta put that journal back. I didn't need the magic tricks after all. Still wouldn't mind reading it one day. Guess I'll have to wait until I'm more grown up for that too!" shrugged Alexandra.
Alexandra went into the bank and sat down at one of the tables. She grabbed a pencil from the container and simply circled the word; withdrawal on the bank draft. Another twenty dollars, she thought, that would bring the purse up to eighty; just twenty more dollars was all she needed. Alex looked at the slip again; bit her lip thinking about what she saw written on that slip. I only need a hundred, she whispered to herself, I'll put it back as soon as I can, I promise. Alexandra then added another number to the amount to be withdrawn. She took a deep breath as she put the pencil back and then sat quietly for ten minutes.
As the bank started to clear of customers and the tellers were getting ready to close for the day, Alexandra made her way to the counter.
"Why hello, Alexandra," greeted Millie Dawson. "You come to do some banking with us today?"
"Yes Ma'am. My daddy's fiancé was supposed ta meet me here, but I reckon she's running late. I gotta deposit these coins and take out this paper money from my trust account. The one my daddy's in charge of," explained Alexandra.
"Oh, have you got a signed bank draft, Alexandra?"
"Yes ma'am," Alexandra handed over the sack of money and the withdrawal draft.
"Okay, then. We should have both a deposit draft and withdrawal draft, but seeing the withdrawal one is signed it should be fine." Millie deposited the coins on the counter and counted them putting them in stacks of ten. She then wrote out a deposit draft for sixty dollars. Next she grabbed a bundle of ten dollar notes.
"Could I have all one dollar notes, Ma'am," asked Alex.
"Sure, Alexandra, You've been saving up a bit, I see."
"Yes Ma'am. My daddy said fer every dollar I saved he would give me another. So I'm gonna surprise him now."
"Oh you going to buy him a present?".
"A surprise, Yes ma'am, I hope."
"Okay then lets count this out." Millie counted out ten dollar bills, when she got to twelve piles, she announced; "Well then, I 'count one hundred and twenty dollars, would you agree Alexandra?"
"I would," smiled Alex.
"Yes that's exactly double. Here's your Money and your receipt with a balance of your account. Be sure to give that to your daddy," instructed the teller.
"Oh I will. Miss Dawson, can I put money into this account anytime I want?"
"Yes Alexandra you can, but only your daddy can withdraw it; he has to sign for you until you are old enough."
"Okay, thank you Ma'am. I'll jist go and wait outside for Miss Marty."
Alexandra smiled as she walked out of the bank and stood on the boardwalk. She looked down at the receipt in her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw the account balance. She had been feeling a little guilty about the money, and the deception, even though it was her money, but when she saw how much money was in her trust account, she wondered why her daddy just didn't pay the bad man off. She didn't want all this money, not if it meant the people she loved were in danger. However, there was not much she could do about it at this point, but she vowed that when she was older she would use her money to help people. She picked up her school books and slipped the receipt into her reader, then caressed her mother's journal. "Yes Momma when I get older, I'll get to do a lot of good things. I hope I make yer proud," she whispered.
~oOo~
Frank Garner- Hallett had watched the youngsters from the window of Sam Potter's store. He'd recognised the little girl immediately. Katherine De Foe's daughter hadn't grown that much over the last eighteen months, but she looked happy, healthy and full of energy. A pang of jealously came over him. He had not been so lucky; the illegitimate son of Frank Hallett and it grated on him as he watched her go into the bank alone, before he made his move. He waited in the shadows of an alley way just two doors up from the bank, intending to snatch the kid as she walked past. The kid obviously knew too much and he needed her out of the picture. He'd spent the last hour thinking about hiding her for a couple of days, until he got the money from her father and then he'd take off. Trouble was he couldn't let them find her, so he'd help out with the search of a lost child, pretending to be a concerned citizen. If he didn't he'd be on the run forever with no money what so ever. Deep down though he'd preferred if the kid was permanently out of the way. He stood there mulling his options over, trying to quell his envy and self pity and focus on not making the situation worse for himself by overacting or panicking. However, his self loathing won out ... Damn Kid why didn't she get sent away, why would Adam Cartwright want his bastard kid around reminding him that he made a big mistake, causing embarrassment and leaving a black mark on his reputation. Why couldn't Adam Cartwright have been like his father, too interested in making money to even care about the women he'd impregnated? He was entitled to that theatre, not Adam Cartwright, not Katherine De foe, and not that kid; a bastard kid just like himself.
Alexandra stepped back into the shadows also, when she spotted her father go into Sheriff Roy's office with another man she didn't recognise. She stepped back into the light when she saw Roy leading the Hunter brothers and Mr Barkley from the courthouse and then cross the street.
Jarrod Barkley stopped in the middle of the street with Roy and his Clients and waved at the little girl, then winked. Before he moved in her direction, he muttered something into Roy's ear. The sheriff nodded and Mr Barkley tipped his hat in salutation to the lawman.
So those are his friends ; Ted and Jack, thought Alexandra. I knowed he was a good lawyer. Alexandra smiled, hoping that the scene she just witnessed meant that Mister Barkley was going to speak to the sheriff. She would have time to meet up with Marty and hopefully catch up with Mr Barkley after he finished at Roys.
"Alexandra!" a cry was heard above the noise of the busy street. Alex looked up to see Marty running towards her.
Alexandra swung her book stack over her shoulder and ran to meet Marty, when all of a sudden time seemed to slow down. Marty was saying something, but a loud bang was drowning her words out. Then Alex felt herself falling; falling so, so, so, slowly. She looked up and saw that Marty was screaming. Then slowly, from the corner of her eye, Ted Hunter was there, appearing gradually at her left and pushing Marty towards her, yelling, "Heyyyy kidddd, Getttt Dowwwnnnnn…" Another BANG…Another BANG… And then… pain… and a heaviness that pushed her into the ground and into unconsciousness.
TBC Chapter 21. Angels With Real Dirty Faces.
A.N. A bit of trivia...So who guessed who the young traveller/lawyer was. Like I said just a cameo cross over, I thought Jarrod Barkley would be a very fitting character to represent Alexandra. The Big Valley time lines are my own, they are six - ten years out really, but If Tom Barkley dies in 1870. Heath turns up in 1876 age 24. Jarrod was supposed to be only 32, which meant if my story was set in 1860, then he would have only been 18. He was then supposed to have lead a group of soldiers during the civil war, at what 22? and Heath a prisoner of war... at 10, so for my story... Jarrod is 22 in 1860, but then I'm not as good as Alexandra at math.
Well Lajoci, true to her word has kept this rolling. Thanks for all the reviews, too. I had a great PM from Nevadagirl, suggesting I should put all these pieces together now, so I will try to insert a linear narrative on Katherine's and Alex backstory in the next chapter. I've just been waiting for someone Adam could tell the whole story to.
A shout out to Jan guest too, I think you should sign up on the site. It's safe, and you will get alerts for your favourite stories, plus we all get to thank you in person for your reviews. thanks for taking the time to leave them all.
I'm on Holidays for two weeks and am going away. There are chapters being betaed, but I don't know how good my internet access is going to be, so you might not get any more chapters until the 13th of April.
Finally, sorry for the long A.N.