CH 08
PJ was still there helping Maggie clean up when Elle returned from driving her guests home. Walking into the kitchen, she finds PJ and Maggie talking.
"Hey, where's Wayne and Pat?" Elle asked them.
"Passed out on the couch, snoring," Maggie answered.
"Ahh, a great night tonight."
"Yeah it was, but what am I going to do with all these leftovers?" Maggie asked.
"Invite the guys around tomorrow night they'll be happy to help you get rid of them. Especially with some of the beer and wine in the offering."
"Good idea," Maggie said, as she started up the dishwasher.
"Elle, do you know what was wrong with Wayne tonight? He didn't seem himself, and where was Roz?" PJ asked.
"She left him, she packed her things and left a 'Dear John' note. Walked out while he was on duty."
"Poor Wayne," Maggie said.
"Why did she leave?"
"She said because she couldn't get a job here."
"Surely there was something," Maggie said.
"Oh, there is. Roz was offered two jobs, and she turned both of them down. She went back to Melbourne."
"How do you know this?" PJ asked.
Maggie made them a hot drink, and they sat at the table.
"Because I offered her the two jobs. One was taking over my duties at the station. The second job I offered was a secretary job with my business here in Mount Thomas. She turned both down." Maggie and PJ were momentarily speechless.
"She turned down your job offer?" PJ said.
"Anyone would jump at the chance for a job like that," Maggie said.
"I know, my guess is that it was an excuse to move back to Melbourne rather than live in a country town," Elle said.
"So, that means Wayne will have to move out of the watchkeepers house and Boss will have to find someone else to take over those duties," Maggie said
"That's true. It would have been great if Roz had taken over for me. I would be able to spend more time on the business and the kids. Her leaving will put on more of a strain not only for me but also for the kids. Plus now I have to work Sundays as well, and Tom will have to find someone to do all the cooking."
"Did Roz give the Boss notice that she was leaving? She was not only your fill in, but she was working Sundays as well," Maggie asked.
"No, I spoke to Boss about it earlier tonight when we were in the kitchen. He had no idea. She was supposed to give two weeks notice if she was leaving."
"Why leave now when Christmas is just next month?" PJ asked.
"Don't know. What's even worse is I have every weekend off next month because of the Christmas parties with my staff and their families. Roz knew that she was booked in for all the weekends while I'm away."
"We will be able to work something out," PJ said.
"I hope so. Roz has got a lot of explaining to do." They talk for another ten minutes before Elle woke both of the snoring men up. Her and PJ managed to get them into her car so she could take them home.
"See you both in the morning," Elle said before driving back down the driveway. When she took Pat back to the pub, she noticed that Chris' light was on, so Elle knew she would be up.
"We're closed!" Chris called out when Elle knocked.
"Chris, it's Elle. I'm returning one drunk Irishman." She waited a the door opened.
"Hey, how did the party go?"
"Went great, ask Maggie about it tomorrow; especially ask about the apron."
"I can't wait, where's Pat?"
"I'll get him." Elle returned to the car to wake up Pat while Chris watched by the door. Getting Pat up, she helped him out of the car, up the steps, and into the pub. Chris and Elle watched Pat as he negotiated the stairs up to his room.
"Who else is in the car?" Chris asked.
"Wayne, I better get him home."
"Where's Roz?"
"Took off back to Melbourne after leaving a 'Dear John' note."
"Your joking and with Christmas around the corner."
"Yep"
"Does Tom know?"
"I told him. He was surprised. He hadn't received a letter of warning that she was leaving. And what's worse is who is going to do the meals, work Sundays, and be the fill in while I'm away."
"That's right, you're going away every weekend in December."
"Now I won't be able to. She's got great timing with the holidays just next month."
"Poor Wayne."
"Yeah." Chris walks Elle to the front door.
"See you tomorrow with the lunch orders. I imagine that there's going to be a few hangovers," Elle said, and Chris laughed.
"I bet there will be. Night Elle."
Chris watched as Elle got into her car and drove away. Then closing the door, and locking it, she continued to close up the pub for the night.
Elle helped Wayne into watchkeepers house and put him on the bed. She removed his shoes and set the alarm clock, locking the door as she went out.
When she arrived home, she went to check on the babysitter. The sitter was asleep in the guest bedroom with the baby monitor nearby. Then she went to check on her kids, giving them each a kiss on the top of the head before going to bed herself. She undressed climbed into bed and set her alarm. The last thing she did before going to sleep was to look at Tim's photo.
"Good night, my love," then she turned off the lights and went to sleep.
Elle had strong coffee made for everyone as they came into work.
"Good morning," she said, as she passed them each a cup.
Both Nick and Wayne are groaning as they were walking over to their desks. When PJ and Maggie arrived, they were in good spirits.
"Good morning! Gee Wayne, Nick, you two don't look so good this morning," PJ said with a snicker.
"It's called a hangover PJ, I'm surprised you've never heard of it. Morning Elle."
"Morning PJ, Maggie," Elle said as she walked into Tom office with the morning paper and coffee.
"Here you go Boss. We've got two casualties this morning."
"Who?" Tom looked worried.
"Wayne and Nick, they had a few too many last night."
"Oh that, anything else?"
"St Davids said they had a quiet night here while doing their patrols."
"That's good to know."
"So, your usual lunch?"
"Yes, thanks. How much food was leftover from last night?"
"A lot. Maggie's inviting everyone around tonight to help her eat it."
"I'll talk to Nel."
"Ok, the kids and I will be there," she said, smiling as she walked out the door.
It was a quiet day at the station, giving everyone a chance to catch up with their paperwork and nurse their hangovers.
That evening at Maggie's, everyone was there helping Maggie with all of the parties leftovers.
"Boss, Elle gave us an idea. We agree to take turns to be on call until the watchkeeper position is filled. On the weekends that Elle is away, we will take turns cleaning the station until the position is filled.
"Are you all in agreement?" Tom asked.
"Yes, we are," Nick said, as everyone nodded.
"Ok, I'll let Inspector Falkner know tomorrow. So, who's on call tonight?"
"I am, Boss," Maggie said.
"Ok, very well." They all had a great night, and all the food was gone.
Everything was back to normal the next morning.
Friday night, Elle kissed her kids goodbye. They would be staying with Tom and Nel for the weekend. She drove to Melbourne where she is staying at her penthouse condo for the weekend to get ready for the Pre-Christmas party, which is the next night.
Elle was shopping the next day when she saw Roz. She walked up to her, "Hello, Roz."
Roz turned and was a bit shocked to see Elle standing there. "Elle, what are you doing here?"
"I have the weekend off. Remember? You are supposed to be in Mount Thomas covering for me."
"Excuse me! Don't you talk to Roz like that!"
"It's ok, Mum."
Elle turned to the woman, "I can, and I will, Ma'am. She is supposed to be working at the Mount Thomas Police Station this weekend."
"She left, and there's nothing that Wayne or the Sargeant can do about it."
"The police can. Yes, Roz left leaving a note for Wayne, but she didn't give Sargeant Croydon the two weeks notice as is required. So, therefore, she's still working for them until Sargeant Croydon receives that formal letter of resignation. Because of left the way that she left, Sargeant Croydon has to try and find someone to take her place on short notice. Now any prisoners they might have will need to be taken to St David's lock up for the night. With Mount Thomas already short-staffed as it is, there's more pressure on them. With Christmas around the corner, Roz sure picked a rotten time to leave like she did."
"Well, she's been looking for work."
"Really?" Elle raised her eyebrows.
"Come on, Mum lets go," Roz said.
"Alright. And you, don't you talk to Roz ever again."
"I'll talk to whoever I want. And Roz, you better write a letter and give it to Sargeant in person. You owe him and the others an apology. Roz, Wayne knows that you were offered two different jobs at Mount Thomas and that you turned them down. So don't you bloody dare go around telling people bullshit lies about how you can't get a job when you were offered two, two months ago. Merry Christmas," Elle said walking away leaving an embarrassed Roz and her shocked mother standing there in the street.
On Monday morning When Elle walks into the station, she could hear Wayne and Nick giving each other a hard time. "Some things never change," she said, and they turned to Elle.
"Hey, how was your weekend down in Melbourne," Nick asked.
"How was the party" Wayne asked.
"Party was great as it is every year thank you. As for my weekend, I shopped till I dropped, ninety per cent of which was for kid's clothes and presents."
"Ahh, shopping for gifts already," Nick said.
"Yup, and guess who I ran into? I saw Roz," their looks change just as Tom walked out of his office.
"How is she?" Wayne asked
"Snobby just like her mother, yeah she was there too. I told her that she's got to return to Mt Thomas to give the Boss a letter in person and to apologise to you all for what she did."
"You saw Mrs Patterson?" Tom asked.
"Yeah, I did, and it looks like she not only lied to Wayne but to her mother as well about not getting a job here. I walked away, leaving them speechless. So forget about that, where's Maggie and PJ?"
"They were called out to Widgey to a burglary. The Sargent there's not answering his radio or phone," Nick said.
"I hope everything's ok," Elle said.
"Hope so," Tom said.
Just then a man and kid walk into the station, so Elle walks up to the counter to talk to them. Tom was interested after hearing what they had to say and where they are from. After getting all the info from them, Tom contacted PJ about it. When Maggie and PJ return to the station, Tom went out to Widgey to see if he could locate Alan McCubbin, the satellite police station's Sargeant.
Arriving in Widgey, Tom found the door to the office locked. He unlocked it and went inside and was stunned by the condition of the place.
Tom returned to Mount Thomas, and he talks to Elle about the office in Widgey. "Elle, I was wondering if you can go to Widgey tomorrow to sort out the paperwork and books."
"That bad?"
"Yes, the place is in a shambles."
"Sure, I'll leave in the morning."
"Ok. Go to the usual petrol station in the morning, fill your wagon up, and put it on the account. I'll call Carol to let her know."
"No," Elle said.
"Elle, it's a good three-quarter of an hour drive."
"So, it's still no, but..." she smiles at Tom.
"I'm not going to like this am I."
"While I'm away can you pick up the kids from daycare since I won't be home till after six."
"Sure, I'm sure Nel wouldn't mind for a while."
"Great and you can buy me dinner tomorrow and Friday night."
"You drive a hard bargain, done."
"Great," She said, smiling.
"I'm going to go out with you tomorrow."
"if you wish."
The next morning both Tom and Elle showed up at Widgey station. When Tom opened the door, Elle just stood there a minute not believing what she was seeing. "When was the last time this place was aired and cleaned up?"
"About nine months, probably."
"Nine months! Bloody hell!" Elle continues to look around as she set the box she was carrying down on the counter.
"I'll see what cleaning stuff there is here, if there's any," Elle called over her shoulder as she went looking for the stuff.
When she returns, she opens the fridge door and shakes her head. Elle got out the milk and checked the date on it. Then shaking her head again, walked to the loo and poured it down the toilet and flushed. She rinsed the container, returned to the office and put it in the bin.
"Boss I'll need to go to the shop and get a few things."
"Ok"
"First thing though..." she opens the blinds, raises them up, and then she tries to open the windows.
"Bloody hell! They must be glued shut."
"Here let me" then Tom tried, and he couldn't open them either. Elle went outside to take a look.
"No, bloody wonder, the hinges are rusted" Tom had joined her outside and saw the hinges.
"Alan should have filled out a request form to have these fixed."
"More like replaced. Look at this, dry rot. Looks like the windows and frames will need to be replaced."
"Your right."
"Look, why don't you see if you can open any of the other windows while I'll go shopping."
"Ok."
Elle got into her wagon and left to get a few things.