Leverage characters are not mine. Please leave a comment. Thank you for reading.

Chapter One

The Move

"Jacob, which way?" The forty year old brunette's words came out in large puffs of breath.

"Left...no your left." The young man pulled as he tried to direct the woman. "Geeze this is like herding cats."

"Break." The woman's voice called out.

"What?"

"Break! I need a break." Her voice was muffled by the large box they were trying to move. Jacob set the dolly upright and walked out of the horse trailer. Sitting down on the ramp he pulled a bottle water from a nearby cooler. The woman walked down the ramp and sat down on curb mopping the nape of her neck with a hand towel.

She leaned her elbows that rested in the grass. "I've forgotten how much fun moving is."

Jacob grinned. "It must be difficult, when you reach the age you have."

"My own son has turned against me." She stretched out on the grass with her arm over her eyes as if she was in dismay.

He snorted. "If you think I am going to carry you back into the trailer, think again."

She got up, brushing the grass off her legs. "Good point, when did you get so mean?"

"I had a great teacher." He smiled. "Mush!"

Maneuvering the large box out of the trailer and up the steps to the house. Stacking smaller boxes on the dolly, the woman steadied the boxes as Jacob walked backwards down the ramp. "Just be thankful the real movers are bringing the bulk of the household."

"True." I just didn't want to sleep on the floor for two weeks."

"You could have used a sleeping bag." He grinned.

"If you want me happy, we'll get the bed frame and mattresses in the house next." She growled at him.

Carrying the frame in, she dreaded the next items, the mattress and box springs. Jacob lost count the number of times his mom dropped her end of the mattress. "It's like wrestling a pig." She picked it up again.

"You wrestle pigs much, Mom?" He laughed so hard visualizing that happening, he dropped his end which threw her off balance. She toppled on top of the mattress, just as as a car roared by, quickly pulling over in front of the pickup/trailer.

"Hey Eliot." Jacob greeted the occupant as he exited the vehicle. "This is my mom, 'Grace'."

The woman quickly got off the mattress and adjusted her blouse. "My name is Billie."

Jacob grinned at her. "I tend to forget that during activities like, moving."

Eliot eyed the petite woman and the six foot two young man. "Need help?"

"Help would be appreciated."

Lifting the mattress up, the two men moved the mattress into the house, followed by the box springs in a matter of a few minutes.

Billie stacked some of the smaller boxes on the dolly and brought it down the ramp. Eliot took the dolly from her and moved it into the house. A few boxes more and and the cooler, they were able to close up the trailer. Jacob backed the trailer up into the driveway with the ease of a truck driver.

Staring at the boxes, Billie took a big breath. "This isn't even a third of it."

"Well, nearly twenty years in the same place, you collect a bunch of treasures. I use treasures with jest." Jacob smiled.

"Yeah, well, some of that stuff belongs to you too." Billie shot back at him.

"Told you to get rid of it." He rolled his eyes.

"Your cards?"

"Well, not those."

"Your collection of weapons?"

"Definitely not those."

"Hmmmm. Seems to me you have treasures too." She smiled at him.

Jacob glanced Eliot. "How does anyone win a debate with a Mom?"

Eliot shook his head. "I would rather stay out of this."

"Coward."

"No, self-preservation." Eliot smiled.

Billie went to the fridge. "Well, I've got unsweetened tea, water, coffee and beer."

Both men chose beer, Billie poured herself tea. Jacob shook his head. "Don't know how you can drink that stuff and without sugar."

"What doesn't kill you, makes you strong." She took a drink and smacked her lips. "Good stuff."

Jacob put a small box in front of his mom. She looked at the address and furrowed her brow. Opening the box, she found a new iPhone. Reading the enclosed information, she pulled up the text from her current phone and typed in the code. The phone came to life. Jacob took it from her and looked at it.

"Nice. From your new job?"

She nodded. "I told them I already have a phone, but they insisted. I guess, since they're paying for it." She shrugged. Turning off the phone, she set it on the table.

"Hey, look at that." Jacob pointed towards the phone.

Billie looked down and saw that her phone had turned on again. Picking it up, she carefully walked through the turn off instructions and placed it back on to the table. In less than two minutes, the phone was back on. She looked at Jacob. "What do you make of that?"

"Eerie." He picked up the phone, playing with the setup keys. "We'll try this." He turned off the phone, placing it on the table. Billie and Jacob sat quietly as they watch the phone turned on again.

Billie picked up the phone, placing it in the microwave. "It isn't sound proof, but for now, it will do."

"Conspiracy theorist?" He laughed.

Not a theory, if true." She retorted.

The next week she and Jacob worked on painting rooms, checking the plumbing in and under the house, as well as debate the small shed in the back yard. Billie also cleaned off the shelves in each room. Resting on the front porch, they discussed other things that Billie was interested in doing to her new home.

Jacob listened with interest, inserting his own ideas. Billie jotted down notes. Eliot pulled up into the driveway.

Billie frowned. "What do you know about him?"

"He seems alright."

"What does he do for a living?" She watched as he was fast approaching.

Jacob shrugged. "Never asked."

"Looks as if you came at the right time." Billie chided him.

"Done already?" He smiled.

"Well...there's always the semi load of household items." Billie laughed as she saw a big rig round the corner. "Talk about timing."