CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
4TH FRIDAY

Mike is up and around early with the kids when they get up. He lets Marlene sleep while he gets the kids fed some breakfast. They go off to school and he is enjoying a fresh cup of coffee when she comes down in her robe.

She comes to him and kisses him then holds his head between her breasts as she says, “Thank you, my love. I see they are all fed and gone to school. Jan to play. Your the best husband a woman could ever ask for. Want to come back to bed?”

“I’d love to but I’m going over to the shop and see how badly my horse is wounded. You know with us lawmen the horse always comes first.” He looks serious.

“I think we better start horsing around and see who comes first.” She suggests this with a gleam in her eye.

“You could sit down here in my lap and take care of anything that might come up.” He opens his robe and crooks his finger at her.

“Let me get a cup of coffee, first.” She gets her coffee, brings it around to his elbow then lifts the back of her robe and sits down in his lap. She wiggles a bit and settles down. She sips on her coffee and says, “Mmmmm, I love my coffee like this in the morning. Don’t you?”

“Delicious, my lovely one.” He moves his hips slowly as he sips his coffee.

“What do you want to do today after you check on the car?” She rocks back and forth a bit.

“I thought I might just hang around here and work on the lawn and flower beds. I could start on one of those insurance cases, but I think I’ll leave that for tomorrow. It’ll be easier to catch people at home on the weekend.”

“You’ll be working both Saturday and Sunday?”

“Probably. Did you have something you wanted me to do?”

“Just stay here with me.”

“Right here?”

“Yeah, right in this spot like this.” She has started to move a little faster.

“If we are going to make it last all weekend, you better slow down.” He chuckles in her ear as he nibbles at it.

She stops and says, “Did you hear something. I think Jan is at the door. Am I covered?”

“Don’t worry. You just look like your sitting in my lap having a cup of coffee. I didn’t hear anything…”

“Hi guys, it just me. Mind if I join you for coffee?” Nina comes up the steps and passes by them to pour a cup of coffee. She brings it back to the table and sits down across from them. “Jeff went down to the office and I had to come over. What happened last night, Mike? You had an accident?”

“Uh, yeah. Some idiot in a van cut me off. Before I knew what was happening I drove into the ditch. Banged up the fender and bumper. I don’t know how much damage underneath yet. I was just going to check on it when Marlene sat down here in my lap and captured me for coffee.” He bounces Marlene up and down in his lap for emphasis. She grins and tries to drink her coffee. Mike takes a swallow of his.

“I was so worried when Marlene told me about that crazy phone call last night. I could just see you lying in an alley with ten slugs in you. It was horrible. I realize now that I was just acting hysterical.”

She comes around the table. “It is good to see you alive. Let me kiss you.” She brings her lips to his behind Marlene’s back and slips her tongue in his mouth as she kisses him. As she pulls away she winks and goes back around to drink her coffee. Mike pulls Marlene down hard into his lap then quickly reaches for his coffee.

Marlene wiggles her bottom slightly and says, “I took the call seriously, too. He sounded so forbidding. His accent made it all the more mysterious. I feel chills all over when I think of it.” She wiggles in mock chills in Mike’s lap.

“Dear! Don’t do that. You’ll give me ideas and then I’ll have to take you back to bed. I’ll never get out of here to check on the car.”

Nina giggles and says, “Let me sit on the other knee and you’ll really be stuck here. Between the two of us, you’d never get out of that chair again.” Her and Marlene laugh at that one as she comes around the table again. “Come on, Marlene, move over and give me a knee.”

“No way. He’s mine this morning.”

Nina glances down and slowly starts to turn red. “Oh my. Are you… Your not, are you? I mean, for a minute there I thought… Uh, never mind. I feel so foolish. I better go.”

Marlene laughs and says, “Did you think we were screwing right here in the kitchen at the table with coffee in hand? Nina, I’m ashamed to tell you, but it’s true. We are.” She bobs up and down and laughs again.

“Don’t make fun of me. I really thought for a moment that you were. That was so embarrassing. I turned scarlet and got hot all over. I’m sorry, guys.”

Mike says, “Don’t worry, little one, if we were I’d have you join us. I’ll bet you’d get over that hot flush in a hurry while I bounced you on my knee.” He bounces Marlene a bit. “Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?” He bounces Marlene again.

“I’m going to take you back to bed if you keep bouncing me.” She wriggles and laughs as Mike feels pressure mounting.

“You better take her back to bed, Mike. I’m going now anyway.” Nina puts her cup in the sink and goes down the steps as Mike grips Marlene’s hips hard and pulls her down to him.

Gasping he says, “I didn’t think she was going to go before I did. Wow! That was close.”

“Well, don’t stop now. I got a ways to go yet, lover.”

Coffee out of the way and desert as well, they go up for a shower. Then he goes over to the shop.

“Morning, Murray. Had a chance to look her over, yet?”

“Yes. I pulled that fender clear of the tire and put in a headlight. You can drive her. I’ve got a fender on order for you. We’ll put it on when it comes in. Luckily, you seem to have missed everything vital underneath. Keep an eye out for oil leaks and such but I think your okay for now.”

“Do you know where I can rent a strap on ball hitch for that back bumper. I have a small U-Haul trailer to pull Sunday.”

“You can try Lordco Auto Parts, but I think your going to have to go to a U-Haul dealer. There’s one in Clearbrook out near the freeway access on South Fraser Way. Just a minute. Maybe I can get you the loan of one.” Murray goes to the phone and talks for a few minutes.

He comes back and says, “Your in luck. Friend of mine says you can borrow his pickup. He has all three sizes of balls for his hitch. Will that work? But he needs it back Monday morning to take to work.”

“That sounds terrific, but what if he wants to go somewhere? I guess I could leave him the Mustang. Thanks, Murray, I owe you one.” He gets the name and address of his friend.

He drives around to see the pickup when he leaves the shop. It’s an old 82 Chevrolet, but he likes the sound of it when it’s started. He arranges to leave his car and take the pick up early Sunday morning. The keys will be under the mat and Mike will leave his the same place. They go in the house and have a beer. This is a fellow trucker who drives cement mixer for the local outfit, Rempel Bros. They talk trucking for a while and then Mike goes home.

He putters in the rest of the day around the house.

Sunday morning he’s up and gone by six, being careful not to wake Marlene. He leaves a note on the table saying he will be busy all day so don’t hold supper for him.

At seven twenty he pulls around by Trudy’s place and sees the U-Haul sitting in front of her door. He backs the pickup up to the hitch on the trailer and parks a few inches short of it. He goes to rap on the door but she opens it as he’s reaching to knock. “Get in here!” She hauls him through the door and throws her arms around him. She squeezes and squeezes him as she says over and over, “I love you! I love you! They better damn well not hurt you. I love you.”

He holds her close and she settles down. “I have been fuming every time I think of them trying to kill you. We’ll put them away behind bars before we’re through, won’t we?”

“We’ll sure try to, but life doesn’t always work like that. They may get away with it and never get caught. Are you ready to start moving?”

“Yep. I was going to load some stuff up last night but I remembered you said you wanted to load it so it’s all here, mainly in boxes. The nice man from the U-Haul in Hope brought the trailer out for me and backed it right up to the door. He said we could drop the trailer at U-Haul in Chilliwack. Wasn’t that good of him?”

“How much leg did you show him for that?”

“I didn’t show him any, so there.” She sticks her tongue out at Mike.

“Mommy is sticking her tongue out!”

Crystal comes out of a bedroom rubbing her eyes. She’s still in pajamas so Mike catches her up and asks her to forgive her Mother’s bad manners. “You know better than to do such a thing, don’t you?” He grins and tickles her. She laughs and hugs him around the neck.

“Don’t Mike, that tickles.” She laughs and laughs. Mike sits her in an armchair and says, “You going to help us move, today?”

“You bet! I have to move my furniture too. My table and chairs and all my dolls and my dishes… everything! Will you charge us extra?”

“Hmmmm, well, just for you I’ll make an exception. I’ll take your stuff for free. How about that?”

She looks knowingly at her mother and says, “See! I told you he would.” Trudy just rolls her eyes.

She says, “We better get you dressed, young lady. Grab a coffee there, Mike, and I’ll be right back.” They go back into the bedroom. Mike hears her say to her mother, “Is he going to be my daddy?” She shushes her and they whisper so Mike gets coffee. He finds a seat amongst the boxes and wait’s for them as he sips.

They spend about two hours loading the trailer and when everything is in, Mike hooks up to it. Trudy guides him back and when it’s latched and the chains are secured she says, “Where’d you get the pickup? From the shop where they’re working on your car?”

“Nope. Borrowed it from a friend of his. He’s a trucker for Rempel Bros. Concrete. He has my Mustang for the day.”

“It’s working alright then?”

“Needs a fender and maybe a radiator. I spotted some leaks. I’ll also have to replace a few pieces of the grill, but it’s running. Can’t keep a good horse down, you know.”

“I’m glad you got the pickup. Maybe we’ll be able to take Crystal’s swing set and dog house from the back yard. She keeps hoping I’ll get her a dog for it.” She grins.

“Well, maybe you should.”

“With a cat? No way. The cat’s enough, although I must admit she is really good about looking after it. Maybe when she’s older… or maybe we’ll get her something else to keep her company… like a little brother or sister.” She puts her arm around his waist and looks up at him with big wondrous eyes.

Mike regards her with tenderness. “It’s something we will have to think about a lot. It’s a big step, my love. Don’t rush it.”

“We can practice making babies tonight in the new place, can’t we? We should keep in practice. The more we practice, the better we’ll be at it, if we decide to make one someday.”

Mike chuckles and shakes his head. “Where are those swings now?” They load the swings, a tricycle in need of some repairs and the doghouse into the pickup box. They take one last look around and Trudy sheds a single tear. “It was home when we found it and it’s served us well, but I’m glad to be moving closer to you and in with a friend. Come on, Crystal. It’s time to go.”

They pile into the truck and head out to the freeway. When they reach Laidlaw, Mike asks if she’s hungry. They decide to stop for early lunch. This gives Mike a chance to check the load, the hitch and the trailer tires.

Trudy says, “Come on, this ain’t no eighteen wheeler. Let’s eat.” Crystal agrees grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the truck stop. He finds a booth and sits her beside him, while Trudy sits across from him. He lets her order whatever she wants. She very sensibly orders a plate of fries and gravy with a glass of milk. “Maybe I’ll order desert later.” She tells the waitress.

Mike and Trudy smile at each other across the table. After lunch they drive the miles to Chilliwack. It’s a beautiful day and Mt. Cheam is still a delight to behold capped with snow as they pass it on the way. Mike swings off the freeway near the airport and they drive across town to the slough. Mike turns onto Clarke Drive and pulls up to their new home.

Carol comes running out to greet them. “I thought you got lost. I been waiting for you so I could run out and tell you it was number 14, but I guess you didn’t forget. Hi there, Crystal. So you’re coming to live with me, eh? I think you’ll like it here. Come on in the house with Cookie.”

They all go in the house and Carol wants to know if they’re hungry? Mike says, “We just ate about an hour ago, Cookie. If I eat before I unload that trailer, I’ll never get it done. We better unload first. Thanks for thinking of us, though.” He heads back out to back the trailer in. He hears Carol say to Trudy as he goes out, “He’s a real take charge type of guy, isn’t he? I really like him.”

When all the boxes are unloaded and some order is starting to appear in the house, they all sit down to supper together in the dining room. The windows look out onto the slough and the late afternoon sun glints off the water amongst the cattails. Trudy’s cat is inspecting her bedroom where they have closed it in and set up its cat box temporarily. Eventually it will go into the bathroom but for now her bedroom’s it’s world.

Mike says the grace while they all hold hands around the table then they start to eat. Carol is a good cook, so the meal is very enjoyable and talking is at a minimum. Mike compliments her on the good food and she appears contented.

After supper they go out into the back yard and walk around the grounds. Rhododendrons are blooming everywhere and a Laburnum, some call it a Golden Chain, hangs with long tresses of golden flowers. Along the slope by the slough are willow trees, their fronds hanging lacy and low to the water.

Mike sits on the grass with Crystal and explains how dangerous it is to go near the water without an adult nearby. He makes her promise she will not go near the water without her mother, Cookie or himself, no matter what other kids might say or do. She promises and Trudy smiles her thanks at him. Mike sets up the swings for her and says he will fix the trike soon. He puts the doghouse near the back of the house so Crystal can see it’s there.

On the lawn in the sunset he takes Trudy into his arms and kisses her. “Honey, I have to go. I have to get that truck back to its owner tonight. I promised I would. You take care of yourself and I will see you soon. See what you can do with that skip tracing if you get bored, okay?”

“I thought you were going to make love to me in our new bedroom tonight.” She pouts. “I want you to carry me across the threshold of that bedroom because I have decided to be your mistress. I swear I will not have anything to do with any other man, ever. Please, at least carry me into the bedroom?”

He scoops her up into his arms and carries her to the sliding glass doors that lead into the master bedroom. He pushes the door aside and carries her across the threshold saying, “I love thee, Trudy. I will endeavor to please thee in every way. I accept you as my mistress.” With that he has to drop her on the bed and run to catch the cat that has fled through the open door.

Trudy laughs as she sees him scamper around the yard in the sunset, the cat just inches away and staying that way. She picks up some kibbles in a box and shakes them. The cat comes running and she gives some to it in a dish. Mike stands shaking his head then blows her a kiss as he heads around the house to the truck.

Trudy meets him by the truck and says, “Won’t you come in and tuck Crystal in. She has just gone up to bed.

They go in and Mike goes upstairs with Trudy’s hand in his. As they come to Crystal’s room he hears a voice. He peeks in and sees Carol sitting on the bed by Crystal who is kneeling and saying her prayers. “… and God bless Mike, and keep him safe for Mommy and me. In Jesus name, I ask. Amen.”

Mike feels a lump in his throat and goes in to tell her goodnight. As Carol and Trudy look on he tucks her in and kisses her.

He thinks about Crystal and her mother all the way back to Abbotsford. He has let her get her hooks in and he feels happy. Damn! Now he has a mistress and her daughter to worry about. It was so much simpler when she was a pick up at the truck stop in Laidlaw. But he still feels happy!

Damn and double damn! He must be going crazy!

He drives around and drops off the pickup after he’s filled it with gas. He drives his Mustang home and wonders what tomorrow will bring. He doesn’t have to wonder for long.

Marlene meets him with kisses and word that he has a run Tuesday to Alberta and Medicine Hat. He decides to devote Monday to the insurance cases. He retires to his office to catch up on paperwork. He sets up a new ledger entitled “Chilliwack Office Expenses”. He looks at the blank pages and pictures the ledger, filled and dog-eared years from now.

When he comes upstairs, he asks Marlene about the kids. How is Richard doing in school and in his new Karate classes? How has Shelly taken to the new teacher who is subbing for her regular one? And has Janet decided she might like school next year, after all? Marlene answers his questions, but has a puzzled look on her face when she goes to the kitchen.

When they go to bed she says, “Are you thinking we should maybe have another child, Mike?”

“What ever put that idea into your head?”

“You are in a funny mood tonight. When you asked about the kids, I wondered if you were thinking about having more. We could raise one more. Would you like to?”

“Hmmmm, I’d like to sleep on that. I don’t know.”

They draw close together and he kisses her as a first step to love making.

In the morning he wakes early and helps Marlene get the kids off to school. He studies the two cases he has over breakfast then says he’s not sure how late he will be tonight. He kisses her and goes to his battered Mustang. He checks under it and adds some antifreeze before starting it. He drives out S. Fraser Way to the overpass over the freeway. Then he swings left into the industrial area.

He stops and backs to the turn then parks on the shoulder. He gets out and studies the traffic flow. Two way traffic on the overpass curves right as it empties into the industrial area down a grade, but to reach the western most plants you have to turn left in that right hand curve, cross oncoming traffic and step on it. No lights, no caution signs, nothing. It was on this corner they collided; one westbound and the other turning. It was easy to see it was a bad corner.

Next Mike goes to the ICBC impound yard and asks to see the cars involved in the accident. After explaining himself and showing his I.D. they take him back to a remote corner of the yard. About two dozen burned out wrecks rest here. All are awaiting an ICBC decision.

They point out to him the two involved in the accident in question. He crawls around them studying the Fire Marshall’s report as he goes. Both cars are a write off but the driver’s didn’t get hurt all that bad. Oh, the one driver has submitted a claim for whiplash, but it’s only partially backed by his doctor and the ICBC doctors will probably disqualify him. It’s the property damage claims that will be staggering. They are both late model luxury cars, neither make with a history of fires. He checks the names of the owners and decides to have Trudy do a check up on them.

He calls and Carol says she’s gone to work. Mike apologizes for calling. He says he’s so used to her working nights, he didn’t think. He asks about Crystal, and Carol says she was the one to take her over to the new school. He thanks her and let’s her go. He thinks to himself, if Trudy can get information over the phone on people, so can he. So he heads home to use the phone in his office. As he rounds the corner he sees Jeff’s car sitting in his driveway. He goes on by and calls Nina at work.

“Mike. I was just going to try your cell phone. I have something. Can we meet for lunch?”

“Still no period?”

“Nope. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“See you at noon.”

“What did you want?”

“It can wait.”

“See you at twelve thirty then.”

At twelve thirty she comes bouncing out of the building and jumps into the car. “I feel so good today. Take me to our spot. Quickly, so we can spend more time there.”

“What’s got into you?” He laughs as if the spirit is contagious.

“You, you nut; many times and at just the right time once. I’m so happy to be having a baby I could sing.”

“Take it easy. It still might be a false alarm.”

“I know. That’s why I want you today and every day until I’m sure you’ve got me pregnant.”

“So what have you got for me?”

“Me! Isn’t that enough? Would you rather be with Marlene or Trudy? But seriously I do have some information for you. They have sent off the hair samples for a DNA test and they are concentrating on Ron and Rita Harrison now.”

“Who did you say?”
“Ron and Rita…”

“Before that!”

“Uh, what did I say?

“You said would I rather be with Marlene or… who?”

“Oh. I guess I said Trudy. So what?”

“How do you know about Trudy?”

“I’ve always known about Trudy since before you and I first got it on. There’s a three-inch file on each of you at the detachment and a one-inch file on you and Trudy together. Just this morning they were taking bets on how long the two of you will last in the posh district of Chilliwack on Clarke Drive. You know the Mayor lives on that short street and so does the Manager of York Farms and his wife. She’s the social head of the town’s elite. I’m afraid the betting was going against you.”

“I don’t know whether to be more shocked at this invasion of privacy or the RCMP making bets on the job. So you have always known about her, eh? How come you never said anything before?”

“I figured it was none of my business, I guess. I overhear and see information on a lot of people. I don’t blab about it.”

“How about your husband? Anything new on him?”

“I don’t think they have a file on him, but they have one on me and one on you and me, so I guess they must have one on him, too.”

“If they do and you check it you will find he spent this morning with my wife again. I was going back to the house to use the phone in my office when I saw his car in my drive. That’s when I called you.”

Mike pulls into the spot by the river as she says, “So you are just here to screw me to get even with Jeff, is that it?”

“I’m here to screw you, period. To hell with Jeff.”

“I think we better go back to the detachment. Suddenly I don’t feel like having sex with you. Your not even happy that I’m pregnant, are you?”

“I’m happy that you are getting what you want. I’m happy if I can give you pleasure. What do you want me to say? Yes, I’m happy you’re having my baby! Is that it?”

“Our baby, Mike. It’s yours and mine. We did it together. Even though Jeff and I raise it, I will insist it knows who it’s real biological father is. We are linked forever through this child. I will never make demands of you but I will expect you to take responsibility for its creation. I want your name on the birth certificate.”

“I will do as you ask. Let’s go back to the detachment.”

“No! Not yet! Hold me. I want you inside me! Please put your penis in me so deep I can feel you in my middle.”

“I don’t know whether I can. You have me so confused.”

“I think you can.” She rubs him and soon proves she’s right.

When he takes her back to the office, she wiggles her fingers at him as she goes up the walk and nearly runs into Lindross. The Staff Sergeant raises his hand and beckons to Mike. Mike reluctantly gets out of the car and Lindross calls, “Bring your briefcase.”

Mike gets the case and follows Nina and the Staff Sergeant into the detachment. He hears the officer say to his secretary, “You better use the powder room to fix yourself up, young lady.” Then he turns to Mike and says, “Follow me.”

They go to his office and he closes the door. “Well, did she tell you I have sent off your evidence? I suppose she did. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, does it? We’re both on the same team, aren’t we?”

“If you say so, sir.”

“I’m waiting.”

“What are you waiting for, sir?”

“For whatever you got out of Flo’s house on Thursday. Oh yes, we knew you were there. Not by anything you left to tip us off, but because we were watching for you. As soon as I heard you had left the back door unlocked, I knew you’d be back. Well?”

Mike shrugs his shoulders and chuckles. “You think I found something your teams might have missed. You don’t have much faith in your people, sir.”

“No games. I’ll tell you straight, we are checking into Ron and Rita Harrison. We have found out that Ron was having an affair with Flo behind his wife’s back. They argued quite violently over it the night before she was murdered. We have now added Rita Harrison to our list of suspects. Speculation is rife among the team members over whether she hired Ray to do the job, because of the physical evidence, or if she did it and set Ray up with the evidence. We are also checking on another couple who will remain nameless at this time because of his position in the community, who may also have been involved.”

“He wouldn’t be a judge, by any chance?”

“So, you know about them, too. Damn! You should be working closer with us on this. What did you get from Flo’s place now? I’ve shown you my hand.”

Mike opens his briefcase and puts the bags in a row on the desk with the paperwork for each next to the pile. Lindross gives a low whistle and starts reading reports as he looks over the evidence. He mumbles, “An Italian?” and later, “Vanuetche? Maybe.” Then he stops and looks at Mike. “Why would she have our number on her pad? She never called us. I checked as a matter of routine.”

“I wondered if she did. Maybe she threatened to call you. Could that have done her in?”

“Speculation. We will likely never know. What’s this about a missing microwave? You think it’s important?”

“I don’t know. Do you?”

“I don’t know either. I’ll toss it to the team. Maybe they can come up with something. Anything else?”

“I was threatened by Ron Harrison on Thursday. He told me to butt out of things that didn’t concern me. Later someone with an Oriental accent called my house and told my wife that I might not be coming home. If I did, she was to tell me to keep my nose out of affairs that didn’t concern me. The same afternoon someone tried to run me off the freeway into a bridge abutment. I’m still here but you can see my car took a beating.”

“I noticed that. So that’s what happened. Bet you’re still on the case, aren’t you?”

“I’ve decided to ease off a bit for a while. You guys have all I have so you can work on it now. I’ll get back to insurance fraud cases. Not near so dangerous, although we do have our moments.”

“Still fucking Nina, aren’t you? I thought you guys had broken it off?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“It is as long as she’s my secretary. Why can’t you be happy with a wife and a mistress? What’s Nina got that they haven’t got? I know; she’s got your child in her belly, that’s what she’s got. Son, I wish you’d come back and go to work on this case with us. Don’t let them scare you off. We need all the help we can get.”

“You people know far more about other’s private lives than you need to! Nina and I will do as we please and to hell with what you think I should or shouldn’t do. It burns me up that you can peek into the bedrooms and gain so much private information, yet condemn it when others try the same. Your as black as the blackest of them.”

Mike gets up and goes to the door. He reaches for the knob but Lindross has it in hand first. He opens the door and says, “Good afternoon, Mr. Claymore.”

Mike goes to the car and is so upset he can’t drive. He sits fuming for five minutes before he puts it in gear. As he drives away, Nina watches him with concern on her face.

He drives around to the CPX yard and checks in with the dispatcher. He has two trailers to Calgary with a bit to drop off in Kamloops on the way. He picks up a long box there that’s going east and is to change it for another long box coming to the coast at Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. It will be loaded and waiting for him at eight in the morning.

Mike drives out through Maple Ridge and Mission to Abbotsford. He debates about stopping off at home and decides not. He goes on to Sardis and pulls in to the Husky truck stop. He goes into the cafe and looks for Trudy. A pert young waitress comes to take his order. He asks about Trudy and she says she’s on a break. She gets Trudy for him.

“Mike, what are you doing here? Just looking for me?”

“Yep; that and a cup of coffee. How do you like the job so far?”

“It’s not Laidlaw. Nothing’s the same. I’ll get used to it. It feels like the Husky at Sicamous. What you been up to?”

“A nooner with Nina.” He grins as she gives him a black look. “She knows all about us. She even told me you were my mistress and I had just moved you to Chilliwack. The RCMP have a file on us. They’re taking bets amongst themselves over how long we’ll last on exclusive Clarke Drive. I spoke with Lindross and had a blow up with him over prying into people’s private lives. I also shared the stuff I got out of Flo’s place with him.”

“They know all about us? It doesn’t really surprise me. Why wouldn’t we stay on Clarke Drive?”

“Apparently the Mayor lives there and so does the cream of Chilliwack society. They think when word gets out that we are a couple the neighbors will pressure us to move.”

“I don’t throw any wild parties or anything. Why should the neighbors dislike me?”

“Don’t worry about it. I have a run tomorrow to Alberta and Saskatchewan. I probably won’t see you until the weekend. Is there anything you need before I go?”

“I want to go with you.”

“You can’t. You can’t leave Crystal alone for four days in a new house and besides; you have to work. I’ve some work you may be able to help me with. How about it?”

“More legwork? I’d rather do some pussywork for you.” She grins and touches his leg under the table.

“You’ll get lots of that soon, but for now I would like you to see if you can get financial statements on the two motorists involved in that Insurance claim where the cars burned on impact. I’m looking to see if either or both have been caught in a financial bind recently. Try to dig out any reason they might have to need cash quickly. Can you do it?”

“I’ll give it a try.”

“Okay, I’ll leave both files with you today. Maybe you can look the other one over and come up with some ideas on it. What time you get off here?”

“About two hours to go. Gonna stick around?”

“No, I’ll get out of your hair. I guess I’ll go down and visit with Cookie till you get home. See you then.”

“Okay. My break is over anyway. I’ll see you at home. Never mind that bill. I’ve got it. Love ya.”

He blows her a kiss as he leaves the restaurant. Mike goes down to Clarke Drive and is conscious of the crumpled fender as he parks the car so it won’t show to those passing by or the neighbors. He rings the bell and Carol comes to the door in a light jacket.

“Oh Mike, I was just going to get Crystal from school. Come in and make yourself comfortable. Coffee is on the stove. I won’t be long.”

“I’ll walk over with you. I could use the exercise and I’d like to see where she’s going to school, anyway.”

They walk together chatting and the three blocks go by quickly. They have to cross Young Road, a fairly busy thoroughfare, and Mike expresses his concern about Crystal having to cross it. Carol assures him that a crossing guard always helps the children cross over safely in the mornings, at noon and when school gets out. Sure enough, on their way back the crossing guard is there and Mike feels relieved. He speaks to the guard briefly and makes sure Crystal meets him and he knows Crystal to see her.

When Trudy gets home she finds them in the back yard working on the tricycle. They are both smeared with grease and grinning when she comes into the yard from her bedroom. She shakes her head and comes to watch.

Mike explains to Crystal that she must not ride the tricycle out onto Young Road. She should be safe on Clarke Drive. It’s a fairly quiet cul de sac. When he finishes she proudly rides it out to the driveway, and looking both ways proceeds along the edge of Clarke Drive. Mike and Trudy walk out to the edge of the road to watch her. A neighbor lady working on her shrubbery speaks to them.

“Hi there. You’re new in the neighborhood. I’m Christine. Is that your little girl?” She nods towards Crystal who is wheeling back to them. Trudy shakes her head.

Mike smiles and says, “We’re Trudy and Mike. Nice to meet you, Christine. That’s Crystal on the trike. It needs a paint job but it’s running again like new. She didn’t have anywhere to ride it where we came from.”

“I have a tennis court that hardly gets used anymore. She’s welcome to come over and ride there, much safer than the streets. Do you play tennis, Mr.…?”

“Claymore, ma’am. Mike Claymore. I don’t get time for tennis much. I drive truck and am on the road a lot. Leaving tonight for Saskatchewan, as a matter of fact.”

“How about you, Mrs. Claymore? It was Trudy, wasn’t it?”

“I used to play a lot, but I haven’t much since Crystal came along. Maybe I should try again, dear.” She looks up to Mike with an impish grin. “I don’t get as much exercise as I’d like.”

“Come this way and I’ll show you where the court is.”

She takes them behind her house and they cannot see their place any longer because of the hedge. Instead of a rolling lawn down to the slough, Christine’s place has the back area leveled and a tennis court fills one side of the lawn to the water’s edge. It is fenced off all around and is ready for playing tennis. Christine opens the gate and lets Crystal in with her trike. They chat as Crystal wheels around the court. She is about forty and informs them that her husband is the Mayor of Chilliwack and District. They sit chatting on a patio at a table with an umbrella overhead. She insists they have iced tea with her and they speak like old friends.

They beg leave saying that Carol will have supper on and they should get home. They thank Christine for her hospitality and for allowing Crystal to use the tennis court.

“Maybe when you get back from your trip you will come over and try your hand at tennis, Mike. Trudy and I will practice up this week and be ready to take you and my husband on this weekend.”

“Well, I don’t know. I never played much tennis. Let’s wait and see.”

They walk home with Crystal wheeling in front of them. When they get in the house Trudy says, “Hmmmm, Mrs. Claymore. I like that.” She grins impishly at Mike. “So that’s the Mayor’s house. Right next door. We sure moved into society now!”

“Trudy.” Mike speaks in a cautionary tone; “You better cool it with Christine. Wait till she finds out we’re not married. The reception will turn awfully cool then, I surmise.”

“Oh fiddlesticks! Come on for supper.”

After supper and over coffee, Mike tells Carol that the meal was another of her culinary delights. She’s so pleased she takes Crystal out to walk in the back yard and says she will give them some time to be alone together.

Trudy wants to rush off to the bedroom but Mike urges her to walk with him instead in the yard.

“Don’t you want me? We haven’t had sex for quite a while. Did Nina tucker you out?” She digs him in the ribs with an elbow.

Mike looks thoughtful and says, “We can have sex anytime you want and anywhere you want, but not in our bedroom yet. Okay?”

She looks at him questioningly, “Why not the bedroom?”

“When I make love to you there for the first time, I want to be able to stay with you and sleep the night through with you. Not yet, but soon.”

“Let’s go for a drive then. We’ll find a place.”

And they do.

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