Black Diamond.
This morning I walked into town and saw Aeryne walking over. She greeted me and then invited me to her house in Coronado.
Coronado.
On the way to Aeryne’s house we saw Mike and Stormy’s new house, which was more like a mansion, and then sat down at the table and had breakfast.
“So you live here all alone?” I began, drinking my coffee.
“Nope, have you met Autumn?”
“Autumn Massiel?”
“Yes that’s right.”
“Just met her this past May.”
“She lives with me here. And the little house out in the yard is a place for Sabi to stay when she wants.”
“That’s wonderful. I feel so bad for the poor girl... Sabi’s been through hell. I’m tryin’ my best to look out for her but she don’t seem to wanna talk much... At least she didn’t yesterday.”
“She has, but she is a tough kid and she has good parents... all four of them..” Aeryne chuckled. “Ahhh yes, I heard about that. She was afraid she was losing her parents again. I told her that couldn’t be the case. Apparently someone in town is stirring up trouble about the fact that she belongs to both families.”
“This whole issue with Mike and the orphanage is very unsettling. I need to have a talk with him,” I said then heard what she had just told me. “Oh?”
“I wish folks would just leave it be to be honest. Not like her having two sets of parents upsets the nature of the universe or anything...” she nodded.
“I’m still very uncertain about the one set.”
“Mike and Stormy?”
“Especially with recent information that’s popped up.”
“Oh? What information is that? If you don’t mind my asking...”
“You’ll be law soon probably, guess I can tell you. It seems that Angi’s makin’ up some story at the orphanage about Mike. And I don’t like it or get it.”
“Angi? Truly? Why would she do that?”
“She said he was tryin’ to bribe her into hurrying up the process of adopting Poppy. But I ain’t sure how that results in the money being buried in the orphanage yard and Sabi discovering it.”
“I have known Poppy since I got here myself. I don’t meddle in other folks family business but it has taken a very long time for that to get done. The poor child is the one suffering in all this.”
“Don’t mean you gotta try and bribe the matron into speeding it up. Especially since Mike apparently hired a hitman to shoot Ben Stolen ‘cause he looked at Stormy the wrong way.”
“That ain’t gonna help the matron’s opinion of him. Though how Angi heard about that, I have no idea.”
She lifted an eyebrow and asked, “You have evidence of this?”
“This case is still in the very early stages.”
“So it could just as easily be Angi’s story and nothing more.”
“It could. And it could have absolutely nothing to do with Mike, Poppy, or the adoption.... The money, I mean.”
“So where was this money?” she asked, sipping her coffee.
“Thank goodness I have a partner now to help me figure all this stuff out. It’s been very lonely working on my own. Makes it hard to get motivated to do things, ya know? It was in the playground, buried, at the orphanage. Right now it’s locked in a safe somewhere’s.”
“Ohhh I know just what you mean Trin! If I get hired on count on me any time you need! Hmm...”
“I hope you do. We need good deputies. I can’t do my job without ‘em.”
“And Angi knows nothin about the money?”
“She didn’t seem to much care to talk about it.”
“Which could mean she does or doesnt. Probably likely none of the children put it there... Does anyone else live in that vicinity?”
“She didn’t care that there was a risk of the money’s owner coming back for the money he or she buried there.... When I warned her about danger to her children. It was very odd.”
“That is odd, but then Angi has been acting oddly for a while now. You know I teach for her at the school on occasion.”
“Right I think I saw a telegram to that affect.”
“Trin, there is an apartment or two above the bar next door to the orphanage isn’t there?”
“Is there?”
“I believe so.”
“I’ll have to look into that.”
“Perhaps that money has nothing to do with the orphanage at all and Angi just doesn’t want to get involved. I would find that much easier to believe than her doing something unlawful.”
“Exactly. That was our feeling... that it has nothing to do with the orphanage.”
“I don’t know Mike, never met him. But Poppy and Sabi seem to think the world of him. And he used to be a deputy himself didn’t he?”
“Yes, but if it’s true he hired a hitman then he ain’t so upstanding. But even that.... he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that would pass the buck if you know what I mean. He would take care of the issue himself.”
“I wouldn’t think anyone that could fight or use a gun themselves would bother with a hit man.”
“Exactly my point. It makes no sense. So either Angi is covering for someone, or she really has no idea and wants nothing to do with it. Truthfully, I can see hr wanting nothing to do with it if it would draw attention to the orphanage.... and danger her children, as opposed to her not caring at all.”
“If you want my opinion, I would say the latter is more likely. Angi loves those kids whether she admits it or not, and to bring danger.... yes exactly..”
“So I’ll stay away from the orphanage then... Even though it was the scene of the crime... And focus more on where that money came from, not where it was found.”
“Has any of the banks come forward and reported a theft?”
“No ma’am.”
“Odd...”
“Not to me anyway. Reckon I could look into that. That’s a good suggestion. Guess I’m thinking too obscurely, I chuckled.
“Thanks Aeryne, this helps,” I said, finishing my breakfast. “Food ain’t bad either,”
“You are welcome any time Trin! I am usually havin breakfast alone with the chickens!”
“They aren’t the best company,” I laughed.
“They do tend to cluck on and on...” she laughed.
“Well I think I’m going to find my way home and get some work done. You have a lovely home, Aeryne. Thank you so much for breakfast.”
“Of course, thanks for joining me. I will see you later! Can you find your way back? Or shall I go with you?”
“You can join me if you like. Aly planted the tree next to my place so I think I’ll sit in that and catch up on journals. It has the best branches for laying back on.”
“Ahhh! Well I do have that fence to put up. I will join you in a while perhaps!”
“Alright then! Thanks again and see you soon!” I waved and headed home.
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