Watson Manor Eventually (Watson Manor Mystery Series Book 1)

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Watson Manor Eventually (Watson Manor Mystery Series Book 1) Page 24

by Ronald S. Craig


  "I just need to know it's over, that she can't get to us again," Jenny replied.

  "The evidence is beyond your statement now. She is going down, even if you don't testify at her trial. We found $250,000 in her home safe and a fake passport. She was getting ready for the final payment when Wentworth Software was sold off following the death of James Wentworth."

  "$250,000? That's more than she got from Margret," Charlie said.

  "We're looking at all her case files, both here and at her old precinct. It looks like there were others she was blackmailing before Margret. We hope you two will still testify at her trial."

  "Of course, but can we finally stop looking over our shoulders?" Jenny asked.

  "She's being held for murder one, without bail, plus all the other charges we are adding. Yes, Mrs. Watson, it's over."

  "That's good news, we can get back to building Watson Manor," Charlie said.

  "I've been at this over 25 years," Miller said, sitting back in his chair. "I've spent a lot of time reviewing your statement from Marina P.D. and have to say, I'm very impressed with what you two uncovered with limited resources. You've got a natural gift, an instinct for this kind of work."

  "Thanks. We're looking forward to studying hotel management, not forensic science," she said. "Far less chance of being shot at."

  "I understand, just thought I'd mention it," Miller said.

  Chapter 38

  The snorkeling gear was drying on a towel beside Charlie and Jenny and the sun was a few hours away from sinking into the ocean on their fourth day in Hawaii. They sat and watched seagulls and pelicans dive into the ocean to dine on small fish. The first three days had been in high gear, yielding to the call of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona, Diamond Head by helicopter, sail boarding at Kailua Beach and a leisurely drive around the island.

  It was time to be consumed by the simple pleasures; warm white sand beneath their feet and a perfect 80 degrees drying their swim suits after having experienced the thrill of swimming beside sea turtles, catching sight of a sting ray and watching a thousand colorful reef fish paint the ocean floor. The Paradise Cove Luau was their last scheduled event for the following day, but this day his watch rested on the night stand back at the hotel.

  Charlie reached over and scooped a hand full of sand and, when it sifted through his fingers, said, "This is a white Christmas I could get used to."

  "I can't get enough of this view. It's absolutely perfect," Jenny said as she watched another sail boat cross slowly in front of them.

  He stood and reached for her hand. "Let's walk to those palm trees beside the beach bar. I'm sure we can find something with your name on it…something fruity." He put their gear and towels in the small duffle bag.

  "Something fruity?" she asked grinning.

  "Sweet and natural," he corrected.

  "I know you like this bikini, but walk beside me this time," she insisted, smiling.

  "There is that, but can I help it if you walk faster than me."

  "I think you have a one-track mind, mister," she said playfully.

  "Not true. When I see a juicy steak on a billboard, I get hungry too, but even if it were true, which I am not saying it is, would that a problem?"

  "Didn't say that. I just think it's amazing how we think alike."

  "The definition of paradise in paradise," he said, pulling her into an embrace.

  "Two Mai Tais," Charlie ordered when they reached the bar.

  "See what I mean. You knew just what I wanted."

  "Well, I can't take all the credit. You've helped. It's the only thing you've ordered for four days."

  "See your point. I need to be more unpredictable."

  "What, and throw us outta' sync? No way," he said, grabbing the drinks and taking them to a small table.

  Jenny smiled and looked around at the excited couples and happy families seated in the area. She locked on to a family of four, mom and dad in their late forties with a son, maybe 15, and daughter around 12. She felt saddened as they could have been total strangers forced to sit at the same table. Each seemed to be in separate worlds, as there was no conversation or eye contact between them as they ate.

  Charlie had been distracted, rushing to catch a miss-guided Frisbee inbound to the area. He tossed it back to the beach to a young boy who shouted, "Sorry…thanks."

  "No problem," he said, laughing. "You've got the arm, just work on control."

  He sat back down and his smile faded when he followed Jenny's stare. "I won't let that happen to us," he said, taking her hand.

  "Promise me," she asked, turning back towards him. "It's easy now. I can't stand the thought of being away from you for a moment. Or that anyone in the world could make me happier than I feel with you."

  "That was my childhood over there," he said sadly. "It takes more than hoping to keep love alive and I'm committed to whatever it takes, Jenny."

  "So am I Charlie."

  "It's like we're standing on opposite sides, " he said, "at the top of a mountain, facing each other and loving the view. The sun is shining and we're surrounded by its warmth. Each day of our lives we need to choose that focus on each other, the commitment to us. Life will bring rain, and the sides of our mountain will get slippery. We need to hold on and fight the downward pull until the ground dries, returning our footing. It won't always be an equal struggle; I may not feel the wind on your side pulling you away and will need you to reach for me, to pull you back. If we lose that focus, if we choose to look in other directions, the slide down will be so gradual we won't even realize we are sliding. Then we'll turn back to face each other and only see the side of the mountain that has blocked our view of each other."

  "I'll reach for you, Charlie. My greatest fear is to become that family. Lord, help me in my choice of priorities; us. I needed to hear your strong commitment to us."

  "I am committed to us, Jenny." He finished his drink. "Let's get cleaned up and look for that juicy steak."

  They walked back to their room. "I loved your words, and know they came from your heart," Jenny said.

  "From a greeting card, I think."

  "Yeah, right. Let's get back to the joy of mountain climbing," she said, smiling from on top of the world.

  "Works for me," Charlie told her.

  I thank you and sincerely hope you have enjoyed Watson Manor Eventually, the first book in the Watson Manor Mystery series. There are now four novels in this series, including, Watson Manor Unfolding, Watson Manor Investigations and Watson manor My Journey Home.

  If you enjoyed this story I would appreciate a review or any comments feel free to contact me at www.roncraigbooks.com

  Ronald S. Craig

  Here is an excerpt from book #2 in the series;

  Watson Manor Unfolding.

  Chapter 1

  Nelson Crown was in his home office in Marina, California when the call came in on December, 28th.

  "Crown," he answered.

  "It's Lew. We have a problem, sir. Karen showed up in Salinas and she lost the camera."

  "Lost the camera? You know what Karen's blunder could cost me? Millions, and that's the least of your worries. Now find that camera before it ends up in the hands of the Marina PD."

  Lew held the phone away from his ear as Crown's shouts amplified with rage. "Sir, it gets worse." Lew heard the intake of breath on the line, and waited. "Karen walked in front of the camera during the shoot. We were going to cut it out in Salinas before putting it online… Sir, she's identifiable."

  "How could you be such idiots? Get your ass moving and find that camera, now," Crown replied, his voice dark and threatening. "That video has to be the last place Karen's face is seen. Do you understand me Lew?" It wasn't a question but a demand.

  "Yes, sir," Lew responded beaten down. "I'll take care of it." He heard the phone slam down in his ear, and the call disconnected.

  *****

  Five Months Later

  It was a chilly May in 1996 as Charlie and Jenny Watson
stood on the fourth floor of Watson Manor, their B&B dream in Marina, California that was under construction. Charlie sent the construction crew home early to surprise Jenny with a six month wedding anniversary dinner in their soon-to-be top floor residence. They stood at the railing of a small balcony, sipping their wine as a gentle ocean breeze and a view of the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean rewarded their accomplishment. A spectacular view, which vastly contrasted with the stacks of drywall and building materials that, filled the space behind them. The plywood floor was covered with plaster and sawdust. The electrical wiring peeked out of openings throughout the room's walls and ceilings like curious snakes seeking prey.

  "Dinner was wonderful, Charlie. I'm so excited about making this our home," she said, reaching across to hold his free hand.

  "Oh, now there's a shock. How did I miss that?" he said playfully.

  "Our grand opening is less than two months away! It's still so hard to believe," she said grinning.

  "I've had the crew focused on our floor. Hopefully, we can move out of the trailer in a few weeks. Of course, only if you want to."

  "I'm ready to make sacrifices." She looked back into the living room that was taking shape. "Once the bathroom and master bedroom are done, I'm ready."

  "So how complete does the bathroom need to be?" he asked.

  "I was thinking a flushing fixture over the hole in the floor would be a good start."

  "When did you get so fussy?"

  "And all this time I thought you appreciated that we were plumbed differently making target practice with a four inch hole in the floor a little difficult." Her smile was subtle and suggestive.

  "See your point, works for me." He pulled a second bottle of wine from the ice chest and opened it.

  "Why don't you bring that with us," she said, taking his hand. She grabbed one of the candles and led him to the master bedroom. He was surprised to see an air mattress with a double sleeping bag on top of it. She walked over to it and set both the candle and her wine glass beside the bed.

  "Looks like we both had surprises in the works," he said, setting his glass and the wine bottle down then pulled her into an embrace.

  She stepped away following a passionate kiss and her hands slid from around his neck to hold his face. "There are few things I enjoy as much as sharing your bed Mr. Watson, however, tomorrow night's surprise is one of those few things."

  He laughed knowing she was enjoying the seed planted and that his getting a hint was as likely as waking to a finished top floor. "You realize of course, what I love most about us is we don't have secrets, right?"

  She unbuttoned her blouse and said, "Then, I guess all we have is what's in second place…" She pulled him down beside her on the bed and added, "I do hope this will get your mind off of the really, really big surprise tomorrow."

  "Oh yeah, this will help…between your reminders."

  When the sounds of the construction crew woke them the following morning, Charlie wished he would have told them not to start until 9:00 a.m.

  "I think that would be our alarm clock. A brief, but wonderful getaway," Jenny said, searching for her clothes.

  "We should have done this on a Friday night, with a weekend attached," he said.

  "It was perfect. Officially on our six month anniversary," she said and followed with a kiss.

  "Good morning you two," Bob, their crew foreman, called out from the third floor below them.

  "Mornin' Bob. We were just checking out the progress up here," Charlie called back.

  "Yeah, right. Happy anniversary, by the way. When you're dressed, we'll get back at it."

  "Be just a minute, Bob, thanks," Jenny said laughing.

  They had interviewed five general contractors, but the moment that, Bob Marquez stepped out of his truck with a broad smile and a "Howdy folks," they felt a connection. In his fifties, Bob approached this project with obvious enthusiasm, as if it were his own. He even brought his wife, Charlene, out several times and the four of them shared a few dinners in town.

  Charlie and Jenny dressed and headed down the stairs to their mobile home where the flushing fixtures and shower were waiting. It had been Charlie's habit to be first on and last off the construction site. He didn't have experience in construction that he brought with him, but his drive to learn and need to be an intimate part of this project bridged the gap. He dressed quickly and took the breakfast sandwich Jenny made him as he walked out the trailer door.

  "You're late, junior," Bob said, smiling as Charlie entered the first floor. The father-son relationship had started as a joke in the beginning, but they both enjoyed how well it fit, filling in empty places they both had.

  "Sorry, Pop. Where do you want me today?"

  "I have Hank, our electrician, working on the fourth floor… in the love nest," he paused, smiling. "His apprentice is out today and could use a hand."

  "Steve's out? Nothing serious I hope?"

  "No, it's his Grandmother's 80th birthday. Round trip to Sacramento will be a full day."

  "That’s great," Charlie said, heading for the stairs. When he reached the fourth floor he saw Larry and Joe hanging drywall.

  "Mornin' Charlie. I think the surprise was on you last night," Larry said.

  "What do you mean?" Charlie asked.

  "After we snuck the table up here last night, we saw Jenny climbing the stairs with the air mattress."

  "Oh. All's well that ends well," Charlie said.

  "We got that part," Joe added. "Hard to miss the smiles this morning."

  "We're still newlyweds and always smiling. I guess I earn my electrician's merit badge today. Have you seen Hank?"

  "In the bedroom!" Hank called out from the other room, laughing. "When you're done holding up the drywall crew, that is."

  "I'm thinking Hank didn't get any last night, "Joe offered as Charlie returned his smile and walked toward the bedroom.

  Chapter 2

  Charlie found Jenny on the phone in the office confirming an appointment with a furniture wholesaler. It was 6:30 p.m. when he was finished working on the construction site for the day. Their construction office was the second bedroom in the 15-year-old mobile home they had purchased to live in while Watson Manor was being built. He collapsed in the chair beside her.

  "Long day honey?" she asked, hanging up the phone.

  "I'm happy to report we now have power on our floor," he said grinning.

  "I heard you worked with Hank today," she said and turned to kiss him. "I didn't feel a lack of power up there last night, Sparky."

  "Cute," he replied, smiling. "It's amazing all the things I'm learning."

  "Are we talking about today or last night, Sparky?" Her grin covered her face.

  "If you call me Sparky again, I'll put 'For a good time call' with your number on the porta-potty wall."

  "What? Did someone take the sign I put up down already?"

  "I love you Jenny. Do I tell you that too often?"

  "That, my love is not possible," she said hugging him. "We are set up; the furniture wholesalers, tomorrow at 1:00 pm in San Jose."

  "So my," he paused throwing his hands in the air for effect, "really, really big surprise is not that I sold you on Bungalow Supply in Hawaii? It would probably take a full week to decide and be a business write-off."

  "As much as beach furniture would look wonderful in our Victorian Bed and Breakfast, look at all the money we'll save not stretching out a decision in Hawaii for a week."

  "I guess you're right about Hawaii. Did the furniture catalogs come in from Cancun, Mexico yet?"

  "You're hopeless Charlie! Hit the shower, mister. I'm taking you to dinner tonight and later…your big surprise."

  "The surprise, hardly crossed my mind today? Do I get a hint?"

  "Only that it's all about you," she said with her sexiest smile.

  "Works for me," he said, heading towards the bathroom.

  After he was dressed he walked down the hall to the entry closet for a coat. He had
just slipped it on when he heard her call from the couch behind him.

  "Oh Charlie…" she said alluringly.

  He turned to find her dressed in black, the dress hugging her body in all the right places, with a plunging neckline in the front.

  "What do you think of my new dress?" She turned slowly, revealing the back of the dress, which was open all the way down to her waist.

  "Wow! I think it cost way too much so we'd better stay in tonight, to offset the expense."

  "Is that the only reason you want to stay in?" she asked, pouting.

  "You look amazing. I'd think you'd be more hurt if I could think beyond putting that dress back on the hanger right now. What a wonderful surprise."

  "This isn't your surprise. I do love to see your face light up like that though. Worth every cent of the twenty dollars it cost me online."

  "I think even with my hands all over you it's still too cold out there for you tonight in that dress."

  "This isn't for going out…our dinner reservations are for 8:30 and its only 7:00. Any ideas?"

  "Only one and it's always been my favorite," he said, slowly closing the gap between them.

  *****

  "Hello Jenny, Charlie. How are my favorite customers?" Judy greeted them at the door of Kula Ranch Steakhouse as they walked in.

  "Hello Judy," Jenny said. "Did Hank complain about his helper today?"

  "He still came home happy. You know he loves working there, even when he's training the new kid," she said laughing.

  Charlie turned to Jenny and said, "She's calling me the new kid, you've labeled me Sparky… What's next, I'm working with the plumber tomorrow."

  "Well tonight, I understand, you're celebrating an anniversary," Judy said smiling.

  "Yesterday was six months with Sparky," Jenny said laughing. "He's still in training, but a fast learner."

 

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