Chapter 11
The soft feel of lips pressing against his cheek awoke Scott, he hadn’t been asleep for very long.
“Morning baby, what time did you get back?” Tiffany asked.
“Och, morning gorgeous, I did nae get in tae bed until after six,” Scott said sleepily as he looked at the clock. It was only 7:30 a.m.
“Sorry for waking you. I did try and stay awake last night. How did it go?”
“It’s okay, I’ve got things tae do today anyway. It went well last night. Hopefully everything should be sorted oot now,” he replied as he got out of bed and stretched. Scott was exhausted but was still on an adrenaline high. He knew he needed to make some more calls, plus he wanted to arrange a meeting with Sharon to let her know what was happening. And, they had to pack. It was nearly time for them to go back to California. He explained a few things about the previous night to Tiffany as they ate their breakfast, without going into too much detail.
Scott made some calls later that morning and found out that numerous people involved with Fitzgerald, had already been arrested. Including the main man and his bodyguard, who had been apprehended at the country house a few hours earlier. He learned that there was no chance of bail, due to the seriousness of the charges, and that the police hoped to get some of his own people to testify against him. Everything seemed to be going perfectly. Scott knew there was nothing else he could do, he was content. He arranged for Tiffany and himself to meet with Sharon early that afternoon at a coffee shop in the mall. Scott knew he needed to explain a few things to her, and say goodbye.
After taking a shower, and grabbing a quick lunch at the hotel, Scott and Tiffany made their way over to the mall. Sharon was already there when they arrived and was sitting sipping her coffee at a table in the far corner. Scott ordered the drinks while Tiffany went to join Sharon at the table. He wasn’t a big coffee drinker, but anything that could help him stay awake today, was needed. So, with a coffee in each hand, he joined the ladies at the table.
“Hey Sharon, how are yer?” he said as he sat down.
“Hi Scott, Tiffany was just telling me that I may be able tae go back tae my house soon.”
“Aye, I dinnae think yer going tae have any more problems.”
“So who was it? And what was it all aboot?”
“A local organized crime boss called Ally Fitzgerald. Do yer recognize the name?”
“Nae, it does nae sound familiar.”
“Well, I dinnae know exactly how, but apparently Chris got in tae debt with him. Did yer ever know him tae be a gambler?” Scott asked.
“Nae at all,” she replied shaking her head.
“I have a theory as tae why all this happened, do yer want tae hear it?” he asked her.
“Aye, I’d like tae know.”
“Yer said Chris was splashing a lot of money aroond when he got back fae visiting me. I think that when the money started running oot, he looked fer a way tae make quick cash and started gambling. First on the slots, then through that, he may have met someone who introduced him tae casinos. It just turned oot that the casino he went tae happened tae be illegal and run by Ally Fitzgerald. Now, Fitzgerald himself told me that Chris owed him 20 grand. And, when he couldn’t pay, then he offered Chris the chance tae work fer him tae pay it off. I dinnae think Chris realized at first what kind of people he was getting involved with and by the time he did, it was too late.”
“Och I cannae believe it, he was always guid with money,” she said solemnly.
“Aye I know, it was a surprise tae me too. I know Chris was nae the type of guy who’d work fer someone like that, and he did nae know what tae do. I really wish he’d have contacted me but there’s nae anything we can do aboot that now. Another thing is yer said he’d met yer new boyfriend. Now, I’m nae blaming yer at all Sharon, I know yer were split up and he was dating too. However, I do think that maybe the thought of another guy aroond his kids, particularly at Christmas may have just added tae the stress he was under and he had some kind of breakdoon.”
“Aye, that’s possible,” she agreed with a sad look on her face.
“The truth is, none of us will ever know what happened fer sure. All we do know is that was nae the real Chris who walked in tae those woods. We’ve just got tae remember the guid guy that we knew, and try nae tae let this mystery get tae us. We have tae accept that there are some things that we will nae ever know.”
“Yeah, that’s right Scott. It’s hard, but there are some things we all want to know that only Chris would be able to answer,” Tiffany added.
“Aye, yer reet. It’s just difficult when the kids ask questions. I’ll make sure they remember how guid a man their Dad was though,” Sharon said.
“Aye he was a guid man,” Scott commented.
“So, why is this Fitzgerald nae going tae come looking fer his money anymore?”
“He’s in jail. He was arrested this morning and there’s nae chance of bail. He was involved in human trafficking, illegal gambling, drugs, prostitution and lots more. He’s a suspect in some murder investigations too and the police have just received a lot of new evidence that’s going tae keep him in prison fer a long time. And nae just him, his entire underworld operation is aboot tae get shut doon.”
“Why do I get the feeling yer had something tae do with this?” Sharon asked with a smile on her face.
“Och, I just found oot the information fer yer,” he said cheekily.
“Aye, I believe yer. Thousands would nae!”
“Hey Sharon, it was guid tae see yer again although the circumstances were nae guid. Tiffany and I have tae get ready fer our flight. If yer need me fer anything, yer have my number. Also I have nae mentioned anything tae Angela but if yer want tae share any of what I’ve said tae yer today, then that’s fine with me. Take care of yerself and look after those kids. Make sure they know how cool their Dad was,” Scott said as he stood up and hugged Sharon.
“Bye Scott, thanks fer everything,” she said as she reached up and kissed him on the cheek, before turning to Tiffany and saying farewell.
On the flight home, Scott reached over and held Tiffany’s hand. She had the window seat and was looking down at the clouds.
“Hey I’m sorry that we did nae get the chance tae head up tae the highlands. I know yer really wanted tae go.”
“It’s fine Scott, I had a good time. Although it was stressful, it was a nice break and I enjoyed seeing your country. This trip wasn’t really about sightseeing though was it?”
“Aye I know. I promise we’ll come back soon though, and I’ll take yer up tae see the highlands and Loch Ness when we do.”
“I look forward to it. I’m glad you got some closure Scott, even though I know you didn’t find all the answers you wanted.”
“Aye, we just have tae move on though. There’s nae anything we can do aboot it. Unfortunately it’s just one of those bad things that happen,” he said reluctantly.
“Let’s just hope our next trip is more relaxing,” she added smiling.
“Aye, I’m looking forward tae it. I want tae concentrate on work fer the next few months though. I dinnae feel like I’ve done much fer yer Dad’s businesses yet, with all the time off fer treatments and now this trip. I should be able tae get a lot done now that I’m feeling stronger though. And I have the motivation of looking forward tae our cruise. It’s going tae be great, I cannae wait.”
“Yeah, it’s going to be fun. We’ve got a great summer to look forward to,” she said as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
Chapter 12
It was now early April. The couple had been working hard and had been enjoying the great spring weather. Scott had thrown himself back into work and was enjoying it immensely. He had gotten a lot of things accomplished and security at Jim’s Vegas casinos was now functioning how Scott thought it should be. After another ‘all clear’ at his most recent hospital appointment, Scott was starting to increase his training too. He’d been running
a lot and was back to lifting weights. He was determined to get back into tip-top shape before the cruise. He’d also gone with Tiffany a few times down to Kyle’s gym. Scott had been interested to see Kyle train and had been quite impressed with the young man’s progress. It was a Friday evening and Scott was just pulling into the driveway. He was tired after a long day’s work but was looking forward to spending the evening with Tiffany. She was waiting for him at the front door as he climbed out of the car.
“Hey Tiff, how are yer?” he said as he walked towards her.
“Good babe, come and sit down. I’ve got something to tell you,” she replied as she flung her arms around him, and then, took his hand.
“What is it? Yer look happy!” Scott remarked as he sat down next to her.
“I’m very happy Scott, and I hope you will be too.”
She paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
“I’m pregnant. Scott, we’re going to have a baby,” she said, unable to keep the smile from her face.
“Och I cannae believe it, that’s awesome. Are yer sure? Have yer been tae the doctors?”
“I did a couple of tests today, they were both positive. I’ve booked an appointment at my doctor for next week.”
“This is great, have yer told yer Mom and Dad yet?”
“No, I wanted to tell you first. I think I’ll wait until next week after I’ve seen the doctor before I tell them.”
“Okay, wow, I’m nae sure what tae say. Let’s go oot tonight and celebrate,” Scott said as he hugged her.
The following week, Tiffany’s pregnancy was confirmed. They were both extremely happy and excitedly passed the news on to her parents, who in turn, were overjoyed. It was going to be their first grandchild. Over the next few weeks Scott and Tiffany were very busy, and made a lot of important decisions. They put her house up for sale and started looking at more family orientated houses. They were having fun house hunting, and deciding where they wanted to live. They also arranged to get married. There was no romantic proposal, there didn’t need to be. It was what they both wanted. It could not be a big affair with pictures posted everywhere. Because of Scott’s background it had to be a low key private event. Tiffany was happy with that although Linda was a little disappointed. She’d wanted it to be a big occasion, just like Katy and Josh’s wedding.
The couple had made an enquiry about getting married whilst aboard the ship, on their Alaska cruise. In the end though, they’d decided against it, as it would have meant her family not being able to attend. However Scott did suggest they could get engaged on the ship and then have the wedding when they returned. It wouldn’t be a complete surprise proposal, but he could surprise her a little by not telling her when he was going to do it. Tiffany was very happy with that and the wedding was booked for the last week of June, a week after they were due to return from their cruise. It was going to be different, having a ‘kind of’ honeymoon before the actual wedding, but that’s just the way things go sometimes, Scott thought.
Tiffany also received the news that her first ultrasound scan would be the last week of June too. It was booked for just a couple of days before the wedding. In a perfect world, things would have happened differently. It would have been nice to have gotten engaged, with a romantic ‘real surprise’ proposal. Also it would have been better if they could have got married and had a proper honeymoon, and if the pregnancy would have come after those events. However, it wasn’t a perfect world, Scott was very much aware of that. Ever since he was forced to retire from the military, his life had been a series of dramatic highs and lows. He’d experienced some great times and also some terrible things had happened. It was like he’d been riding an emotional rollercoaster for several years and now, just a few months after receiving some devastating news, he was on a high again. Higher than he could ever remember being before.
By the middle of May, they’d chosen a house they wanted. It was a modern 2-story home on a quiet street, in the city of Moorpark. The home had everything they wanted and was in a nice neighborhood with good schools. It was only about 15 miles from Santa Monica but was a few miles inland. Scott was going to miss having the beach so close, but it was still only a short drive to get there. Tiffany received an offer for her house too. It had only been on the market for a few weeks. It was in a desirable area though, so despite the offer being not quite as much as she’d hoped for - it was accepted. There was a lot of paperwork to take care of, but if everything went to plan, they hoped to be in their new home before they left for the cruise.
It was a Saturday night. Scott and Tiffany were at Kyle’s gym working out. Scott had just finished doing some free weights and went to find Tiffany. She was busy on the elliptical machine and had about 20 minutes left to do, so Scott made his way to the ‘fighting area’. He’d been in to watch Kyle before and enjoyed doing so. It was an impressive room with an octagon in the middle and lots of workout stations around it. There were a few fighters training but nobody was sparring. Scott spotted Kyle working on one of the heavy bags and went over to him.
“Hey uncle Kyle, how are yer?”
“Hi Scott, I’m just finishing up. Is Tiffany here?” he said smiling as he grabbed his towel from the floor and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
“Aye, she’s just finishing her workoot too. How’s the training going?”
“Good, I’ve been doing a lot of sparring. Jake says he’s going to get me a real fight soon.”
“Hey, that’s up tae yer. If yer think yer ready then that’s cool.”
“I really want to try this Scott, Jake says I’m ready. Dad doesn’t like it though.”
“Och he just does nae want tae see yer get hurt, that’s all. And I’d imagine yer’ll get more trouble fae yer Mom,” Scott said smiling.
“Yeah, you’re right!”
“So, when and where will this fight happen?”
“We’d like to do it here. We’ve got a small portable bleachers section already. Ideally though, we’d clear everything away from the outside of the octagon and put some temporary bleachers in too. Dan’s training as well. He wants to have some fights too. It will just be against fighters from another gym and I hope we can get it arranged soon.”
“So Dan’s the part owner with yer, and Jake the trainer is his cousin. That’s the wrestler, reet?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Sounds guid, so when are yer sparring next? I’d like tae come and have a look at yer in action.”
“Maybe tomorrow, I’m not sure but if you’re coming up to Mom and Dad’s for lunch tomorrow then I’ll be able to let you know for sure.”
“Aye, we’ll be there.”
The following afternoon Scott was sitting around the pool with Kyle and Jim. Tiffany and Linda were in the pool getting their after-lunch exercise. Everyone was excited about the new baby and most of the conversations that day had been about the new addition to the family.
“I’m definitely sparring tonight if you want to come and watch Scott. I just had a text from Jake to confirm it.”
“Aye I’d like tae come, what time are yer starting?”
“Around seven.”
“Okay, I’ll be there. Yer sister will probably come too. What aboot yer Jim, do yer want tae come and see what he can do?” Scott asked, turning to his future father-in-law.
“I don’t know, I don’t really want to encourage it and I know Linda doesn’t like it.”
“He’s only sparring Jim, he’s nae going tae get hurt.”
“You’re wasting your time Scott, I’ve asked him to come before. He won’t.
“I’ll talk to Linda later, see what she thinks. So, who’s up for a game of tennis?” Jim asked standing up and grabbing his racket.
“Not me, I’m having a rest,” Kyle answered.
“I’ll give yer a game Jim, take it easy on me though!” Scott said as he stood up.
Scott had played tennis very briefly when he was a kid, but he didn’t really have much idea what he was
doing. He managed to win a few points, more by luck than judgment, but Jim won the game. The final score was two sets to zero, both sets were 6-0 6-0. Scott didn’t stand much of a chance against the more experienced player. Although Jim was older than him, he knew exactly what he was doing and had Scott running all over the court. Scott had fun though, and definitely felt like he’d had a good workout.
Later that afternoon, Kyle left and headed back down the coast to get ready for his evening training session. Scott and Tiffany stayed to have a bite to eat with her parents. Linda didn’t want to go and see Kyle fight so opted to stay at home and watch her regular Sunday evening TV shows, but Jim did agree to go and have a look. So, at just after 6:00 p.m. they started their journey south. The weather was gorgeous as they drove down the coast. They had the top down on Tiffany’s Porsche and the ocean breeze was refreshing. Jim followed them in his own convertible. He wasn’t sure where the gym was as he’d not been there before, so he followed closely behind his daughter.
They arrived at the gym a little after 7:00 p.m. Kyle was getting warmed up and spotted them when they walked in. He introduced them all to Jake and Dan before showing them to the small bleacher section that had been rolled into place at the side of the octagon. Scott made his way to the top row, holding Tiffany’s hand. It was only about six feet high but it would give them a slightly better view. The small seating section would hold about 30-40 people if full, but they were the only ones there. Jim sat down beside them.
“It seems like a nice place,” he said to Scott.
“Aye, they’ve got it set up well. I think it can be a pretty successful business here fer them. I’m nae sure aboot the actual fighting part though. I want tae see what he can do.”
KILTED DESIRE 3 - New Blood Page 10