by Neil Crenner
Was his fate was foretold ever since then? He heard the phone ringing, Catherine is up.
"Bonjour!" Reason said like he had been awake for awhile.
"Bonjour!" Catherine replied, "Ready for breakfast?"
"I am not dressed yet, you'll have to give me 10 minutes."
"I will meet you down in the lobby when you're ready. Bye."
Boy she sounded rested, now I have to jump up and dress and wash my face and comb my hair in ten minutes. Rush, rush, rush. Reason hated to rush but he knew it would be fun to have coffee and wake up with Catherine. He was out the door in 15 minutes, he had to call Didier and say good morning.
"Hey girl!"
"Hey boy!"
"Where are we eating?"
"I was talking to the gentlemen at the front desk and he said there was a nice quaint place in downtown. They have great coffee, croissants, omelets and champagne."
"Well that sounds like my kind of breakfast place. Are we driving?"
"Oh yes, it's a few miles. Here's coffee to go, with milk and Sweet-N-Low, two packets."
"Thank you! How kind."
"Think nothing of it."
11 minutes later.
The restaurant was just as they said, with great coffee, champagne, croissants and omelets, quaint as well. "Shall we head over to the courthouse and see what we can find?"
"Just let me finish my last cup of coffee." Catherine begged.
"Hurry, up!" Reason said.
One hour later.
"What a neat Courthouse this is," Reason exclaimed.
"Yes it is, marble floors, chandeliers and mahogany paneling. It was grand even in its day," Catherine remarked.
"I bet it has marble toilets!" Reason said quietly leaning into Catherine's ear.
"Now let's find the records department. Here's a directory. It's in the basement. The basement?" Catherine looked at Reason.
"I am sure the elevator takes us down there. It's over there."
"We shall see." They walked over to the elevator and there was a down button, which they pressed. The elevator doors opened and inside it was more mahogany wood paneling. "Very nice and there is a basement button," Reason quipped. They arrived in the basement and it was just as lovely down here as it was on the main floor. There was a door across from the elevator that read Records Department.
"This must be it."
The man at the counter was in his early 30's, with blonde, wavy hair and a moustache. He smiled when he saw Reason and Catherine.
"Good morning. How can I help you?"
Reason smiled and said, "Good morning. We are looking for some information regarding the property off Coast Highway, the vacant house and winery near the lighthouse. How do we find out who is in possession of it?"
"Let me check on that, I will have to look at the map and then cross reference it with the county records. This Will take a few minutes. Do you mind waiting?"
"No, not at all. We shall sit over there," Reason answered.
"I will be right back." The clerk left.
"Catherine, do you think he will be able to find out who it is?"
"Well I hope so, isn't this the place that keeps record of this kind of thing."
"Yes, but it's not a normal piece of property we are asking about."
"Someone should know who's handling it," Catherine exclaimed.
"We shall see soon enough. Do they have any magazines around here to read while we wait. It may be sometime before he returns." Just then the clerk returned and cleared his throat.
"Apparently this property is in some legal issues and I am afraid that I cannot tell you who is in possession of it right now. I will have to look into to it. Do you have a phone number that I can contact you at?"
Reason pulled out his business card and handed it to the clerk. "Here you go. I would so much appreciate any information you can give to me," Reason said as nicely as possible. The clerk smiled and said he would do his best. They both left without saying a word until they were well enough away from the slightest of eaves dropping.
"Catherine, do you know what this means? I don't think we'll get a chance to rummage around that house without the proper authorities. Someone has got their hands on that house and they don't want anyone to know. We shall have to find a lawyer. I know one back home, when we get there I will have him call up here and see what he can find out."
"Well that sounds promising then. I am anxious to get home."
"Why are you anxious?"
"Well I want to look over that picture that my grandfather gave me. Maybe there is a clue there."
"Do you really think there could be? I mean do you think that your grandfather wanted you to have the house after all?"
"I am not sure what he wanted for my mother, but as for me, he may have been thinking ahead. If he was all alone, he knew one day he would leave it to someone."
Catherine said slowly.
"I hope that was the case. Forgive and move on is what I believe," Reason said matter-of-factly.
"Well it's just not that simple Reason. Back then when people had a grievance, it was for life. They never forgave, just too proud or stupid," Catherine said.
Reason seemed perplexed by this statement. He found it hard to believe that people could be so hard and bitter.
They walked out to the car and got in without saying a word. Reason lost in his thoughts. They drove off in silence. Back to Santa Barbara.
Chapitre 31
That evening.
Didier was sitting on the porch, Colbert sitting next to him, when they drove up to the house. They were tired from the drive. Reason slowly got out of the minivan and stretched his arms back. Colbert ran to him and jumped up on his legs.
"Hello sweetie, how you doing?" Reason bent down and rubbed Colbert on her head, holding her neck with the other hand. "You missed me didn't you?" He saw Didier coming to him. They hugged and kissed on the cheek.
"Hey mom, how you doing? How was the drive back? You guys look exhausted."
"Well I slept off and on dear," Catherine explained. I am really not that tired. Reason must be, we only stopped a couple times."
"Do you need anything in the house tonight or can it wait till morning?" Didier asked smiling.
"Oh I think I am fine for now. I have my purse and that's all I need," Catherine replied as she headed towards the house.
"What about you Reason?"
"I am fine, just want to shower and go to bed. We can talk afterwards. I have some interesting news. How have you been?"
"I've just been working extra hours. Missed you," Didier said sheepishly.
"You are sweet."
"Just sharing how I feel. Let's get inside, it's a bit chilly out here." They went inside the house and straight to the bedroom, Colbert in tow. Catherine was no where insight.
"Go see about your mom while I shower Didier," Reason asked quietly.
"Oh sure! You need anything hail me."
"I'll do that." Reason leaned over and kissed Didier a deep long kiss.
"Be back in a few." Didier said.
Colbert was in her bed next to the side where Reason slept. She curled up and went back to sleep. Reason looked at her and smiled. She must have been sleeping before they arrived. He went to the bathroom.
After showering and drying off, he climbed into bed. Didier returned and flopped down next to him, "Now tell me what you learned today."
"We went to the city hall, it was a beautiful building." Reason told Didier about trying to find out who owned the property.
"Someone with a lot of money wants that property and they are willing to burglarize, steal and run you off the road to get it."
"Okay, let's not talk about it anymore. Did you miss me? Come here and show me." Reason pulled Didier close to him and started kissing him.
Chapitre 32
The next morning.
Reason woke up and for a second wondered where he was. Then his mind was clear and he remembered he was at Didier's house. What a st
range feeling, to wake up and not know where you are. Didier was still asleep and he quietly got out of bed and put on a robe Didier had left for him next to the bed on a chair, slippers too. Colbert's tail started a little wagging. She raised her head and then laid it back down. Reason leaned over and rubbed her head. He whispered, "Sleep sweetie."
He went into the kitchen and started making coffee. He was still fuzzy and kept the lights off, working in the dim light of the morning. He didn't want any bright light on so early. He sat at the kitchen table and waited for the coffee to brew. It smelt great. He prepared his cup with milk and Sweet-N-Low as he waited for the coffee to finish brewing.
When it finished he poured the coffee into the cup and went to back to the chair. He sipped on the coffee and petted Colbert who had wondered in and plopped down by his feet going back to sleep. He finished the coffee and decided to have another when he heard Catherine coming down the hall.
"I smell coffee she said quietly. Who's up?"
"Just your sleuthing partner."
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"I slept great. I was bushed from that drive. How about you?"
"Oh yes indeed. I also had this dream about the house. I got out the photo my grandfather gave me and looked at it but was too tired to really think. We can look at it later."
"So do you think we'll find some clue?"
"I hope so.
"This coffee is delicious."
"I mix two kinds of coffee together and it tastes better."
"How wonderful it is."
"And how is my Colbert this morning?"
"I think she's gone back to sleep," Reason whispered. Colbert's tail started wagging. "You see she knows when we are talking about her." Colbert's tail started wagging faster.
"She's a smart dog. Must have learned it from her master."
"Yes I