FORSAKEN AND BETAKEN

Chapter 11

Those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.
— Matthew 20:16

When a mystery persists — and all leads have to be followed? Are they certainly present, all the time? Percy took all the notes. Flo had explained about the accountant family, she came from… Two uncles worked with my grandfather. Moreover, Percy needed information on people; she was connected to during her life, like her dead husband — and his connections if he owed money.

“Can you ‘name’ anyone else, you’re connected — with during your life.”

“I did not meet — say my expired mate links? I never went out with him — like some couples. I raised our kids never seeing a park, unless I took them? My other connection is people in church? We do go to meetings at times, play cards. Right now, I’ve gotten together with an old neighbor, Doctor Chad Badly.”

“Is his ‘family still around’ the area?” Marcy appeared more shook up with the whole mess. Who was this mystery culprit…? The two women and Percy agreed to be watchful at the shower… Percy stood to make his way over wrecked items to speak to his one officer. Flo took a rest… stretching. What a day! This matter ruined the whole day for her. Marcy set a coffee in front of Flo, poured one, sat down across from her, and took her hand. Pictures of monsters filled her brain. She wondered how many locksmiths — needed to fight these marauders.

“How did they ever get inside? Did you think of that? Marcy gets us a coffee.”

Percy — realized only two honest officers were previously left at the prescient. He came from the city area, and what was going on? Was there a rotten lawmen still active getting back at the family? He had his work cut out for him with this case? The teacher still swore his innocence. It was foreign for them to expect, he would fess up to any wrongdoing. He’d been arrested in his hometown of Houston, Texas, for molesting kids, but never prosecuted. He had to pull pervert acts — on others at the school or around. They must find his women victims?

“Chief, Flo asked, when is Mitchell’s body to be released for the funeral.”

“I’ll let you know soon.”

The cops were ready to leave. They said the thrashers came in the side door, using a Jimmy — to open the door. The window down stairs showed the alarm was working. “I don’t think you should live here. It’s your choice if you have some type of protection.” Some thing told him, the trouble started with the dead hubby. They were going to bring his twin brother in? He worked the business; they shared as partners. They all entered the outdoors. The foremost matters on Flo’s mind — someone to clean the house? Flo idled if Kieran could work the business part time.

When Emmy came home, she ran to her room — her concern was the dog and items, but they were safe and sound? She held the snoozing Cherie to her heart then chided herself… being so selfish. She had a bed here — where she was raised. She knew the items she owned.

At times, Emmy’s mind did get carried away ever since Flo planned the wedding due to the shower set for Saturday? Flo found Emmy holding Cherie, in her room. “Thank Heavens; they never looked in your room. We have to pick up everything that is strewn on the floor and sort it. Most are old recipes, and I have a meal in the oven?” Emmy hurried there thinking about her lifesaver, Aunt Flo.

“Come on, she put her arm around her shoulder, only two more days until the shower.” Emmy wondered what her Aunt’s case was — hers was leaving the house, hoping Eugene, her first choice, be released.

“I bet that brother of the man you married did this. They were as ‘thick as thieves.’ He never wanted to leave his coffin. He could stick up for Job and his wants; he’s deprived of. Job never was any good, look at the kids.”

“I too is coming around, to that idea? I put the money into buying this place and furnishings. He never made one iota payment. I used funds my grandmother left me?” Emmy wished she could have talked to Aunt Flo more, but when her marriage was decided, she clammed up.

“Eugene’s trial is coming up next Monday, Flo was reminded. I cannot bare the thought of him around here. I had to review his life here, to keep him in prison?” They skipped seeing her nutty daughter, the prior day in the afternoon when Beth was exonerated. Today, she attended school. Aunt Gen made it at eleven at night bringing her clothes and books. For a half hour after class, Emmy visited with Eugene. He warned her to be leery of this new guy just in case….

Marcy came backs over for their prayer session, and helps her straighten up?

“I want the police to check this new boyfriend of Emmy? Would you give a call there, while she’s over talking to Thomas? She said his name is Chet Ames. His family lives in the city area of Chicago.

“Emmy, What is it? Thomas sat down on his bed? I’m surprised to see you at this time, when we do our homework?” He greeted her with a grin. Why did he never take the initiative to move out? He was only a junior, she mused?

“I’m thinking of moving into an apartment, the night of the shower. He gawked at her… like she’s a Martian. “You and him are an item,” he croaked.

“I’d not call us an item. I had to get out of this house. I told you that before.”

Emmy awoke in the morning after soothing Thomas’s wounded feelings the prior day. Flo had a sumptuous breakfast ready for her. They would never part, and Emmy knew too — when she dressed. Done at last, she walked to school with Thomas.

Marcy came over surprised — peering at her kitchen. Shocked with the circumstances, they said, half a rosary before speaking ….

“I’d never known you got a break here, the table seats are not slashed.”

“My side bar is marred on top, but I’m going to refinish it?” She appeared happy Marcy noticed — and that’s what’s central. “I feel sure it has to do with brother dear, the jerk with a wife — not caring a wit.”

Emmy separated from Thomas at the entrance, and went to her class. She looked for Chet around the area, but he was not in sight. At that moment, he had an easy freshman girl outside. When she and he came inside the building some one that knew Emmy informed her about it — and she ignored it, privately for a minute. She had Thomas on the outside world. She would continue with him, he needed her? She remembered how fortunate, she was not taking anything out of her room. She had a hard time liking a man, who told her he’d help with the kid, and deceived her only if she left the area with him. Now he paid for an apartment and just saw a freshman.

“Aunt Flo, I’m not departing from home.” She found her with Marcy.

“I’m over here to discuss tomorrow. Maybe again, we should sleep over here you know until we find if it is Farth behind this criminal act?” Thomas heard Flo exclaim, and what she said, and snuck out to see Emmy. He found her finishing dinner and rushed to her. “So? You are staying in the neighborhood,” he knelt at her feet, holding her ring hand.

*****

Farth lingered in his cell… madder than ever. The witch of a sister in law deserved what she got! Forever it seemed he’d listened to Garth’s complaints about Flo sole owner of the house. He never once thought of his wife Sue, a fat pig to him. He was relaxing when they came to interrogate him once again. … He felt like shouting — he got back at her, for his dead kin? He was getting sick of the law regime.

Percy called Flo at Marcy’s. “He confessed Flo, but still feels ‘he should not get any punishment’ for vandalizing the house — what he felt his kin deserved?” She stood dazed. His ghost was not here anymore (all the damage he done to kids). She wanted no reminder in the walls either. “I don’t know why I married the criminal. I never imagined his twin would smash up the place.”

Emmy peeked out the door (holding Cherie) when the phone rang? So, the rat’s brother did it — two cads.

The prior day to the shower, the funeral was held for Mitchell Junior. Flo, Marcy, and the Mitchell girls and husbands attended, and they all cried their hearts out.

The grand shower (no rain falling) at 12:30 people, started coming. Flo made sure she introduced them to “Emmy: the Guest of Honor.”