Abbott Island: Prairie Preacher Series #24

By PJ Hoge

W. H. Crandall has been left as an abandoned child as an infant, and he grew up in the foster care system. When he became a teen, he migrated toward juvenile detention. Then as he was getting older, he was given the option of joining the military or going to jail. He chose the military.

There he found a home of sorts and became a pilot. After the military, he and his friend Mick started a small private airline. While Mick began to put down roots, Crandall maintained his solo life. And jealously guarded his independence.

Now in his late forties, his life had taken another turn. The independence had turned more into isolation, and he found he craved belonging more than ever. He had few close friends; however, after a close call with romance years before, he had decided he would be a bachelor all his life.

Suddenly, the past he had put behind him was demanding his attention. It would require him doing all the things he thought he despised.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984554475

PJ Hoge

P J HOGE grew up in Washington state and North Dakota. After attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, PJ worked as a Cytotechnologist for many years. PJ’s family farmed in central North Dakota until the mid-1980”s when they relocated to Nevada, where she still resides. PJ is the author of the Prairie Preacher series.

Book preview

1-

The slightly built man named Crandall entered his office and plopped his duffle by the door. He thought that someone had forgotten and left the light on, but when he entered he saw his new secretary, Sienna, still working.

Is there a problem? Crandall asked politely, You shouldn’t be working so late, Sienna. It will age you!

No, Boss. Welcome home. I just wanted to talk to you about something. It’s likely nothing, but I don’t know, she frowned slightly, "There is this guy who has been hanging around.’

How? You mean like he’s up to no good?

No. Just hanging around. He came in the day after I put the ad for the mechanic in the newspaper and asked if you were here. I said you would be back tomorrow.

Did he leave his name or make an appointment?

Nothing. He looked like a beach bum or something. He just sorta shrugged and left. But I’ve seen him hanging around the parking lot and I think he has been sleeping in those shrubs on the east side of the parking lot. I didn’t know if you want him arrested or what?

Was he threatening or has anything been missing?

No. Sienna added, But it doesn’t look good having a bum lurking around.

No, it doesn’t. Crandall thought, Thanks for telling me and I’ll walk you to your car. If he doesn’t come in tomorrow to talk to me, then I’ll call the cops or something. If he is down on his luck, he may not have a place to sleep, or he just wants to be the first in line for the job. Did we have many applicants?

Three. This bum and then two others. One is a retiree, with great references. He only wants part-time. Then there is another man with a good resume, but all his previous employers said he is a great worker, but a devil to get along with.

Crandall shook his head, Pick of the litter. Well, shut it down for tonight and I’ll walk to you to your car. We can sort through our choices in the morning.

As they turned out the lights, Crandall grabbed his worn duffle and locked the Crandair office. He walked Sienna to her car and checked that she got on her way without problem. The forty-two year old pilot waved and then looked around the parking lot. There was what looked like a blanket over by a bench near the shrubs on the east side, but he saw no one around.

It was a warm night on the Grand Caymans, but sticky and there was a nasty looking cloud bank on the horizon. He could see lightning strikes in the rolling clouds and mumbled, Maybe our resident bum decided to find better accommodations for the night. Looks like it could be a nasty one. He walked past the office and the hangars to the small shack he had called home for years. It wasn’t much, but it was all his. Out of habit, he opened his refrigerator. It was empty, like it had been when he left. Then he opened the cupboards. There were still his two cans of beans that had long since expired. Now he was only keeping them so later generations could study them someday. There was no way on earth he would even consider eating them, and besides, he feared if he ever pierced the top with a can opener, there would be an explosion of foul toxic beans.

He took his shower and crawled in his cot. He had just returned from North Dakota. He had recently become friends with a large family there, the Schroeders. He even had his own room in their large house, with a real bed that had an honest to goodness homemade quilt. It was big and soft. The best thing was Grandma Engelmann, who lived there and was in charge of the kitchen. She was a little thing in her eighties, but she could cook circles around any culinary expert. He had it so good there, he was spoiled. But since he made acquaintance with those people, things were beginning to change with him. He used to never get lonesome or think he needed to talk to someone, and now he even had quit running with every loose woman he met. In fact, he had been thinking more and more about the one woman he had ever loved, as much as he was capable of. She had left him finally, because of his arrogant, selfish womanizing. For a long time, he had justified it, but now it was beginning to bother him a great deal. How had he been such a fool? He wondered if there was a chance of finding Moira after nearly sixteen years. ‘Ah, maybe I’m just getting old?’

Even though he was tired, he couldn’t get to sleep. His head was spinning with all his plans to expand Crandair. The pilot originally started out with one small prop plane, but since had expanded his charter operation to eighteen small planes, a few larger, and two helicopters. He and his pilots flew all over the Caribbean and North America and some of northern South America. He was now negotiating to put a smaller hub just outside the small rural town of Merton, North Dakota, nestled nearly in the geographical center of the continent. His friends, the Schroeders, had two gas stations-garages and did the mechanics for machinery of all types. He had seen their work and it was commendable. Crandall wanted them to handle the maintenance and repairs for his small fleet. Consequently, he was looking for an experienced airplane mechanic, who could also handle helicopters. Of course, his hub on the Caymans would also do repairs as always, but his goal was to move the major repair jobs to the Dakotas.

Crandall had a couple good mechanics in the Caymans, but neither of them would want to relocate, since they had strong family ties there. Even though Crandall himself was not a family man, he did have a great respect for others who did. As for the confirmed bachelor, given up as a baby and then raised in the foster care system, the thought of family was very bittersweet.

When he was a kid, he desperately wanted to be part of a family, more than anything else. It never happened. A few times it was close; but in every instance, he was let down. By his early teens, he developed the sullen façade of uncaring. He wasn’t going to let anyone get close to him or hurt him again. In that era, he would walk into a new foster home and make a bet with himself how many days it would take the people to send him back. He managed to make sure it wasn’t many. The record for a hasty return was nineteen hours. They seemed like very nice folks and that’s why he wasn’t about to let himself start to care about them.

From that ritual, he progressed to juvenile delinquency. Nothing major, just the constant insidious irritation of petty stuff. He then spent a good deal of time in juvy. While he didn’t like it there, he figured at least no one was pretending. He didn’t have to pretend he wanted to be there and the keepers didn’t have to pretend they liked him. That made life much simpler.

Once, when he was out, he and some guys took a car for a joy ride. He honestly didn’t know if it was his new companion’s brother’s car or stolen. He never asked, and didn’t care- until they were arrested.

This time, the judge paged through the voluminous file devoted to his antics. W. H. Crandall was no longer eligible for juvy. He was given the option of the penitentiary or the military. He was delighted to opt for the military.

The military proved to be his salvation. He was the happiest there he had ever been. The brooding loner still didn’t open up or make friends. However, he did develop a relationship with a surly old seagull of an officer. The officer became a mentor of sorts. In the years before Patterson’s death, it was certain that neither ever said anything like I like you, care for you, or gave each other more than a handshake. But they did have a bond. It was almost the only significant bond Crandall had ever hand, until this last spring when he encountered the Schroeders.

Nora Schroeder had been badly injured while on vacation on the Caymans and needed to be flown back to the Dakotas when the doctor finally released her from the hospital. Crandair was contacted to fly them home. He flew it himself. They were okay folks but Crandall was certain that had not he been forced into staying at their farm until the weather lifted, he would likely have never seen them again.

However, the weather kept him grounded a few days, and against everything he believed in, he began to enjoy their company. Mostly this one little kid, Clancy Grey Hawk. He was Schroeder’s adopted son, almost three-years old, and so full of the devil, it nearly oozed from his every pore. That kid, for reasons no one could fathom, found Crandall fascinating. He watched his every move and then announced Creekow Narstah! whenever he made a wrong move. Crandall thought the kid was a ratfink of the first order. However, the kid also seemed to like him and copied nearly everything he did. Whether Crandall liked it or not, he began to let himself soften.

In the Army Air Corp, he learned under Patterson’s wing all about airplanes, flying and repair. He learned about helicopters, but didn’t like them as much. He always felt they were a repair bill on a propeller. But now he was looking for at least one to purchase.

He assumed that his friendship with the family would wear off, but instead it had grown. So far, it was okay. He went there to visit often and felt he had true friends. An experience he had rarely allowed himself to have in his life. Even if they didn’t remain friends, he knew them well enough by now, to know they were trustworthy and could easily handle all his maintenance. It was ridiculous to have to fly all his planes back to the Caymans for maintenance and repair, when he could do it up there. It would also take the pressure off his small hub on the islands.

In order to help finance the project, he had decided to go with an air ambulance service there. The cities and hospitals were few and far between on the prairies, and during emergencies, many folks never made it to the hospital in time for care. The Schroeder’s had folks with medical training in the family and he thought it would be a good fit.

The wind had come up now and was whipping things around outside of the shack. A few times, Crandall thought he had heard someone knock, but then decided it was just the wind. It hadn’t started to rain yet, but he figured when it did, it would be a drencher. He wondered if that beach bum had found shelter somewhere.

He turned over and thought about the trip he had just returned from. For a man who didn’t like people or change, this was way out of his comfort zone. He had manipulated things, so that Amanda Devante, his Girl Friday, could accompany him on this trip.

Friday had started with him at the office when she was still in secondary school. When she graduated, she just worked full time instead of part time. He and she had learned the business together, and the gal in her twenties, knew as much if not more about operations, save actually flying a plane. Her mother had died when she was young and her father was a commercial fisherman, gone for long periods at a time. She lived with her grandmother until she passed. Friday, whose real name was Amanda, married shortly after graduation. Gabriel Devante was a fine young man and he was a good husband. Crandall was pleased when he was asked to stand up for them in their small wedding ceremony. He did with great honor.

A year later, they had a baby girl, Arianna. Friday kept working, and Crandall cleaned out the storage room, painted, and carpeted it and bought a crib and playpen for it, so Friday could keep working. He needed her, of that he was certain.

The following year, when she had just learned she was expecting again, Gabriel was killed in an explosion on the oilrig where he worked. She was devastated, but Crandall propped her up and helped her. Not because he cared, you need to understand, only because it was good business. The little room in the office was expanded when little Gabe was born, and Crandall gave her a raise. He thought the kids were okay, as far as rugrats go. He made it a point to take care of stuff for the little family, because he couldn’t lose Friday. At least, that’s what he told himself— just business. It would be impossible to run the place without the schoolgirl he had hired nearly seventeen years ago.

Then a few years back, he hired a young American pilot, like himself. However, Vance was a nice person, not like himself! Vance Edmonds was polite, responsible, and behaved. While many of his pilots had to be kept on short leash, Vance was never a problem. He was trustworthy, intelligent, and steady. The longer Crandall knew him, the more he admired the young man. When he began to think about expanding Crandair, he knew he needed someone reliable that knew the business well to help with the two hubs. The only person he could even consider was Vance.

Vance was from the Midwest, so moving him to North Dakota would not be a big leap. Crandall knew he could trust him to manage everything up there and treat the Schroeders fairly. Some of his other men could be very obnoxious and that would last with Schroeders until the screen door banged shut.

Not that he cared, but Crandall did notice that Friday devoted her entire life to her children, now 10 and 9, and the business. She was a pretty girl and could have her pick of suitors, but she didn’t date. She kept herself completely occupied with children and Crandair. He didn’t think that was good. Not that he worried she would burn out, mind you. It was only because if she did, who would he have to manage all the paperwork and accounting?

So, he thought. He flew Vance and the Devantes on a North Dakota trip. They met the Schroeders and liked it there. He was so happy with himself, because things happened as he had hoped.

Step one: Done.

He had thought there might be a glimmer of interest between Vance and Friday, but both were too professional to act on it. The trip provided a great opening. Vance and Amanda, and the children, had hit it off. Although Crandall wasn’t much in the dame game these days, he still knew how to stir the old flames of romance. And it worked.

On this last trip, Vance had proposed to Amanda. Crandall cackled like the hen that just laid the biggest egg in the coop! Modesty was never in Crandall’s playbook.

Step Two: Done.

Then he talked to them and asked Vance to become his assistant, partner, or whatever he wanted to call it, and Friday to be his chief executive officer, which she had always been. Then he hired Sienna, another young lady, to work in the office with Friday. His hope was that she could get a handle on things here and then he would move Vance and Amanda to the North Dakota hub.

So far, Sienna was doing well. He hoped that she wouldn’t be too fragile to handle the Cayman hub. Maybe she over-reacted to this stranger. Or, maybe she was rightfully worried. He decided he would have to talk to Mason, an older fellow who cleaned, did odd jobs, and such around the hangar. Since he was trustworthy and reliable, he could spend more time with Sienna and offer her some security. He would have to check into that.

He heard the reverberating thunder and the lightning strikes electrifying the air. Then the rains started. ‘Sure glad I’m inside,’ he thought to himself as he pulled his pillow down around his ears.

2-

Crandall was almost asleep when he heard the pounding at the door. This time he knew it wasn’t the storm although it was ferocious. Had it not been storming, he might have tried to ignore the banging, but he thought that maybe someone needed help. He pulled on his jeans and went to the door. He flipped on the porch light and opened the door.

There was a man, with that blanket he saw in the parking lot, thrown over his head. Crandall couldn’t see his face and didn’t recognize anything about him, but he didn’t slam the door. He asked gruffly, What?

The man answered, It’s me, Miklos Sarantakis, from the early days.

Crandall stepped back, Mick? What the hell are you doing…? I mean, come in, man! You look like a soaked rat!

The man didn’t say anything, but did step inside the shack. Crandall took his soaked blanket and Miklos pulled off his jacket. He set his backpack by the door and removed his shoes. Crandall helped him hang his wet clothes so they could dry.

Crandall scratched his head and muttered, How long has it been?

Years, Mick answered. Lots of years.

When Mick got down to a dry layer of clothes, he stepped further into the room. Crandall motioned him to sit at his two-seater table. Let me see if I have something for coffee. I don’t keep much here at the shack.

See you haven’t changed, Mick smiled for the first time.

Crandall rummaged around and found a tea bag and one packet of instant coffee. Crandall chuckled, Hey, you even have a choice!

Thanks, the dark-haired man who, though good looking, looked a bit older than Crandall and a lot more worn. He grinned, Tea, I guess.

Let me boil the water.

While Crandall made their drinks, he asked, So, Sienna said you came by to see me. She thought it was about the job.

Partly. I did see the ad, so that’s how I knew you were still here. I didn’t know whatever became of you.

Not surprised, Crandall nodded as he set the cups on the table. I have no sugar, lemon or milk, so here it is. Only thing I can offer is more water in it.

Looks good as it is, Mick bounced his tea bag up and down in the mug of hot water. It will do the trick.

So, you never said. Did you come to catch up or for work?

Whichever I can get, Mick answered. Mostly, I just wanted to get in out of the rain tonight, but seeing a friendly face was a bonus. I went to that hamburger joint to hang out until the rain let up but they wanted to close. They suggested that I might want to clear out. I had forgotten about your shack, but when I got back to the parking lot, I saw the lights on down here. Then I remembered this place. Man, you must be deaf. I’ve been knocking for a while.

Well, I was in the shower and I thought I heard a knock. I figured it was the wind, until the pounding started. Man, you could break a door in!

I worried I might get shot, but I didn’t have any place else to go. A guy could drown out there! Then Mick’s face became stony, Things haven’t been good, Crandall.

Since I’m up anyway, you might as well fill me in. Crandall nodded, I always figured you to have more brains than me. Course that’s not saying much.

Mick shrugged, I never thought either of us would set the world on fire.

Unless we spilt jet fuel! Crandall cackled.

Gads, if anybody could do it, it would be us!

The men visited about their exploits in the years they both flew for a little one-horse outfit out of Miami, almost twenty years back. They talked for a bit and then Crandall asked, Didn’t you marry that Sophia? When I left there, I thought you were all set for life.

Mick grimaced, So did I. We were good a few years. When I was called up with the Reserves, she was expecting. We had a little boy, Teddy. I figured a couple years, I’d be home and we could start our own little charter, like you have here.

What happened?

Seems seven months is all it took for my lasting charm to disappear. She left me for some man who ran a clothing store. By the time I got home, all I had was divorce papers. I saw Teddy once. He didn’t know me from Adam and was terrified to let me hold him.

I imagine he was no more than a baby, did you see him again?

Nah. What was the point? Hell, he has a good family and doesn’t need me.

You don’t know that.

No, I don’t. Mick agreed, But I don’t want to find out, either. I came out here, as you know and hung around awhile.

Not long, I thought then you were planning to go back to Miami to try to mend things with Sophia. Then I heard you got that job with Parawan Air, right? Isn’t that still in operation?

There was nothing to work out with Sophia any more. And yes, Parawan still operates out of Columbia. I worked for them until I landed in jail.

Jail? Crandall gasped, You, -in jail? I never knew that. When was that?

About fourteen years ago.

That sounds about right. Moira and I were history by then. Crandall said, I didn’t hear any more about you from her aunt and uncle. What happened that landed you in jail? Certainly not in Columbia?

Thank God, no! I was in Florida. Seems the plane I was flying had an undeclared load… cocaine. The crates were in someone else’s name and there was no way for them to make it stick that I was actually aware that I was smuggling, but the State did get me on some other little stuff.

How little?

"Fudging on the flight plan and making two unscheduled stops. I picked up another Parawan pilot and took him to his next plane. Neither of which had anything to do with the cocaine, but I didn’t put it on the books. Turns out that guy was wanted, which I didn’t know either. Honest to God, Crandall, I didn’t know those crates had coke in them. They were supposed to be some gears for machinery. Legally, it sure didn’t look good that I worked for Parawan. I had heard the rumors they were dirty, but they had never asked me or told me to do anything illegal. You know, I love flying more than anything and I wouldn’t want to lose that for no amount of money. But it didn’t matter. The State slapped me with fifteen years, consecutive, but time off for good behavior. Got out a few months ago and have been wandering around ever since, looking for a job.

"Florida was a bust. One word of the penitentiary and it was goodbye. And worse, the mention of drug smuggling is toxic. I checked around the Gulf states, but they are all under the same mind set. Then I thought of the islands. I really don’t want to be in the Caribbean, because I have no desire to encounter any of Parawan again, but I do need a job.

So, I came here. I roamed a couple days before I saw that ad for Crandair. I thought maybe since you knew me, you might give me a chance. If not, at least we could catch up.

Crandall listened carefully, Well, I know for a fact that you can fix anything that flies… so- of course, you can have a mechanics job. I’ll have to check it out with my attorney and insurance folks about flying. But if we can work it out, we will. It would be good to have you around again. However, you can’t be sleeping in the parking lot. It scares the bejesus out of people.

I see that it might. I never thought of that.

You’ll stay here in my shack. Of course, that means we need to get another cot.

I have a sleeping bag. The floor can’t be any harder than the parking lot.

It isn’t, but before long, you’d get all cranky about it.

Think we could manage together?

We did before, and I’m gone a lot. If you can fly, you will be, too. Crandall pointed out, You really aren’t too keen on staying in the Caribbean?

Don’t get me wrong, I love it here, but I don’t want to face up with that Parawan crowd.

Gotcha. We’ve had our hands full with the damned pirates. Oh, by the way, I do a lot of work with the FBI, so we will have to get clearance on that too. You okay with that?

Mick dropped his eyes, I don’t mind the FBI, but they’ll probably ground me.

Mick, you have always been so dramatic! They know we aren’t exactly the good fairies down here! I know those guys and we can get this sorted out. Crandall grinned, When have I ever let you down?

Mick started to laugh, You are really going to ask that?

Crandall started to laugh, too, No. Guess not.

3-

After emptying their cups, Mick took a hot shower. When he came out of the bathroom, Crandall made up a bed for him on the floor. Mick gave him a puzzled look, Why didn’t you use my sleeping bag?

That thing is waterlogged! I hung it in the back room. I threw this together for you. It should keep you from keeping me up all night with your complaining.

Mick gave him a bit of a grin, Nice of you.

Don’t get all mushy. Any damned fool who wants to get some sleep would do the same.

By morning, the rain had lessened. When Mick woke up, Crandall was just coming out of the bathroom. He said with a big grin, Wondered when you would decide to get up! Wasted half a day already!

Is it still raining? Mick asked through a yawn.

Less now, only forty inches an hour! Crandall guffawed.

Mick flopped back on his blankets, You are a lot to take this early!

Early? Man, it’s already six-thirty! Up north, those folks have already milked the cows and fed the hogs!

Mick sat up again and poked, Have cows to milk, Crandall? Keep them in the hangar, do you? I bet you don’t even know which end of a cow to milk!

You’d be wrong, you water-logged Greek, I’ve milked lots of cows, and hold your hat— even some goats! Crandall chuckled as he put on his shirt.

There is little you do that would surprise me! Mick got up and went to the bathroom.

When he came back out, dressed, Crandall shook his head. We, my little friend, are heading up to the office.

Is that where your coffee is?

Actually, there is some there, but I’m leaving a note for Sienna, my wonderful office girl that you scared half to death.

Me? What did I do?

Was the bathroom mirror clouded up or can’t you see yourself? You look like a caveman.

Mick shrugged and looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Maybe a nice caveman.

Not so much. Crandall crossed his eyes, You look scary. So, I want to leave Sienna a note telling her that I went in to get breakfast and will be in the office by eight-thirty. Then you and I are going for breakfast and stopping at my barber. I’ll probably have to drain my retirement fund, but maybe he can make you presentable.

Mick watched his old friend and then slumped into a chair, Maybe this was a bad idea. I can’t expect you to do all this for me. I saw an ad for work on one of the scows. I don’t need to have a makeover to work there. I can get out of your hair and won’t be a lot of trouble to you.

You’re a moron. Why would I want to let a good mechanic and ‘copter pilot work on a scow? So, unless you are emotionally attached to that mop you have on your head, let’s go. I’m hungry.

But I will have to owe you.

I know, but you already do. High tea last night and accommodations at the Crandall suite. Hell, man, you’ll have to work two months to just pay me back for that!

Mick scowled, High tea? Don’t the Brits serve food with that?

Does this look anything like Buckingham Palace? Crandall groused. Here, wear this rain slicker and lets go. I’m starving.

Crandall noticed his barber was just opening up when they were walking by to get breakfast. He stuck his head in the door, If you have some coffee, I have a customer for you.

The barber nodded, I do but I thought I cut your hair not long ago?

My friend here. He has been practicing some religious rite and abstained from cutting his hair and beard. Crandall laughed, But now he is back in civilization and he needs to get rid of it.

The barber smiled, Come in. I can help you out.

Half a pot of coffee later, Crandall paid the barber while his friend admired himself in the mirror. Crandall rolled his eyes to the barber, Yea gads, now I won’t get a bit of work out of him.

If I remember you, you’ll work me to the bone! Mick chuckled, and then said to the barber, Thanks. You don’t know how good this feels to look presentable.

The barber smiled, I do, in fact. That is what my business is based on.

Mick studied him a second and said, I think you are right.

Mick was taller than Crandall and had a good build, but then Crandall was a slight man. Mick was now thin and looked haggard, although less so after his shave and haircut. He had brown eyes, dark brown hair and a nice, but rare, smile. The worry lines had taken over his face. As they sat in the small café, Crandall looked at him. Mick, you aren’t that much older than me, but you look like you are pushing a hundred.

Try prison for a while.

Yah, I guess. Well, a little sunshine and some real food should fix you back up to be the debonair devil I used to run with. Crandall chuckled as his picked up his menu. I don’t know why I look at this thing! It hasn’t changed in thirty years!

The two men gave their orders to the waitress and then Mick said, You will probably be sorry you took me in. I haven’t worked in a long time.

Nothing new. Hell man, I’ve always been sorry I knew you. Crandall shrugged, As far as the work, it is like falling of a log, you never forget.

Mick wrinkled his forehead, I think it is supposed to be riding a bike, not falling off a log.

Whatever, Crandall continued, Of course, you’ll have to read up on all the new stuff. I hoped the taught you how to read in the slammer!

Mick rolled his eyes, Actually, I read a lot on the inside.

If you start spouting poetry, you’ll find yourself paddling in deep water. Hear me? Crandall leveled his eyes and rattled on, Oh, when we get back, I want to introduce you around. I have those interviews and I better do some work. This afternoon, we’re going shopping.

Shopping?

Yah, we need some groceries and a cot. I hate tripping over your carcass on my way to the can in the dark.

The men fell silent while they ate and then when their plates were nearly empty, Mick sighed. Crandall smiled to himself, realizing that Mick was beginning to get his old self back.

How are your folks? Still in Miami?

Still kicking, older of course. They moved to Des Moines, Iowa years ago.

Really? What’s in Des Moines?

About a year after I was sent to Gainesville, my sister and her husband got a great job offer in Iowa. So when they moved, they took the folks along. They didn’t want to leave, but I was in no position to look out for them.

I guess you can be glad they had someone to watch out for them. Do they like it there?

Not at first, but they’ve made friends and, of course, have their grandchildren. I guess they like it now.

Haven’t you seen them since your release?

Mick picked up a piece of toast, No. Didn’t have the money to get there and what the hell would they want to see me for?

Maybe because you’re their kid and they are getting up in years.

I am a loser, Mick added.

Did they think you were guilty?

No, but I embarrassed them.

I imagine they had gotten used to that way before that deal happened! Crandall snorted.

You ass.

Crandall chuckled, Anyway, you need to remedy that soon. I’m glad they are in good health. How is Moira’s mom?

She died about seven or eight years ago, some lung thing took her.

Too bad, Crandall nodded, I always thought a lot of her.

She did you, too. I know she always felt bad that you and Moira broke up.

Did she move to Des Moines, also? Now, was she the sister of your mom or your dad?

Mom. And no, she died on Nesos. My sister and the folks went down to be with her at the end. Moira needed someone there.

Is Moira still on Nesos? Crandall asked, trying to be nonchalant.

No. Mick looked at him seriously, Crandall, Moira swore me to keep my mouth shut about her, to you. She is family, so I have to honor that.

Figures. She said she didn’t want to ever have anything to do with me again. Crandall nodded, Can’t say I blame her.

What happened with you guys anyway?

I don’t know. I think she just got tired of my philandering and messing around. Crandall shrugged, She asked me to be sure to come home as soon as the flight got in. She wanted to talk. Well, you know me. I didn’t like being dictated to, and I was afraid she might be thinking about nuptials or something. I was actually on my way to the shack anyway, because I was going to tell her that I didn’t like rules. Before I got the lights turned off in the office, one of the island’s finest stopped by with a friend of hers. Next thing you know, it is eleven in the morning and I am coming into the shack with a horrendous hangover. She was gone. Man, it was the next morning, before I actually realized that she had taken her stuff and was seriously gone.

Mick shook his head, No note or nothing?

Yah. She left a note that said Don’t look for me and her key to the shack and office were on it. But I suppose you heard all about it.

I heard stuff, a lot the same but not exactly. Like I said, I can’t talk about it. Mick repeated, Why didn’t you look for her?

I did after a month or so. I flew to Nesos. I went into her Mom’s shop and Moira was behind the till. I walked over to say something and she glared at me with pure hatred in her eyes. Then she turned and went in a back room. I waited a bit, but she didn’t come out. Not only was my pride hurt- I mean why wouldn’t she jump into my arms and beg my forgiveness for leaving? Crandall said sarcastically, Honestly, I think I was too damned scared to have her tell me to go to hell. Way down deep, I knew I had pushed her too far and should have begged her to forgive me. So, my brilliant twenty-six year old self made the biggest mistake of my life! I turned and walked out of the shop. I never looked or tried to make contact again. But I never forgot her and this last short while, it has been killing me. What I wouldn’t give to do that over! I was a damned fool.

Mick just ate his toast without a word. After a minute, Crandall asked, Aren’t you going to say anything?

Not much to say. I think you’re right. You were a damned fool. But then, I would certainly be the one to recognize that. We wrote that book together, my man. Now what do we have? Each other?

Crandall grimaced, I think we actually have more than that, but we need to cultivate it.

I think you do, but I concreted mine over.

Ever heard of a jack hammer? It can crack up concrete, you know.

The men paid their bill and walked back to the office.

Crandall introduced Sienna and Friday to Mick. Crandall had to chuckle when he noticed that Sienna obviously found him attractive. He smirked to himself, ‘The barber knows of what he speaks.’

While Friday filled out his papers, Crandall talked with the first mechanic. He seemed very knowledgeable, but was arrogant. He could see why his previous bosses thought he was hard to work with. Crandall may have hired him, but he didn’t like the way he talked to the girls in the office. That behavior, Crandall never tolerated. All the employees relied on those girls and messing with them was bad business. He told the prospective employee that he was looking for someone who either wanted part-time mechanic work, or was a pilot, too. This man was not a pilot, so he turned Crandall down. That was just what Crandall had maneuvered to happen. He hated to turn people down and always preferred to let them think they turned him down.

Then he interviewed the man who wanted part-time and Crandall hired him. His qualifications and experience were great and Crandall was certain he could handle all the ordering, which was something his two younger guys couldn’t do. Even though he was older, Spellman was very up to date on the modern innovations and even taught some training classes. Crandall knew he would be just what they needed.

As for Mick, Crandall had other plans.

4-

The next couple weeks, Crandall buzzed happily around his Crandair kingdom; sorting, organizing, and planning. He hired some men to come in and remodel the offices. Now, the kids’ room was the office of Friday, Vance, and Mick. He still had his office, simply because the mere thought of sorting through all the debris made his heart go into arrhythmia. In front, Sienna moved to Friday’s old desk with easier access to all the files. That made room for two smaller desks, one for Mason, the caretaker, now with his additional title of head of security and Spellman, who was the head of maintenance. He was over the other two mechanics, but handled all the paperwork and the training.

Many wondered why Mick had an office, but Crandall never explained. Nor did he explain to Mick why he did that. Crandall had been solo all of his life and he was not used to sharing his thought process. Vance and Friday had many questions, but decided to let him go a while before they cornered him for information, hoping that maybe he would realize he should tell them.

However, in the process of all this rearranging, Crandall had overlooked one tiny thing. He had taken Gabe and Arianna’s homework place away. They used to come to the office after work and sit in the ‘kids’ room’ to do their studies and then go home with Friday.

Arianna never said anything, but Gabe did. After his room disappeared, he knocked very professionally on Crandall’s office door. Crandall looked up with surprise as the nine-year old asked, "Can I ask