# # # # # # # #
Yolanda was coming to the end of her list of Franklin's neighbours to interview. Winnie was flagging and complaining. "Why do I have to pretend to be four? Six year olds are cute too."
Patella was cranky as well. Yolanda had been keeping the pup invisible when she knocked on the doors, her appearance being somewhat intimidating to anything other than another wolf. Winnie settled Patella down in a dark corner, turned her invisible, and joined her mom. "She's hungry and would like to have biscuits like I've been having. I don't like them anymore, Mom. Do I have to eat them?"
"Perhaps you could hide them in a pocket for Patella?" Yolanda wanted to finish these interviews before one of her two children bit somebody. She wasn't sure which one that would be. Yolanda was in a cranky mood too from the snooty, snooty people in the building. But in spite of that, she had been able to conduct the interviews. With her cute little 4-year old daughter in tow, and with the poor little thing needing to use the washroom, apartments doors had been opened. She would wait at the doorway for Winnie to be finished. After a while, if no invitation to come in and be seated had been extended, Winnie would call "Mommy, I need you," and Yolanda would rush into the bathroom. They'd emerge soon, Winnie sniveling in Yolanda's arms.
"She's not feeling well. Could I put her down somewhere while I clean up the mess she made? Bad sandwich, I'm afraid."
That always left cute little Winnie alone with snooty neighbour. It would be no contest. Yolanda would eventually emerge from the bathroom to find Winnie comfortably wrapped in a blanket with a cup of hot tea nearby and a plate of biscuits balanced on her lap. What was supposed to happen next was Winnie would ask her mother if they were ever going to find Uncle Franklin and complain that she was sooooo tired and could they go home soon?
Instead, the actress decided to throw in an ad-lib in this final interview. "This tea is good, but what my mom does to keep me from barfing again is give me some hot chocolate. You wouldn't happen to have some, would you? I'm kind of feeling sick again."
This prompted Yolanda to instinctively snap, "Winnie. Don't be rude!" which only prompted the neighbour to step in and take the side of the poor little sick girl. "Of course, I have hot chocolate." Then she bustled into the kitchen.
Yolanda glared at Winnie who rolled her eyes at the cup of tea. Seeing as how she was on a roll and the axe hadn't fallen, Winnie adlibbed a second time. "Do you have any marshmallows to go with it?" she called out. In a few minutes, the neighbour came out with three cups brimming with marshmallow foam and some chocolate covered goodies on a plate.
"This hot chocolate is extremely rich, Mrs..." Yolanda commented.
"Murphy," the neighbour responded. "It is, isn't it."
Winnie had her mouth full of a chocolate covered candy and so couldn't join into the conversation. She had noticed that six candies were on the plate and was wondering if that meant she'd get only two.
"And the candies ... same chocolate as what we're drinking?" Yolanda asked. She was watching Winnie closely and glared at her when her hand started to move towards the plate. The glare didn't work.
"Yes. I'm going to have to start rationing it soon, I'm afraid. I'm not able to move around too much and a neighbour of mine used to keep me supplied. The chocolates are from the Chocoholic Shop in North Vancouver. He'd go over there as regular as clockwork and would always bring me back a tin of hot chocolate mix and a big box of candies."
"You'll be rationing it?"
"Poor man has disappeared, it seems. I can't go all the way over to North Van by myself."
"He must have been a nice man to do that for you."
"Not really. Very cold. I wouldn't want to be around him for long. But he paid well."
"Paid?"
"The chocolates," Widow Murphy said. "He paid me to tell him if I ever heard any footsteps in his condo when he was gone. He lived right overhead. Wood floors. Footsteps come through clear as a bell."
"Was he away a lot?"
"Weeknights, no. Weekends, some times. I never heard a single footstep when he was gone until the police came in the other day. I figure he's dead. I saw him looking very gray one afternoon. I'm going miss my chocolates."
"I'll be traveling to North Vancouver tomorrow," Yolanda said. "I'll bring you back some chocolate in appreciation for you being so kind to my daughter."
"Could you bring back some marshmallows too?"
# # # # # # # #
Granny's conversation that night with the boys revealed that three of them were becoming bored. That was her feeling, at least. Lucas sounded excited. She couldn't see any of those boys being interested in an arts and crafts project but Lucas said that he was going to make a contest out of it.
Lucas also said that were going to stick close to the Wilizy from now on as they could see a North Korean cargo ship slowly making its way down the eastern side of North Korea and on a heading that would probably take it right into the factory's harbour at Wonsan. Lucas had already decided to copy Wolf's tactics for the battle: draw close to the ship at night, show up next to it in the early morning, and force the crew to abandon ship by showing them all their guns.
As to what they had done yesterday afternoon when they had left the ship? "Just looked at a bunch of animals," was all that Lucas said. Granny was distracted from further investigation after Lucas asked how they could cook stuff from the freezer without it ending up charred black. They were cooking over a small bonfire that they had put on the top of the stove.
# # # # # # # #
The debriefing meeting that evening was held in the Wilizy, which was hovering high over Bonanza Lake. Wolf and Mac had found a small wisp of smoke hanging over a tiny little valley that gave the exact same view of Bonanza Peak as had been in the picture. The area was so heavily forested that they couldn't see through the tree canopy down to the ground. They had been waiting eagerly for night-fall.
When it was dark enough that they could no longer see the ground, Wolf turned on the sensor that would check for body heat signatures and the screen lit up. "At least 40 bodies, all crammed into a tiny space," he reported.
"Looks like church is in session," Mac said. "Folks, we have ourselves two real leads."
# # # # # # # #
Franklin Franklin's manifesto continued.
It was through the announcement of the formal ceremony establishing the Aboriginal Nation and its partnership with B.C. that I found out that the she-devil's body was alive. Both Hank and Yollie were to be recognized at the ceremony as one of the nation's founding fathers/mothers. B.C. wanted to include me in the B.C. government's contingent, but I knew that people from the community that I had policed would be at the ceremony, so I informed them that my involvement in the wars had brought me some death-threats from Zzyk. I had indeed received a death threat, but that had been from one of my sisters who had informed me coldly that the Franklin family had heard of my support for the Aboriginal Nation and they all had sworn a blood oath to kill me. I duly reported her visit as an attempt on my life and I've been under protection ever since. This has meant that I live alone and I have been unable to create a family as my father had tasked me. Over the years, I have lost the desire for women to comfort me and my life has been unfulfilled.
Occasionally I have crossed paths with Hank when he comes to Surrey for meetings. He's friendly enough with me. He doesn't say much about his family, although that is just his way. I've managed to learn that it's quite large, but not where it is. The she-devil, who goes by Yolanda now, has not broken her promise. But her image nags at me.
When the government appointed me to work closely with the Wilizy, I knew that my God had not deserted me. I had spent my time in the wilderness and would soon be freed. When I was given an opportunity to capture both Will and Izzy, I took it. They are now in a secure if somewhat uncomfortable location. If I so wish it, nobody but I can get in. If I so wish it, nobody but I can get out.
In a few days, some friends will arrive t
o bid on their bodies. I have not decided yet if I will sell them singly, or as a pair. But the money I will receive is not what will bring me the most happiness. I have left enough clues for Hank and Yolanda to find where I stashed the bait. When they come to the rescue, I will unleash the flames of Hell and destroy Hank and his devil spouse. Then I will tell my brother that I have murdered two of the Aboriginal Nation's founding fathers/mothers and he will accept me back in the family. I will be back where I belong with enough money to greatly increase the family's size and influence. I will teach the boys in the family how to preach to the heathen savages. As I am feeling the desire once more, the women in the family will comfort me. Izzy has broken bread with the she-devil's family and that makes her a savage too. Perhaps I'll offer her the opportunity to have her sins forgiven.
Back to the Table of Contents
Chapter 31
Friday morning, March 9, day 7.
Izzy had heard her captor's approach and so had the time to tighten her brain-plug into its socket. First, there was a clanging sound from above somewhere. Then the sound of a heavy-duty motor off to her right. Another clanging sound – something heavy and metal had been closed. Then footsteps – from the right and behind her. Getting closer. She was expecting to see Rick appear in the next ten seconds, smiling at her and holding a brain-band controller. Izzy had seen it used on her mother a year ago and knew what it would look like. A button to inflict pain; a dial to increase or decrease the pain. She sat down on her pad, leaned back against the rock wall, pulled her blanket around her, and closed her eyes. She had one lever that she could use on Rick. The tape of their meeting. However she wasn't sure how she could threaten him with it if she couldn't contact the Wilizy first.
The steps approached from a side aisle several cells down. She heard the footsteps approach her cell door and stop. "Izzy," the voice said.
"FF? Is that you?" Izzy opened her eyes and bounded to her feet, a big smile on her face. "FF? You're here to rescue me?" Then she saw the brain-band controller in his right hand and remembered who had slapped her on her back. She stopped in mid-rush to the door of her cell.
"To rescue you from your sins, yes." Franklin Franklin said.
# # # # # # # #
At 8 a.m., Wolf left Hank and Mac in the Wilizy command post high above Bonanza Lake and appeared in Victoria a few minutes later. He walked to the government copter depot and picked up the rental that Mac's military contact in Victoria had arranged for him. Wolf signed some papers and headed north on a heading straight for Bonanza Lake. He stopped short of the lake and dropped down on a flat spot in Woss next to a set of railway tracks that apparently came from nowhere and went nowhere. He walked across a street of weeds and entered the village's country store – the only store of any kind that was close to Bonanza Lake and the church that nestled under the trees at its southern end. The clerk nodded at him as he entered the store.
"Government copter, eh?"
"Yup."
"Did you have engine problems?"
"Nope."
"That's usually the only reason any copter drops in these days."
"Enough people around to keep you in business?"
"Barely."
"How did you get so much stock?"
"I use home-made wagons that can ride the rails down to Campbell River and back. The community provides the horses to pull the wagons. I take their pelts down and come back with stuff they want to buy off me."
"Fishing gear?"
"No call for it. We all got our own."
"You willing to rent or sell yours?"
"Couldn't say. Depends."
"My boss – rich government man – wants to take his buddies on a wilderness fishing holiday. Seven days. Remote lake or river. Fly in by copter and rough it. Tents, someone to cook for them, clean their fish..."
"Lucky you?"
"Yup."
"We got no reason to like government people. But we have the remote part; plus the fish. What do I get out of this?"
"A very good price on the rentals if you give me advice where to take them."
"I have a map of the area right over there."
The reader may assume that what followed at this point was some deep discussions about defenseless little fishies and where one might pluck them out of their water homes. You can tell that I had no such desire to pursue this discussion further. However we do know that Wolf must have impressed the storeowner with his knowledge of all things fish-like because he offered him some free advice when Wolf asked if the southern tip of Bonanza Lake might be a good spot to set up camp.
"You wanna stay clear of that part of the country, friend. A man up there not only hates government people, but he hates aboriginals too. He'll ambush you sure as shooting if you set up in his area."
"Does the man have a name?"
"We call him Old Coot Franklin and he's a miserable one. Comes in here once a month to trade. Uses some of his wives as pack mules."
"Has more than one wife, does he?"
"Bubba Franklin? You bet he does. You stay clear of him. He has all sorts of weapons and I'm told he knows how to use them. Had himself police training at some point, I hear."
"Nimpkish Lake is better?"
"Yup."
Wolf, ask him if there are still caves at the Little Huston? Also ask about any caves deep into the mountains nearby.
OK, Mac.
"My boss might like to do some caving while he's in the area. Any good places? He likes the ones that are all dark and scary."
"Little Huston. Also Devil's Bath, Devil's Spring, Vanishing River, Reappearing River, Eternal fountain, Artish River, ... to name a few. Wouldn't know what the caves are like. Have only seen their names on the map."
"I owe you. If this fishing trip pans out, how about I bring you a case of beer with me next time I'm in the area?"
"Make it six cases. I figure there never was going to be no fishing trip."
# # # # # # # #
Wolf reported to Hank as soon as he was in the air. This was about 9:30. "The brother's name is Bubba Franklin and he's our man, no question. Treat him as a high risk if you're thinking of interviewing him for information on Franklin. He's going to shoot any aboriginal face that he sees, or any face that looks like government. Vancouver Island has tons of caves. Are we done with this government copter or does Mac want me to start exploring caves now?"
"Hi Wolf," Mac entered the conversation. "I asked because I was reading up on Woss and saw a mention of caves. If a cave were deep inside a mountain, or deep underground, that could explain why the emergency beacons wouldn't have worked. Given the large number of cave options on Vancouver Island, I believe we'll have more success trying to find the brother."
"Wolf, take the copter back to Victoria and give it back," Hank instructed. "Wait in Victoria for instructions."
"You want me to look through some government files for Bubba Franklin?"
"Mac has already put the B.C. military on that," Hank replied.
"Let the other Wilizy know that we have the brother's name, will you Mac?"
"Already done, Hank. Perhaps Wolf could come back to the ship and bring that copter with him?" Mac suggested. "Then it would be available for anyone who needed it?"
"Sure. That's a good idea."
# # # # # # # #
At about 9:30, Granny and Doc were entering the Chocoholic Shop in North Vancouver. It was a small place with walls full of shelves holding things that were chocolate covered. A smiling woman stood behind a glass covered display unit at the back of the room. Behind her was a door, presumably to a storage area.
The woman was elderly, and from her portly appearance, one might assume that she had been guilty of sampling too many of her wares. Or perhaps she just breathed too deeply. The shop was full of a delicious aroma that said Grow fat with me!
Granny's eyes bugged out when she saw the selection. She stood in the doorway, inhaling deeply. Doc was already in one corner of the shop, determined t
o make his way in an organized fashion – clockwise – around the room so as not to miss anything. After a few seconds, he pulled out a small notepad and a pencil and started listing what he wanted to buy.
"He's going to be a while," Granny said.
The woman behind the counter smiled. This was not the first time that she had seen people react like this. "You folks from out of town?"
"Milton worked deep in the woods near Revelstoke. His company gave him an all-expenses paid trip to Surrey for his retirement. We had heard about your place already, so this is his first stop. Do you mind if I stand here and catch my breath? That was a steep hike up from the boat dock."
Milton?
Mac said that we should make up a little history about ourselves. We shouldn't give our real names in case Franklin hears about our inquiries.
I know, but Milton? Seriously?
Granny ended up on a chair from the back room, sitting almost behind the counter, a big cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows in her hands and a lonely store keeper anxious to chat. Naturally they talked about selling chocolates, how the woman had started in the business, how busy she was, and so on. Doc was listening with only one ear, his other ear having been turned into an additional nostril. He started to pay more information when Granny opened up another line of conversation about 15 minutes into the visit.
"You know, the man who told my Milton's boss about your shop actually lives somewhere in the area? Milty, do you know that man's name. Perhaps Mrs. Tucker knows him?"
"No, TwinkyDee. Can't say that I do. I only saw him once or twice. I didn't particularly like the man. He was cold to people. When I saw him, he wore a gray suit and had a long face with a fringe of gray hair at the back of his head. Mostly bald, I think. Never smiled. About my height, I guess. You could see a big gap between his two front teeth when he talked." (Mac had circulated Franklin's picture from his personnel folder to the Wilizy searchers.)
TwinkyDee?
You look like a TwinkyDee. My back up choice was TwinkyDinky. I thought you'd prefer the first. Remember Mac said to enjoy ourselves. There's more chance of people gossiping with us if we chatter back and forth than if we badger them with questions.
"You could thank him for telling your boss, Milton. I bet he'd appreciate you doing that."
"Not this man, TwinkyDee. He's not going to want me, or you, talking to him. He has this thing about aboriginals."