Chapter 91

Zeke sided up to his mum and rubbed his head on her shoulder.

“Please, Mummy? I promise to look after the place.”

Pat burst out laughing and hugged her son. “Baby, I’d be delighted, and you can change whatever you want. You have always loved this place. You even told me to build here because it had the best view.”

“Thanks, Mum. I hope you liked what I did to the house,” he said sheepishly.

“Zeke! What else did you do?”

“Come see,” he replied and took her hand.

Pat walked around her old house and just admired her son’s handy work. All of her possessions and Paul’s were boxed up, ready to go. Zeke had put Frank’s things in the shed for Penny if she wanted them. The boys said they didn’t want anything Frank hadn’t already given them, and neither did Pat.

A lot of the furniture the trio had admired in Zeke’s treasure room was now in the house. Zeke had recycled the old stuff in his improved replicator. Pat could feel all the spells Zeke had put on the house to keep it clean and in good repair.

Pat had noticed that for the main part the walls were still painted the colours she had liked but looked newly painted. Somehow, he’d made all of the rooms bigger, but it looked the same from the outside.

Zeke had done a lovely job.

“Hoy, you lot, what-ya doing?” Blake called out from the doorway.

Zeke was downstairs, so he went to the door. Grinning, he said, “I’ve been redecorating before I move in.”

“Crickey, Frank is just going to love that. Don’t tell me your Mum finally tossed the tosser out?”

“Oh! I’m sorry, Blake, I thought Mildred had told you.”

“Told us what? Vic and I have been in the city partying since Frank and Patricia went to Armstrong Station to see you and Dallas. We had our comms on mute. Then we got home rather late this morning and have just got up.”

“I saw that fancy toy of yours outside. You must be making a killing with them, my boy. Wayne said he couldn’t make them fast enough. Anyway, what’s up with Frank, now?”

“Blake, Frank died two days ago.”

“Damn! Did his ol’ ticker finally stop?” he asked in shock. He had gone quite pale.

“Yes, he went to Luna, and the trip caused an embolism to bleed. The change in blood pressure caused his heart to stop.”

Blake sighed heavily. “So, what’s your mum going to do?”

“Hi, Blake. How about you, Vic, and me have a chat at your place?” Patricia suggested as she walked up to them.

Blake nodded and turned to walk out the door. Zeke watched his mother follow Blake out.

“Will they be alright?” Lindsay asked as he wrapped an arm around Zeke’s middle.

“Eventually. Sometimes, it is hard to move on, but it happens many times in one’s life, even if you’re not aware of the fact at the time.”

Lindsay just hugged Zeke, as he understood where he was coming from.

Zeke’s next interruption happened an hour later.

The house’s intercom was bleating that someone was at the airlock wanting in.

Zeke pressed the button and asked, “Who is it?”

“I’m Detective Beck from Central PD. I’ve been sent to search for some documents,” a woman’s voice replied.

“Is Mildred Anders with you?”

“I know nothing about Mildred Anders.”

“We agreed to the search as long as Mildred was with whoever Ms Gin-Lou chose.”

“Sorry, I know nothing about that arrangement. My boss handed me a search warrant that had been issued to look for incriminating documents in this dome, pertaining to a Mr Frank Stone.”

“What has he been charged with?”

“Um, believe it or not, polygamy without consent of all parties.”

“Do you have the warrant with you?”

“Yes, Sir. I do know how to do my job.”

“The airlock is unlocked. You may enter but cannot conduct a search until we have read the warrant and confirmed who you are.”

“Thank you, Sir, and I understand.”

Zeke went outside to wait for the detective.

First, he sent a message to his mother and told her to stay with Blake until he called her. He then called his Attorney on Mars, Ms Zara Obi. He’d asked Travis to give her a call in case Mildred needed her.

“Hey, Zara, it’s Zeke.”

“What trouble are you in now, Zeke?”

“Did Travis call you?”

“Yes, he did. Bad business to be in the middle of. Trust Frank to pop off and leave you to clean up his mess.”

“Yeah, typical Frank. Anyway, I have a Detective Beck entering our dome complex. She says she has a warrant to search the place. Ms Peta Gin-Lou was supposed to liaise with Mildred. Apparently, Frank is being charged with polygamy without consent.”