Chapter 46

“Tyche ... We’re in Fiji ... let me talk to Surprise.”

“Daddy ... she’s not here ... she’s working. Just come get us.”

“Working where?”

“Her shop in Pentwater.” I thought about that for a second, “Umh ... maybe not ... she’s either asleep ... or having coffee at the Antler.”

“What do you mean ... maybe not?”

“I mean I don’t know.”

“Why not?”

“We’re at the Police Station.”

“WHAT?”

“The Police ... here ... you talk to him.”

I handed the phone off to the officer.

“Corporal Mali.”

“JW Flintkote ... Why is my daughter in jail?”

And that caused a flurry of giggles.

“She’s not in jail ... she’s at the airport.”

“Huh?”

“Nadi Airport ... Fiji.”

“She’s HERE?”

“Yes.” Officer Mali said. “Come get her.”

“Oh,” Daddy blushed ... We couldn’t see it ... but we heard it.

“Why do you have her?”

Officer Mali said, “Do you remember when she left... 10 years ago?”

“Umh ... yes.”

“When her name showed up on the passenger manifest, We tied one and one together and came up with guilty. For all she’s 15, she looks just like she did when you abandoned her on our doorstep. The airport here wouldn’t let her fly. No responsible adult. We sent her ... by bus ... to Suva ... pre-paid for the flight.” Mali said, “Fiji has quite the dossier on her. I’ll have you know ... she’s a pain in the ass.”

“Still?”

“Still?”

“The matriarch sent her to her sister.”

There was a long pause ... Corporal Mali said, “Make sure she comes with ... we need to have words with her.”

“I don’t know ... she’s awfully busy ... triplets ... and the possibility that she may be ‘increasing.’

“Ooo ... you’ve been busy.”

“The matriarch is my sister. My wife would object ... so would I ... The Triplets and Tyche were enough.”

“Triplets?”

“Two sets ... born less than a year apart.”

“Six?”

“Yes ... and they look enough alike to be homeschooled.”

“You and your wife have 10 or 11 year old triplets ... and your sister has a set of her own?”

“Yes.” Then he said, “And Tyche.”