Chapter 103

"Do you think we have seen the end of them?" Wilson asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we had to disappear someone," I said. Then I laughed showing him I was kidding. Wilson didn't need to know all the things I had done. I went outside and checked the small boat we had bought. It was really a flotation platform more than a boat. Still with the small electric motor it would do just fine for most of Wilson's fishing needs. I expected them to last about a month, certainly no more. Wilson was reacting to his two ladies being lots to him. I was sure it was no more than that.

"You want to drive down to see the Railroad hotel?" he asked.

"Is it open?" I asked. I only knew that I hadn't bought it.

"No, there are no takers, not even at 250k. There are just too many renovation to turn the hotel into anything else," Wilson explained.

Well it can be done, I'm sure of that. The managers of the trust are checking the dollars and sense for me now. It might be ours in a few days, if the price is right." I suggested.

"Do you really think you can turn it into long term rental suites and make a profit?" Wilson asked.

"It isn't about a profit. It's about maintaining the building. If we get it up and running and if it is self sustaining, then we can handle it," I said.

"You mean you can handle it. I'm not putting any money into it," Wilson said.

"Fair enough," I replied with a laugh. Then added, "Wimp."

We did ride down to the hotel to take a look at the area at night. One thing I noticed without the warehouse sitting behind the hotel there would be a great view of the bay. With a little landscaping it would be a nice park as well. There wasn't all that much land under the concrete parking lot. so I was willing to bet it all could be bought for a fairly good price. I was almost sure the warehouse would be willing to listen to a reasonable offer. Maybe even a not so reasonable one.

The dock at the end of the warehouse was maintained by the city as a public dock. The warehouse had once received small packages from the commercial boat that docked there. These days they were not allowed to use the city dock, so the warehouse was trucking from a small dock located in the mouth of the Tomahawk River. I expected he would be more than happy to make a move out there, if he had an offer on his warehouse downtown.

I had an idea, but I needed the hotel building. I was mostly stalling till I felt like the owner was hurting. I was going to own the property sooner rather than later. That was, if no one else wanted it.

"Come on lets go to that fish camp for dinner," I suggested.

"Sylvia, everything there is so greasy. Couldn't we go to The Grill House, if you want fish?" he asked.

Damn Wilson having you around might save my life," I said. "Sure The Grill House it is." I added.

The Grill House was filled with tourist, which is why I hadn't chosen it. Wilson chose it because he liked to ogle the younger women. "Too bad they don't allow the women to wear their bikinis," I suggested.

"I certainly agree with that. You are going to allow them to wear them in the New Improved B&B aren't you." he asked.

"I don't have it yet, but no I'm not going to allow bikinis in the lounge or dining room," I replied. "Well, if the woman is old and looks worse in a bikini than I do maybe."

"Like you said no bikinis in the lounge or dining room," Wilson commented with a smile.

"Just for that I might not let you in either," I said.

After the charbroiled seafood platter I went back to the barge. I stopped for a box of fried apple pies. They probably filled my quota of grease for the day. The night I ate apple pies, drank coffee. I also masturbated on the Internet. I really missed that when I went into the boonies for Swamp Dog. It was probably the real reason I said no more. That and I was frankly getting a little old to be running around playing rangers and ragheads.

When I awoke the next morning all the windows were in place in the office, so I rode the trike out to the airfield. It was a beautiful day even at 6:30AM. I took the plane up and sailed as much as I used the Canary's large Honda engine. I spend two hours up there sailing around. When it was time, I hit the starter and the Honda fired right up. I turn the prop to the wind and engaged it. Without even a complaint the Honda had the plane moving at it's top speed of about 75MPH. Not much of an improvement over a car, but there was a lot better views from the tiny plane, than from the tiny truck.

I got back to the barge a little before 10AM Wilson was still asleep as far as I could tell. I didn't want to wake him, because we had unofficially decided that office hours, when we weren't on a case, began at noon. So for the next two hours I did nothing but think about the hotel. I decided that I was going to buy it no matter what anyone said. With that in mind I drove to the warehouse behind the hotel.

"Hello in there," I shouted to the people inside, if there were any. The overhead doors were closed, but the walk in door was unlocked.

"Hey, What can I do for you," the man in his thirties asked.

"Hey, my name is Sylvia. I was wondering what you guys did in here?" I said. "I have an idea, but I'm not positive."