A Ghost Of A Chance Part 2

Chapter 268-2

A Ghost Of A Chance

Part 2

 

 

I was beginning to wonder if my grandmother got out of bed on the wrong side. All morning she had been trying to pick a fight and threatening everyone that what we were doing was wrong. That we shouldn’t be helping to put bad guys away. My grandmother had done a 180 to compare to the woman I was seeing in front me, judging every for their mistakes. Maybe she was always like that, and I just didn’t see it. Either that or I didn’t want to see it or I was just too damn tired. I said taking a seat next too her and took her hand in mine. “What’s really bugging you, grandma? This isn’t like you.”

She let go of my hand real angry like and said. “It’s you; it’s always been you that’s always been important to me, but today what I saw and heard this morning. It’s as if I never seen you before. You’re not the grandson I know, for if you were you would think this through and realize that this is all wrong. People just don’t drop everything and say hey let's see if we can get ourselves killed for something we have no business doing in the first place. The moment you and the Rothwell’s learned about Crawford you should have contacted the LDS church, you should have gone to the police. Not poke around and see what you can dig up.

“Then there is this thing about Jeff. I thought sure it's just nothing more than an imaginary friend, like all kids your age go through when they don’t have friends they can talk too. Your 17 years old and son its time that you act like it. Jeff is dead, he’s been dead for 5 almost 6 years now. People die and move on; they don’t hang around just because you want them to. They die, and it’s odious. See you in the next life. They don’t involve themselves with the living. It would be nice if they did, but they don’t. Stringum is playing you and using you and the Rothwell’s; using a boy’s imagination to string them along. Trust me he playing you like a fiddle and everyone here is dancing to his tune.

“I grew up with this man and men like him. They are all the same when it comes to using people. He knows if he shows a little cash, and has a talent of finding things in someone’s past, and bam he’s got them. For instance, the letter that is old as time, with his grandfather's watermark; he must have paid someone to find a few papers left over from the war. Then took it to somewhere and remade that document to look like it came from his grandfather. Everything he did was planned out, knowing all he had to do was flash some cash around make a few calls. So when your caseworker was down on her luck and it was about to run out… he stepped in like night in shining armor.

“The same for the Earls, they sold that house fairly quickly, and he waited for the right moment to swoop in and work his magic, finding someone to play the role he wanted. Put in some more cash to make it the offer so tempting he couldn’t pass it up. Right now that property he used too own, is empty and full of weeds. It may have sign mentioning new housing development on it, but if you did some digging you would find Stringum had purchased it through one of his many shell companies. Like the one he used to purchase all the land on this mountain and several lots in town. He says it all in his name or companies name, but how do you know for certain?

“He can’t afford anyone to walk away, after all the time and money he has spent to make sure his little band he is putting together never leaves. Take a look at Mr. Rothwell for example. He is in so deep that he is swimming in debt, Stringum is going to throw him to the wolves, and he doesn’t even know it.

“Tonight isn’t about taking bad guys down like Mr. Tate. Tonight is about Stringum using you boys as toys for his guests to play with so they will pay him lots of cash for each of you and uses you like a cheap party favors. He will then take the cash, and use it where he feels he needs to bring more people in like the Rothwell’s, just like he did today with your caseworker and her young family. Everyone that shows up tonight will either be friends of Stringum in someway and everyone else will be murders and rapist which is why I know for a fact that if you all go to that party tonight.

“You and I will be caught in a trap, and be lucky to get out alive. Stringum doesn’t care, and why should he? He just got paid a fortune, making back everything he has spent over the last few months alone. Including the money, he has just given Mr. Holliman’s as a free gift to buy his silence and his family’s silence. Everything on that video was staged to make us all believe otherwise.

“He probably told Mr. Rothwell to make sure that they don’t leave here, probably threatened him to make sure they sign that contract. Everything is nothing but smoke and mirrors with that man. I had thought I taught you better than that, but apparently not. Now leave me until you can come to your senses, you claim you’re adult now. Then act like one, and put this foolishness away and leave here with me. No one here can stop you. We will do whatever it takes to find the Downings so you and Aaron can have a chance at a better life where you will be far safer with them then here. They are not dead, mostly likely Stringum and your adoptive parents and I use that word loosely because intend to make sure that adoption doesn’t go through.

“I say this with confidence that they are hiding the truth from you knowing that if you knew they were alive and knew you where they are, you would leave here in heartbeat. They have made every attempt so far to sell you that lie for years; knowing that you are capable of running away without getting caught. Now that you’re considered an adult you can leave this life and everyone in it behind and take Aaron with you, and no one can stop you. They admitted that much today. ”

Grandma surprised me by reaching over across the room and slapped Kerry and yelled. “What in the hell are you doing? No one gave you permission to take off these boys clothes in the middle of the living room. You were told to watch them while their mother is gone and while their father is attending to some business. Not teach them nudism, its bad enough that you, your family and friends got my two grandsons involved, causing Aaron to leave a perfectly good foster home. You should be ashamed of yourself, hell this so beneath you Kerry being as you are now a mother yourself. Bathing boys in a tub is one thing; not displaying them in the nude front of company is another.”

Kerry told the boys to go having them follow the rest of the boys that were heading to the pool and stood up and pointed to the boys. “Listen here, you old bat. Those boys asked me if they could go swimming with the rest of them. Every one of those boys if you hadn’t noticed was not wearing a bathing suit, including your grandson Aaron. Don’t you think it would be odd if they were the only boys going to the pool right now wearing one?

“If you want me to ask their father if it’s ok I will… but somehow I do not think he will care when he too notices that every boy in that pool is naked as the day they were born.” Kerry opened the door called for Mr. Holliman, watching him come into the house standing in the entryway. Kerry said. “I may have overstepped my bounds regarding too your sons who you have left in my care according to Mrs. Shepherd here.”

He looked at the pool and he looked at my grandmother as Kerry explained that boys were going swimming and his boys asked if they could join them. He said. “So, what’s the problem?”

Grandma blinked then said. “They are all swimming naked is the problem.”

He shrugged his shoulders said. “So, I still don’t see the problem, hell give me a few minutes and I’ll join them.”

Grandma growled. “You wouldn’t dare, not with… all these… ladies… In the house.”

Stuttering last few words as he stripped off his shirt kicking off his shoes and dropped his pants and boxers to his socked ankles. “I wouldn’t dare what Mrs. Shepherd? Hell woman. I am sure I am not the first naked man or child you have seen I am sure?”

Grandma's eyes narrowed on him than me, said. “This exactly what I was talking about, none of them have a brain in their heads. And your right your not, but doesn’t give you the right to expose your self in front of me. I didn’t give you my permission. All I did was point out that Kerry should have asked first if she had permission and told me that in the first place we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Now for god sakes put back on your clothes. You’re making a scene and a fool of yourself. I prefer not to see you naked, only your wife should be the only one to do that. Not a bunch of grown women who I am sure are offended or should be.”

Jennie said. “I am not,” placing chips on each of our plates.

Kerry said. “Me neither.”

Jody came in from the pool grandma noticing she was naked with a towel around her shoulders said. “Who’s offended?” Jody smiled seeing Mr. Holliman standing in the entryway butt naked and aroused. I smiled noticed that he had a very nice large cobra, and was curious to see if it was bigger then Chef Philips.

Kerry said. “He was checking to see if any of us women here besides Eric’s grandmother is offended by him sharing himself with us.” Dad came through the door asking what was going on seeing Mr. Holliman standing in the entryway naked with his pant down to his ankles. He quickly explained the problem, that my grandmother was having a problem with his boys going swimming with the rest of the boys without bathing suits.

Dad rolled his eyes, said. “Doris, when have you cared about our family being nudists? If I recall you said you were more then fine with it and signed a contract allowing your grandsons to participate and learn all about sex not more then a few months ago after we had come back from our summer vacation. In fact, if I remember right you fine with the idea when had a round table discussion with two LDS Bishop and a handful of doctors and child care specialist?”

Grandma said. “I did, and I am fine with it. But I was under the impression that Mr. Holliman and his family was not part of this lifestyle.”

Mr. Holliman said. “She does have a point because we weren’t, but I still don’t understand what the problem is. Considering all the boys here are, and if my boys want to join them, why should I mind? It would be silly being the only boy here wearing a bathing suit. Isn’t that right Mrs. Cranny? Being as you are not a nudist, but a mother of three young boys and daughter roughly the same age as my boys. It’s nothing more than them bathing in a large tub together.”

She gave a nodded said. “That’s how I see it, boys will be boys. Going naked isn’t a big deal around my house. So why should I be bothered about it here?”

He pulled up his pants said. “Sorry if I offend you, Mrs. Shepherd. Next time I will ask first before disrobing in front of you. Just so you know, I plan to let my family participate. If they feel they want to run naked with the rest of them so be it. And just so you know. Me and my wife were part of that free love movement in the 60s… and as we are on the topic, we are not LDS, nor do we belong to any religion. Other then we teach our children about God and are open-minded when it comes to all religions as a whole.

“So don’t assume that I plan to stop my boys from engaging in a free love society, or live in a nudist environment. We knew what we were walking into where my boys would see naked people living here. They may be young and don’t understand the workings of the world as you see it, or others like your self sees it.

“So you can climb off your high horse because I do not care what you think. It is our choice and not yours, and if we are making a big mistake, then it’s our mistake… not yours. So go back home, and hide from the world we live in. My God watch over you and protect you, but remember God helps those that help themselves. God helps those that help each other, and God punishes those that think they can know what God wants.

“The same goes for the devil. He will gladly take the souls offered to him, and he will gladly take those… that think they can murder, rape innocent children. He will be more than welcome to take stubborn, and set in their ways grandmothers who judges people that she doesn’t like… because she feels that she the one with all the right answers and everyone else is wrong. I have never felt so right about what me and my family is about to embark on. True the money is good, but this isn’t about the money, this about what we can do with it to help other people like the Rothwell’s and everyone on this mountain of ours.

“Even without the money, the moment I shook Mr. Rothwell’s hand today and heard what he was doing with my wife’s help of course as she told me like she does when she talks about her cases with all those kids without loving homes and parents. I wanted to meet the people who are helping to take down the satanic church and one of the largest child sex rings in the country and ask how we can help.

“My wife doesn’t know that I had sold everything I had in England making money I was getting… look like it had come from a local cement company in Provo. Or the fact I have been out of work for more than two years living off the money I had made from fathers properties. Not thinking for one minute that I would need to move back there and take up residence there. She didn’t know that I was working for a private contractor that has been hired by the crown to investigate the recent murders and disappearance of children and their families that led me to Mr. Tate and some of his associate’s. All she knew was I was working where I had to settle contracts for the cement company I was working for. Causing me to fly back and forth and stay months at a time to complete the deals before flying home again.

“We had hit a dead end about a year ago, and we disbanded because we could not find the connection. Between the Satanic Church and this man Mr. Tate who went by the name of Mr. Arnold Davenport, who owned several large companies in England, and in other countries like Europe and France. All we found were bodies, like in those photos. Once we ran out of money and the Crown had refused to renew our contract with no solid leads our evidence we returned home to our wives and family. Plus my time was up or coming to a close as I had worked in the queen's army as what you would call here in the US a navy seal and expert in combat missions. That was the only thing my wife knew about after serving overseas for the better part of 25 years and that was why they had hired me because I was good at my job.

“We were soon flat broke after returning home for good, and I had taken out two mortgages to pay off our debts. Hoping I could find another job, using my teaching degree I had earned during my college years after I had severed my first two years in the arm forces as part of the queen's guard; but no one was hiring. Here I was with a new baby, and my wife couldn’t work full time because she needed to be home with the baby while I looked for work, and taking odd jobs just to feed us and keep a roof over our heads. I took anything I could get from stocking shelves in a grocery store or working for Sears and Roebuck as a day laborer. It wasn’t enough; we were swimming in debt until that letter showed up on her desk and me receiving the same letter. Yet what you don’t know was how my letter showed up.

“I was reading the want adds. I had circled about fifty places that were hiring and what I was qualified to do and visited each and every one of them. The last place I visited was the odd one. Odd being when I went inside to apply for the job, as a mail carrier. The office was empty. I mean empty as if they had gone out of business. At first, I thought I had read the wrong address, and asked someone in the building, who happened to be part of the cleaning staff.

I mentioned the name of the office I was looking for, he told me. That I had come to the right place, but that business went belly up two years ago. I pointed it out in the paper showing him where it says help wanted. He had me talk the building manager and he confirmed it. I was leaving the office and had walked part way down the hallway when I slipped on my a*s being as the floor had just been waxed. When I got up off the floor there was that letter I showed you earlier with instructions with a copy of the check and the contract inside it.

“You may think I am a lair, but I am not. Everything me and my wife said was true. Mr. Stringum had nothing to do with it. I never met the man until today, even though my wife has mentioned him, being associated with one of her boys who happened to be your oldest grandson here. I never met him until today; I had never met anyone here, including Mr. Rothwell. You think what I am doing is wrong and I should take my family and leave.

“Believe or not, Mrs. Shepherd I think God is telling me that I and my family should be here, helping them any way that we can. You can think what you like, it’s a free country, but as far as I am concerned the moment we walked in this door we are part of this, and if means me and my family adapting to their lifestyle in everything that entails we are going to participate. We are going to involve ourselves until we are all dead or these monsters we are after are put away or dead and the devil has collected their souls.” He looked out door hearing several cars pull up.

Grandma said. “At last, I thought for sure they were going to make me suffer another night here.”

Dad said. “We told you, you free to go anytime you wanted, you could have gone with them on the chopper or called someone to come get you. No one was holding you hostage and you know it?”

Grandma said. “Is that what you think Mr. Rothwell? Personally, I feel differently. Considering you knew I couldn’t leave until you told me how you plan to get yourselves all killed including my two grandsons. Not only that you knew I couldn’t leave without knowing what was going to happen too Aaron who you have also now is holding hostage against his will even if doesn’t think so because he doesn’t know you as I do. Knowing his mother Linda couldn’t resist the offer for him to stay here just so she can, without going back to the hospital where she belongs. No, Mr. Rothwell, this was your plan entirely. Now release me so I can go home, and think how I can stop you from getting both my grandson killed and out of your so-called protection.”