CHAPTER 27 - TWINKLE SHINES BRIGHT AND BRIAN TURNS HIS BEAM ON

GRIM AND TWINKLE’S HOUSE - MID AFTERNOON

PLAY ROOM

TWINKLE

Hmmm! I look around once more, sure that I have everything set. It needs to be perfect. I flinch as the smell hits me, but it has to be done this way. This is how I am wired, as my husband tells me. “Are you ready?” He calls out from the doorway. Officer Cook is with him, he is going to video record my statement. It is unusual to use regression memory, but, like Grim said, it’s the way I am wired.

“Yes!” I call back, and he pumps more of the smell into the room. I stare at him for a few seconds. “I have it, I am ready for my statement now…” I clear my throat. “...I was in Meathook, it was about midnight. It wasn’t busy. Casper was by the bar, talking to some guys he had just met. I had just met you, so wasn’t paying much attention to the people, but I took a lot of photos. Then a group of five older men came in. At first, they don’t seem to be doing anything, but then one of them started to talk to Casper. At first, Casper was fine with him, from what I could see, but then he started to corden him off from the rest of us and I didn't like that, so I went to check on him.  By the time I pushed my way through, as his friends were getting in the way, he had moved him off to one of the corners. I could see Casper shaking his head and trying to escape. He looked really frightened. A guy looked across, and the next thing I saw, the man was being pulled off him and out by one of the bouncers. I tried to comfort Casper, but was told not to touch him. He was taken to the office by the bouncer, and she waited with him until someone came and got him.”

“You didn’t go with him?” Officer Cook asks.

“No. I wanted to, but he insisted that I stay. He just wanted to go home.”

“And the man that assaulted him, you can attest to that being Dr David Cameron?”

“Yes. I have the pictures that I took.” I gesture at them. He looks across at Grim, who nods. He steps inside to pick them off the table. He looks through them quickly but quietly. 

“Thank you, Mr Lewis St Bride, that was most helpful.” He smiles tightly at Grim before switching off the camera. “So, I will take this back and corroborate it with the victim’s statement.” 

“Then what?” I ask as I open the windows to air the room out. 

“Then, due process has to take place.” Grim tells me kindly. “Thanks, Cook.”

“Anytime, you know that.” He goes to leave, but then stops. “Can I ask you something?”

“About our lifestyle?” I query, my hackles only slightly raising.

“No. Can we talk downstairs, do you think? Need a sounding board.”

“Sure, let’s go to the kitchen. Can Twinkle stay?”

“Of course he can. He is a good reader of people.”

KITCHEN - FIVE MINUTES LATER

COOK 

“You know, I do the EOHOPS Association site visits and stuff?”

“Yep, how are they going?” Twinkle settles down in Grim’s lap, which raises a smile from me.

“Good in some cases, not so good in others. There’s one guy, he just comes across as such a whiner and quick to shift blame. He tried to get one of the residents in trouble when it was him that was drinking. They have stopped his payments, so he has to work for them to pay off the restitution, but I just get a bad vibe off of him. At first, he was horrified by the idea of working for them, but now he’s looking forward to it according to his roomie.”  

“What do you mean? Who is it? Can you tell me?” Grim asks. 

I think for a few seconds and don’t see the harm. “Yeah, Michael Novotny.” 

“Ah, yes, that dickhead. The only good thing about him is his kid, Jenny, and his Mom. Her name is Debs, and she is dating Horvath. He is not happy. Michael, I mean.” He grins wolfishly when I frown at him. “They’re engaged. He doesn’t know that yet, I don’t think, but back on point: Why is it bugging you?”

“Like I said, it is just such a switch from absolute no to rhapsodic yes. Judging by your comments, you know him well, so did you ever deal with him, during his case I mean?”

“Sadly, no. It would’ve been a pleasure to do that, but he did come to our bachelor party, by accident. “We  still have the pictures…” Twinkle giggles, gets off his lap, and trots upstairs. “...he uses it to keep his figure. You’ll see what I mean in a second.” 

“Here.” Twinkle hands me his phone, which I almost throw away from me in shock and revulsion. “Swipe right.” He chirrups. Cautiously I do. “And again.” I brace myself, then frown. “What?”

“When was this taken?” 

“Just before he went to prison. What’s up?” Grim asks.

“Hang on, I need to check something when I get back to the courthouse.”

“Cook? Maybe I can help. Like you said, I know him only too well.” Grim prompts again.

“He said that he’s recently got a bladder complaint, which requires him to wear pull ups..” I pause whilst they both start to laugh. “...but it wasn’t on his list. But now it is, and he has a private doctor looking after him, which is another bugbear of mine. Where is he getting the money for that from?” I look at the picture again and can't help it, I join them in the laughter.

“Nobody on the board believes that really, do they?” Twinkle titters out.

I gather myself together and nod, before handing him back his phone. “There is no reason to disbelieve him. Especially since the doctor confirmed it.”

“You know who this private doctor is though, don’t you?” Grim demands.

“Nope. Not allowed to see that, just have to do the visits, spot checks, and, if necessary, rearrest them.”

“David Cameron.” Grim replies, and I gape. “Yeah, he’s the same guy!” They exchange looks before Twinkle nods. “As for the money, we have something to tell you.”

PHOENIX DOWNTOWN - AN HOUR LATER

KYLE

This cannot be happening?! He surely is not considering coming in here?! I look across the street, and there, bold as brass, is Squeakers. He waits for the truck to pass, then he strolls towards the store. I am about to flip the sign when I hear his name being called sharply. I look out the door and see Bottle Blonde rushing towards him.

“What is it? I am about to do a bit of browsing. Are you okay? You look harassed!”

“You could say that!” She glowers at me, but I don’t move, I smirk because I know at this point scoring jerk won’t leave, so if she wants to say her piece it has to be in front of me. “The board has heard from Brian, Justin, and Slick as to where they want us to work for their restitution!”

“And that is?” He drawls as he takes a step towards the door.

“The diner.” 

“What?!” He gasps, then steps back as I come outside and lock up.

“Yes, the diner. Seems that because of his meteoric rise in the culinary world, Emmett sold it to Brian because he knew how much he would look after it!” She presses her hand to her chest and inhales a couple of times. “And that’s not all…” She pauses as her name is called. “...oh, God! There are days I regret that you and I are friends!” This surprises both of us, but that is nothing compared to the volcanic looking woman advancing at great speed. “And that edict applies to all three of us!”

“Hi, Nan…” The jerk begins as the volcano comes to a halt.

“Mrs Cameron-Peterson!” She snaps. “This is intolerable! I can’t…”

“Ah, there’s mother’s little helpers!” Kiki sing songs from the diner. “Come along!” As if going to the gallows, Bottle Blonde and Mrs Cameron-Peterson head towards her, but Squeakers remains where he is. “Come along, Novotny, you don’t want to get a tardy! If one is late, all are punished!”

“Move it, Michael!” Bottle Blonde orders, and he joins them on their walk of shame, which I can’t help but follow.

DINER - TWO MINUTES LATER

KIKI

The diner is silent as they all trail in, all of them red as hell when they see how packed it is. “Hey, Kyle! Your man coming too?” I ask.

“No, but he can if you’d like.” I smirk and reach for my phone.

“Oh yes, please!” I grin before turning to the tiresome trio. “So, I am going to assign your tasks, and since I don’t trust you or Michael, Lindsay, I am putting Lady Muck on food prep, so that leaves slop duty and washing up to you two, and…”

“I will wash, you will slop!” Lindsay snarls at a bewildered Michael.

“Now, as well as tending to the appetites of the denizens of LA, we are charged with preparing the food for the fundraiser that Ems is catering, but that will be discussed later...oh, hi, bossman!” I call out to Brian as he comes in with Baggie and Brandon.

BRIAN

I keep the smirk off my face as I approach the banes of my life. “So where’s the boytoy?” I ask the old prune. “Would’ve thought he would be here showing his support.” She doesn’t answer, just starts to stalk to the kitchen. “Come back here, I haven’t finished talking at you.” She stops and turns, but doesn’t return to her original positioning. “You do remember that you owe Slick, you have no position of power, don't you realise that? I hated you before, but it has grown deeper after you treated her the way you did.”

“Brian…” Michael begins.

“But you’re lucky, Ninny…” I turn my cold stare to my former friends, who both smile. “...because I hate them more. And I will do everything within my legal remit as the victim of their crimes to make their lives as miserable as they made mine!”