Mrs Moneybags: Day at the Park and Fourth Elimination

 

Rayshawn:  Today, take any concerns you have to Anna - Sally will be here, but she's basically a trainee.  

Joe: Sally's not going to the cove with the rest of you? 

Rayshawn: She opted out since she can't ride anything.  That's gonna work against her come time to tally the points, but I'm not going to force her.  

Joe: Yeah, with that attitude, she'll ruin the whole day for the rest of you by complaining.  I made that mistake once with a cousin... expected everyone else to not ride because he couldn't. 

*****

Witch's Cove entrance gate

Doreen: Let me get a picture of you two!  

Seven: This coaster looks wild.

Doreen: I've not had the chance to ride it.  It was put in since the last time I was here.  

Gwen: I can't wait to check out the Haunted Railway.  (to Seven) It was a wild west train, but there was a fire in the Haunted House and the train was changed to house the salvaged ghouls and ghosts.  I bet some of those costumed characters Tierra talked about will be there. 

Marty: Hey, Anakin!  I didn't know they made you work here!

Anakin: They don't.  Someone called in sick and Mommy offered to fill in since she was off work today, so I'm just hanging out with her.  Where's the cowboy lady?

Marty: She can't ride so she ain't coming.  She's not much fun, anyway. 

****

Back at The Point....

  

Sally: Why are you making girls do men's work?  I should report you to the Better Business Bureau! 

Joe: Both Jessie and Gabriella are legally employed.  In fact, Gabriella may well run the business someday.  She's a Montez.  

Sally: That's your daughter?!  Good lord, I might have to report you to CPS as well! 

Joe:  You report me to whoever you feel the need.  Just get out of our way and let us do our job, please.

*****

At Witch's Cove

Marty: Thanks for watching all our stuff while we rode, Gwen.  That was really nice of you! 

Gwen: You're welcome.  Before my accident, we always waited until the end of the day to play games or buy things.  Too much risk of losing things on the ride or having them stolen if we left them with the attendants.  

Doreen: We always wait til the end of the day, too.  Even when I was pregnant with Tommy, we did it that way out of habit.  It's so much easier than lugging giant stuffed animals all day! 

Seven: With so many of us, we couldn't afford to go except for Dad and Mom's company picnics, so we enjoyed the rides while we had the chance.  We never bothered with the games or shops much!  

Doreen: I might be getting too old for this. 

Seven: I just love the old fashioned wooden coasters!  Rattle my bones! 

****

The group gathers in the office for this week's tally.

Marty: Why is the zombie pirate so big and his ship so small?  It's dumb. 

Gwen: I don't think you're supposed to play with them together.  The ship might have smaller figures that go with it. Unless he became a giant when he got zombified?  

Rayshawn: Look at this.  Three way tie, at least for this round. 

Charlotte: Especially after you saw that e-mail from Joe.

Rayshawn:  What e-mail from Joe?  Why are you looking at my e-mail? 

Charlotte: He's my brother-in-law, remember?  I was visiting with Batgirl, Joe came home livid, and she told him to e-mail you right way. (She waits while he checks his e-mail.)  By the way, I do not read the private correspondence of adults.  

Rayshawn (reading the email):  Yeah, just kids, cuz they got no rights. 

Rayshawn: Gwen, I gave you four points for gallantly tagging along despite your limitations.  Marty gave you two, mostly because you couldn't ride.  So you get six, bringing your score to 33.  

Gwen: Fair enough. 

Rayshawn: Doreen, you get the opposite - four from Marty and two from me.  He was impressed with your riding despite being - in his words - pretty old.  I had to dock you because you got a little snippy at the end of the day.  Six points brings you also to 33. 

Doreen (laughs): Probably because I'm pretty old. 

Rayshawn: Seven scored three from each of us.  Your riding wasn't impressive because of your youth, and you didn't get snippy.

Seven: Again, because of my youth.  (elbows Doreen playfully) 

Rayshawn:  Sally, you scored two.  One from each of us.  Your refusal to even attempt a day at the park worked against you big time, and the harassment of my contractor did not help. That brings your score to 18.  You're going home. 

Sally: I didn't harass anyone.  I called him out for poor business practices, that's all. 

Rayshawn:  Here's your four thousand dollars prize money and air fare home.  I've enclosed a list of agencies that can help you find employment or training to that end. 

Sally: Thank you.  Best of luck to all of you.  

From The Past

Gabriella's discovery of a submerged SUV in the waters of Witch's Cove Inlet, the connection to Muneca Lake for the town's many small streams, has brought Lynch and Carol to the park. 

Gabriella: I just caught a glimpse of something odd from the corner of my eye.  Had to use my phone's camera and zoom in to tell what it was.  But I didn't take a picture.  I ran back over here to tell Dad. 

Lynch: You were on your way to the restroom? 

Carol:  I didn't know you could see down into the inlet from this side. 

Gabriella: Usually, you can't, but part of the underbrush is all smashed down.  I think that's what I noticed.  I did go back over there, to use the restroom, while we were waiting for you to arrive.  I had to go pretty bad. 

Lynch: I'll make a note of that.  (To Carol)  They keep the underbrush thick to keep people from going over the edge, either by accident or on purpose.  Amusement park is an easy swim across from here, if you can get to the water.  

Carol: An SUV driving through, especially at speed, would crush the undergrowth.  We should have CSI check for tire tracks from the parking area.  

Ryder: Man, Tate, you just keep running into those good looking cop ladies.  If this was a chick flick, it'd be a sure sign of... 

Tate: You watch chick flicks? 

Ryder: I live with three sisters, two of which are teenagers.   Who do you prefer?  The cop or the fed? 

Joe: The cop is happily married with three kids.  

Ryder: I guess it's the fed, then. 

Joe (rolls his eyes):  And they say women are chatty.  Y'all talk more in an hour than any female employee I've ever had did in a day.  

Tate: With my luck, if I find a lady, she'll be buried under 50 years worth of newspapers in my uncle's attic or basement.  (To Joe)  It's all him, man.  I swear. 

****

At Windu Acres, Candy catches Pike up on her recent reunion with Dawn Lung. 

Pike: I think I remember her now.  The girl I called your little sister?  Her dad got busted for bigamy and her parents both sucked so bad she ended up in the system?

Candy: Right.  When wife number two found out Dawn was going in and out of foster care, she stepped up.  Figured Dawn was her daughter's sister, so they should be together.  Funny she ended up here, too, isn't it?  

Pike: That's just how cool Barbieville is.  What's Dawn doing these days? 

Candy: She and her sister have a business called Tailoring by Halfsies. 

Finnick: Hey, you should see if she can give Taylor a job.  She's recently rediscovered how much she loves sewing.  Has Grammy's machine set up in her room and everything. 

Candy: I could ask her.  But I think we should talk to Taylor and Rose-Grace first. 

Finnick: Step-Mom just pulled in.  I heard her car. 

Rose-Grace (on phone): Excellent.  Keep me updated,  Lynch.  I want this nightmare over. 

Pike: Hey, when you're -- 

Rose-Grace: Honey, you know it take me a while to switch from Mayor Mode.  Do you need Wife Mode or Mom Mode?  

Pike: Since it relates to Taylor, definitely Mom Mode. 

 

Meanwhile...

 Candy and Dawn meet at Sunburst to catch up on the last few years.  

Dawn: These are all your kids?  You've been busy. 

Candy(laughs): No, the big twins, the girl in camo, and the little boy are mine.  The other two girls are Pike's stepdaughters and the babies are his with Rose-Grace.  

Dawn: So your ex is married to the mayor?  Do you two get along?  There's no bad blood?

Candy: We had a amicable divorce.  He wanted to put down roots, I didn't.  We do a pretty good job of co-parenting - none of that playing the kids against each other crap.  

Dawn: You know I was in and out of the system because my parents proved each other unfit?  Well, Dad's other wife said she'd take me and raise me.  I'd met her and Iris a few times and we always got along great.

Candy: I do remember your Dad was a bigamist.  What's the age difference with you and Iris? 

Dawn: Just a few months.  I met a little boy the other day who told me all about how he and his sister are the same age, but not twins, because they're both adopted.  

Candy: That had to be Bobby.  Were you at the greenhouse? 

Dawn: The day care.  We're opening up shop in the same building, just a floor above.  

Candy: I hope John rescued you before Bobby could tell you his life story. 

Dawn: He did.  Handsome fellow. 

Candy: Happily married fellow.  What kind of shop do you have?

Dawn: Tailoring by Halfsies.  Because we're half-sisters.  

****

At Doll County Correctional, Paris Malfoy meets with his lawyer. 

Andre: I'm afraid I don't have good news, Mr. Malfoy.  The case against you is solid.  

Paris: How?  They don't have the vehicle, any fingerprints or DNA, not even a witness. 

Andre: They have video.  Candy Pike was wearing a GoPro, and from the video they tracked the license plate and identified you as the driver.  I've had the video sent to an independent lab to see if it's been tampered with, but this does not bode well.  The car belongs to your daughter and was reported stolen years ago. 

Paris: Zenobia can't press charges against me.  I'm her father.  And there's plenty of men around who could be mistake for me in a blurry GoPro video. Hell, even the first victim's husband looks so much like me it's rumored that he's my bastard brother. 

Andre: Zenobia can and probably will testify against you.  It's entirely possible you'll be charged with car theft on top of everything else. James Potter has an alibi for all three incidents, and the video is very clear - Ms Pike is a professional photographer and uses top-of-the-line equipment.   Now, you can come clean with me and we can work out a defense, or I collect for the time I've wasted here and move on to my next case. 

*****

The Montez Contracting crew meets in the park for work.  They're installing playground equipment. 

Gabriella: I'm going to hit the restroom before we get started, Dad.  I'll meet you at the site. 

Joe: Okay.  (teasing) Don't be slacking off just because it's your last day on the job. 

Ryder: Why's it her last day on the job? 

Joe: Back to school tomorrow.  

Tate: Oh?  What's her major? 

Joe: Major?  She's in high school, she doesn't have a major. 

Ryder (amazed): High school?  She's underage? 

Tate: We though she was just petite. 

Joe (chuckles): I'm not sure if I should be complimented on my parenting or angry that you two were apparently lusting after my daughter.  She is very mature for her age, but yes, she's underage. Wait a few years before asking her out. 

Gabriella sprints across the park, shouting.  

Joe: What is it?  

Gabriella (panting): There's a car in the water, down behind the restrooms.  I think it's the one the cops are looking for.  Green SUV, right? 

The Investigation: Part Two

 

Witch's Cove Employee Parking.

Pocahontas: Oh, good, Joe.  You're here. 

Joe: I said noon.  Am I late? (notices Lynch) Why're the cops here?

Pocahontas: We found a body.  Halfway down the hill from The Overlook, towards the inlet.  I've been trying to call you, but I guess you were driving.

Lynch: I have statements from everyone who was here when the body was found?  

Pocahontas: Yes.  It was the four of us, waiting for Joe and Jessie.  We were going to start work on the revamp today. 

 

Lynch: I'll head back to the scene.  Hurry the crime scene units along. 

Joe: Do we know who it was?  Surely it's not another hit-and-run in that location?

Nakoma: We didn't get a good enough look. Too much brush around and we didn't get any closer than we had to.

Jessie:  I don't blame you.  (nods toward the dog) Who's this handsome fellow?

Nakoma: Butterscotch.  Finnick's grandpa got him for me.  

Joe: Well, Jessie, I guess you and me have time for that cup of coffee after all.  (looks around) Can I get anyone anything from Sunburst?  (No one wants anything. Joe and Jessie leave.)

Finnick: Who do you reckon it is?  The body?

Albus: No idea, but I hope it's not linked to Charlie Lake.  I'd hate to think we have a serial killer in Barbieville. Could be someone was sneaking into the park and fell badly. 

Finnick: Why would anyone want to sneak into a closed amusement park?  (suddenly distracted)  Holy crap!  This thing's blue tooth compatible?

Albus: It's a new Beetle.  Not one from my era. 

Pocahontas (to Butterscotch): My new car gets no love.  

Nakoma: I can't believe we're just sitting around playing with a dog.  There's a body in our park! 

Pocahontas: We're staying out of their way, which is all we can do at this point.  (laughs) We could speculate and scare ourselves silly.  Call all our friends and start a panic around town.  But no, I think we're doing exactly what we should. 

Nakoma: Still.  I wonder who it was. 

Lunch at Sunburst

 Note: COVID masks in Barbieville are invisible to readers. Charlotte's children live on the Facebook Page "Our Toy Story", album "Nearly Famous".

Batgirl: It's nice to have some time away from the kids.  I love them, but... 

Joe: I'm glad to be away from your sister. The kids we signed on for! 

Batgirl: I was including her as one of the kids. I really don't understand how she can be so immature. 

Joe: Takes after your folks? 

Charlotte: There you are! Why aren't you answering your phone? 

Batgirl (annoyed): I'm trying to enjoy a quiet lunch with my husband. Free of drama. 

Charlotte: They've brought Chris in on the case! First Uncle Grizzly Adams and now Chris! 

Batgirl: What did your lawyer say?

Charlotte: Same thing as always. Let the boys have my kids, just lock up the money. But I won't do it! They are mine and belong with me! Would you let your children go live with Joe's people?

Joe (jumps to his feet): There is no Joe's People.  My people became hers, and - God help me - hers became mine. That's what marriage is! And yes, if it was best for the kid, we'd let them live with relatives who loved them.

Batgirl: Joe...

Joe:  No, sweetheart, this needs to be said. (to Charlotte) If they've hated you from the start, it's your own fault. Billy considered Chris his son from the moment he married you, he even adopted the boy, and you never gave them a reason to like you.  Why would you? They didn't have the bankbook!

Charlotte stares at Joe for a moment, stunned, and looks at Batgirl. Batgirl has her face buried in her hands, either crying or laughing. Charlotte storms out.

Finnick: Oh, it's just Gabriella's aunt. Should have known. 

Tanner: Come on, man, I'm trying to talk to you about something important. 

Frodo: As if he could hear you. 

Tanner: Well, she's gone now. Can we get back to this?

Finnick: You're way off base. I'm not planning my future around "a girl". She just happens to love Witch's Cove as much as I do, and we'll have that in common even if we do break up. 

Tanner: So you're with the girl for the place? That's even more messed up. (laughs) Okay, then, good for you. Seriously. But I'm not happy with the plan. I think I'm gonna work with Grandpa Mace. He's got those three colts and talking about coming out of retirement.

Finnick: That's cool, man. I know we've done everything together, but we're grown men now. 

Frodo: Twins doing everything together crosses into the creepy zone once you hit puberty, anyway. (to Whitney as she walks up) How's that army of new cooks that replaced me doing?

Whitney: The Rhees replaced Pern and Tris, too. They're servers now.  You just abandoned us. 

Mariko: They're fine. And I do mean fine. 

Frodo: Girl, you are jail bait.  

Whitney: I've got your usual orders in already.  Should I go back and cancel Nakoma's? 

Finnick: No, we'll take it to go.  She talked Pocahontas into replacing that Jeep. And getting a car of her own. She's so tired of sharing the park's golf cart with Albus, and now that she's working and going to college... 

Tanner: Not to mention they've added four members to the family. Five if you count Pern. 

Whitney heads back to get their drinks.

Sulu: Can I get a refill? Little Miss has a bottomless stomach.

Lynch: As if. Diana would explode if she drank all that. 

Whitney: Diana? You did decide to change her name? 

Sulu: Sort of. We're calling her by her middle name. 

Lynch: Couldn't bring myself to take away the honorific to my grandmother. At least this way, my daughter won't be branded a racist the second she introduces herself.  

Lynch gets a call on her radio. 

Lynch: Go ahead, dispatch.  (listens) Possible homicide? I'm on the way! 

Sex, Drugs, and... Remodeling

At Barbieville Middle School, the day begins. 

Alex: I appreciate all the advice, but I really don't think it will be rough adjusting.  For one thing, I'm going to have my own room to hide in if it gets crazy.  

Hermione: It was all the boys in the house I had to get used to.  

Samantha: Having a stepsister is a godsend for me.  Raven has helped me so much since Charmaine did what she did.  (laughs) And now they've moved out of town, so I don't even have to look at her! 

Alex: Still gotta look at the piece of crap she did it for, though. 

Samantha: He's not to blame for her actions.  (Waves dismissively in Draco's direction.)  I heard your dad's team finally got a chance to investigate Witch's Cove?  

Alex: Yeah, and it was Pocahontas's idea!  I think he's more excited about that than the wedding!

Gabriella: ...then Charlotte told Courtney nobody cares and Mom said "Keep your mouth off my children."  

Taylor: No wonder y'all come to my house so much.  Beside helping your dad with the remodel, you can get away from that hag.  

Gabriella: Have you heard anything from Candy?

Taylor: No, and it's been over a week.  We're starting to really get worried.

Draco: You know, a decent school doesn't teach this stuff to boys and girls in the same room. 

Nancy: You and I have very different ideas of what a decent school does.  (Draco rolls his eyes.) If you have parental consent, you can turn in your book and take a study hall.  Do you have parental consent? 

Draco: You know I don't. 

Nancy: I suggest you discuss your discomfort with your parents.  In the meantime, please keep your complaints to yourself.  

*******

Pern is walking home from work when Pocahontas calls her over to a table in the park. 

Pern: I knew this was going to happen.  That you'd make me say it. 

Pocahontas: Pern, I'm not going to do this without your okay.  You've surprised me, to be frank, with your drive to stay off the drugs.  I really don't want to hurt you. 

Pern: It's just so hard to admit I failed that badly as a mom.  

Pocahontas: I'm sure it hurts.  I'm sorry.  

Pern (crying softly): But it'd be a bigger failure to stand in the way of what's best for him.  

Pocahontas:  You'll still be in his life.  Hell, if John's the mom and I'm the dad, you can be the doting aunt.  We've all come to love you, Pern.  Warts and all. 

********

At Windu Acres, Joe's short break is interrupted.

Mace: Did you have to make mine the ugliest room in the house? 

Joe: Hey, you left it up to Rose-Grace.  She told me to use repurposed materials from my warehouse.  Not my fault they ended up being contrasting patterns.  

Mace: I'm just messing with you.  It's actually kinda bohemian.  Makes me wanna invite Albus over and smoke some weed. 

Joe: I donated a few horse prints.  I'm a city boy, barely know one end of a horse from the other.

Mace: Thanks.  Hey, what say we go to Sunburst for lunch?  My treat. I can teach you which end is which. 

Evening at Windu Acres

Mace comes in from the barn for supper.  While he greets the dogs, he notices an unexpected guest.

Mace: Hey, Joe!  What are you doing here?  

Rose-Grace: Grab a seat, Dad.  I need to talk to you before I give Joe his orders.

Rose-Grace: We've decided to divide the basement into small rooms.  

Mace: Well, it's your house now, so go for it. You don't need my permission.

Joe: We've planned a nursery for those monsters on your lap and a small studio for the boys' band.  

Rose-Grace: Fred will be in the nursery, too.  He overhears way too much sharing a room with teenagers.  (to Mace) We want to you to take one of the rooms.  You've practically moved back in since Mom died, anyway.  But if you do, you need to get with Joe on details.

Mace: If you're keeping the cellar door, I can take that room.  Make it easier to slip out in the wee hours to care for the horses. But other than that, I trust Joe on the details.  Gonna soundproof the studio? 

Rose-Grace (laughs): Mostly, anyway.  Even if Sarcastic Fringehead ceases to exist, we've got six more possible musicians in the house.  Could be doomed to twenty years of garage bands. 

*****

Upstairs, Finnick and Tanner are hanging out with most of their friends.  

Frodo: Didn't you tell your folks that you pretty much gave up on making a career of the band?

Tanner: We did.  But Dad refers to it now as a serious hobby.  And we do make a little money at it.

Frodo: Well, you can make money with a serious hobby.  I'm jealous.  Can't even talk my folks into moving Ty outta my room and into the attic.  Hell, I even offered to take the attic! 

Whitney: I've seen your attic.  I don't blame them.

Mariko: Speaking of moving kids in and out of rooms, Nova's offering unlimited soft drinks and pizza to anyone that helps clear out two of the rooms in our upstairs.  She's finally marrying Jeremiah and we need those rooms for Alex and Lottie. 

Nakoma: I'm in.  I might have Roxy and Kelly with me, though.  Pocahontas is hauling the guys to the bridal shop for their suits.  

Mariko: We can always find smaller jobs for smaller helpers.  Anyway, I just stopped in for a few after work.  Whitney, need a ride the rest of the way home or you gonna get one of the guys to drive you? 

Nakoma (checks the time): Holy Smoke!  I better go, too! 

Whitney decides to go with them, leaving the guys to do whatever it is guys do.  

Frodo: What's the story with Mariko's house, anyway?  

Finnick: It was probably built for one of them old school farm families with ten or twelve kids, so there's a million bedrooms.  StepMom said the old man who lived there died and whoever inherited it auctioned it off with everything in it.  Mariko's folks were the highest bidders. 

Tanner: How do you go from that big a family to an old man living alone?  None of those ten or twelve kids wanted the place? 

Frodo: Happened to my great grandparents.  Grandpa was the youngest of thirteen, got the place by default, and Dad was his only kid.  When he died, there was a lot of debate, but they decided to move here and keep the place. 

Tanner: Your great-grandparents had thirteen kids in that house?  Where did they put them?

Frodo (laughs):  I have no idea!  

Monday, Monday

Very early Monday morning, Violet arrives at Sunburst to find odd activity.  

Violet: Did you fire me and forget to tell me? 

Midna: Don't be silly.  I,m just getting a head start for you on looking for a new day cook.  

Pern: We found a note taped to the front door when we got here. Apparently Jason got a really good job offer and had to go immediately. 

Violet (angry): He couldn't be bothered to call? 

Midna (to Pern): Is this your friend?

Pern: Yes.  And don't worry, he's been sober for fifteen years.  

Midna (reading the application): He worked at The Point almost that long.  Excellent references.

Pern: Charlotte Jackson did him real dirty.  No severance pay, nothing.  He's got two kids to support and is planning a wedding.  

Violet: I'm going to be insubordinate and order the owner into the kitchen.  Take Pern with you while I make the needed calls.  

*****
Early afternoon sees Joe Montez meeting with Pike.

Joe: You know, you keep giving me work, I might have to hire actual help instead of enlisting my children.  What do you have in mind now? 

Pike: We were having trouble fitting in that house before Orlando and Samara arrived.  We've decided to see what we can do with the biggest combo bathroom and laundry room on the planet.  I drew you a rough plan of our ideas.

Joe: I can already see a couple of issues we'll need to work around.  You just thinking more bedrooms? 

Pike: Actually, one of the things we'd like to do is put in a small studio.  The boys are still heavy into their band even if they do have more realistic career goals now. 

Joe: When can I come over, get a good look at the space?

Pike: If we aren't home, Mace is there.  He only goes back to his apartment to sleep.  Show up at dinner time and we'll even feed you.

****

Speaking of Mace.  

Mace: What are you doing here?  Come over to seduce me? 

Candy (laughs): You wish, old man.  (to Angus) Isn't it too cold out here for you? 

Mace: He loves the snow.  It is too cold for Silver Stream.  Her breed isn't as hardy as Angus's.

Candy: Speaking of breeding, you know the kids want a colt.

Mace: I've heard a rumor to that effect.  Seriously, though, why are you here?  

Candy: Came to see the kids when they get home.  I'm leaving on assignment this evening.

Candy is waiting inside when the kids get home and they gather around, even the ones that don't share her blood. 

Tanner: The Middle East?  Again?

Candy: I'm a photojournalist, son.  I have to go where the news is happening. 

Fred: Are you going where there's bombs, Mommy?  Dr. Marcus went to a bomb place and his leg came off.  What if your leg comes off? 

Candy: I'll be very careful.  And Marcus does okay without his leg. 

Fred: I will get Four to teach me how he helps his daddy, just in case.  

Stacie: Aren't you scared, Mommy?

Candy: True bravery is going on even though you're scared.  Gotta keep the world informed, right?

Nikki: She'll be okay, guys.  She always is. 

Finnick: That's the spirit.