The End

 Federal Agent Carol Danvers meets with Maisie Barnes. 

Carol:  Are you going to deny any of this?  Your family, their possible ties to organized crime?  I know the incident at the dam is not related to any of this, but I find it alarming that you've moved into town and cozied up to the mayor. 

Maisie:  I have nothing to do with my birth family.  I don't even know how my mother keeps getting my phone number to harass me every time she gets in trouble.  I suspect she was involved with the fire back in the day, but beyond that I know nothing about that place or those people.  And as for cozying up to the mayor, I've known Rose-Grace since I was a kid.  I'm only here because I promised Dionne I'd help with Helena House and I'll be gone as soon as my husband is stationed stateside.  You don't need to worry about me.  

Carol:  Just know you're cleared on this dam business, but I'm going to be watching you.

*****  

After Maisie leaves, Carol meets with a motley crew.  

Hank:  I don't believe we've met.  I'm Hank Higgins, realtor.

Gage: I'm a private investigator.  I hope this meeting has something to do with my job because I just keep hitting dead ends.  

Gage:  Good afternoon, Mrs. Smith.  I hope your presence means Agent Danvers is going to help me find your father.  

Pocahontas:  I wish you'd just leave that deadbeat lost.  We're all better off without him.

Hank:  What is she doing here?  All this time, you've been riding me to avoid her, and now you call us into the same meeting?  

  

Gage:  Why would she tell you that?  Why are you answering to a federal agent about anything?

Pocahontas: You had no problem not-avoiding me when you sold me and John our house.  

Carol: Cash Nedakh entered the Witness Protection Program.  As part of the deal, he insisted on being put in Barbieville.  You remember receiving flowers at your office for a while?  It was him, unaware that your mother had passed away.  He hoped to reunite with her.

Pocahontas: After leaving us for damn near twenty years?  Not a chance.  Me and Nakoma both would've fought that idea.  We saw what she went through after he took anything that wasn't nailed down.  (She realizes.)  Wait a minute... are you saying what I think you're saying?

Carol:  Hank Higgins is Cash Nedakh.  Not for much longer, though.  Turns out the dam was sabotaged by the very people we were hiding him from.  (To Hank)  You're being moved.  

Hank: You can't do that.  You need my testimony for -- 

Pocahontas:  (Redacted for language.  This is a PG13 blog.)  

Carol:  Losing your testimony might hurt the case, but you have proven such a liability that the program is ready to drop you.  This is your last chance.  (She turns to the PI)  Unfortunately, your client is one of the people we're hiding him from.  They followed you here. 

Gage:  Oops?

Once she's seen Pocahontas and Gage out, Carol fills Hank in on his new life.  A life far from Barbieville.

Hank:  It's just as well.  There's nothing here for me, with Kida gone. 

This concludes my "soap opera".  Maisie (and Charlotte Jackson) will continue their own stories at Our Toy Story on Facebook.  Maisie in "The Sons" and Charlotte in "Nearly Famous".  

Please see my previous post titled Changing Things Up.  I've already begun reorganizing and rearranging my doll area, which I'll continue to refer to as Barbieville even though that show's been cancelled.  Stay tuned!

The Investigation: Part Three

WDLL News interrupts the evening's programming with breaking news.

Anchor: Shock waves ripple through Doll County as Detective Glimma Spiro, is arrested for the recent arson in and around Barbieville.  Federal Agent Lorina Dahl and Barbieville Police Chief Becky Lynch took her into custody about an hour ago.   

Barbieville Mayor Rose-Grace Pike and Chief Lynch speak to the press in a live broadcast.

Rose-Grace:  We were as surprised as anyone at what the investigator found.  We can't speak to the particulars, obviously, but several past arson convictions are now in question.  We can't thank Agent Dahl enough for her assistance.

Reporter: Your department couldn't solve this on their own? 

Lynch: The sheriff's office claimed jurisdiction, as the county agency, and refused to work with us. It wasn't until the mayor requested assistance from a federal agency that we had access to much of the information.  

Another Reporter: Was the sheriff in on it? 

Rose-Grace: There's no reason to believe he's guilty of anything more than being blinded by the detective's stellar reputation.   

*****

Early the next morning, Albus bumps into Lorina in the park.

Albus: There she is, the heroine of Barbieville.  You busted the case wide open in less than a week. 

Lorina: It really was just a matter of getting the evidence to a lab.  The county lab just wasn't equipped to handle it.  Or maybe Spiro was lying about that.  I don't know, but my lab made short work of it.

Albus: I heard the arsonist's hair turned out to be from a wig?

Lorina: Where did you hear that?  (leans closer and whispers) It was from a dog.  

Lorina: I'm going to be in town a couple more days.  Are you busy? 

Albus: Besides work?  No.  What did you have in mind? 

Lorina: Well, I seem to recall you poorly hiding some marijuana... 

Albus:  You're a Fed! 

Lorina: Nope.  I've been retired, again, for about twelve hours.  Besides, the stuff is legal here.  (Albus starts to say something about federal laws.)  Don't make me quote the Tenth Amendment at you.  I promise not to cuff you unless you want me to. 

*****

While Albus is getting better acquainted with Lorina, Rose-Grace sits her boys down for a talk.

Rose-Grace: I understand why you feel as you do about Ryan.  I agree that his discovering an African ancestor is poetic justice, but you need to be careful how you express it.  You say it serves him right, like it's a bad thing. 

Finnick: Well, for him it is.  

Tanner: Is this about setting an example for the younger kids? 

Rose-Grace:  That, too. I'd really hate to see your futures suffer because of out-of-context remark.  To those who don't know you, your reaction to the news looks like you have a problem with blacks.  I just read a news story about a woman who got fired for something akin to this.  

Finnick: Pocahontas isn't going to fire us over this.  She probably agrees. 

Tanner: She won't have a lot of choice if a lot of people boycott Witch's Cove.  And colleges could turn us away.  Albus can only teach us so much, man. 

Rose-Grace: Just be more careful how you express yourself publicly.  

Albus goes to the office for the day's work order.  

Albus: These are lovely.  Who sent them?

Pocahontas: I have no idea.  I've gotten flowers about once a month since Valentine's Day. 

Albus: It's not John? 

Pocahontas: He swears it isn't.  And Ben Kishi said I'm not his type.  

Albus: Well, it isn't me.  You'd feel too much like incest.  

Pocahontas: Gross.  (Prints up the work order and gives it to him.)  I'm not worried about my secret admirer and you shouldn't be, either.  You aren't my daddy.  

Albus: More of a daddy to you than Johnny Appleseed. 

Pocahontas: Yeah, he's too busy planting his seed all over the country.  I've heard it a million times.

Claudia, Moana, and Nikki hang out in the cafeteria before school

Moana: I can't wait to show Jason the thing in our science book about uncles and cousins.

Nikki: What about them?

Moana: Uncles are second degree relatives and cousins are third degree relatives.  If the DNA test says what degree we are, then we'll know which he is to me.  We know he's one or the other, but none of the men in the family will admit to being with Mom. 

Draco: What kind of a slut is your mom? 

Moana: She might have been a slut, but at least she taught me not to eavesdrop and butt in on other people's conversations.

And last but not least, Spiro is being transferred into Doll County Jail. 

Spiro: You know I didn't do this.  

Lynch: I know you're the height and weight of the perp in the footage, you have no alibi for any of the fires, and your entire career is built on arson investigations.   In every one of those cases, the one convicted was the town pariah.  

Spiro:  Do you know what those criminals are gonna do to me?

Lynch: Yeah, but I don't care. 

The Investigation Part One

The federal agent, Lorina Dahl, arrives in Barbieville on a sunny Tuesday morning and sets to work immediately.  Her first order of business is a meeting with the mayor, fire chief, police chief, and the county's lead detective on the case.

Detective: I don't understand why the mayor felt the need for help from an outside agency.

Eddie: Might have something to do with the lack of interdepartmental cooperation.  

Detective: I have this handled. 

Lorina:  No, my agency has this handled.  Anyone who refuses to share information will meet federal consequences.  

Detective: Mayor Pike, are you really so insecure that you -- 

Rose-Grace: I nearly lost both the twins, as well as a dear friend, to this arsonist.  You'll have to forgive me a bit of insecurity.  

Detective: Your dear friend?  Albus?  That burn-out?   

Lorina: Ladies, please!  I'm not afraid to pull rank on any of you.

Eddie: Please, pull rank on them.  Pull rank on me.  Whatever it takes to track this pyromaniac down.

Lorina: Thank you, Chief Dean. (checks her computer)  It looks like I have everyone's files now, and I've got Miss Staulbahm waiting outside to be interviewed.  I'll contact you if I need anything more, and I expect to be notified if you learn anything pertaining to this case.

They leave Lorina to talk to Clara.  After the initial introductions, Lorina gets directly to the point. 

Lorina: Did you set these fires?

Clara (annoyed):  I've already told Spiro, no.  The only incident I don't have someone to vouch for me on is the one at the medical center.  All the others, I was in class with about 50 other people.  

Lorina: You've had a contentious history with the victims.  

Clara (rolls her eyes): I've got a history with this whole stupid town.  Me and another girl did a socio-political experiment last fall that people are still holding against me.  Us.  Mostly me, though, because they believed her apology.

Lorina: Yet they have you in protective custody.  Why?

Clara (shrugs): Same reason I've not set fire to anything.

Albus comes home from work to find Lorina waiting for him. She shows her identification.

Lorina: I'm here about the fires.  When I listened Detective Spiro's interviews with you, I noticed there were several times she cut you off when you were trying to make a point. 

Albus: She thinks this old hippie's got nothing upstairs.  (laughs) I didn't do that many drugs in the sixties.

Lorina: Would you mind going over those recordings and telling me what points you were trying to make?  

Albus: Only if we go inside.  I've been on my feet... well, on these crutches... all day.  

Albus: Okay, right here?  She kept saying the charges on the haunted house wall were placed professionally, but they aren't.  A pro would have put them about a foot higher that they were.  

Lorina: You've worked in demolition? 

Albus: Many years ago.  The technology has changed, but laws of physics haven't.   

Lorina:  Interesting.  (She leans across to fast-forward the recording.)  And here, she becomes angry when you say you can't remember?

Albus: I had a flashback to Vietnam and then passed out.  Or maybe it was the other way around.  (chuckles) I suspect she thinks it was an entirely different kind of flashback.

Lorina: Well, as poorly as you hide your weed...  

A few days later, Lorina calls a meeting with Chief Lynch and Detective Spiro.

Lorina: Why is Clara Staulbaum still a suspect?  She has an iron-clad alibi for most of the incidents. 

Detective: She spearheaded KBV, which targeted the same people.

Lynch: So why isn't Becky Weasley a suspect?  She was KBV, too. 

Lorina: You found blond hairs at one of the scenes, but never had it analyzed.  I've taken the liberty of doing that for you.  I've also got my team working on analysis of the video footage from Witch's Cove and the medical center. 

Detective: We have a backlog at our labs.  

Lynch: No wonder you didn't want to share information.  You didn't want us to know you were sitting on your hands while our town burned, one building at a time.

After Lynch and Spiro go, Lorina makes another call to her team.

Lorina: Check the background on the following individuals...

Day Of Rest? Where?

Sunday in Barbieville, the day after the fire at Witch's Cove.  

Marcus: Hold your horses, Albus!  Even if your oxygen levels didn't need to monitored, I wouldn't let you go home until I know you're mobile on the crutches.

Albus (slightly breathless): I'm good, Doc.  Ask Pocahontas, she was down at PT with me.

Marcus: And she sees how short of breath you are.  You could pass out, fall down the stairs, and end up right back in here.

Albus: I don't have any stairs.

Pocahontas: Albus, unless you want to hobble across town on those crutches, you aren't going anywhere until Doc clears you.  

Albus: I'm telling you, I'm fine.  And what about my garden?

Pocahontas: Anakin is taking care of the garden.  He's there even as we speak. 

Albus: He is very good with the plants.  Told me his mother kept a garden.

Detective Spiro interrupts the Sunday yard work at the Guinness home. 

Detective: I understand you've had long-standing issues with Tanner Pike, Ryan.

Ryan: He kicked my ass once, if that's what you mean.  You think I started that fire at the park? That's...  I'd actually try to kill people just because Tanner can't take a joke? 

Guinness: The fire yesterday?  My wife, daughters, and I can account for Ryan's every moment in nearly a month.  He's been under house arrest. 

Detective: You mean grounded? 

Ryan: No, he means this place is practically a prison.  Even in the bathroom, I got one of them outside the door!  

Guinness: Prisons have communal showers, do they not?

At the Pike house, most of the family is sleeping in.  It was a late night.

Nikki: You're playing with the dollhouse?  Where's the real Stacie?

Stacie: I was gonna give them to Anakin.  He really likes dolls and his mom never let him have any cause he's a boy.  But look how much Samara and Orlando like this stuff!

Rose-Grace comes in, carrying a freshly bathed Fred.

Fred: You gits to put my clothes on! 

Nikki: Quiet.  Taylor's still sleeping.

Rose-Grace: I have to go to the office.  Finnick has gone to pick up Tanner at the hospital, Dad's still sleeping, and this one wants to be a nudist.  

Nikki: You have to go to the office?  On Sunday?

The twins are met in the driveway by Frodo and Four.  They settle into the Boy Cave before talking.

Four: A broken wrist and smoke inhalation was the worst of it?  I've been freaking out since I heard and that's all it was?

Tanner: No, my legs are all bandaged up.  Doc says they're minor burns, but they sure as hell don't look or feel minor.  And Albus broke his ankle.

Finnick: He had a flashback, too.  Nakoma said from the Vietnam War. Had to call us into his hospital room and apologize for the things he said, as if we understood that language.  He could've been telling us the password to Area 51 for all we knew.

Tanner: Whitney came to see me last night.  We're a thing now.

Frodo:  What?! (catches himself) That's great.  I guess you were the dude Nakoma mentioned.

Tanner: I know you liked her, man.  Don't play like this isn't gonna bother you. 

Frodo: My heart ain't broken.  Dented, maybe.  (Waves the issue away) I'm happy for you.

Tanner: Really?  You're okay?

Frodo: I will be.  

Four distracts Finnick, letting the other two talk. 

Four: You gonna let me sign that cast?

Finnick:  Why would I want "Four loves Tris" written all over my arm?  

Rose-Grace is surprised to see John Smith walk in with Detective Spiro.  

Detective: John caught our arsonist in the act, but he got away from him. 

John: My place was on fire!  I wasn't about to let it burn down with my daughters inside! 

Rose-Grace: He set fire to your house?  Not the day care? 

John: My house is the day care - we have an apartment upstairs like Violet did. I went out to warm up the car before church and saw somebody in the back, the playground.  He took off running when I yelled, but he'd already started the fire.  I grabbed the hose. I didn't even think about chasing him.

Rose-Grace: As you should have.  Don't let anyone tell you different. 

Detective: I'm having several suspects picked up for questioning.  Do you know of anyone who might want to harm the Smiths?

John: She thinks Pocahontas did this.  Like Pocahontas would set fire to her own place and damn near kill people just to throw cops off the scent.  Or burn down her best friend's diner.

Rose-Grace: There's no evidence these were all set by the same person, John.  Who is with your girls right now? 

John: They're at the park with some friends and their parents.  We saw them on the way here and I figured that'd be better than dragging them to this meeting.

Rose-Grace: Unless Detective Spiro needs you for anything, you can go ahead and leave.  Give them hugs from me.

The rest of the weekend passes uneventfully.  Monday is a Teacher In-Service, so there is no school, but late Monday night (early Tuesday morning), Fred rushes upstairs.

Pike (groggy): What is it, son?

Freddy: Finnick said get you.  Tanner is crying and his leg ouchies look like volcanoes. 

Not A Fun Saturday

After the fire at Witch's Cove, both twins were treated at Doll County Medical Center.

Pike: We weren't told both boys were hurt.  

Marcus:  We didn't know when we sent for you.  We only found Finnick's break because I insisted on him going into triage. 

Finnick: I didn't feel it.  Doc says I was probably in shock.

Tanner (struggling to a sitting position):  What about Albus?  Is Albus going to be all right?

Rose-Grace:  Honey, we love Albus, too, but...

Marcus:  Tanner inhaled a lot of smoke and has a few minor burns to his lower body.  The paramedics and ER got his oxygen levels up, but he's not out of the woods yet.  We need to keep him here at least twenty-four hours.

Tanner: Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna live.  What about Albus?  Did I get him out in time? 

Marcus: I'm not supposed to discuss other patients with you.  But I can't stop any of you from visiting him.  He's right across the hall.

Tanner:  Hey, where are my dog tags?  

A few minutes later, Marcus finds Pocahontas in Albus's room.  When he hesitates to share any information, she surprises him.

Pocahontas: I'm his medical POA.  You can check the records if you need to.

Marcus: Why am I surprised?  You've probably known Albus your entire life.  

Pocahontas:  He's doped to the gills. 

Marcus:  Pain medication.  His leg is badly broken.  He's got second degree burns.  The man's in a lot of pain.   (chuckles)  Besides, we both know this isn't the first time Albus has been doped to the gills. 

Finnick (entering): He ain't done the hard stuff in decades.  (looks at Albus)  Holy crap, is he on a respirator?  

Marcus: Just oxygen.  He inhaled a good bit more smoke than your brother did.  (To Pocahontas) Stop at the desk before you leave.  We've got some paperwork for you. (leaves)

Pocahontas: How's Tanner?  Is he all right?

Nakoma comes in as Finnick updates Pocahontas.  She holds up the phone so the group on the other end can see Finnick.  It's Zenobia, Whitney, and Mariko. 

Finnick: You guys look like you're crammed in one of them photo booths.

Nakoma: Midna won't let them go home until they find out if you're okay. 

Pocahontas: What happened, Finnick?   

Finnick: We were working on one of the cars for the haunted house and we smelled smoke, but before we even put down our tools, a wall collapsed on us.  Albus was stuck.  Tanner started throwing rubble off him while I pulled on him.  He was fighting us and talking some other language? 

Nakoma: Flashback.  He served in Vietnam.

Finnick: That makes sense.  Anyway, we finally got him out.  Albus was unconscious and Tanner was coughing so bad...  (Covers his face with his hands, too upset to go on.)

Nakoma (to the phone): I'll call you back. 

As Rose-Grace and Pike prepare to go home, Detective Spiro comes in. 

Rose-Grace: Arson again?

Detective: The investigator says it's even more obvious than before.  I need to talk to your sons, and since they're minors, one of you needs to be here.  

Pike:  I'll get Finnick, he's across the hall with Albus.

After finishing with the Pikes, the detective goes Albus's room.  Pocahontas is expecting her.  They've been in touch by phone all afternoon.  

Pocahontas: Did you find anything on the security feed?

Detective: We did, but it doesn't give us a lot to go on.  

They watch the recording in silence.

Pocahontas: Whoever this is, they're good. That looks like a professional demolition job. 

Detective: We'll be able to get an approximate height and weight from this.  Unfortunately, the clothes are loose enough that can't tell a sex and there's no visible skin or hair.  You don't recognize anything in the mannerisms, by any chance?

Pocahontas: I'm afraid not.  

Pike has told Finnick to be quiet when they go into the house, since the other kids will be sleeping, but they find this in the kitchen. 

Taylor:  Finally!  We've been so worried! 

Finnick: Hop up, brat.  I'm stealing your chair.  (lets Fred climb onto his lap)  

Fred: How come you gots your shirt on funny?  You look like you're feeding a baby.

Finnick: If I didn't, we would have to chop the sleeve off.  (To Pike) Didn't you tell them we were okay?  That I was coming home with you?

Pike: I guess they won't be happy until they hear it from the horse's mouth.

Fred (giggles): You're a horse.  Go live in the barn.

Tanner is reading a magazine when Whitney creeps into the room.  

Tanner:  It's way after visiting hours.  What are you doing? 

Whitney: This afternoon...  it was so scary... and I've never told you. 

Tanner: Told me what?  Whitney, you can tell me anything.  We're friends.

Whitney: That's just it, Tanner.  I want to be more than friends.

Tanner: I've wanted that for a while now.

Whitney: Why didn't you say anything?

Tanner: Wilma.  I didn't want you to think I was like them guys at school. 

Whitney: If I thought that, I wouldn't even want to be friends. (laughs softly) Funny, I thought Wilma was the reason you wouldn't want me.  You know, damaged goods and all that.

Tanner: You forget my dad's a grocer.  The damaged goods are the best values. 

They kiss. 

Valentine's Day

Nakoma and Anakin stop in at Pocahontas's office, as usual, on the way home from school.

Nakoma:  Look at this insane box of chocolate!  I told Finnick I'm going to gain back all the weight I just lost and he said he doesn't care as long as I'm happy.

Anakin:  I volunteered us to help her eat them.

Pocahontas: Take these home with you and put them in Mom's blue vase.  

Anakin:  Wait, what?  You don't have a boyfriend or anything.  And Roxy's dad promised to back off.

Pocahontas: John swears it wasn't him.  There was no card.

Nakoma (teasing): Looks like you have a secret admirer, Sis.  He even knows your favorite flower. 

Pocahontas (laughs):  It's hardly a secret.  Just put them in the vase when you get home, please.  Do your homework if you have any and, Anakin, your room is trashed.  I want it clean by the time I get home.

Anakin (groans): Do I have to? 

******

At a nearby Asian buffet, Midna waits with the Baxters for a table.

Midna: With the planned changes, I'm going to have to hire more staff. 

Violet (eyes on laptop): I see that.  The logistics of all this...

Detective: I hope you ladies aren't discussing the case.  

Midna: Not at all.  I invited Violet to dinner so I could offer her a position as my office person.  I really hate paperwork and she's a qualified candidate for the job.  It's a win-win.

Raven (laughing): Office person?  That is a prestigious job title, Mom, you better jump right on that.

Violet: I think I'll include a title change as an employment clause.  

******

Doll County Sheriff's office.

Detective: Thank you for your time, Mr Kishi.  I am satisfied there's no need to talk to Claudia, but thank you for the offer.

Ben: Well, I know you spoke to her friends.

Detective: And that's why I don't need to talk to her.  She was with the Montez girls at the time of the fire. I've seen video footage of the three of them wandering around the mall.

 

Clara is in the waiting area outside the detective's office.  

Clara: Seriously?  They think you torched the place?

Ben: I was recently fired, so yeah, I'm a suspect.  (Keeps walking.)

*****

Tanner runs into Whitney at the day care.

Wilma: Hi, one of the twins.  A bad person burned Mommy's work down. 

Tanner: I saw you walking.  If I'd known you were coming here, I would have given you a lift.

Whitney: I won't mind if you give us a lift home.  Wilma's too big to carry that far and her little legs take forever to get anywhere. 

Whitney: Thanks for the ride.  Do you need gas money?

Tanner: Nah, it's not that far out of the way.  You go and get ready for your hot date tonight.

Whitney: Hot date?  What are you talking about?

Tanner: You had all those Valentine cards in your locker.  I figured... No?

Whitney: Those were indecent proposals, Tanner.  I get a locker full every year.

Tanner: Are you serious?  Why would you get dozens of -- (Looks at Wilma playing in the snow.)  Oh, yeah.  Who was it?  Tell me who it was, every one of them.  

Whitney: I'm not gonna tell you.  I know what people think. 

Tanner: Stupid people.  I know you ain't like that.  So you don't have a hot date tonight?