Detective Mike

Chapter 2

Marlene sees him coming through the side window overlooking the drive. She's at the sink washing vegetables for supper. She waves and greets him with a big smile then as he comes in the door rushes to kiss him. "I'm glad you came right home. I thought when you called you might take the afternoon to go out to Langley."

"I thought about it but decided it can wait. I don't have any more runs this week according to Jerry." Jerry is the dispatcher at CPX. "Of course, something might come up but there's nothing for now."

"I think Trudy is over there today teaching Lily about skip tracing. Lily got a call from Household Finance about doing some work for them."

Mike nods as he heads for the living room and a basinet set up just inside the door. Shelly is there doing homework at a small table set up by the basinet. She smiles up at her Dad as he comes in. "How is my youngest daughter doing?"

Shelly whispers, "She's sleeping, Dad."

Marlene whispers by his elbow, "I was talking to Dad today. He expressed his appreciation we named her after his mother, my grandma Emily." Mike slips his arm around Marlene's waist and rests his other hand on Shelly's far shoulder. He thinks back to when he first saw that tiny head appear and then heard her first cry.

"I'm so glad I was with you for Emma's delivery, love." Marlene smiles at his words. She had been thrilled to have him there for the birth as well since he had been away for the birth of the other three. He goes on, "You explained why not Emily, did you?"

"Yes and he understood. I told him we wanted to call her Nancy for your sister and Emily Nancy didn't sound as good as Emma Nancy. I also told him we had considered Emily Nance but we both liked Emma so that's what she ended up as. He said grandma McRae would understand, too." She goes on in a low voice, "You killed two birds with one stone with the Nancy, didn't you?"

Mike grins, "Yeah, it's not only my sister but also your mother's name. Every little bit helps." He's referring to Marlene's mother who dislikes the situation of Mike's having a mistress with a child of his, as well. Nancy McRae holds back nothing of her bitter feelings over his ways so Mike avoids visiting his wife's mother's home unless absolutely necessary. Her father is more tolerant and even considers his daughter has made a good choice in Mike. They get along quite well.

Marlene beckons and they go to the kitchen. "Did you see Nina and Terry this trip?"

"Yes, I stopped for an hour or so. Terry was home so we talked extensively about the new ski lodge they're putting up."

"How was Nina?"

"Says she's good but she looks worn out."

"Do you mean she's having a hard time dealing with Shawn?"

"I'm not sure but I think so. He bites her when he's nursing. She's had to wean the twins."

"Her own damn fault! She couldn't wait to get you into bed again and so she got pregnant far too soon. Oh well, what's done is done." She looks at him calculatingly, "Are we gonna have another one? I started on the pill again this week."

"It would be nice to have another one with Emma but only if you feel you can cope with two."

She grins a lopsided grin, "Not gonna give me twins, eh?" She pours coffee and extends a cup to him, "Let's give it a few months and then maybe."

Mike muses, "I hope Nina is on the pill again."

"Mike!"

"No, I mean I hope Terry doesn't do the same thing we did."

"You bugger, you wouldn't screw your brother's wife, would you?"

"Of course not! I have work to do." Mike goes down the stairs to his basement office. His wife has no idea how her suspicions have cut him. He thinks it over as he paces. He had never had any qualms about bedding Nina when she was Jeff's wife but then he knew Marlene was messing with Jeff on the side so he felt vindicated.

He lifts down his most recent acquisition from its display case on a shelf, a 16th Century Claymore sword. Combining great size (56 ½ inches overall) with graceful lines, these swords were used with devastating effects by the highlanders of old. The distinctive drooping quillons, quatrefoils and pommel are complemented by a long ebony handle for wielding with two hands. Mike has gotten this item through a friend of a friend.

An RCMP sergeant named Janine has befriended a weapon's master on the Highlander series being filmed in Vancouver and when she told Mike, he right away saw a chance to get this sword. Highlander is one of his favourite TV films anyway so he has gotten her to promise to introduce him around the movie lots. Mike is greatly looking forward to that.

He cuts a pass and another in the air then puts the sword away, standing to admire the workmanship on it. Rick comes quietly into the office and stands by his Dad, "I thought I heard you come in, Dad. Mom said for you to come for supper any time. Jan is getting washed up now."

Mike glances at his watch. "Five-o-clock already. Okay son, are you washed up yet?"

"Yep."

Mike follows him up the stairs and goes on upstairs to wash up. He comes down right behind Jan. Marlene calls softly to him from the couch, "Can you help Shelly put supper on? I'll be another ten minutes or so nursing Emma." Mike nods to her.

Jan says, "I'll help her, Dad. Can I?"

Mike shoos her along ahead of him, "We'll see. Let's eat." He calls back to Marlene, "Can I bring you anything, love?"

She shakes her head.

Mike catches Shelly's eye as he enters the kitchen and he pulls her aside to whisper, "Try to find something for Jan to do to help you, okay?"

She nods and calls to her sister, "Jan, can you help me here?"

Jan perks up and rushes to help her. Mike and Rick take their places at the table. Rick asks, "Did you see Handsome Mountain this time?"

Rick is referring to Mike's brother, Terry. Terry and Mike are half Scottish, half Mohawk. Mike's mother was a Mohawk clanswoman of the wolf clan who married a Scottish Indian Agent named Duncan Claymore south of Montreal.

"Yes, I saw your uncle. We discussed the new ski slopes and lodge in Golden. He's doing well there. They're gearing up to open this fall. They already have a number of reservations from Calgary."

"Wow, that's great! Did you see Shawn?"

"Yes, I saw him."

Rick senses his Dad's reluctance to say more so he doesn't press the subject. Instead he changes the discussion, "Are we going to take the trailer out to Sunny Meadows again soon?"

"Have you been cleaning it out?"

"As much as I could. After supper I'll show you."

Mike nods and they start eating. Marlene joins them, as they are finishing up. She takes some food on her plate and everyone slows down to allow her to catch up. Once again Rick asks, "Do you suppose we could take the trailer out this weekend, Dad?"

Marlene says around a mouthful, "He's been slaving on that trailer. I think he wants to get away this weekend." And then to Rick, "You have any special reason, son?"

He turns colour a bit and mumbles, "Nope, just thought it would be nice to check the club out. Spring is in the air."

Mike nods, "The weather has been warm here in the valley. This last trip I was in snow most of the way to Calgary. It sure is nice to come back to the valley and find everything green." He asks Marlene, "Could you manage Emma out at the club?"

She lowers her eyes, "Not for another month or two, lover." She brightens up, "But you and Trudy could take the kids out this weekend, I suppose."

"I'll check with Trudy."

The side door opens and a voice calls, "Hey, anybody home?" Mike lifts a hand to caution Marlene to stay seated and finish her supper as he gets up to welcome Crystal and Trudy with the baby. He catches Crystal up in his arms and hugs her then catches Trudy on one arm and kisses her over the baby's head. He takes Shannon from her arms and allows her a chance to greet everyone else and get her jacket off.

Shelley and Jan excuse themselves and run off upstairs with Crystal. Trudy sits down at the table to chat with Marlene while Mike and Rick amuse Shannon trying to get her to smile. She gurgles up at her father and half-brother but soon tires of that and cries from hunger. Trudy takes her and starts nursing her. "I was going to feed her over at Lily's but I thought I might be able to make it home. No way, we were coming up on Abbotsford and she started fussing."

As Mike and Rick excuse themselves Marlene says, "Is she eating much solids yet?"

"Oh yeah, quite a bit but she still prefers a little tittie now and again."

"Are you...?"

"No, nothing this month and I think its too late now. Maybe next month." She nods towards Mike as he and Rick go out the side door, "Do you suppose he's worn it out?" They laugh together and Mike lets on he doesn't hear them.

Rick asks him, "Do they always tease you like that, Dad?"

"Yeah son, its their way of showing me their independence. It's all in good humour but they are making it clear that they are individuals, not property. I encourage that in a woman. They are our equals in every respect." He climbs the steps into the trailer in the driveway. "Well, you've done a good job in here. It's clean as a pin."

He sits at the table and Rick sits across from him. "Can we take it out this weekend then?"

"I suppose. What's your hurry?"

Rick looks at his hands on the table, "Aw Dad, just to get away for the weekend. Can Julie come with us?"

"Julie, eh?" Rick looks uncomfortable. "What happened?"

Rick murmurs, "Her Mom caught us on the couch." He hesitates and goes on, "I don't know how long she was watching us but Julie said she told her after I left. We don't have any privacy here in town."