Legally Auburn (HTTYD)

Part 15

"That's fine," he mumbled, retreating though he grabbed Astrid's hand and pulled her towards an old but clearly extremely expensive leather sofa. "We wouldn't want to walk in on her while she was having a massage or a personal wax or any other spa things..." Astrid restrained herself from glaring at the receptionist as she sat stiffly at Hiccup's side and nudged him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "They're going to tell her that two poor people in suits have arrived and she's not going to talk to us. I know the Prosecution have already spoken to us so she'll know who we work for." He nodded and fished his phone out of his pocket, then thumbed his way down his documents.

"I'm sure of it," he said, nodding and pulling up a PDF. "But we aren't poor people and though they've warned her, we can still go and see her." She frowned and mouthed 'How' but he was already rising to his feet.

"Excuse me?" he said. The receptionist looked unimpressed. "I believe this establishment has a reciprocal arrangement with members of Berk Historical Viking Society and Country Club." The woman's eyes widened and she checked her computer, though it was clear that she knew what it would say.

"Uh...yes?" she asked. He flashed the image on his phone.

"I"m a member," he revealed. Astrid gaped. "My Dad's idea of making sure I remain in touch with my Viking heritage. Actually, a bunch of sexagenarians playing golf and talking about how things were better in the gold ole Viking times isn't really the definition of fun but they have a great pool for when it's frozen outside and you just want to relax." He blushed. "Actually I have only ever been with Mom and Dad." And then he smiled at the receptionist. "I'd like to look around your facilities-starting with the spa."

"But she..." The receptionist looked at Astrid.

"She's my 'plus one'," he said firmly as the first receptionist came back slightly out of breath.

"Oh I'm sorry," she reported, breathing hard. "Mrs Bludvist has in fact left some time ago. I must have forgotten." Hiccup chewed his lips and nodded.

"Maybe we can look round the grounds first?" he said. "I may be back to look at the spa in a little while." And then he headed for the door. Astrid followed.

"She's gone?" she asked as they emerged onto the drive.

"Going, I think," Hiccup said, blinking against the sunlight. "The receptionists would know exactly who was here-it's their job to know exactly who is here, what they like and what they can do to make them feel like the most important person here. So for one to say 'she forgot' is a flat out lie! Clarissa must have told her to throw us off the scent...while she runs for it."

"Question being...why?" Astrid murmured as they walked briskly around the side of the Club and past the Putting Green, a line of gleaming golf carts parked to the millimeter. Hiccup's green eyes scanned the building and then he began to chuckle as they rounded another corner-to see an elegant woman hanging out of the window with mud still on her face and a designer dress grasped in one hand.

"You want a hand?" Astrid asked, looking up at her with a smile as she started and found herself stuck. Scowling, she grabbed the window frame and tried to haul herself out.

"No...I'm fine...just checking the view..." she said briskly. "It looks like the wisteria are starting to get overgrown...I must speak to the head groundsman..."

"Hmm...while you're checking the landscaping, could we ask you a few questions?" Hiccup asked. "We work for Grimborn and..."

"I know," she snapped irritably.

"Then why didn't you just say that you didn't want to speak to us?" Astrid asked. "Why did you run?"

"I'm not running!" the widow insisted.