The Selfless Gene

Chapter 30

The afternoon and evening were a washout. Three days to go. Thame knew he had to get more into the neighbourhood bars rather than the tourist areas, perhaps target estate agents who may have local history. He moves towards his key streets and tucks up in a bar for lunch. Ordering some food and a beer, he allows his wallet to flop and stay open.

People came and went all afternoon and soon Thame was a bit wobbly himself. He daren't get up in case he'd need help getting home. Eventually the bar begins to fill up and he's joined by a man in a suit, already three sheets to the wind.

"Hey, what's up." The man's tie had already abandoned him.

"Hey." Thame replied with a nod.

The bartender arrived with a Scotch immediately. "Hey Dan. Eight bucks."

"I got this." Thame offered.

"Thanks man. A Brit, right."

"Right." They cheers each other, Dan making the gesture out to be the most amazingly British thing ever.

"On vacation?"

"Sort of."

"What's sort of? Great place here."

"Work and also visiting family. My Granddad used to come here and I'm looking into him. Nothing sordid of course! Just my mum moved away to Britain young and I never knew them or my uncle. So, kind of a big family trip."

"Wow. Yeah. I did the family thing a few years ago. I'm Irish." Of course you are.

"Oh, cool." Thame politely replies, knowing he was Irish four hundred years ago.

"Your mum here?"

"She is but she's more of a sun worshipper."

"Guess she's worried about seeing her brother again."

"Yeah, bless her. Half-brother. So we don't know them at all really."

"What's their names? I've worked here in realty for twenty years. I've likely sold them something."

"Oh, it's John." As Thame is about to say his surname, Dan looks at his wallet.

"Say, Brit. Is that your uncle?"

"It is. With my Granddad in the eighties. You know him?"

"I don't know him, sadly. But the Key knows of him. Private man, incredibly wealthy. Moved back her about five years ago and bought the Mashta House." Bingo.

"Sorry, the Mashta House?"

"Man, I'd have loved to have sold that. I'd be set for life. It was all over the news! Fifty million dollar house, a landmark. Knocked it down and rebuilt it. Probably the best view and location in all of the Key."

"Christ. My mum will be shocked. Fifty million?" Thame feigns surprise, insisting his background is far removed from that of a millionaire. Nature's natural tongue loosener had quite the hold on Dan after that. He got told of the whole story of 775 South Mashta Drive on the south west point of the Key. Eventually Thame wrestled himself away and headed unsteadily back to the hotel. The long walk helped focus his mind. He looked at the address on his phone map and saw it was at the end of a road. With it being private, he couldn't go in on foot without someone seeing. Back in the hotel, he books a two-hour boat ride around the Key which would allow him to view the house without being seen. Two days left and a quarter of it on the water. He felt a Hail Mary coming along.

It had rained in the early hours leaving the air crisp and fresh. Thame gets up early and heads to Nixon Beach to pick up the boat tour. It was a special morning cruise around the Key before coming back for a change of clientele, a booze cruise and party boat in the afternoon and evening. Thame had earlier googled the sandbar parties, pretty disappointed that he had a mission and needed to come back. Along with two more elderly couples, he sits back as the boat takes them from the beach and out around the Key. The first stop is the sandbar and then the jackpot, the rich houses of the coast. Like a Hollywood House tour, this would give him protection while scoping it out. Eventually they reach where the old Mashta House used to sit. The driver stops, allowing the couples to listen into the history of the house. Thame borrows some binoculars from Jan and Chuck from Albany, and zooms right in.