Julian literally had to pry the phone from Emmaline's hand as she stood there, in shock.
"Sylvie? Are you still there? Yes, it's me, Julian, Emmaline's a little in shock at the moment!" He said watching over his girlfriend carefully.
"So sorry Julian, I didn't mean to worry her! She returns to work today, doesn't she?? Oh, dear...maybe I shouldn't have called her!" Sylvie apologised, feeling terrible.
"Sylvie, you did the right thing by calling, but I'm sure Harvey and Wolf will be fine! They've had decades of experience between them!" He reassured her, with a smile. "They're no rookies!"
"No Julian, but they ARE seventy-five and seventy-six!" She argued. "And you know what time they flew out? Ten thirty last night! I didn't even hear him go! Ohh, Julian! What am I going to do with him??"
Julian pulled Emaline in close to him, to bring her back to the real world. She seemed to snap out of it and put her arms around him, hugging him close, trying to cling to something real and familiar.
"Have faith in them, Sylvie, for years, Harvey and Wolf were the BEST detectives in the city of Brisbane! And put it this way, they're doing this for family! Won't it be great to know for sure that Emmaline is no longer in danger?!"
Sylvie softened, Harvey wasn't trying to show off or be a big shot, he was doing this for his only niece, the only blood he had left.
"Oh how much he loves his Kitten, Julian!" She said, proudly. "I even think that he's a father figure to her!"
"He is Sylvie! He is! After all, he knew both her Mother and Father!" Julian said.
"Her Mother was a wonderful nurse! I had her one day whilst in hospital!" Sylvie told him. "And now, I'm actually dating her brother! Oh, sorry...enough about me!"
Julian smiled "no, no...it's fine Sylvie! It's fine! I understand that you are worried, and so is Emmaline..."
"Are you worried, Julian?" She asked.
He rubbed Emmaline's back soothingly with his free hand and checked the time "You're going to be late, dear. Or do you want to call and say you're not coming in?" He whispered.
She kissed him back and broke from his embrace "I'll head to work! Keep my mind off of Uncle Harvey! Text me to let me know if you take Miss Mawko for her walk or not!"
He smiled "Have a great day, darling! See you this afternoon! I'll prepare something special for dinner!"
One last kiss and she was gone, to the garage.
"Well shit hey?!" Harvey marvelled as he and Wolf were driven to their accommodation. "Isn't this place just..."
"Too tropical for me!" Wolf complained, "look at that beach for example..."
"It's paradise! I should bring my Sylvie here for a few days! She'd love it just lying on the beach in the shade of palm and coconut trees watching the waves with a colourful cocktail to sip out of!" Harvey cut him off as the taxi finally pulled up in front of the expensive looking resort.
"Yeah and next minute a coconut falls from one of the trees and kills her! Oh yeah! So relaxing and tropical!!" Wolf finished as he grabbed his bag.
Harvey eyed him, he hadn't changed a bit in all the years he'd been retired "you're always the glass is half empty kinda guy, you know that?!"
"Yeah! Tell me somethin' I don't know!"
"I can tell you something right now though, you're nervous!" Harvey told him.
"Don't be fucking stupid Gordon!"
"See?? You are! Logan, I know no one better that could get to the bottom of all this that is willing to stick by my side!"
Wolf gave him a look, no one knew him better than Harvey Gordon. "So, why this place genius?"
"It's got a great bar and restaurant, apparently Mrs Hatchford likes to bring her girlfriends here for lunch often!" Harvey said, tipping the driver.
"What? While her husband works his guts off?" Wolf asked in disdain. "She knows both of us though Harv, she sees us she'll suspect something!"
"Listen, are you a detective or not?" He asked, "Come on, let's check in and freshen up! Don't take a nap, you won't sleep tonight! Let's see how good this restaurant is! I'm parched! I need a drink!!"
"I ain't drinkin' out of one of those bloody coconuts!" Wolf said following.
*
They wandered leisurely into the restaurant, off to the side was a very nice looking bar.
"So, Mia tell me exactly what happened?" Her friend Jane said as they were seated at their usual table.
"Our usual!" She told the waitress, she was referring to their drinks.
Four other ladies sat around the table, Samantha, Kelly, Nicole and Rosie. They were Mia's closest and most trustworthy friends. They knew all about Mia's history with her sister in law.
They didn't notice two, old gentlemen sitting at the bar enjoying a drink together. Fortunately for the men, they were just close enough to hear the conversation at hand without the risk of getting caught, their location was perfect.
"So you know how I paid that fat dumbass Brooks to shake my perfect sister in law up a bit? Well, you know who took the case? Her uncle, Detective Harvey Gordon! Boy...he's losing it! Seventy-five, he should have given it up years ago! I mean Brooks might look stupid and gullible, but he is a terrific liar! Recommended by the powerful Lady Taweret herself!"
Wolf gently laid his hand on Harvey's arm, "who is this Lady Taweret?" He mouthed.
Harvey shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of his spiced rum over ice.
They continued to listen.
"So, Brook's father nor mother never HAD heart problems! They weren't even from Brisbane! But you pay a low self-esteem slob like I did and he'd do anything I told him to!"
"Do you really think this will work?" Nicole asked. "I know how badly you want Warawee!"
A look of jealousy mixed with hatred flashed in Amelia's eyes. "I want more than just Warawee! I want everything she has!! I want to be her!"
Wolf pulled his gun from its holster.
"Fuckin' put that away, you hot head!" Harvey hissed, in a low tone.
"It's kinda like what happened with Lennon, his killer just wanted to be someone, didn't he??" Wolf whispered back, putting his gun away.
"Yeah but, Amelia doesn't have a doctorate, she's not a doctor, she never will be!" Harvey said, "You don't think she'll try to take Kitten's place?"
"DO you honestly think that IF she manages to kill Emmaline, which I won't as sure let fucking happen and neither will you OR Julian, Julian would EVER entertain the notion of even thinking of forgiving her let alone love her?? He and you, would not rest until she was dead!" Wolf told him. "I see the way he looked at your Kitten, and I saw the way she was looking at him, they will become Mr and Dr Lennon or my nickname ain't Wolf!"
"How much do we need to bring the bitch in?" Harvey snarled.
Three in the afternoon rolled around rather quickly.
He texted his Emmaline, telling her he'd take Mawko for a walk.
When the grandfather clock struck three, playing the majestic Westminster chimes and reminding him a lot of home, back in England, the Husky came bolting inside and ran straight for the front door, wagging her tail furiously happily and barking and howling to get Julian's attention.
"Coming Miss Mawko!" He said, grabbing his walking stick. "So, harness, leash, the roll of bags and two toys Emmaline said, what are you going to take today?"
He easily attached the harness around her muscular body, clipped the leash onto it, then the roll of bags that were stored in a bone shape container was clipped onto the leash.
She rummaged through her box of toys, settling on an old, worn tennis ball and a squeaky toy in the shape of a dog, it was a bit chewed but it hadn't lost its squeak. He picked them up and making sure he had everything, they headed out the door.