Gail Hirst answered the door before Bill even had a chance to knock.
"Bill, Matty. Please come in."
Matty looked at Bill.
"Do we have the right room?"
"I don't know."
Gail laughed slightly.
"I know this is not how you have seen me in the past, but this is the real me. Not the properly dressed woman that Simon always likes to present."
She was dressed in a pair of fashion jeans and a beige coloured loose sweater. She wore no makeup and her dark hair showed streaks of red through it.
She lit a cigarette and sat on a chair at the small table. In the middle of the table was a bottle of 21 year old Glenlivet scotch and three crystal glasses.
"Please sit," Gail motioned, as she began pouring drinks.
Bill closed the motel room door and sat with his wife, at the table.
Gail passed both of them drinks and raised her glass.
"To understanding," she smiled.
The three clinked glasses and drank their scotch. Gail immediately began pouring another drink.
"Who are you?" Matty joked.
"And what have you done with tight-ass Gail Hirst."
"This is me. The little ole gal from Whitecourt, Alberta. Simon does not like this side of me to be out in public."
Matty laughed.
"I could almost get to like this not so tight-assed version of you."
Bill wanted to get to business.
"Why are you here, Gail?"
Gail walked to the desk in the room, where a laptop and small printer were set up. She picked up the papers.
"I just got this from Cameron Penny."
She put the papers on the desk.
"The proposal. Why do you have a copy?"
"Matty, my father is Jackson Lamont."
Matty shook her head.
"I have no idea who that is."
"He is one of the richest oilmen and cattle farmers in Canada," Bill informed his wife.
"They found oil on one of his properties many years ago."
Gail nodded.
"Daddy gave Simon his start in business and he only did that because I insisted that he did. Daddy doesn't think too much of my husband."
Gail laughed slightly, as she sipped her drink.
"Actually, he thinks Simon is a fucking asshole."
"Well, Daddy is not alone in that," Matty quipped, as she lit a cigarette.
"Believe me, Matty, there are times when I feel the same. Simon can be the biggest pain in the ass at times and he has the unique ability to irritate almost everyone that he meets, but, truth is, I love the jackass and I know a side of him that no one else does."
"Well, he must really keep that side hidden," Matty laughed.
"What he tried to pull off here Monday, was just ..."
"Fucking insane," Gail offered.
"You had no idea?"
Gail shook her head.
"Not a clue, Bill. Simon told me he was going to Calgary for a few days to look at the possibility of opening some new franchise, with Boston Pizza.
Next I heard, he was in fucking jail, facing a hundred and one charges for coming into Tuckamore Bay and trying to strong-arm you and Matty into signing over the Bay."
Gail drew hard on her cigarette.
"Fucking moron."
"So you are aware of what he did, Gail, but that does not answer why you are here, talking with us."
"I had no idea why Simon was so interested in this place, until he told me when I talked to him on Thursday. I have no idea how he got involved in this whole thing."
Gail snuffed her cigarette and put her folded hands on the table.
"We don't need the money. I am an only child and I have an inheritance that will be worth hundreds of millions or possibly even billions of dollars."
She picked up the papers and laughed slightly.
"Really? A Tim Horton's in Tuckamore Bay?"
Matty grinned.
"I did that to irritate more than anything."
Gail laughed.
"I see all you have done here at the Bay and it is amazing. This place is beautiful and I can see it being a major tourist attraction in the future. And for all that to happen, you will need money."
"We have sufficient funds to do what we have planned," Bill assured her.
"And we are not looking for any type of partner."
Gail took a deep breath.
"If word of this gets out, Simon will be ruined."
She snickered.
"What am I saying? We all know that Simon is fucked, no matter what he does. There is no making this shit just disappear. Too many people are involved and somewhere along the way, no matter what these documents say, someone will drag Simon into this mess."
Matty nodded.
"Our agreement only covers what happened here in the Bay, pertains to those directly involved. Once prosecution starts against the six apes that Simon brought along, then it is out of our hands."
"And then there is Calvin Parsons," Gail added.
"You know about that connection?"
"Daddy is a rich and powerful man, Bill and he has many connections. As soon as I told him about what Simon did, he got his people to start digging."
Gail laughed and sipped her drink.
"Actually, the first thing he said was;
'You are divorcing that useless waste of fresh air,'" Gail said in a husky voice, obviously trying to mimic her father.
"And believe me, I thought of it, but, like I said earlier, I love that waste of air."
"So what is the bottom line here, Gail?"
"I will agree to everything on this proposal, except for the part about our being allowed to come to Newfoundland. I love this province and I make several trips a year here, just to get away from all the male bullshit back home. And I would love to be able to continue that in the future, maybe even visiting here."
Matty looked at Bill.
"What do you think?"
"I don't think any of the villagers would appreciate seeing Simon Hirst back in the Bay."
Gail shook her head.
"No Simon. Just me. I love him, but he even gets on my nerves now and that will be even more in the future, because he will not have his businesses to keep him busy."
"Really?"
"Yea Matty. I have already put all the businesses up for sale and actually, they have all already been bought by GJL Enterprises."
Matty laughed.
"You bought your own businesses?"
"Daddy had his people draw up a company for me and him and that way we keep the businesses, but it will be Daddy's people who will look after them."
"And what of Simon?"
Gail sat back in her chair.
"Well. I figure he will get some jail time from this, no matter what happens, so during that time, Daddy and I will figure out something for him to do, to keep him busy."
Gail smirked.
"Daddy suggested a seal hunting resort at the North Pole, but I think I will find him something simple to do. Maybe a small antique shop or something. He has a thing for collectables."
Bill poured drinks for them all.
"I think we can delete the section about no visits to Newfoundland."
"You do that and I will increase the $20 million to $40 million. Money you can use to continue the upgrades and rebuild of the Bay.
And, if in the future, you need stake money of any kind, Daddy and I will front the money for you, at no interest, with no shares wanted or needed."
Bill sat back in his chair holding his drink to his lips.
"I know you need some time to think this through."
Bill shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Matty.
"Well council, what do you think?"
"I still want the Tim Horton's."
Gail started laughing, holding out her hand.
"I will personally see to it that you get a Tim Horton's."
Matty shook her hand.
"Then we have an agreement.
But what about Simon?"
"Why don't we ask him?"
Gail got up from the table and walked to the desk, turning around her laptop, to show an image of Simon.
"So darling, are we in agreement?"
Simon nodded.
"Yes dear."
He looked at Bill and Matty.
"I don't even know where to begin, to apologize to you and the people of Tuckamore Bay."
"Well Simon, you should be thankful that Henry had the heart attack."
Simon looked confused.
"But that was the most horrible part of all of this."
Matty nodded.
"That may be true, Simon, but it is only because of the attention that we had to give to Henry and the fact that we had to involve the police, because if that had not happened, the General Store just might be completely out of hundred pound anchors and the population of Anchor Point would have risen by seven."
Simon swallowed hard.
"So what now?"
"Matty and I will work out the details of the agreement," Gail informed him.
"Once that is signed, you will be free of charges, as far as the Bay goes, but there will still be the charges against the other men and they just might incriminate you ae well and then there is Calvin Parsons.
So, for right now, you will sit in that hotel room, until I get things straightened out and then we will move forward.
And, for the love of God, get rid of that useless lawyer. Daddy will be flying in a legal term to deal with the rest of this mess."
Simon nodded.
"Okay."
Gail closed the laptop and walked back to the table.
"He can be such a wimp at times."
Gail took a deep breath.
"If possible, I would like to address the entire village and offer some sort of apology, on behalf of my husband."
Matty nodded and took out her cellphone.
"What about eight tonight at the Pub?"
Gail nodded.
"Sounds good. So do you want to work on this proposal now?"
Matty looked at Bill.
"You want to be part of this?"
Bill finished his drink and stood up, kissing Matty as he did.
"I will leave that to my, more than capable, lawyer. I best be going home to get Frank and Julie settled in."
He walked around the table and took Gail's hand.
"It has been a pleasure meeting this Gail and I do hope we see more of you, in the future."
Gail stood and hugged Bill.
"Again, I am so sorry."
"I know."
Bill kissed Matty again and left.
That night, at Dove's Pub, to a standing room only crowd, Gail did her best to apologize on her husband's behalf. The entire village listened quietly, as Gail talked and remained silent, after she finished.
Gail looked at Bill and Matty.
"Well I tried," she said, sadly.
"Where bes youse goin' young lady?" Clayton Rideout yelled out.
Gail turned.
"Well, I have said my piece."
Clayton walked to her.
"Dat may be true, missus, but 'isn't youse forgets something?"
Gail looked around.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what you mean."
Clayton laughed and put his hand on Gail's arm.
"Youse 'as to buy da first round."
Gail smiled, through the quickly forming tears.
"Of course."
She turned to the bar.
"Lindsay? I believe?"
Lindsay smiled and nodded.
"Drinks are on me for the rest of the night."
Lindsay offered her hand to Gail.
"Then youse best get that ass back 'ere and help me serve."
Michael Simpson walked up behind Gail and picked her up, depositing her gently behind the bar.
Lindsay passed her an apron and a bottle opener.
"Youse best get to openin' beer, Gail. Dere bes a lot of thirsty people here."
Gail gave Lindsay a quick hug.
"Thank you," she whispered.