Percy went straight to the room bar and poured himself a large scotch straight up, ignoring the others. Lillian sat beside an uncomfortable Humphrey who was holding the papers a helpless Constance had delivered.

"He insisted on coming back with me." She shrugged

"Damn right!" Percy interjected, waving his drink around. "I happen to be the screwed party here!"

The women traded glances.

"What are you doing to make this right, Borden?" Percy fixed his company lawyer with a glare.

"I don't think your bullying is productive, Percy." Lillian stood as if to defend Humphrey physically.

Percy sputtered mid swallow and Constance took the opportunity to deliver a harder than necessary helpful smack to his back.

Before he finished coughing and began another rant, Humphrey quickly explained the strategy they were planning, emphasizing that it wasn't a sure thing.

"Are you telling me that little bastard can get away with this? He can sell that villa and walk away free?"

"It is his, Percy. You helped he and Lillian purchase it originally."

"Don't tell me what I know, tell me how we can stop it." He turned and gave Constance a sour look, flexing his back. "And where is that goon boyfriend of yours?"

"Rodney," she replied stiffly, "is tracking Patton."

"Tracking how? Have you talked to him? Does he have anything to report?"

"We uh, we haven't heard."

"Well call him for chrissake! He has a phone doesn't he?"

********

Percy bullied his way past the airline personnel and acquired four seats in business class on the next JetAir flight that would take them to Blue Shoals. When Constance had reached Rodney and reported what he was doing, Percy went ballistic, raging on about having to keep Patton safe until they could put Humphrey's plan to work.

He would brook no arguments, insisting they all stay together and together they stayed, flying to Blue Shoals for a showdown with Rodney, Patton or both.

********

Mathew cleared customs and went to the ferry terminal for transportation to the resort. Hot and humid weather forced the commuters to huddle under the overhang of the terminal building while the ferry was prepared for boarding. The trip to Blue Shoals was the first stop and would only be twenty minutes so Mathew spent his time going over the contract papers once again.

He looked up as a shadow fell over the page and found the nasty leer of Rodney Riddler looking down.

"Hello, Patton."

Mathew folded his papers and slid away on the bench.

"Want me to burn those for you?" The leer enlarged.

"What are you doing here, what do you want? I see you have new glasses."

Rodney lifted them up. "Same thing I wanted last time we chatted." The look hardened and he sat down, uncomfortably close. 'Those papers did burn, as you well know."

"I wasn't giving Rudman any rights to my property."

"He took your wife."

Mathew winced. "That-- that was her choice."

"So you didn't mind?"

"That's none of your bloody business . . . "

"Oooh, testy!" Rodney leaned in closer. "Here's what is going to happen, Patton. You and I are getting off his ferry at Conch Cay not Blue Shoals and," he nodded at the papers Mathew clutched, "you are going to tell me how you plan on sharing the money from your sale with me."

"You're crazy if you think--"

The hard prod of Rodney's gun halted his objection.

"How did you get that past inspection?"

"Trade secret." Another prod halted any further conversation.

Conch Cay was a small island with amazing beaches and few signs of development spoiling the natural beauty. Very quickly Mathew realized that landing there was no whim. Rodney nodded to a few residents as he hustled them both along the beach to a cottage with a small sloop anchored a short distance off shore.

"This is yours?"

Rodney opened the cottage door and shoved Mathew inside.

"This and a huge chunk of private property all around it so we won't be bothered by anyone."

"Look, Riddler I don't know what you think you are doing here but all I want is to sell my villa, take my money and Lillian can have everything else . . . including Rudman."

"Well you see that's where it doesn't work for me." Rodney opened a bottle of rum and poured two glasses. "I usually get paid for my services and you kind of put the kybosh on that." He handed a glass to Mathew. "You see, my job was to ensure you signed those divorce papers, which would have given your wife the villa. Then when Rudman and she sold it to Blue Shoals, I would get a sizeable sum as payment for those services."

Mathew sniffed the glass and took a sip, sucking in his cheeks and squeezing his eyes shut and open again. He was about to comment when Rodney drained his own glass and poured another.

"Good isn't it?"

"Probably run that boat of yours without a sail." Mathew took another cautious sip. A little smoother. "What about Constance? She part of your services?"

"We enjoy a comfortable income working as a team from time to time."

"And I'm one of those times."

"Yes, except I don't plan on splitting my share, Patton. Rudman can go to hell for all I care. I'm only interested in joining you at the bank when you close your deal for the villa." Rodney topped up Mathew's drink.

"And just what would your share amount to?" Mathew drank some more and began to feel quite loose.

"Half."

The only sound in the cottage was the slow swish of the surf against the shore. Mathew stared at Rodney then began to giggle.

"Half."

"Cash in hand." Rodney deadpanned.

The giggle turned to a snort and Mathew slapped his hand on his leg. "That's even funnier! Do you have any idea how a transaction of that size is made?" A slight colour rose on Rodney's neck and cheeks. "You think it's a cheque or a bag of bills?" The colour darkened. "It's all digital. Wire transfers. Numbered accounts."

Rodney glared and Mathew just shook his head and laughed some more.

"I'm glad you think this is funny, Patton 'cause I don't care how it gets to you. You are gonna see that half gets to me and in cash."

********

They had arrived on the ferry to Blue Shoals and gone directly to the Patton's villa. Percy had contacted the management office and learned that Mathew had not been seen nor the man described as Rodney. Percy stormed around the villa while the others watched nervously.

"Where the hell is he?"

"Who, Percy?" Lillian tried.

"Either of them! Patton or that idiot of yours, Borden."

"Calm down, Percy. If Mathew isn't here and hasn't been yet then no deal has been consummated." Humphrey was holding his head again.

"So then where is he?"

"This is a beautiful villa, Mrs. Patton. I can understand why you are so anxious to keep it." Constance moved about the living area, touching things as if to verify their presence.

"Yes, Mathew . . . we enjoyed many vacations here."

"Do you mind, you two? This isn't an open house we're having here."

"Percy he has to come here to sign the contract, we just wait." Lillian said.

Constance walked slowly across the room and stared out the window across the water. Would he? Would Rodney force Patton into a deal of some kind and then just take off? She turned back and said quietly, "I think I know where they might be."

********

Huddled together in the launch Percy had commandeered after throwing his considerable weight around, Constance, Humphrey and Lillian listened terrified to the port siren indicating their illegal speed in the marina. Percy had launched them out of their slip at full throttle, coming about at right angles and creating a wash that had anchored boats rocking and bumping together.

"Which way?" He hollered over the wind and engine noise.

Constance hauled herself forward and grasped the canopy rails, pointing.

"That tiny bump you can see just to your right. You don't have to go so fast!"

"This thing isn't fast enough, lady!" He twisted the wheel and Constance flew back down into the others.

********

Rodney shoved Mathew down the dock to the dingy. He had warned him that before any sale contract was signed, Rodney Riddler's name would be inserted for half the sale price. The alternative was Mathew would become his new boat anchor.

'Even if they agree they will have to draw up new papers; you're dealing with a management board here, Riddler, not some garage sale vendor. That could take days while their lawyers comb through it."

"Well you're just going to tell them the same thing you did on the phone . . . no negotiations."

"How do you--?"

Rodney gave a smug laugh as he bent to untie the dingy and step in. "Don't write this old boy off as the last oar in the water, Patton. Now get in."

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That." Mathew pointed over Rodney's shoulder to the bow wake of the fast approaching boat.