The flight attendant set the drinks on the fold down tables, smiled brightly and continued down the aisle. Through the small windows Mathew could see the tufts of white cloud and far below the steel blue of the ocean. Constance had listened to her options with concern and in the end agreed to accept a call from the Police Captain.

He smiled to himself recalling her performance. They both had known the little act they went through was hogwash. Constance had been huddling with Humphrey ever since all transactions were halted. The fact that the divorce could have no further bearing on the ownership of the villa permitted them to simply refine the plan they had discussed the first time Humphrey was hospitalized.

Humphrey, unfortunately couldn't escape being press-ganged into service for Percy's court case; a hail Mary gesture at best since the others would testify against him in the reckless endangerment suite. It was Percy's word that Rodney's act of shooting him caused the crash; another futile gesture in the face of the other witnesses.

The hand on his arm caused him to sigh inside and he turned toward Lillian.

"I'll never be able to tell you how sorry I am, Mathew."

"Don't try."

"I have to. I feel absolutely horrible about what I did . . . what it did to you . . . us."

"If there had really been an us, Lillian you wouldn't have done it." Her eyes filled and the hand on his arm curled away. "You just couldn't be happy with a nine to five husband and three weeks a year at that villa. My life didn't provide the excitement you craved."

"You grew away from me."

"No, Lil. You grew away from me." He took a swallow from his drink.

"What happens now then? To us?"

"I don't know. We still own the house and all the expenses that involves. You withdrew the divorce action. I could launch a suit against Percy . . . that would shine an unwelcome light on you." Lillian's face paled. "I have no income, Lil, and no villa to sell now. Bills have to be paid."

"Would you really sue Percy?"

"I don't want to hurt you any more than you are now. The best option would be to sell the house." Her light gasp didn't go unnoticed. "Get an apartment and try to find some work."

Lillian swallowed her own drink and put her head back, closing her eyes.

********

Percy sat at his office desk staring morosely at the letter before him. The Patton villa had been purchased by Blue Shoals for an amount that made his stomach heave and the demolition had already begun to clear the way for the new construction. The seller was a numbered company and Percy would spend the rest of his days never knowing who that was.

His legal fees and insurance problems had required the sale of his shares and the Blue Shoals Management had removed him from the board. Debt still haunted him with the notice of Patton's suit for alienation of affection and criminal conversation.

Humphrey had resigned leaving him without representation and the amount, if Patton won, would cripple his company. What hurt the most was Lillian was backing up her husband's claim. He groaned and reached for the intercom, frowning at the new telephone.

"Janet, what happened to my old phone?"

"You cancelled your private line, sir. The company said you didn't need the other model for a single line so they replaced it . . . you,uhm, have to dial your own numbers now, Mr. Rudman . . ."

He shut the intercom off and felt himself wanting to cry. He was ruined. Everything was lost. Percy stood and wandered to the window, slipping and crashing to the floor, watching his missing golf ball slowly roll past.

********

The sun was melting into the ocean leaving a smear of red across the horizon. Everything became silhouetted against that backdrop and he held the glass up, admiring the amber fluid as it captured the dying light.

"That turned out even better than we had discussed don't you think?"

Lazy fingers trailed down his bare arm and he closed his eyes, smiling. "Indeed it did, Constance my dear. You're idea was genius."

"The prospect of jail down here . . . or anywhere for that matter, was a great incentive."

"And your friend, Borden, he was equally incentivised."

She smiled. "Humphrey couldn't afford having me face a trial."

"When do you think we will see the money?"

"My guess is before the end of the week. Humphrey's papers were a masterpiece of legalese and bafflegab." The fingers dropped to his hip and he set his glass down, turning toward their owner.

"You and he were already scheming after the original papers were burned, weren't you?"

The hand glided slowly down his thigh, reversing for a moment then continuing. "I confess. Humphrey and I had some moments together. It seemed like an opportunity from heaven."

He grinned in the dark as his own hand slipped over the warm skin of her waist. "He won't be a problem I trust."

"No. Once he's finished with Rudman's court case he's resigning from the company and pursuing a life of leisure with his share of our deal. We won't see Humphrey again." Her breath caught as his hand clasped her and pulled her to him. A damp heat grew between them and as the sun at last disappeared, she moaned deliciously.

********

Lillian dragged the skimmer across the pool, gathering the leaves and other flora that had blown in. She stopped to watch Mathew trim the hedge back to a presentable size and shape. There was a certain unfamiliar stirring she felt having a hands on contribution to their home; a belonging, a pride.

They had talked for long periods, working through their personal relationship and the emotional wounds that needed healing. In the end, both had agreed that too much had been shared to just discard and with the prospect of a considerable settlement with Percy, they could start again . . . sensibly.

"I'm getting a drink, would you like one?"

Mathew set the clippers on the patio table and nodded, wiping his face with a cloth. "Make it a double," he laughed.

She returned with a tray of drinks and a large bowl of seedless grapes and settled next to him on the lounge.

"Pool looks nice," he said.

"Thank you. It didn't take much at all."

"Certainly not the amount Ricardo charged."

"Who?"

He chuckled and patted her leg. "Nothing. Old joke." The drink tasted good and he smacked his lips with pleasure. "I wonder how our friends are doing with their villa deal."

"You suspected something didn't you?"

"Yes. The good Captain Osouda may be a clever plotter and manipulator but he was a dreadful actor. And Constance, while being a very competent actor when running cons for other people, lacked that ability when it came to running her own. But to their credit, they had Humphrey write up all the paperwork and that alone was worth more than the damned villa."

"Do you think they got a lot for it?"

"Probably more than we're going to get out of old Percy. Maybe we'll take a flight down and see what the new Blue Shoals has to offer. We could even look them up and have a celebratory drink.

"Would you really do that, Mathew?"

"Yeah . . . I would, Lil."

Epilogue

Cavan Osouda, out of uniform and relaxing in shorts, sandals and a baggy t-shirt, smiled. "I must admit, Mathew, I never imagined these circumstances in my wildest dreams." He glanced back at Constance who was still a little shocked at the surprise visit.

"Humphrey really came through for you, eh?"

"He was a wizard! And this place was also a bargain." Osouda grinned slyly. "You knew didn't you?"

"Suspected, yes." He turned from the railing and glanced at Constance. "Are you both good together?"

Osouda grinned. "In every way, Mathew. How about you?"

"Actually I am. I came to realize that Lilian was still the same woman I originally wanted to marry . . . the business with Percy aside. Oddly enough the whole episode brought us closer together. We're still working through a few things but . . . yeah. Short answer, yeah." 

"Isn't it marvellous!" Lillian bubbled. "It's even got a better view than our old one." She genuinely felt excited for Constance.

"So you have mended all your fences . . . things are good again?" Constance asked tentatively. "You know, the business with Mathew and I--"

"Is in the same past as Percy and I." She patted Contance's hand. "Actually, things are better. Not because of the money, although that didn't hurt, but it opened my eyes to what we had and weren't making the most of before all this." Lillian looked at her husband with a wistful smile and the two women joined the men near the balcony railing.

Mathew leaned backwards against the rail, a thoughtful look as he examined his drink. "Well Lillian and I are truly happy for the both of you in spite of all the circumstances. Oh and by the way, your letter was most effective in the case against old Percy. We did a little better than we had thought we might."

They all gave a little toast to each other, smiling.

"There is one thing missing though."Mathew added.

They paused and looked at him.

"I would have liked a copy of those hotel room pictures I burned . . ."

END