Frank opened the door to his motel room.

"Come in Bill and pour a drink. Just finishing up with the wife here."

By the time Bill had his drink poured and a cigarette lit, Frank had hung up the telephone.

"Sorry about that."

"Not at all," Bill assured him.

"I just finished with my girlfriend as well. She is in Corner Brook for the night."

"Matty Dove?"

Bill nodded.

"You say her name with a strange tinge in your voice."

"Oh no disrespect, I assure you. I think Matty is a very strong woman. But she can be ..."

Bill laughed. "A little overwhelming at times?"

Frank nodded and raised his glass.

"To a little overwhelming."

Both men finished their drink and Frank poured another.

"But seriously, Matty is really an amazing woman. I've only met a few with her drive and determination. And my lovely wife, Julie is one of them."

Bill smiled as he thought of all the times Matty had stood up to him. But she did have a soft side that very few got to see.

"She is quite a handful at times, but I do think the world of her."

Frank raised his glass again.

"To Matty Dove."

Bill and Frank drank from their glasses and Frank lit a cigarette.

"So. You didn't want to meet with me privately to talk about Matty, so what is on your mind, Bill?"

"Well I just wanted to talk where there weren't a dozen pair of ears straining to listen."

"That I understand."

Bill drew on his cigarette and sat back in the chair.

"Let's just say that if someone was willing to invest money in the Bay to save it, what would he be looking at?"

Frank drew on his cigarette.

"By he, I assume you mean, you?"

"I'm not good at this cloak and dagger thing," Bill laughed.

"But as you are already aware, I have about two million dollars already invested in this place and I really don't want to lose my investment."

"That is certainly understandable."

Bill took a deep breath.

"Although, the more I think about things, the less fearful I am about losing that money. I am beginning to think that if I want to stay here in the Bay, it is going to cost me a lot more than two million dollars."

"You are serious about this?"

Bill nodded.

"As I see it, Frank, you are the expert. You have been through this before and you are more than aware of the costs, not only to shut down and do clean up, but the costs of maintaining a village, without government assistance."

Frank stared at Bill for the longest time.

"So you are really serious about this?"

"Well, Frank. Let's say that I am certainly open to the possibility of doing what I can.

But, at the same time, I don't want to invest a fortune and end up losing even more money. And once again, your tone is a little disconcerting."

"Well I can tell you this much Bill, unless you want to return to the dark ages, we are talking a fair chunk of change."

Frank got up and went to his briefcase, on the bed. He opened it and took out a pen and a pad of yellow note paper.

"But if you are serious I will give you my honest opinion on the costs, based on the facts as I know them. Just remember that some of this, I am sure, I will be guessing at."

"Fair enough," Bill agreed.

"But I feel you will have a little better insight into the costs than I will."

Frank clicked his pen and started printing at the top of the Pad.

'Tuckamore Bay Salvation Costs'.

Bill laughed slightly, when he saw the title.

"I guess that is one way of looking at it."

Frank nodded.

"Okay. Let's break this down, step by step."

Bill laughed.

"This looks serious."

"It is going to be a lot to take in Bill. You sure you want the facts?"

Bill poured another drink.

"Lets do this."

"Okay."

For the next two hours Frank went item by item so that Bill would get the full impact of what his investment would be.

In the end, he turned the yellow pad to Bill.

"And that is the damage. Just remember. That is if and I accentuate 'if', there are no other issues."

Bill looked at the paper.

"Fuck me."

He looked back at Frank.

"And this is just infrastructure?"

Frank nodded.

"Will it is taking into consideration the other points that Matty had in her documents, like tourism and some wage subsidy package for the people of the Bay."

Bill let out a long breath, as he stared at the final figure again.

"That is a big chunk of change."

"And those are just estimates, Bill. The actual costs could be higher, based on professional assessments and environmental impact reports. Those costs alone could be in the millions.

That is why I added that 20% total at the end there."

"But even that could be higher?"

Bill feared the answer, but he was sure he already knew it.

Frank lit a cigarette and sipped his scotch.

"There are always hidden costs, Bill, but not to be all negative, there are ways that you could cut down on some of those costs. Especially the electric and cable. But you have to get an agreement with your supplier, before they cut services. Luckily you still have lots of time and no company wants to lose subscribers. And a lot of the construction and such could be done by the people of the Bay, if they all come on board with this plan, if you agree to do this."

"Yea, but what are we talking? Maybe 10%?"

"Maybe, Bill. I don't know. But looking at that final figure, it is something, but is it enough.

"Fuck me," Bill repeated, as he looked over the figures, again.

"Can I take this?"

Frank took the pad from Bill and tore off the two pages that made up the spreadsheet.

"What would you do, Frank?"

Frank laughed.

"I can't even imagine being in a position to be able to invest that much money, with little or no return. So I would ask you, can you afford to invest that money?"

"I can, but it will be quite a gut punch if this all falls through."

"Can I ask you a kinda personal question, Bill?"

"Sure."

"Are you doing this for you or are you doing this for Matty? And if you are doing this for Matty,  have you asked yourself the question, is she worth it?

And believe me, I mean no disrespect," he added quickly.

Bill thought for a moment.

"You know what Frank? Between me and you and the four walls, I don't know.

I don't know about anything right now."

"Well, Bill, I think you better get a clear picture of that before you even start with this."

Bill just nodded.

"I guess I have some serious thinking to do."

"Besides the lighthouse and Matty. Do you have any real ties to the Bay?"

Bill shook his head, laughing slightly.

"I never even heard of this place until a couple months ago. So I have no real ties."

"Would Matty leave with you, if you decide to go?"

Bill shook his head.

"No, I don't think so. She is determined to fight this thing right to the bitter end and then probably stay here even after that."

"Why would she be so intent? She is a young woman. She has her whole life ahead of her and I understand that the Bay is her home, but it is just a place."

Bill stood up, rolling the papers as he did.

"There is a lot more to Tuckamore Bay than just a collections of homes, Frank. There is a history here."

Frank stood and shook Bill's hand.

"Every place has history Bill."

"But not everyone has history that is alive, my friend."

Frank stared at Bill.

"That is a strange comment."

"How much longer will you be in the Bay?" Bill asked, ignoring Frank's comment.

"A couple more days. I still have more tests to run and soil sample to collect."

"Well, we will talk again before you leave."

Bill walked to the door of the room.

"And I'll bring the bottle, next time.

Night Frank."

Bill walked outside into the cool night air and lit a cigarette.

He looked around, as he walked to his lighthouse.

He really had come to love the little village, but the papers he had in his hands made a condo in Jamaica look a lot more attractive.