Chapter : 47
Three Finger Cove Book 7: Mark
Copyright © 2021 by Chowhound. All Rights Reserved.


Published: 8 Dec 2022


From Previous Chapter:

Mr. Ken said he didn’t have a problem with that and he’d asked his son to let him know if he needed to ask Mr. Wayne or Mr. Dennis to drive him, or if he would have one of his friends’ parents take him and bring him back. He also asked Bill the same question. Both teens said they’d let him know.

With nothing more being said, the boys went up to finish their homework and get relaxed before bed. Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne did go up and say goodnight to the boys starting at Mark’s bedroom so Miriam and Levi could then talk to their son.

After the men talked to the boys the house quieted down and before long everyone was fast asleep, and another day was over.


At breakfast Thursday morning, Mark asked Mr. Ken if he could invite some friends from school over that weekend. He told them he had their home phone numbers as Matthew told him that’s what he needed. The newest Cover said he had them last night, but he forgot to say something when they had their meeting.

Mr. Ken asked the boy for the names of the boys and their phone numbers and told him that he should have an answer for him when he came home from school tonight and he could tell his friends tomorrow at school. Mark smiled at hearing that and quickly got a pen and paper and wrote down the information for his foster dad.

As the four boys were headed up to catch the School Bus, the two older boys were getting up for school. Mr. Ken continued to read his morning newspaper and talk to the Goldersons as they also ate their breakfast. Miriam told Ken that after Harper finished with their dressing changes, they had doctor appointments and then they were going out to buy a new mattress for their bedroom since the other one was ruined.

The two high school students were in high spirits that morning. They talked about looking forward to the football game that Friday night as something new and exciting to do. ‘Dad’ Ken remembered back to when he was in high school and knew that those games were a ‘rite of passage’ of high school. He hoped the boys would have a fun time with their friends, but would also watch the game.

Mr. Ken and Matthew departed The Cove for the courthouse before Mr. Chris arrived for work. Mr. Wayne was taking the morning off. Harper Young, the med tech, wouldn’t be there to change the Goldersons’ dressings until ten and Mr. Dennis wouldn’t be there until eleven. Momma Maria was holding down the fort alone.

At the courthouse, the ADA sat down with Matthew and told him that he was doing very well against his mom’s lawyer and to not let him get under his skin. The lawyer told the youngster if the question wasn’t clear, to ask him to repeat it, and if there were multiple questions to ask him to ask them one at a time.

When court reconvened, the defense lawyer had a big grin on his face. He knew he had gotten Matthew to lash out when the boy took off his shirt to show everyone his back. Now he was going to try to crush the boy with repeated questions designed to confuse him, so he didn’t know where he was.

Matthew was a bit nervous sitting on the witness stand. His mom kept staring at him with those same ‘I’m going to kill you’ eyes she had when they were in the restroom closet at Doctor Doug’s office building.

When the defense lawyer asked his first question, Matthew was so focused on his mom he didn’t respond. The judge had to call out to him to get his attention. The boy apologized to the judge and then looked back to his mom. The judge saw what the Cover had done and realized there was something going on there between them.

The defense lawyer thanked the judge for getting the witness’s attention and then began asking his questions. The man started slow, but soon began asking his questions quicker and quicker trying to trip up Matthew. Then he began asking confusing and multiple questions, but Matthew was ready for him.

Matthew began to ask him “Would you repeat that? It sounded like you asked four or five questions and I don’t know which ones you wanted me to answer.”

The lawyer asked the judge to have the witness answer his questions.

The judge had the court recorder repeat what the lawyer asked and had them stop after the first question was asked. Matthew answered it and then the judge had the court recorder continue. It went on that way until all the questions were answered.

The lawyer tried that a few times and every time he did Matthew asked him to repeat each question one at a time slowing down his attempt to confuse his witness and trip up the Cover.

Eventually, Matthew had had enough and got upset and told the lawyer, “My mom never protected me from her boyfriend. If my mom ever loved me, she would have left Lincoln, but he was always giving her drugs and when they did drugs, I never ate well and that’s when Lincoln beat me.

“I never had good clothes to wear and we hardly ever washed them and she never enrolled me to go to school. We moved around a lot all summer and I never knew why. But I bet it was because Lincoln and his friends … that they were robbing places. Weren’t they mom? Like they tried just before Christmas. Right, MOM?” now yelled Matthew.

Grace Turnsten’s lawyer was beside himself and asked the judge to tell the witness to stop talking about things not in evidence. The judge asked Matthew to only answer the questions the lawyer asked.

Matthew told the judge that when his mom had him in that closet when she tried to kidnap him, she told him she would kill him when they got back together again, if he made any noise so they could find him.

The boy also told the judge that his mom told him that Lincoln was very pissed at him for telling someone about what he did to him, and that he shouldn’t have talked to anyone when they dropped him off at the miniature golf course at Four Corners where he was found by Lieutenant Fischer and his foster dad, Mr. Ken Thomas.

Matthew then dropped a bombshell on the court when he told the judge, “My mom told me not to yell when she had me in that closet. She told me that if I did that … that when we were finally together again, I was DEAD! She even spelled out the word D E A D and then called me a piece of shit and then she slapped me.”

The defense lawyer started complaining right away that everything the witness said was hearsay and should be stricken from the record. The judge told the lawyer that what the witness said wasn’t hearsay, as he was there and it was said to him directly from the accused, his own mother.

The lawyer asked for a ten-minute recess which was granted.

‘Dad’ Ken hugged Matthew for taking it to the defense lawyer. He told the boy how proud he was of him and that he knew he could push through this as his ‘brothers’ had. The ADA came over to the Cover and thanked the boy for being so up front and forward and taking it directly to the man who was trying so hard to trip him up.

When the judge came back into the courtroom, the defense lawyer said he had no more questions for the witness. The ADA asked the judge if the witness could be excused from the court, as he was out of school and needed to return. The defense lawyer said he had no objections.

Mr. Ken took Matthew to DQ to celebrate. They both got banana splits and then they talked about the trial and the boy’s perspective of what he felt as he was on the stand. Matthew said he really didn’t want to do that again, but knew he would have to when those men went on trial for their attempted robbery last Christmas.

‘Dad’ Ken told his ‘son’ that, now that he knew what to expect, the next trial would be much easier on him. The man also asked Matthew not to let the trial define him, and to push this experience behind him, until he needed to, at which time he had to testify once again.

Matthew enjoyed his one-on-one time with his foster dad. With seven boys in the house, he knew that Mr. Ken was spread thin for time and his projects were taking up more and more of his available time, so he was making the best of that period with his ‘dad’. The two got back to The Cove in time for lunch.

Momma was happy to see her niño. She hugged him and told him to sit so she could feed him. Then while the Covers who were there ate, Matthew told them about the trial. Mr. Ken added how the boy took it to his mom’s lawyer and told him what she did to him and that she told him she would kill him if he yelled out to let people know where he was in the closet.

Mr. Ken told them how the lawyer quickly asked for a recess and then after that had no more questions for Matthew. The owner of The Cove then said the ADA told the judge that Matthew was away from school and asked that he be excused for the rest of the trial so he could return to his classes, and the judge granted that request.

After lunch, Matthew decided not to go back to school, so he and Chief went outside and checked out the new beverage machine and then the youngster rode his skateboard.

Mr. Ken called Ms. Jackie and asked her to come to The Cove tomorrow so they could begin to box up files to take to the new office. But Ms. Jackie told him he needed to get his office layout established first before he began moving things and then not until he knew where he was going to put them.

Ms. Jackie suggested they meet at the office and plan where his desk, and other office furniture like guest chairs and file cabinets and if he’d have his own coffee machine cabinet, would go and how he would interact with his secretary. She also asked him what type of phone system he had planned for his office and if he was going to have the phones active in the conference room. Mr. Ken decided they would meet at ten tomorrow at the new building.

Mr. Ken’s next call was to Mary Taylor. When she came to the phone, he asked her if she and the woman she contracted to outfit the new offices could be at the office building tomorrow at ten. He told her he had questions and they all needed to get on the same page. She agreed to call her contact and meet him at ten tomorrow.

While Mr. Ken was on the phone, a call came in from his lawyer, Bill Jackson. Mr. Chris took the call and told the man he’d have his employer call him as soon as he was finished. When Mr. Ken returned his lawyer’s call, Mr. Wayne was in the Study then, Mr. Dennis was taking Bill to see Doctor Doug, so he put the call on speaker so the Estate Master could hear the conversation.

“Bill, what do you have for me?” asked Mr. Ken.

“Ken, I heard back from George Bush Intercontinental. They want me to offer you, meaning the adults, $125,000.00 each, and the boys, $50,000.00, each. Personally, I think this is a very good offer and then we can move on. If we don’t accept this it could be upwards of three to five years before we even go to trial,” explained Bill Jackson.

“Wayne … what do you think? You ready to pay off your student loans?” chuckled Mr. Ken.

Wayne asked about Collin and if he would be considered an adult and, if so, shouldn’t he be asked if the amount is acceptable to him. Mr. Ken said he had to agree with what Wayne asked and told Bill he had to call Collin and then he’d get back to him, but that he did agree to those terms himself.

Mr. Ken then told Bill he would want to set up Trust Funds for the boys. He explained he didn’t want them to have access to the money, or any future guardian, until they were at least eighteen, as he did with Robert’s funds from his parents and that media station last year. Bill said he knew exactly what he meant and asked him who would be the trustees. Mr. Ken said, with a smile, he hoped Wayne and Chris would accept that responsibility.

When Mark came home from school, Mr. Ken told him he could invite his two friends to The Cove, but since it was late, the foster dad asked the boy if he would want to call them before dinner. Mark got a big smile on his face and agreed they should do that.

Mr. Ken pulled out the paper with the two boy’s names on it and called their homes. When the phones were answered he explained who he was and why he was calling. The people on the other end were perplexed at first, but after a few more minutes of explanation, and the boys also being there to help explain, it was agreed their sons could come over to The Cove on Saturday around eleven.

Mr. Ken explained to the parents that their sons should bring their skateboards, swimsuits and towels, and that they would be fed hamburgers and/or hot dogs during a late afternoon lunch. He explained that their boys would have soccer, swimming, a Skate Park and other things to keep them busy. He added that all of his ‘boys’ friends left the estate by six o’clock, though, and they should plan to pick them up by then.

Mr. Ken then remembered Mark had a soccer game and quickly asked him what time it was. Learning it was at eleven, he asked the parents to bring their sons over at 12:30, so Mark could be there to greet them after his soccer game.

It was Charles’ turn to see the dentist that Thursday, and Mr. Dennis had taken him there. One of the things that the dentist wanted to determine was if the teenager needed braces. The dentist had wished Mr. Ken would have come with him so they could have discussed the possibility and what they would need to do over the next few weeks to get Charles prepared for them.

Charles told the doctor that his foster dad was super busy with his businesses right now, but that Mr. Wayne had the authority to make that sort of decision and he’d make sure he came next week with him. The dentist said that would be OK with him and for Charles to be ready for a number of appointments before he gets his braces.

After dinner that night, Mr. Ken talked about the trial some, and that Matthew would be going to school with his ‘brothers’ tomorrow. He told them Mark would have two new school friends at The Cove on Saturday. ‘Dad’ Ken then asked Robert and Billy if they found rides to the football games tomorrow night.

Robert said that Logan’s older sister said she’d drive them there and pick them up afterwards. The teen’s dad asked who else was going with him, and Robert said that Eric, Brad, Gordon, Chuck, Trevor, and Cody were also going to be there.

Mr. Ken asked Bill if any of his friends were going. The teen said that Lonnie’s dad was going to pick him up and bring him home if that was OK with him, and all he needed to do was tell Lonnie at school tomorrow. Mr. Ken said that sounded like a plan.

Then Billy told Mr. Ken that he thinks he made a new friend at school and would like to invite him over on Saturday. The teen said that he, Lonnie and Gabe have been talking to this new student the past few days because he looked lost and no one was bothering to get to know him.

Billy said the teen was an exchange student from Germany and his name was Gus, Gustaff Dodenhoffer and that he had his host family’s home phone number and he was sorry for not asking sooner, but he wasn’t sure until today.

Mr. Ken asked for the student’s host family’s name and phone number and he told Bill that he’d try to text him by lunchtime with his answer. Billy thanked his foster dad for at least considering letting Gus come to The Cove.

Mr. Ken then reminded the boys about his moving his Study office to the office building and that he would be meeting Ms. Jackie there tomorrow to start that process. The ‘dad’ also reminded Robert that he and Eric needed to cut the grass that weekend.

‘Dad’ Ken told the boys that he expected about 300 people at the Labor Day Picnic and they needed to be great hosts and should talk to their guests. He reminded them that beginning that Thursday night after the Picnic he has his meeting with his amusement park operators and he will be staying out at the Lakeside Hotel until Sunday, and that Mr. Wayne would be in charge.

He also told the boys that since they don’t have additional seating up at the Pavilion, other than under it and those concrete benches, he and Mr. Wayne had looked to see what they could do to remedy that. He explained they had that capability at the Patio, but if they are going to use the Pavilion for their picnics, he now needed something there for seating and extra tables.

‘Dad’ Ken told the boys that after the Picnic he would have Mr. Wayne contact the builder who constructed the Pavilion and get him to give them a proposal to build at least a matching 10-foot x 12-foot storage building and expand the concrete footprint to allow for expanded seating and serving space.

‘Dad’ Ken then asked the boys why they hadn’t given him any ideas of what he could use to make the concrete benches softer. Robert hid behind Charles when his dad looked over to him. The teen said that none of them ever used them, so he didn’t think it was important. The teen’s dad told him to make it a priority for next time.

The next item on Mr. Ken’s agenda was his telling the boys that he would be gone towards the end of September for five days. He reminded them he had already told them he needed to review the amusement parks’ fall and winter plans, but mainly where they plan to site their new ride for next year. There were a few groans from the boys upon hearing he would be gone.

Robert asked his dad if he was inviting Kate and her sons to the Picnic. The man blushed at the question and said he hadn’t yet, but would talk to her this weekend and see if she would want to be a part of that big of a crowd. He told them that she might feel out of place and maybe on display because she wouldn’t know anyone but them and Mr. Levi.

Mr. Ken then told the boys he had some good news for some of them.

“Boys … remember when we had that wonderful experience on that airplane last Christmas as we returned from our visit to my amusement parks?” began ‘dad’ Ken.

“Well, I heard from Bill Jackson, my lawyer, today. I don’t know if you knew or not, but I decided to take the airport to task for the way they treated, well, didn’t treat us that day after the in-flight emergency. Anyway … Bill Jackson, my lawyer, he called to tell me the airport offered to settle our disagreement by sending a few dollars your way,” chuckled ‘dad’ Ken.

“How many is a few dollars, dad?” asked Charles, with the other boys excitedly talking to one another about what that meant in the background, as well.

“Boys, settle down. OK, here’s the deal. I told Mr. Jackson to accept the deal they offered because … because if we didn’t, it … it could take another three to five years to even go to trial and then … and then we might not get anything like what they offered.

“So … so the George Bush Intercontinental Airport has offered each of you, other than Bill and Mark, since you weren’t with us at the time, and Eric of course, as he was, … drumroll please … fifty thousand dollars … each.”

Mr. Ken let that sink in as the boys jumped around and hugged one another and laughed and couldn’t believe that they would have all that money. The Golderson’s couldn’t believe it either, and they also didn’t understand why the boys were receiving all that money. But they figured they would get the story soon enough.

“OK, boys, settle down. Here’s what will happen to your money. I will let you have a few dollars to spend when we go on trips or for Christmas presents or for something you really want to have and that your mean old ‘dad’ won’t buy for you.” The boys all laughed.

“But the bulk of it, mind you, will be placed into a Trust Fund instrument that will only be available to you when you turn eighteen. This is for your benefit and safety. I want to make sure that if one of your relatives comes to claim you, they cannot access that money. Only the trustees can distribute the monies for specific reasons like school or medical care if you are no longer living with me,” explained ‘dad’ Ken

“‘Dad’ … how … how much money will you let us have?” asked a curious Kyle.

“Well … I was thinking of … maybe five hundred dollars … each,” replied ‘dad’ Ken. “Will that work for you boys?”

The boys all smiled and the younger ones said it was. Then Matthew asked if they could tell their friends. Mr. Ken looked over to Mr. Wayne for his take. All the Estate Master did was shrug his shoulders putting the onus back on the foster dad.

Mr. Ken thought about it for a few moments and then told the boys, “Yeah, what the heck. Tell your friends that because of that in-flight emergency you are each getting $50,000.00. But don’t forget to tell them that I am putting it away in a Trust Fund that you can’t get to until you are eighteen.”

With nothing more to say, the boys headed up to their rooms. Of course, Robert had to call Eric about the money. Ms. Judy knew about it, but she hadn’t told her son yet. She wanted to wait until Mr. Ken told his ‘boys’ and now that Robert was telling Eric she would fill the blanks. Eric was ecstatic over his bounty and now he had a good chunk of college money.

The other Cover boys texted their close friends about the money they were going to get and their friends couldn’t believe they were getting all that money. The Covers said they’d explain it to them at school tomorrow.

The Goldersons asked Ken if he would tell them about the in-flight emergency and what happened. Mr. Ken told them what happened that fateful day and how the airport bungled their treatment. The man said he was thoroughly peeved at the airport’s management and how they didn’t even care about giving them cursory medical care or even give them any updates as to where their luggage was and when they would be released to go home.

Later that night when Mr. Ken stopped by Charles’ room, the teen told his dad about the dentist wanting to put braces on him. The teen explained that he told the dentist that Mr. Wayne could make that decision and he’d be with him next week when he goes back. Dad Ken hugged Charles and told his son he was sorry for not being there today. The man said he had totally forgotten that the dentist wanted to talk about braces for him.

Charles told his dad it was OK and that he knew how busy he was right now with everything he had going on. The teen told his dad that he would have a number of appointments before the braces went on and maybe he could go to one of those. Mr. Ken hugged the boy one more time and then went on to the next boy.

It was a busy day for Ken Thomas and he was happy when he finally fell into his bed that night. It was another quiet night in The Cove.

Matthew was a happy boy that Friday morning at breakfast, knowing he didn’t have to go to the courthouse. Mr. Ken could tell and he was happy for the boy. The man did know that sometime in the future the boy would have to testify again at the trial of the men who tried to rob the armored truck, but that was many months away.

Levi and Miriam were down for breakfast so they could see their son off to school. Mark asked his dad when he would be going back to work and the man said that next week he would start going in for half days and then as soon as his doctor approved, he’d go back full time.

Levi then addressed Ken and asked him if next Wednesday was a good day to have his meeting with the investors. The banker said that the men asked for an eleven o’clock luncheon and meeting and that the Lakeside Hotel was a good choice. Mr. Ken said he’d put it on his calendar.

As the younger Cover boys were leaving for school, the older ones were just getting up. Robert told Billy, while they were in the shower, that he liked getting up later because at least the sun was up. Both boys laughed.

Both high school students said good morning to their ‘dad’ and Robert gave his dad a hug before sitting down to breakfast. Mr. Ken asked them what time they were going to the football game. Robert said the game started at 7:30 and Logan said his sister would pick him up at the Main Gate about six thirty. Billy said he was being picked up about the same time. Mr. Ken told the boys to make sure they had their coins.

Billy told Mr. Ken that he used, well that Mark used his coin during the home invasion, and that he hadn’t replaced it yet. Mr. Ken told Bill to remind him when he returned from school and he’d give him a new one so he had one. Billy smiled, thanked him and went back to eating.

After breakfast Miriam asked Levi if he knew anything about the coin that Ken talked about. She told him that Mark made reference to Billy’s coin when he visited her in the hospital and said it was some sort of keepsake or lucky charm. Levi said he saw Billy’s coin in his bedroom and was told it was a special coin Mr. Ken gave him, but that he didn’t know anything more about it and he hadn’t heard any of the boys talking about them, ever.

Miriam wondered if there was something special about the coins. She speculated that Mark told her that Billy told him to go back into the Safe Room and wait for Mr. Ken to come and not to come out until he did. She added that she wondered what her son would have done if Ken hadn’t ever shown up. She said there had to be something about the coin that Ken was allowed to go in and get their son from the home. Levi said they probably would never know.

After Mr. Ken got ready for the day, he called Jules Diamond with the name of the high school exchange student’s host family’s name and their phone number and asked him to give him a quick rundown. He explained the boy was from Germany and Bill wanted to ask him over that weekend and this was just a formality.

At school that morning, the younger Cover boys were inundated with questions about their new found wealth. Matthew couldn’t contain himself that he would have $50,000.00 all to himself when he turned eighteen. The other boys asked the Covers why they couldn’t spend it now. Kevin told them that Mr. Ken is putting it away in a Trust Fund for them, so that if they ever have to go live with a relative, they can’t get to the money and waste it on themselves.

Other students wanted to hear about the in-flight emergency again. Matthew didn’t want to talk about it, but Kyle didn’t mind telling the story. And, when Kyle did, he made it sound like the world was coming to an end with all the smoke inside the cabin and masks coming down from the ceiling. Then he told how the plane headed down to a lower altitude where they could breathe. Then the Cover told the students how the fire trucks raced alongside the plane as it came to a stop on the runway at the Houston airport.

Mr. Dan Chassen, the 8th grade science and substitute physical education teacher, was nearby and heard the story of the money and the repeat of the emergency. He was happy for the boys that Mr. Thomas was able to get some kind of monetary compensation for them for the ordeal they had to endure. Unbeknownst to him, the money came from the airport for the way they were treated after they were taken into a secluded area, for a very long period of time, without medical attention or sustenance.

Mark’s new school friends, Bryson Walshton and Preston Divardly, couldn’t contain themselves that they were going to be at The Cove on Saturday. The other students were disappointed that they weren’t invited as well. But Mark told them that he was only allowed to invite two friends at a time and Bryson and Preston were chosen first.

The students asked what they could get to do and were surprised when Mark told them that they had a full-sized soccer field, water toys, the Cove Skate Park, and an indoor swimming pool if it got too cold to swim in the cove and that the lifeguards can pull them on the water tube behind the Jet Ski. Mark told them that his ‘brother’s and their friends would also cook hamburgers and hot dogs during the afternoon to feed them, and they also got to come back on Sunday.

At the high school, Billy told Gus that he should know by lunchtime if he could come over that weekend. Billy was upbeat, though, and told Gus that he never knew of anyone not being allowed to come over. Gus liked hearing that.

Robert and his friends were talking, before the first bell, about how they had, so far, survived their first week of high school and figured they could get through without much trouble. They then began talking about going to their first football game later that night. They all agreed where they’d meet inside the stadium since they were all arriving in different cars.

Just before Mr. Ken was headed over to the office building to meet up with Ms. Jackie and Mary Taylor, he received a phone call from Amy Ozarker, his lawyer out near his Crystal lake Amusement Park. The lawyer called to tell him that at last night’s Commissioner’s Court Meeting the commissioner’s voted 7 – 0 to go ahead with the 5-lane highway project that would run past his amusement park.

Amy told him she thought that with the election just around the corner and with two of the commissioner’s up for reelection and their opponents running a strong race against them, they had to figure their voting to move forward with the project would garner them votes. Mr. Ken laughed at that and told her he would be out that way the last week of September, or the first week of October, and would meet with her and Kate about the contracts.

Mr. Ken did tell his lawyer that the highway wasn’t a done deal until the commissioners and highway department signed the contracts, so their vote could just be a distraction that the four men against the highway could rescind later on. He told Amy to have those running against the commissioners make that an election issue in their radio ads and to press it home that those men can’t be trusted, which was why they are opposing them. Amy said she understood.

Mr. Ken met Ms. Jackie and Mary Taylor and her contract friend, Melanie, at the new office building. Mr. Ken’s main concern was the placement of the new furniture and he wanted them to work with Jackie. He also wanted to know if Melanie had coordinated with all of his other business interests that would be moving into the building.

Melanie said she had, but they all had their own ideas of where their offices should be. The woman said that some of them wanted to be on different floors because of the type of businesses they were.

Mr. Ken asked her to tell him where they wanted to be. Melanie told him his Real Estate and Travel Groups wanted to be located on the first floor for walk in business. That the Restaurant & Games and Hotel/Motel Groups wanted to be on the second floor and the rest didn’t really care where they were.

Mr. Ken asked her what it would take to rearrange the offices to fit their requirements and get them outfitted with phone and internet lines. Melanie told him that she could have the offices reset up by the end of next week if they were there to show them how they wanted it or at least gave her a working outline. She added that if they wanted to change where the separate office walls were, then the construction company would require additional time to move them.

Melanie explained that it would then take at least another two to three weeks to get the phone and internet lines wired to the desks, if not longer if he was going to install his own mainframe for interconnectivity between all of his Groups.

Mr. Ken thought about the problem for a few moments and then told Melanie to go ahead and do what the individual businesses wanted. He said it was best they had what they wanted and this way any problems were of their own making. He added that they would have their own computer systems and any interconnectivity would be over the internet as everyone else did.

Mr. Ken then asked Mary Taylor and Melanie to work with Jackie to set up his office, his secretary’s office and the conference room. He told them he wanted a separate room for Jackie as his Projects Manager and it should be located in a way that it was off the secretary’s office and his. Mr. Ken then explained what he had in mind for his Three Finger Entertainment Group, where he wanted it located and how big it would eventually become.

Mr. Ken then called the managers of all of his different business interests and told them how he wanted them to work with Melanie and Mary Taylor to get their offices moved to the new building and up and running by mid-September. He explained he approved where they wanted to be located and they could modify the spaces, but within reason.

He told Jackie to do her magic on his office as she saw how his Study was set up so she had a good idea what he liked. He told her Mary Taylor decorated his entire home and also knew his tastes so to defer to her if there was any question. He left the women to begin the job of getting his business empire up and running.

On the way home, Mr. Ken heard from Jules Diamond and got a good report on the host family, so he stopped to text Billy, that he could invite Gus over to The Cove. The morning was only half over and Mr. Ken felt like he’d already put in a full day.

When Mr. Ken arrived home, Mr. Chris gave him a note that Stewart Russell called about Vivian Parker’s sentencing. Mr. Ken went immediately to his Study to call the lawyer to learn what the outcome was. When he heard what the judge gave the twin’s mom, for not protecting her sons from her husband, her part in Parker Parchsons hosting sexual parties between men and young boys, and partaking in all the money he earned from such activities, he wasn’t pleased she got such a short sentence. He figured it must have been because she had decided to testify against her husband.

After lunch, Mr. Ken sat down with his three employees and they discussed the upcoming Picnic. This was the first time Mr. Dennis was involved in this type of discussion and all he did was sit back and listen.

Mr. Ken asked Chris if the menu was set with the caterer. Mr. Chris said that barbequed chicken breasts along with pulled pork and the standard hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, Cole slaw and the fixings would be served.

Mr. Ken asked that the podium be set up as he wanted to make a farewell speech to the Goldersons and present them with their own coins and keychain and make them ‘Honorary’ Covers. He then pulled out a coin for Bill and placed it on his desk to remind him to activate it and then give it to the teen later. He then asked Chris if his friend could make more of the keychains for him for Christmas.

Mr. Ken told the men that he had a luncheon meeting at eleven over at the Lakeside Hotel next Wednesday to discuss the marina project, so they should not plan on his being around that day. He also said the plans for the linear park were coming along and he hoped they would be approved and that project would get underway after the Holidays. He added that he hoped they would have the additional twelve parking spaces approved and they would be in place by the Holidays, as well.

Mr. Chris told the men he was going to visit the three high schools next week to inspect their vocational training programs to determine if they even have one that would make them eligible to participate. Mr. Chris also suggested that the teams build a group of Christmas presents that are at least six feet high and four feet wide with lights, bows and ribbons. Mr. Ken liked that idea.

When the twins came home from school, Mr. Ken pulled them aside and took them into the Study, with Mr. Wayne, and closed the door. When they were seated, he told them that their mom had been sentenced that morning.

‘Dad’ Ken told them that their mom, Vivian, had received a sentence of twelve to fifteen years in prison for her part in not protecting Kevin and helping their father, Parker, with his money-making scheme. He told them she could be out in ten to twelve years for good behavior, but that they should be in their twenties by then and well into manhood.

With tears in his eyes, Kevin asked if they would be able to visit their parents. Mr. Ken told the twins that if at any time they wanted to visit Parker or Vivian all they needed to do was let him or Mr. Wayne know and they would set it up. Mr. Ken did ask them to wait for a few months until their parents were settled where they were going to be living and many of his projects had settled down as well.

Robert and Billy had to hurry up and eat their dinner that evening as they had to be up at the Main Gate to catch their rides to the football game. They were both looking forward to doing something totally new for them both.

Mr. Ken did hold his after dinner meeting with the remaining boys. He reviewed the upcoming agenda items as he always does. He did remind the boys that there would be two new boys at The Cove tomorrow, Bryson Walshton and Preston Divardly, Mark’s friends, and they should try to meet them. ‘Dad’ Ken told everyone the boys would be there at about 12:30 because Mark had a soccer game and wouldn’t be home until about then.

‘Dad’ Ken then told them that Bill had a new friend coming to The Cove and he would be there at about eleven and they should make the time to meet him, as well.

Mr. Ken then said he’d already asked Bill to see about getting the boys to help clean the Pavilion benches, tables and floor as well as the restrooms sometime that weekend so they are clean for the Picnic. He added the teenager would move the power washer up there tomorrow so it was there and ready for them to use when they were ready.

‘Dad’ Ken then told the boys that his move to the new office building might be delayed until later in September because of some glitches to moving the rest of his empire there. He told them it wasn’t something to worry about and that eventually he would be working from his new office.

Charles then asked his dad if they would ever get to see his new apartment on the top of the office building. The teen’s dad said that with everything going on, he would ask them to wait until at least after his meeting with his amusement park operators, but he wanted them to see it and that he hoped they could spend at least one night there and enjoy it and the wading pool.

Miriam didn’t know about the apartment at the top of the office building and she asked Levi if he knew about it. Levi told her Ken had shown it to him right after he began living here. The woman’s husband told her he would explain it all to her when they went to bed later.

After their meeting, the boys were sent up to their rooms then Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne went up to say goodnight to them. In Mark’s room, where Mr. Ken started as he usually did, the youngest Cover thanked him for allowing his two new friends to come over tomorrow.

Mr. Ken reminded Mark that they could also come over on Sunday and he could invite them to the Picnic, but that after the Picnic they needed to know that when he moves home, they wouldn’t be allowed to come back. Mark said he understood and that he wished he was staying longer. Mr. Ken told him his parents better not hear him say that. Mark laughed and said he wouldn’t. The two hugged and Mr. Ken moved on to the next Cover boy.

Even though they were riding in separate vehicles, Robert and Billy returned from their football game at about the same time, 10:30. They thanked the person who brought them home and then told either Logan or Lonnie they’d see them tomorrow and then the two Covers walked down to the house together.

When the teenagers entered the home it was eerily quiet, as ‘dad’ Ken was already in his private retreat getting ready for bed. But the man knew it was them as the home alarm system beeped in his bedroom telling him someone entered through one of the doorways.

Mr. Ken went out to the Foyer to meet the teens and talk to them before they went up to bed. They thanked him for letting them go to the game and that they wanted to go to the next home game too, as it was more fun than they ever thought it could be. He told them they would have to talk about it more tomorrow. The man hugged them both and then sent them to bed.’

But before Billy went upstairs, he thanked Mr. Ken for letting his new friend come over tomorrow and for doing that for him. He kiddingly told his foster dad that he would show Gus how to use the power washer as a welcoming gesture. Mr. Ken laughed at hearing that.

Robert also told his dad that he and Eric would start cutting the field and doing the trimming tomorrow and he would watch the field during the week and would do any touch up if need be. The teen’s dad thanked him for thinking that far in advance and the two hugged and the man sent both teens up to their rooms

‘Dad’ Ken then headed back to his own private retreat to relax before going to bed. He spent some time thinking about the past week and what was in store for the coming week and he knew his plate was overflowing.

Mr. Ken finally relaxed enough that in the end he fell asleep. The Cove was quiet that entire night.


The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhound at CastleRoland dot Net

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Three Finger Cove Book 7: Mark

By Chowhound

Completed

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54