by Gavin Green
Chapter 10
Keller's lone bark announced Kate's homecoming, as usual. She came in, hands full, and found Brody in the office. He stopped his perusal of the paperwork concerning the newly acquired properties when she came in. Kate thanked him once again for the gifts, and then made it very clear that she planned on eating the pizza she brought home, unlike the last one.
They made their way to the kitchen for their boxed meal as the dogs followed expectantly behind them. After short dialogues and simpler topics were touched upon, Brody explained the most interesting event of his day.
Finished with her meal, Kate studied Brody's ancestry data while he, between bites of pepperoni and sausage, told about the conversation with Simon Rike. He finished up the story after eating his fill, leaving the remaining few slices for leftovers.
While Kate doled out meals for the dogs, Brody said, "The weird thing is, I kinda believe him."
Kate took his hand and led him back to the office. On the way, she offered, "Let me just play devil's advocate. Is it that you do believe him, or is it because he's possibly related that you want to believe? It’s a subtle but important difference."
Brody sat in an office chair, Kate in the other, facing him. "No, I think I really do believe him. Simon was pretty straightforward, and he gave some details that'd be tough to dig up on the internet. I guess the main thing is, he was sort of reluctant to tell me, not like those UFO nuts who go running to the press."
"And you don't think he was off his nut in any way?"
"No, I really don't." Brody reclined in his chair. "He came off clear and reasonable… He even expected me to doubt him. He almost sounded embarrassed. And unlike when Amy called him, Simon sounded perfectly sober to me; he explained that he did get hammered now and then."
Kate propped an elbow on the desk and her chin in her palm. "I suppose, if we're to believe him, I'd get rat-arsed occasionally myself, in his place."
Brody agreed with a thoughtful nod. "And the thing that I noticed, the thing that kinda bothered me… He seemed sad, down-deep sad."
Her now-bare foot rubbed on his knee. "And could that be why you believe the story? Is it that your big heart overrode common sense and felt bad for him?"
A frown appeared on his shaven face while his big hands rubbed her foot. "Kate, the only thing I have going for me is common sense. I'm no genius, but I'm also not a fool. I felt for Simon because he seemed genuine and kinda old-fashioned, like your dad, and we just, well, got along from the start. It bugs me to see decent people hurting." Brody tweaked her little toe. "And you have a soft heart, too, so that argument won't work."
Kate pulled her foot back, but slowly offered the other for him to rub. "Of course I do. I'm just a dainty gal, so I'm supposed to have a soft heart. But don't worry, love, I'll save your reputation and let you be the big, tough man." She gave a mischievous grin. "It'll be a high price to be paid to let it slip what a teddy bear you are."
Brody, rubbing her foot with both hands, smiled back. The look faded a bit when he asked, "So what do you think about this whole Simon thing?"
There was a few seconds of silence. "Do you know what I'm reminded of?" He raised his eyebrows in curiosity at her question. "Remember when we did all that searching for answers or comparative information after the 'bad day'?" It was Brody and Kate's phrase for the day of the Wagner's, Cora's kidnapping, and the Other Crowd. "I recall reading about faerie abductions, where they'd take a human back with them for a time. I know it was just fable, but what if that was because no one believed the victim in the old days? They just passed it off as storytelling."
"Hmm, that would certainly explain his story. Then again, so would being abducted by a UFO, or just being completely insane."
"But you don't believe those last two, do you?"
"Not the insane part, no, but aliens? We've both seen enough wild shit not to discount anything. Hell, maybe aliens are actually the Other Crowd for all we know. All I'm sure of is that I liked the guy, and feel pretty confident that we're somehow related."
Kate pulled her foot off his thigh and sat up straighter. She knew that the Wagner's were disowned in Brody's mind, and rightfully so. He did feel pity for the youngest, Ben, but had gathered disrespect for his lack of willpower or backbone to attempt an escape from the situation. "Then I think you have a cousin, one you might be proud to call as such, no matter his history."
Brody grinned wide. "Yeah, I guess I do, don't I?"
Kate smiled with him as she reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. She looked back to the desk and arranged the papers she brought from work. "I have that list you asked for, for the families who fell behind in payments."
They went over the informal information together; discussing the people they belonged to and amount of debt. The couple then weighed the variables of sums owed against the number of families in need of assistance. Kate typed up a concluding listing of names and numbers with final tallies. She printed it out and handed the sheet to Brody. He gave it a cursory glance and then handed it back.
Kate looked at him curiously. "Is there a problem?"
"Nope, it all looks good to me."
Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "You said the amount was acceptable; I think it's quite generous; exorbitantly so, actually. But this is what you wanted, so why are you handing it back? Do I need to change something?"
With a serene smile, Brody replied, "I think you should take care of this, let you feel the rush of being able to help someone out. You could even send them all the letters, saying how their balance was anonymously paid off. What better way to go for your last day at work?"
She thought about it for a moment; picturing her last meeting with that gobshite Aiden McNally, and helping people - many of whom she knew well enough - to take that heavy weight off of them. A grin formed on her pretty face. "I'll pay what I can with our joint account. Thank you again, by the way. But you'll need to cover the rest for the amounts we're talking about."
"I'm pretty sure your new bank card can cover it, darlin'."
"It can?"
"Uh, yeah; didn't you check the balance?"
Kate looked sheepish. "Well... no, I didn't think to, not until I go shopping with it this Saturday while I'm out with mam and Alana."
Brody got up and kissed the top of her head. "There's enough to cover that list, and for your shopping, even if you splurge." He gave her shoulder a soft massaging squeeze as Kate looked at the printed list. He then he strolled out of the office, pleased on many fronts.
"Where are you going? That felt good," she called out.
"Before I have to sit through that chick-flick you borrowed from Jane, I'm gonna call my cousin back."
