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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 19, 2019 22:41:10 GMT -5
"Not much, I'm afraid... I'm not entirely sure where to begin with all the unanswered questions" Sallis explained.
"What is this place anyway?" Gunnarson asked.
"The suspect was using it to lay low; and the paperwork checks out... no wonder no red flags went off, everything to purchase this place was handled smoothly and legally" Sallis explained.
"I see. Well; let's see what we can get out of him" Gunnarson declared as the trio went to the room where the suspect was in custody.
In the room, the suspect was handcuffed to a chair and the object in question was on the table. Gunnarson recognized it as the antique vase stolen from an art collector six months ago; it made headlines because of the bizarre nature of the crime; apparently witnesses saw a "gas-mask wearing hoodlum" hop out of a window with said vase, and bolt down the street. Despite his very distinct appearance, he seemed to just vanish without a trace and could not be found.
"How exactly was this procured?" Gunnarson asked.
"How else?" The suspect began, "Doux gave it to me, and I act as the middleman between him and the buyer; you can find a client for anything if you know where to look and who to talk to; simple arrangement, I sell, and take a cut of the profits" he declared.
"I see" Sallis replied. "Have you come into contact with him before?" Sallis asked.
"Sometimes... I'm one of the few people Doux will come to with... merchandise. And before you ask- no, I don't know his other clients" the suspect stated.
"I think I'm more concerned about the elephant in the room" Gunnarson said.
"Elephant?" Hartley asked, confused.
"Indeed. How does an associate of the One-Eyed Man like yourself... purchase a property like this without raising any red flags?" Gunnarson asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I had the best help available. The One-Eyed man gave me the loan... and the paperwork was arranged by the King of Property himself... Honest Jack" he finished.
"I should have known" Gunnarson grumbled as Sallis nodded.
"Who's Honest Jack?" Hartley asked, confused.
"A legend, much like the One-Eyed Man" Gunnarson explained. "He's been active since the early 1920s and is a very established criminal. Hartley, do you know how many crime lords there have been in London's history?" Gunnarson asked.
"Well... there was Harvey Preston and Edward Wade in the 1900s, Joseph Morris in the Mid-1920s, then The One-Eyed Man... Ryan O'Connor... Blade... Shadow, Napoleon and Lord Bury. So nine" Hartley finished. "But what does that have to do with Honest Jack?" he continued
"Correct. And I'm getting to that. Honest Jack is criminals' go-to for procuring property in the United Kingdom. No one knows who his is, or his real name for that matter, but his role is significant: We have evidence that his dealings go back to Morris' day, and every crime lord goes to him for matters of securing property for rackets, operations, bases, etc. If the rumors are to be believed, The One-Eyed Man arranged the loan for Blade to buy the mines for his operation, but it was Honest Jack who handled "the paperwork" and ensured the transactions ran smoothly." Gunnarson explained.
"So why didn't Blade betray him?" Hartley asked.
"If I had to guess- Blade saw value in Honest Jack's skills and would have preferred to have him around. In fact, there's another rumor going around about him" Gunnarson explained.
"What is it?" Sallis asked.
"... Honest Jack doesn't join any single organization; prefers to have as many clients as possible. Inversely, the crime lords of this city don't recruit him for that reason... they see him as too important to lose, so they keep him out of their operations for his safety. Apparently the one agreement Lord Bury, Napoleon, Shadow and The One-Eyed Man do have is that they will not fight each other within 8 blocks of Honest Jack's "office" for his own safety. He's that important" Gunnarson finished.
"I can see why... if Honest Jack were to be removed from the equation, criminals procuring property in the UK would suddenly become exponentially more visible" Sallis observed.
"... Guess the boss was onto something when he said "Jack's a brilliant man, but I can't make him a Spider's Web associate" to me the other night... I'm still not telling you where he is though; I'm not that stupid" the suspect sneered.
"We're not concerned about the One-Eyed Man or Honest Jack anyway" Gunnarson explained. "We just want Monsieur Doux. Tell us, where is he?" Gunnarson asked.
"Hell if I know... probably off preparing for another heist" the suspect said, appearing to not have much interest in the Frenchman.
......
The van pulled into a secure facility, as the grunts, Hawthorne and Doux stepped out of the vehicle.
"Why are we here?" Doux asked in confusion.
"I told you, didn't I? My employer wishes to have a word with you" Hawthorne grinned.
"When you said Lord Bury... are we talking the Lord Bury who's become talk of the underworld as of late? Been recruiting everyone from street gangs to lone wolf arsonists according to the rumors" Doux noted
"And everything in between" Hawthorne declared proudly. "Now get moving... the boss isn't one to keep waiting" Hawthorne declared as they started walking.
"Oh? And what is he going to do if I'm late? Throw a knife at me?" Doux quipped.
"Don't be absurd. Lord Bury doesn't need to throw knives... he has someone to do that for him" Hawthorne said, winking at a rather serious looking man as they got closer to the Boss' office.
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Post by Tug on Jun 29, 2019 1:41:10 GMT -5
As they opened the doors, Doux saw a rather intimidating man sitting in a chair behind a desk of the highest quality materials...
"Ah, you're the French 'Phantom Thief' that's peaked my interest, I have a task for you, think you can do it, oh you'll be properly compensated of course..." spoke the Leader of the Rippers without the slightest hint of pleasure in his voice...
"And if I refuse?" asked Doux
"Well, I have ways to make you reconsider... Many in fact, but I think you wouldn't want to see them..." smirked Bury
"Alright I'm in... So Monsieur, what exactly do you need me to do?" asked Doux
"Hawthorne, take Mr. Doux to Dr. Heathcliff, he'll be able to give him the details of what I need him to do..." beckoned Bury as the two thieves departed from his office, "Everything is falling into place, exactly how I need it to be..."
.....
As Gunnarson and Hartley left Sallis' residence, Hartley decided to tell Gunnarson something...
"Gunnarson, after everything that's happened recently, I think I would like to visit my brother's for a few hours before the train takes us back to London if that's okay with you..." spoke Hartley
"Fine with me Hartley, just make sure you don't miss the train..." replied Gunnarson as he decided to hail a taxi back to the station
"Will do Gunnarson" answered Hartley as he hailed his own taxi to whisk him away to his brother's place...
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Jun 29, 2019 22:55:08 GMT -5
During the ride Hartley couldn't help but think back to how things had been the past few days with Cricket. Even before she had been forced to leave their home in order to return to her father's residence, he couldn't help but feel troubled by how their relationship had been overall.
They seemed to disagree a bit over things that Hartley felt were very dear to him. Though he was certain they loved each other, even he couldn't help but be troubled by the fact that Cricket was dead against one thing Hartley always dreamed of becoming.
"But dear... I've always wanted to be a father... surely when the time comes and we wait a few more years..." Hartley began
"I'm sorry James... you know I love you, but I do not want to have children. I understand it's something you want, but I can't stand children" Cricket declared.
"Wait a minute... is that why you refuse to come with me when I visit my brother and his family?!" James asked, shocked.
Cricket stared for a few seconds, but ultimately did not answer the question.
......
"...I guess that's why even though we've shared a bed we haven't... ahem, "done the act" yet" Hartley said with a sigh. The taxi driver rounded a block and came to a stop at an intersection. Hartley saw that his house was just down the street... and Roger's was only a four-block walk away. He decided that he would go home and clear his mind before going to see Roger. "Driver... let me out here please... I think I will walk the rest of the way" he explained.
"Very well sir" the driver replied as he was paid and Hartley left. He came to his house and went inside. He tried calling Cricket again once he got to his phone.
"Hello?" Cricket said on the other end.
"Cricket, it's me, James" he began, but once again Cricket hung up straight away. His face fell as he went to his chair and sat down. Once again, his mind was haunted by their argument. "I truly do want to be a father... Roger and Sarah have been so happy these past few years and their children absolutely adore them" he said, then he looked over at his copy of Baleros and flipped towards the end, "even Michael and Nora are expecting any day now" he added.
And yet, Cricket remained firm in her decision that she had no interest in being a mother... "You are more than enough for me" she said at the end of that discussion; though to her credit she wasn't mean about it, more assuring than anything else.
"It's not fair... I've dreamed about it for years" he said. At last, he decided it was time to get going. "Roger's always been there for me... perhaps he can rest my mind" he decided. But just when he was about to go and leave... a knock was heard at his door. "That's odd... who would visit me at this hour?" he thought to himself. He proceeded to go and answer the door, and on the other side... was a woman. Something about her seemed familiar, and yet at the same time he couldn't quite place it.
"Hello, can I help you?" Hartley asked.
"Hello James... it has been a long time, hasn't it?" she said.
Hartley suddenly felt a light bulb go off in his head... that voice, he hadn't heard it in years. Was it possible? There was only one way to be certain, "Where did we share our first fish and chips together?" He asked cautiously.
"The White Rose pub; you insisted on it because it was "the best in all of London" and when I got my plate, you stopped me from eating and said "not without the malt Vinegar, Abby" she replied.
Hartley was almost taken off his feet at that response, "A-Abigail?!" he said in shock.
"Are... are you not happy to see me?" She said, beginning to look sad.
"No, not at all! I'm overjoyed to see you again after so long. It's just that, I thought you were dead" Hartley admitted.
"Me too; I got the letter and everything" Abigail explained.
"What letter?" Hartley asked, confused.
Abigail pulled a worn out piece of paper from her bag and showed it to Hartley. Reading it over, Hartley was shocked, "What the?! The department messed up! They should have said removed from the front, not died!" he declared.
"I don't understand..." Abigail began.
"I was sent home on account of an injury... I don’t like talking about too much”
"But why did you think I was dead?" Abigail asked.
"When I came home our house was bombed, and when I asked around apparently no one had seen you in weeks so I had no choice but to presume the worst had happened" Hartley admitted.
"I think we both need some clarification... we were dating for so long, only to be torn apart by forces beyond our control. I always hoped that you were alive and that we would meet again... I never expected it to be like this though" she admitted.
"We should probably start at the beginning... there's probably a lot of developments that will shock both of us" Hartley concluded. The two then proceeded to talk at Hartley's front door, while Ellen waited patiently by the fence
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Jul 29, 2019 21:49:14 GMT -5
Abigail and James must have spent at least an hour or so catching up over what had happened, and when James was just getting to what he was up to today, at last Ellen spoke up, "Mom, have we finally found Dad?" She asked.
"Who is this?" James asked as Ellen came up to them.
Abigail took a breath before finally explaining, "James... this is our daughter, Ellen" she said calmly, but proudly. James looked at Ellen, and saw it... she had his eyes and nose, but Abigail's hair and lips.
"Daughter? I... have a daughter?!" He exclaimed, with a strange mixture of shock and delight. Abigail nodded before standing up, "Any chance we can go for a walk? I think we all need it in order to clear our heads... and properly introduce Ellen to you" Abgail offered.
"I don't have anything else to do at the moment... all right, sounds good" Hartley nodded as he stood up. He went to get his coat before locking up his house and going down the street, and around the corner.
Across the way from Hartley's home, a figure looked up from his newspaper, "it seems that the time is just about right" he observed.
......
At the train station, Gunnarson was thinking over the case and how it was going. He just couldn't understand how the leads had dried up so quickly. His first case in weeks, and already he was at a dead end, and for such a prestigious client, no doubt. As he walked down the station, he couldn't help but notice something. A gentleman holding a long, thin package was stopped by a couple of police officers.
"I assure you, gentlemen, this here is nothing dangerous; it is just a prop for a stage show in the west end" he said.
"even so, we cannot be too careful. Just let us take a look and you can go on your way" the policemen explained.
"Surely this is too much" the gentleman declared.
Gunnarson inched closer, and then he saw it. One end of the object was exposed... it looked like the hilt of a knife of sorts. And the design... a design so distinct it was one that was easy to remember. A design he had only seen on one other knife.
"Officers! That man has a weapon! It's a knife!" Gunnarson shouted.
The officers looked confused for a moment, but the gentleman had a very observable look of panic in his face and looked like he was about to run away. But before he could even lift a foot.
"you're not going anywhere!" Gunnarson declared. He drew his revolver and pointed it right at the man, forcing him to go on his knees as the officers restrained his arms.
"And this time... I'm not letting anything make me drop this... it was hard enough getting it recovered" Gunnarson mumbled to himself. He then picked up the package and proceeded to unwrap it. He showed it to the officers, "gentlemen, I think you will recognize this" Gunnarson explained.
"Well I'll be... the stolen knife of Robert the Bruce! You sir, have a LOT of explaining to do" the lead officer said as the gentleman was handcuffed.
"Look I tell you I didn't steal it, I only bought it!" he said in his defense.
"From an auction?" Gunnarson asked
"N-no. Look, if I help you guys will you go easy on me?" The gentleman asked.
"... it'll help your case" the second officer admitted.
The gentleman proceeded to indicate a pocket on his jacket. A letter was removed and read. "The knife is in my hands and I am using my middleman "Essex" in Scotland to get it to you. Meet him at this location and bring the agreed upon sum to secure the deal"
Gunnarson proceeded to look over the indicated location... and that was when it hit him. "Wait a minute... I know this place! It is an alley of sorts that runs between Hartley's house and his neighbors! But if that is the case, then my friend could be... officers, is everything under control?" Gunnarson asked.
"Yes... thank you sir, glad you were of help" the first officer stated.
"Thank you; I must go now" and Gunnarson headed back to Hartley's as fast as his feet could take him
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Post by Tug on Jul 31, 2019 19:16:20 GMT -5
In the unsuspecting Hartley house, a mysterious figure went to work emptying out the contents of his bag...
"Rappelez-vous, avec la grâce d'un chat" the figure said to himself quietly...
.....
Gunnarson soon burst into Hartley's home, finding the front door strangely unlocked... He searched throughout his partner's home until he came upon Hartley's office. With a strangely opened window, he saw no figures in or outside the house, but saw a glittering gold light coming from within a half closed drawer...
"Oh no..."
And as if by some cruel fate...
"POLICE!" came a shout from downstairs...
.....
"It's done Lord Bury, with what Doux reported to me and my 'anonymous tip' phoned in earlier, we've put there backs to the wall..." smiled Hawthorne as he hung up the phone...
"Good, that's another thorn in my side properly dealt with..."
.....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Jul 31, 2019 20:24:53 GMT -5
Gunnarson wasn't sure of what to do at this point... was there a point in even running, or should he make an attempt to break for it? Fate is a tricky thing though; on the one hand Gunnarson knew that this was a most precarious position to be in, but on the other, knowing just the right person can save a lot of headache.
"Police! Drop whatever it is you have and... Gunnarson?" The detective leading the charge asked in confusion.
"Sallis? What are you doing here?" Gunnarson asked in confusion
"Same reason as you, more than likely" Sallis said as he indicated the other officers to stand down.
"I had a breakthrough on my end that Monsieur Doux, or even a close associate was nearby" Gunnarson explained as he looked over to the drawer again. "though, I think I got more than I bargained for" he said as he opened the drawer. Sallis joined him and both gasped. Inside was not only the stolen cross of Lord Buford, but also many, many other items that Doux had stolen as of late. In fact, when Sallis looked up onto a shelf, he saw it. "Wait a minute... this is the stolen clock from the Oscar Pollman case! Gunnarson... is it possible... your friend Hartley IS Monsieur Doux?"
"No... no, that's not possible! Hartley was with me when I confronted Doux! I'm sure of it! There's no possible way for it to be..." But when Gunnarson left the office and went into the hall, he took a closer look at the coat rack. Somehow he didn't think about it on the way in, but when he got closer and saw it, there it was- the distinct fedora and gas mask of Monsieur Doux that Gunnarson simply could not forget the appearance of.
"NO! THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE! THIS ISN'T... ISN'T..." the shock was so great, Gunnarson suddenly felt light headed, and fainted. The last thing heard before passing out was Sallis screaming at the officers to help "get him on the couch" and for "a call to go in for back up, and to Scotland Yard"
Needless to say, When Hartley had come home some time later, after escorting Abigail and Ellen to their hotel they would stay the night in, he was in for quite the shock.
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Post by Tug on Jul 31, 2019 20:30:27 GMT -5
As he approached his own home, Scotland Yard officers apprehended him roughly "What the? Get off of me!" struggled Hartley Just then Detective Sallis approached... "Oh thank goodness Sallis..." "James Hartley, you're under arrest for Robbery and Attempted Burglary, take him away boys..." ordered the Detective "What? There must be some mistake!" ..... The next morning, Gunnarson awoke in a Scottish Hospital and requested the morning paper from the nearest nurse... She brought it, and on the front page was: "DOUX CAUGHT! FAMOUS AUTHOR JAMES HARTLEY ARRESTED FOR CRIMES!!"
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Jul 31, 2019 21:01:54 GMT -5
Gunnarson just couldn't get over it... a good friend of his for the past several years... gone and locked up like that? This had to be a mistake, he was sure of it. At any rate, it was a few more hours before he finally steadied himself and was ready to leave. When he was getting to leave, Sallis was there to meet him.
"Are you ok, Gunnarson?" Sallis asked.
"I'll manage. What did you want to talk to me about?" Gunnarson asked.
"As you know, Lord Buford has been rather... critical of the police in recent years, so we'd rather not get on his bad side more than we need to. Therefore..." Sallis gave Gunnarson a box. "Normally, I wouldn't do this, but I think he will be more appreciative if you return his property to him. We already have everything we need for the case, so it can be returned now" Sallis explained.
"I understand. Hopefully he won't be to busy once I get back to England..." Gunnarson began.
"Oh no, he's here in Scotland, about 20 minutes by cab. He's attending a charity event for veterans of The War. Who knows, might even help your image a little" Sallis offered.
"I doubt it, but can't hurt to try" Gunnarson shrugged as he took the cross and left the hospital. He hailed a taxi and proceeded to head to the park in question.
......
"... and it is for that reason, that I am proud to say that I stand for our soldiers, past and present, and I stand for giving them all the help they need to return to our great society. They served our country with honor and pride, and it is time we show them our gratitude properly, and for the rest of their days" Buford said, standing at a podium, and receiving adoration from the assembled crowd. Gunnarson walked up off to the side as Buford was preparing to come off the makeshift stage prepared for him.
"Lord Buford, sir... a moment, please?" Gunnarson said, calling out to him.
The gentleman looked up, then turned to his companions, "Forgive me, I will be just a moment" he said, before walking over to the Swede. "Ah, Mr. Gunnarson, a most opportune encounter indeed. What brings you here?" Lord Buford asked.
"Well, I was hoping to see you back in England, but I have the most splendid news" Gunnarson said, revealing the box and its contents. Lord Buford was delighted, "Oh thank you, Mr. Gunnarson! It means so much to me that you have found this artifact. And the fact that Monsieur Doux was right under your nose this entire time... it truly was the perfect crime" Lord Buford observed.
"I... I suppose it is" Gunnarson agreed with hesitation.
"I am truly grateful, but I simply must ask you one more favor" Lord Buford continued.
"What is it?" Gunnarson asked.
"I'm afraid I shall be here in Scotland another couple days; there are veterans all over the United Kingdom after all, not just in England. At any rate, my good will trip shall keep me here, so I must insist- please return this cross to my estate; I will cover all travel and incidental expenses related, of course" Lord Buford explained.
"Oh, of course, sir" Gunnarson said, shaking hands in gratitude to Lord Buford. And yet, something did seem a bit... odd.
"If I may say sir... you do seem to be in a bit of a cheerful mood" Gunnarson asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Lord Buford asked.
"Well, as it happens I know what today is, and I am quite good at following major news stories. Isn't today the anniversary of the death of your wife?" Gunnarson asked.
"Beg pardon?" Lord Buford asked, slightly confused.
"Two years ago, today. Your yacht capsized off Dover and she drowned. I'm... I'm not mistaken, am I?" Gunnarson asked, confused.
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Post by Tug on Jul 31, 2019 21:13:37 GMT -5
Lord Buford grasped Gunnarson and said in a whisper, "You're correct and it's eating me up inside, but I am trying to put up a front for these good men since they've endured far more suffering then I ever have...", and he let go of the Swede
Gunnarson nodded in solidarity and departed back towards the street, ready to do as Lord Buford asked of him...
"So, any of you fine gents interested in some expensive whiskey?"
All the present soldiers cheered in agreement..
.....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Jul 31, 2019 21:55:37 GMT -5
Gunnarson subsequently made his way back to England. The whole train ride down, the only thing on his mind was Hartley's situation. He couldn't even begin to think of how this was even possible. There... there had to be something more to all this. There just had to be a conspiracy here. Surely, there had to be...
......
Eventually, Gunnarson made his way to Chapman Manor and did make his presence known. To his surprise though, it was a woman who answered the door this time.
"Hello... I'm looking for Cantrell?" Gunnarson asked, confused.
"He's been given the week off; I'm Miss Carolina, Lord Buford's secretary" the woman explained.
"I see. I have the cross, as instructed" Gunnarson offered as he held up the box.
"Ah, thank you. Let me see, where is it... ah, here it is. Lord Buford would have mailed you a check, but he insisted on a cash payment; faster than mail, relatively speaking" she explained. Gunnarson was handed an envelope and was pleasantly surprised; at least now various expenses he didn't have to worry about and the money from the restaurant could be used for more... pleasure based activities, he reasoned.
But he had spent enough time as a detective... it was time to return to Koket of Sweden. As much as detective work was his passion, so to was cooking, and he really enjoyed the company of his fellow Swedes.
......
Hartley's first couple days in holding were not going so well. Because of his connection to Gunnarson, he had to be put in a separate cell away from others for his own safety... turns out, a lot of criminals really do know each other.
And when he was finally brought back to England to be interviewed by Scotland Yard, Detective Beck was quite interested in knowing just what the heck was going on.
"Listen, you've got the wrong man, I swear on my life I'm just a writer now!" Hartley pleaded.
"The rule is innocent until proven guilty, Mr. Hartley... you should know that. At any rate, the evidence in your own home was quite clear- YOU are Doux" Beck insisted.
"I swear, I'm not! How can I even be a master French thief when I am hardly able to understand the language, let alone be fluent in it!?" Hartley pointed out.
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Post by Tug on Aug 15, 2019 19:53:41 GMT -5
*2 Months Later* "What does the jury find the Defendant?" "We the jury find the Defendant James Hartley... Guilty." "Mr. Hartley, the Court sentences you to 3 years in Prison, that will be all, Bailiff." Prosecutor Taylor smiled as another criminal was taken off of London's Streets, as Gunnarson and Abigail watched in horror as Harltey was dragged away. Cricket was no where to be seen... ..... In Bury's Office, Hawthorne laid the morning's paper onto his superior's desk, the headline read, "Famous Author Found Guilty of Serial Robbery Among Other Charges" "It seems your plan worked Sir, with the bribery of his Defense Attorney, planting that evidence, and sending Doux back overseas on the job left Scotland Yard with no other suspect but that Swedish Bastard's sidekick..." laughed Hawthorne "Good, with two thorns in my side dealt with, I'll be able to rest easier tonight, so tell me, how goes the trio behind the Blade Syndicate assignment?" .....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 15, 2019 20:48:44 GMT -5
In the end, Hartley had to accept his fate... it was no longer worth the fight. For the next three years he found himself in HM Prison Liverpool, imprisoned on charges he just couldn't understand.
Gunnarson came for a visit some time after the sentence began. But Hartley made it clear that their relationship had changed.
"I'm a convicted criminal now, Gunnarson. It wouldn't do you any good to be close friends with me. We will still have our relationship as interviewer and interviewee, but nothing more; I cannot tarnish your reputation any more than it already is" Hartley finished.
Gunnarson was naturally a little hurt by all this, but accepted the reasoning. From then on their relationship was one of Gunnarson recounting his adventures to Hartley, who promised upon his release to get the manuscripts published.
Hartley had hoped that Cricket would show up to visit him at some point, but never did. He was still haunted by what had happened during the trial: completely by accident, the police had come across the fact that he had married Cricket some weeks after a restraining order had been placed against him. Because the marriage was made under fraudulent circumstances, Hartley had a difficult choice: annul the marriage or have fraud charges attached to his case. Unable to bring himself to force Cricket to testify against him, the marriage was annulled to save her that burden. Apparently, Mr. Ernest was trying to weasel his way into the case so that the fraud charges would stick anyway... but a deal was a deal, and Prosecutor Taylor would honor it.
Fortunately, Hartley was not alone during his imprisonment. Roger, who never believed the charges against his brother, brought his family to visit him every Thursday to help him through this rough time. And Every Saturday, Abigail and Ellen would visit him... she also never believed the charges, and decided that, regardless of the circumstances, she would reconnect with him, even if they couldn't be together in a traditional sense.
And the last thing keeping Hartley sane was a letter he would receive. Every Tuesday, a letter came in, from Cricket. At last, Hartley had some answers to his questions.
"I hope you will forgive me, James, but father kept such a watchful eye over me I was unable to reach out to you in any way. But this annulment of our marriage was the last straw. As of the time of writing you this letter I have disowned by father and cut him out of my life. There will be a period of adjustment but I will endure. I have tried visiting you but the guards will have none of it; "for my own protection" they said. No doubt my father paid someone off to keep you from me. I can, however, send you letters from time to time, and I hope we can at least keep in touch."
I had my suspicions to, but at least now the two of us were communicating on some level.
......
Loyal readers, you now know the reason for my prolonged absence. Though, I am sure you are already aware of some facts if you followed the news at the time. Although now I am a free man, my life has changed quite a bit.
I still live in Scotland, though now I live alone. I also live not too far from Cricket, and not too far from Abigail and Ellen. I have a relationship with each of them, and I am absolutely happy to have a child now. Fortunately, Abigail understands that I cannot just throw away my relationship with Cricket, and Cricket understands that I have a responsibility to my daughter that I cannot ignore.
As you can understand, my life is understandably... strange, at the moment. But I would rather not talk about them now. We will catch up soon enough, but that will have to wait until the 20th volume.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 15, 2019 20:58:41 GMT -5
EPILOGUE ONE:
Gunnarson was out for a walk, one of many he had recently started taking to try and clear his mind. Without Hartley he didn't really have a confidant anymore, and outside of Koket of Sweden he didn't really have anyone he associated with... he didn't want to interact with Gent so much that people began to look at Gent with questionable eyes. Gunnarson just couldn't make sense of anything, and soon enough he was lost in thought, until...
"Oof!" He said aloud as he somewhat stumbled back. In front of him, a young woman had fallen on the ground. Her blonde hair reminding her of something quite familiar.
"Oh, dear, I am so sorry ma'am. Are you all right?" Gunnarson asked as he extended a hand.
"A little shaken, but I am all right" the woman said as she was helped up.
The accent threw off Gunnarson a little. "Are you Scandinavian? You remind me a bit of myself, actually" Gunnarson observed.
"Yes... Finnish, actually. You're Swedish, if I'm not mistaken?" The woman asked.
"Indeed. Is everything ok? You seem to be in a hurry" Gunnarson asked.
"Yes... it's just there seems to be trouble at work and they asked me to come over right away. Sorry, I must run" She said as she began to leave.
"Not at all, Ms... uh..."
"Tarja. My name is Tarja" she replied before she left.
Gunnarson suddenly found himself a lot more at ease as his troubled thoughts were replaced. "A nice girl, indeed. I hope I run into her again some day" he thought to himself. He found himself so engrossed in thought about Tarja... a few minutes later, he walked straight into a lamp post and stumbled right onto his back side.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 15, 2019 21:03:40 GMT -5
EPILOGUE TWO:
Walton sat nervously in the hospital waiting area. The time had come and now he was waiting for the big moment. He was going to be a father... not even SAS training could have prepared him for one of the biggest missions of his life: parenthood.
It must have been an eternity before at last, someone came up to him, "she's ready now" the nurse explained. "Are you ready?"
"Yes... take me to her" Walton replied. He got up and followed the nurse to the hospital room. It wasn't until the door opened and he stepped inside that he finally spoke again.
"Nora... is everything ok?" Walton asked as he came up to her.
"Yes, everything went well, Michael. Still sore, though" she conceded.
"Well, I'm ready for the big reveal... do we have a son or a daughter?" Walton asked.
"That is one surprise I don't think you are ready for" Nora explained.
"Oh come on Nora, I've fought Nazis, Irish Mobsters and the Blade Syndicate... what could possibly get to me?" Walton asked.
"Well, we don't have a son or daughter... we have both" Nora smiled.
"Honey, how can a baby be bo..." he stuttered as he looked over to see two cribs. One with a baby boy... and one with a baby girl.
"Say hi to your children... Erik and Emma" Nora said.
"Twins... twins..." Walton repeated before fainting in his chair.
"The nazis couldn't break him, the mob couldn't break him, Blade couldn't break him, JJE couldn't break him... finally found something that did" Nora grinned as she looked over to the newborns.
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Post by 8novels on Feb 7, 2021 0:24:30 GMT -5
Gunnarson came into the office and was handed the phone. "Hello, this is Gunnarson. A robbery, you say? Well, it has been a while, but I cannot bring myself to turn down anyone who requests my aid. No, please spare me the details until we talk in person; I'd rather have as few ears listening in as possible" Gunnarson then turned to his boss, "No offense, sir" "None taken" Johansson replied thoughtfully "Right, so the address, then? I shall come as soon as I can" Gunnarson said, writing something down before hanging up. "Sir, do you mind if I take a day or two?" Gunnarson asked. "Go ahead; with the weather the way it is I don't anticipate that much foot traffic anyway" Johansson conceded. "Thank you; let's go Hartley" Gunnarson said before the two left. "Hartley, where is Cricket anyway?" Gunnarson asked. "Her father returned from his holiday; she had to return home lest he become suspicious. But that is not important now; let us focus on the case at hand" "But of course" Gunnarson agreed. The two set off for the address scribbled on Gunnarson's
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