Overheard at Chipperfields' ... Part LXIX .. x2 ...

"Let me see that," said J-- reaching out his hand and taking the email in JayDee's hand, "did you read it?"

"Oh yeah," said JayDee with a broad smirk, "It only adds to the mystery of whether they are in Mexico like they said, or in their basement on a stay-cation."

"Oh sounds good," said Dani, "let's hear it ..." she nodded at J-- who held the paper up and began reading.

"Hey gang. How are things in snowy Manitoba," J-- looked up and asked, "how do they know the weather if they're in Mexico or Costa Rico or wherever they claim to be?"

"Keep reading," said JayDee smiling.

J-- continued, "The weather here is sunny and hot. Our hotel is right on the beach. We've been spending most of our in the bar downstairs. It has a view of the beach and has a nice selection of beverages including coffee. I'll attach a picture we took last night. Next week we move to a hotel more inland. Ross wants to check out a couple of dairy operations near by for his bosses, and I want to see more Coffee Plantations to see about expanding out menu. ... Well, I should go. Hope all is well. We're having a great time ... see you in a week or so ..." J--'s voice trailed off, then he looked up and said to JayDee, "I still don't see where you think this is being sent from here ..."

"Look at the picture of their night out in the bar, for crying out loud," she glared as him as she spoke, "and look carefully."

J-- turned to the second page in his hand, a full colour picture of Ross and Bonnie sitting at a table in what appears to be a bar. "I'm not seeing it," he observed.

"Okay, look at the beer at Ross' elbow," JayDee said pointing, "It's a Canadian Beer."

"So?" said J--, "maybe they're homesick."

"It's a bilingual label," JayDee stated, "and the second language on it is NOT Spanish."

"It's an import," said J-- smiling.

"When the big breweries ship beer outside of the country they usually use green bottles and English only labels," said JayDee, "I looked it up on the internet. And further more, look at the tv playing in the background. It has the evening news from Brandon playing. What satelite provider would carry the Brandon station to somewhere like Mexico, or Costa Rico or wherever they claim to be?"

"I dunno," said J--, "it all sounds pretty shaky in the evidence department." He smiled as he spoke, "if you were a cop you wouldn't have enough to get a search warrant."

"Okay," said JayDee, "item three in the picture, look over Ross' right shoulder. Behind him is, not one, but two home tanning lamps. Tell me, what would a bar in the Caribbean, or in Latin America have a tanning lamp for??"

"Huh?" J--'s head snapped down and he lifted the picture, as he examined it he said, "Son of a ..." his voice trailed off as he lifted the paper, "look here." He pointed to the corner of the bar behind Ross' head, just below where the tanning lamps could be seen, "There on the bar is a copy of the Brandon Sun AND the Minnedosa Tribune. Why would either of those papers be in a Latin American resort?"

JayDee's eyes flew open wider, "What?" she exclaimed, "Let me see that!! I missed that ..." she leaned over to get a better look at the picture and snorted as she noticed the newpapers sitting in plain view, "Wait a second," she exclaimed, "we need a magnifying glass to know for sure, but if your look carefully at that window reflected in the mirror behind the bar it looks an awful lot like snow falling outside the bar ..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the picture.

The four of them, JayDee, Dani, J-- and the regular were hunched over the table examining the picture carefully when The Rev walked in the front door.

"What are you guys doing?" The Rev asked as he swung around the counter.

"Looking at a picture of Ross and Bonnie's vacation," said J--, "we're trying to figure out whether they are really down south like they claim, or actually hiding on a stay-cation in their basement."

"A stay-cation?" said The Rev, "that idea again?"

"It's looking more and more likely that it's a stay-cation," observed J--, "we're finding stuff in this picture that looks suspicious, and that says they're hiding out in their basement pretending to be away."

With that all five of them glanced up to the video camera installed over the office, The Rev waved at it saying, "hello Ross, Hi Bonnie ..." with a broad smile.

"Does it matter?" asked The Rev.

"Not really," said JayDee, "I just would like to know."

"Why?" asked The Rev.

"Why Not?" said JayDee with a smile as she headed behind the counter and asked, "the usual?"

"Yup," said The Rev, "and thanks."

"You're welcome," said JayDee with a broad smile, "So, how is my darling "husband" today?" Her fingers made quotation marks as she said the word husband.

"Oh, I'm fine," The Rev smiled, "So, if you find out they are hiding out at home what difference will it make?"

"No difference really," said JayDee, "it would just mean we know."

"Oh," said The Rev, shaking his head with an amused smile on his lips, "I see." He continued to shake his head and smile.

"I'd say they're in the basement," said J-- at last looking up from the picture, "that snow outside the window reflected in the mirror here. And the Brandon Television station and newspaper pretty much tears it."

"That and the wet foot prints Kriss found on the back deck the other day," observed The Rev.

"The what?" said JayDee her eyes flashing open wide, "what footprints?"

"Oh you hadn't heard?" teased The Rev, "Well it seems that Kriss went up the Bonnie and Ross' house the other day to check on it and she had to walk in because of the snow in the driveway. So, as she came around the corner of the house she heard a funny sound like a door slamming and locking. Then when she got to the hot tub she noticed that it was still really hot, there was a cloud of steam lingering in the trees off to the side like the tub had just been opened, but then she saw two wet people footprints that were heading into the house."

"Maybe one of their kids coming out to stay while Ross and Bonnie are away?" ventured J--.

"Nope," said The Rev, "Kriss claims there were NO footprints in the snow other than her own. Her's were the only ones in and the only ones out of the driveway."

"Huh !" said JayDee, "she never told me any of this."

"She just told me last night when I stopped in and had a coffee with the EMS crew," said The Rev, "it had just happened either yesterday or the day before." The Rev moved over to the Juke Box and dug in his pocket to pull out a couple of quarters which he then dropped in the coin slot and began selecting music, "I think she was heading out there to use the Hot Tub, but I'm not 100% sure."

"Sounds like something she'd do," observed Dani with a smirk, "leave it to Kriss to go and party at the Boss' house while they're away."

JayDee nodded in agreement, "Makes you wonder what will happen if Bonnie and Ross really are hiding out at home and know about Kriss' nocturnal adventures."

Dani and JayDee both laughed as J-- began to speak.

"So, we have a beer bottle, tanning lamps, a tv image, two newpapers, wet foot prints and nothing to say they've actually gone away," said J--, "sounds like the evidence is all in."

"And the verdict is?" asked The Regular.

And as he opened his mouth to answer there was a loud "woof" from the juke box and a cascade of sparks showered out of the side closest to the microwave. This was followed by the flickering of the lights of both the jukebox and the store it's self. Then rather than music, the speakers emitted an harsh screeching sound and smoke began to pour out of the back of the juke box and the pictures of Def Lepperd's Animal and Glass Tiger that were displayed on the back of the jukebox began to curl, brown and suddenly they burst into flame behind the plastic cover.

"OH CRAP," J-- yelled, as he rose from his chair.

"What did YOU do?" accused Dani as she spun and looked at The Rev, who was standing beside the table looking dumbfounded.

"Nothing," The Rev exclaimed, his feet rooted to the floor, "I just requested a country song," as he spoke he turned and headed for the door, following J--, "We better get out of here." he called back to Dani, The Regular and JayDee who were hot on his heels.

As she moved past the counter JayDee snatched up the portable phone and began dialing '911'. She turned to look back as she rounded the corner of the counter and gasped at the sight of flames lapping up the wall behind the jukebox ...