Saint Patrick's Day - The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club Part III: A Dark Comedy Cozy Mystery With A Twist by Duncan Whitehead Page B

anyone that the swale, that’s what it is called, belongs to them. It doesn’t. I knew it.”
    “And?” asked Sabrina.
    “And?” replied Sam, “And? I will tell you ‘and,’ and means that they can go to hell. I’m going to move my car from our driveway and park on the grass. Not their grass. Not my grass. But the city’s grass that anyone can park on. Then, when they come around here banging on the door demanding that I remove my car from their grass, I want you to film it on your ‘I’ thing.”
    “iPhone.”
    “Yes, that thing you can’t be separated from. Anyway, I am going to be polite, quote them the ordinance, and tell them to call whoever they like. Then, I’m going to tell them to get off my property, because technically they are trespassing. We will have it all recorded. Then we can put the video up on ‘Uhu.’”
    “You mean YouTube.”
    “Yes, you know what I mean. Then I will wait for Morgan to show up and I will make him look like the fool he is, and make sure that the whole world sees it.”
    “And that will achieve what?” asked his wife.
    “Oh, it will achieve a lot. For a start, it is evidence that the moron Morgan does not know the law, and that he is siding with his friends. I have evidence…evidence don’t you see?”
    “No. No I don’t see at all,” said Sabrina, her arms now folded.
    “Just get your phone ready. I know they are home and I know they will be around here faster than a dog chasing a rabbit.”
    Sabrina shook her head. “I think there is one thing you are not considering here, dear. Now you just calm down, and let me pour you a drink. Forget the coffee.”
    Sam Taylor took a deep breath and counted to ten. He closed his eyes and sighed loudly. When he opened them, his wife had brought him a gin and tonic, removed his coffee, and was now seated beside him.
    “Now, if you do what you are proposing, park your car on their grass…”
    “The city’s grass,” corrected Taylor as he took a swig of his drink.
    Sabrina sighed and shook her head. “Okay, the city’s grass. If you want to go and park your car on the grass which belongs to the city, in front of their home…” Sam smiled and nodded, as if his wife had finally understood his point. “Then you can, of course you can,” she continued, “but, be prepared for others, probably Danny and Robert, their friends even, to park their cars on the grass in front or our home,” said Sabrina, deliberately emphasizing the word our .
    Sam didn’t say anything, but took another swig of his drink.
    “Dear, what is it? What really is the problem?” I can’t believe that something as trivial as this is causing you so much…stress.”
    Sam sighed. A few years ago, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but it was now, and he couldn’t explain why. He couldn’t explain it necessarily, but he knew why.
    “It’s him.”
    “Who?” asked Sabrina, peering at the books on her husband’s desk, “Elliott Miller?”
    “Morgan. It’s him. Coming around here just because his friends called him. Threatening me, belittling me. I didn’t have to retire. I could have carried on, but I just couldn’t bear to watch as Morgan climbed the ranks unfairly. They undermined me; Elliott, his city council, and despite my recommendations, they chose him. He isn’t fit to be chief, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it,” Sam took a deep breath, “they forced me out, him and Miller. I couldn’t stand it any longer. To be replaced by the worse possible man in the department, for him to jump ranks and land the top job. It just stinks. I want to prove a point. I want everyone to see that he is a fool. Corrupt. And as for Miller,” Sam took another swig of his drink, “Well he is just as bad. So, yes, this is important to me.”
    Sabrina Taylor took the now empty glass from her husband’s hand and placed it on his desk. She then put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “Oh, my teddy bear. Does this matter?