Age is But a Number

"Yes, I actually have Power of Attorney. We set it up when Dad got ill, at his persistence I might add."

"Ok, I think that will help in the long run. Tell me, what do you want from the farm? Do you want to sell, because I don't think you'll have a problem; do you want to pass it to Harold, because that may or may not be a good plan when you hear what I'm going to tell you, but before that, Antoinette and I need to check some things. Have you arranged a time for Harold to be here?"

"I said about 10.00. Is that ok?"

"Yes, I think it should be. Now, we have work to do, can we use the kitchen again or would you prefer somewhere else?"

"Perhaps the dining room, it's quiet there."

"C'mon my girl," looking at Toni, "You have work to do."

As soon as the door was closed, Toni grabbed me in a bone crushing hug and whispered, "Good, I'm still your girl."

"Yes, you are most definitely. Actually I thought maybe I was dreaming when I heard you say that to me last night, but I hope you are. I went to sleep and had this most extraordinary dream where a young lady joined me in my bed, cuddled into me and put my hand on her breast. It was a wonderful dream, and you have no idea how much I missed her when I woke up and I was alone. Do you happen to know anything about that, hmm?"

The answer I got was another toe-curler, with the promise of more if I behaved myself. "I don't understand how I didn't make love to you last night if it wasn't a dream. But I never made love to anyone last night, so it must have been a dream."

"You believe what you want, maybe I'll tell you about my dream one day, and we'll compare notes, you know, just in case I have a similar dream again as well."

"Toni, we must do this work, because I am becoming severely distracted at the moment, and I want to be distracted when I can take full advantage, not while I am trying to stop some serious issues with this place."

Toni didn't speak, instead reaching in and up to me to kiss me lightly on the lips. "You, my man, will be properly thanked, and soon as well, and then we'll see what sort of a dream that produces. Now, let's get this work done. What do you want me to do?"

"Find all the information about the two fires, everything including the insurance company, assessors, who signed off and the amount. I really think there's a possibility that some dudding went on, not the full amount paid, you know gradually reduce the marketable value asset wise and cause some concern to the bank. I need the insurable value, and the amount paid out. I know what the percentages usually are, but was there some other method used to work out the payout, fees and charges, all that stuff. I have to check out some information on the ASIC site as well, so I'll do that while you check the insurance stuff for me."

By 9.45, I had a good idea of what was what as far as the Petrelli place was concerned. I had found through my business, details of loans taken out by J G Petrelli and Sons, Sole Director Giovanni (John) Petrelli. As I trawled through the ASIC records, and then my company records, I found a little known (well, to me anyway) entry about an application for funding for stock replenishment and for the purchase of seed wheat, fertiliser for the 2017 - 18 season, but which had been withdrawn. A fortuitous situation as my loan assessors were ready to refuse the application based on a lack of assets in real terms. The property had been mortgaged to the hilt, and unless a change of fortune occurred, and the value of the crop that was to be put in the ground that season improved by several hundred thousand dollars, not a likely prospect, Petrelli and Sons was liable to be bankrupted. There was nothing to indicate any major improvement to the financial situation, but apparently there must have been some because I couldn't find any other loan applications with other financiers anywhere.

I tapped Toni on the arm and said, "Look at this," and pointed the screen towards her.

"What does all that mean?"

I explained in simple terms that Johnny had been almost bankrupted two years ago, and strangely had received a sizeable insurance payout for lost crop due to fire. Toni almost shouted in a whisper, "But his crop didn't burn, Dad told me. How did he get a payout?"

"We need to see who his insurers are, and who the assessors were." Toni pointed to a page on the screen. "Is this what you want?"

"Oh yes, I think so. Do a Google search on the insurance company, and see if there is anything on who the assessors and other staff might be."

I turned back to check an entry on the ASX when Toni squealed and thumped me on the arm, "Look at this, look at this. The assessor was Pietro Petrelli, no it can't be, Johnny doesn't have any brothers."

"Could be a cousin."

Just then the door opened and a large man came in with Toni's Mum. "Antoinette, David, Uncle Harold is here, and he's brought young Mark and Nicky with him. Harold, this is David, Antoinette's friend from Perth, David, Harold Patterson and his son, Mark, and daughter Nicky."

I shook hands with each of them noting that Mark was slightly larger than his Dad and both a lot bigger than me. Nicky was definitely a Patterson, but as cute as a button and only a few years younger than Toni. Toni hugged them and said, "David and I have been going over the papers that Nicky has put together so brilliantly, and we've found something that might just show what we've been up against for these past years, and why Johnny Petrelli has been pestering me so much to go out with him. Please sit down so we can tell you what we've found."

About 45 minutes later, I said "Well that's just about everything. There's one or two things to check on Monday when the ASIC site is attended and there's someone at my office I can talk to, but I think that's it."

"So, if young Petrelli got hold of this land he would be able to sell the Booderlockin Rocks ground for mining and be very, very rich, and we'd have nothing."

"Basically that's it, Yes."

"Jesus, I'll kill him, the bastard, always sucking up to me trying to find out about Antoinette. No fu.....err bloody wonder, the mongrel."

"Mark," warned his father.

"Yeah, sorry Dad, but I'm starting to see what the bastard was really up to. So, David, what do we do now."

"Well, I'm going to make a phone call which you are all welcome to hear, and Ann, please stay, I may need your approval with some of what I say."

I dialled a number on my phone and put it on loudspeaker, "Simon here, it's Saturday, leave me a message and I'll call back."

" 'Simon, David, call me immediately and I mean now.' Now we wait."

"What if he doesn't......." just as Toni spoke the phone rang. "Simon, David, what are you doing without me on this fine Saturday?"

"Well, if you must know, Kathy and I are having a quiet cuddle before we head off to the shops, why?"

"I need you to do something for me straight away, urgent, pronto, capeesh, get the drift?" I rattled off the instructions and said, "Tell Kathy I love her dearly but this has to be done today. I'll make it up to her with a night out for dinner, okay."

"Right, but you will surely pay for this transgression on a Saturday."

"Yeah, yeah. Just get it done asap, and then call back and let me know when it's done," and rang off.

"That's Simon, my right-hand man and go for, go to, and everything in between. When I want something done, Simon does it. It's all legal of course, but we just cut corners sometimes, gets quicker results."

"Harold, can I ask you a serious question?"

He looked at me and everyone in the room, and said, "Ok, shoot."

"If the land was sold for mining, would you carry on farming, or would you retire as well?"

"No, I think I'd retire, but Mark? Well I think he would stay on and if we had the two properties there would be enough to keep him busy and productive. Don't know about Nicky though, What would you do?"

"I think I'd like to go to Uni, Dad, and do some sort of cyber security and data management degree, something like Aunt Antoinette. You know what I've listened to today seems like it might be a good fit to me as a career and I'm keen on that sort of work as well."

"I can probably help there as well, Nicky could work in my business and we could put her through Uni, so no fees for her to worry about, and she would be a definite asset as far as I am concerned. Something else, depending on........."

The phone rang again and Simon's voice gleefully reported, "Done, wasn't hard, Petrelli banks at Agri Bank, like most others around the place. I rang Adrian from the bank and he checked and reported that he is up to his balls err sorry ladies, OW, sorry gorgeous, neck in debt - gambling debts probably, he's got accounts labelled for Nerilabup, which is the Casino here and also in Adelaide, and they are deep in the red, both of them. There are large amounts going in and out of them fairly regularly which seems a bit strange, although perhaps not really given the nature of them both. There's a farm account which isn't that flash either. So I'd say that although deep in debt, they aren't being called in because of the Booderlockin Rocks field. It seems as though he is being financed by a real shady group through some dirty money scheme he's mixed up in. In fact the mining company had been approached to buy the two farms, claiming he would have a deal ready in about three months. Anyway, Adrian will have another talk to them on Monday and suggest that Petrelli is not the wonder boy they need to be talking to. I also suggested we may have a deal for them that will almost be guaranteed to prove a winner for the Patterson families and for them. Also, it seems that he received a couple of quite large injections of funds not long after each of the fires that went through the Patterson's, but no-one seems to think that there was fire on his place at any time, just the Patterson's. Is there any way we might be able to show if in fact there was a fire on his place; or if in fact he never had a fire at all at any time? If that can be proved, some land may, just may, become available for a fire-sale - isn't that what it's called? It's now looking highly likely that friend Petrelli may have committed some fraud with the insurance on his farm, receiving healthy payouts for non-existent fire damage to his crops. Oddly, it seems that his cousin Peter Petrelli was the assessor and approved the payouts for him, but, and this needs to be checked and confirmed, he may also have deliberately reduced the payout to Henry Patterson and used the difference to pad out the payout to Giovanni Petrelli. Adrian is still checking the fine print as it were, and should know by late Monday. Will you be in the office on Monday - if so I'll tell you then. You never know, an extra farm may be available for purchase. Just a thought you know."

"Yes, I think so as well, and no, I don't think I'll be in Monday, you'll have to call me."

"Ok, we'll talk Monday, I'm going back to give Kathy lots of hugs and cuddles to make up for being so rudely interrupted. Ciao."

"Well Harold, Ann, Toni, Mark and Nicky. What do you think. Do we proceed, or not?"

"We proceed," agreed Harold.

"I don't know what to say," said Ann, "we could have lost everything, and all due to that little bastard next door. "When will we know that everything will work out for us?"

"I'd say Tuesday evening at the latest. Uh, Ann, would you mind if I stayed another couple of nights, I'd really like to be here when you tell your husband. And I want to be around when the Fraud Squad arrive to conduct some enquiries. Antoinette, can you get a couple of days off next week? And Nicky, please prepare a CV for me to give to Simon back in Perth, he'll have to make the arrangements for you and Uni. That is if your Dad says it's ok."

Toni said, "You can stay at my place Nicky, that will take care of that problem, you'll just have to get a bus to Uni and back."

"Dad?" asked Nicky almost pleading.

"I'll have to talk to Mum but I think that will be wonderful for you and sorts out what we could do for you as well. Bloody computers, seems as though they were useful for a change."

Ann said, "Can everyone be here around 6.00 tonight, I think we might have a BBQ. Ok?"

"Oh by the way, if Johnny shows up, don't mention anything about what we have talked about. I don't want him to have any chance of short circuiting what we are doing, alright."

"Do you think he'll turn up?" asked Ann.

"Positive," said Toni, "But I'll give him short shrift, introduce him to my man David, and tell him he's lost the battle and the war. With luck, he'll leave quietly."

"And if he doesn't?"

Mark said, "Well between the three of us, I don't think he'll take much convincing, really."

"Just remember no mention about what we are talking about."

"It's almost lunch but would you like a bit of a tour of the farm?" Toni asked me.

"Yes ok, I haven't been on a farm for years."

Toni drove one of the farm utes and pointed out different buildings until in the distance I could see the outcrop. "It's big isn't it? So that's what all the drama is about. No wonder Petrelli wants it. Aah, I can see the pipeline coming off the face of it."

"Mm, that heads to Uncle Harold's place and branches off to ours. That water has been flowing for years, sometimes high, and sometimes low volumes, but always steady and reliable. You reckon there's gold in those rocks."

"Yes, I think so, it has the form of outcrop that has been proved to contain gold, although much of it will be below ground of course."

"What about the water source?"

"That will have to be clearly set out in the exploration documents, but I don't think it will be a problem."

"You know last week we had no idea what was happening Now the whole family could be multi-millionaires. It's a lot to think about. Come with me, I want to show you something." Toni held my hand as we climbed a narrow path up through a gap in the outcrop until it seemed that we were at a solid wall of rock. "See, just around there, there's a gap that leads to a small cave, can you see it?"

"No, not really."

"Come a bit closer. Now look to your left, can you see the gap?"

"I can now, just."

"Well step into the gap and then crouch down and turn to the right."

As I did so, I could see a dimly lit entrance to a small cave. "You want me to go in there, could be redbacks or snakes in there?"

"Just go in and don't knock your head."

I went into the cave and immediately was flooded in light which seemed to come from a hole above me. I could stand tall here and as I looked about, I could see the sky but the angle was such that even if it rained, it would not fall directly on you. A little further in was what appeared to be a very old mattress and some blankets. "Hmm, this must have been some sort of hiding place was it?"

"Yes, no one knew it was here, not even Mark or Nicky, and certainly not bloody Johnny Petrelli."

"Did you spend a lot of time here, Toni?"

"It was where I went to get away from him. He followed me to the rocks one day, but he couldn't find me. He swore and carried on something terrible, but I didn't come out and he eventually left. I could see him but he couldn't see me. When I saw him almost back to his place, I came out and rode home. I told Mum and Dad about what happened, and I think that's when I really knew I didn't want anything to do with him. He was a bastard then, and still is, as far as I'm concerned.

I still had hold of Toni's hand, but pulled her into a hug and said, "You'll never have to worry about him again, so long as I'm around. Remember what I said about not wanting to fight? As far as you're concerned, I will. Young Johnny Petrelli needs to be told one or three things, methinks, and tonight may just be the chance I need. Without him bothering you and the family, hopefully things may start to fall in place for you all. You know, you could end up being a very rich young lady."

"Would I be a dream catch, do you think?" she grinned at me.

"I think you'll be my dream catch, whichever way this all pans out, my girl, excuse the pun."

"Mm, so long as I'm still your girl, whichever way this all works out, I won't care if I'm rich or not, so long as we are together. Tell me, have I just made my intentions clear to you?"

"I think you just might have."

"Come on, we'd better get back, we'll be just in time for lunch."

Toni led me into the kitchen while I held the door for her, and her mother said "Johnny came while you were out. He wanted to see and talk to you Antoinette but I told him you had gone out with your boyfriend and wouldn't be back till later. He left but he grunted that he would be back later to see you. I told him there was no need, you didn't want to see him. That's right, isn't it, you don't want to see or talk to him?"

"I certainly don't, Mum, and if he does come back later, David and I will let him know in no uncertain terms that he is to leave all of us alone. I have no desire to be anywhere near him at all, and I really think that no-one else does either."

"Ann, if what we have found out so far is anywhere near accurate, I really think that Johnny only wants the farm for the possible gold returns from it so he would be able to clear his debts and so on, as you heard Simon report this morning."

We ate a small feast as only could be provided on a farm with fresh warm bread, cold meat and salad. I rubbed my stomach and commented to Ann and Toni, that I had thoroughly enjoyed what was the best lunch I'd had in a long time. "Tell you what though, I think I need a nap before the barbecue tonight, would you mind?"

I bade my farewell and wandered off into my room and lay down on the bed. The room was darkened but I was aware of the door opening and a form getting onto the bed next to me. The form snuggled into me and placed my hand on her breast. "I'm having another dream," I whispered.

"Sleep and dream, you've earned it. We've got about three hours before we need to get ready for the barbie this evening."

"Can I kiss my apparition?"

"Ok, just this once, then sleep."

I slept after the kiss and dreamed.

Johnny did turn up during the BBQ to be headed off by Mark and Harold. I waited in the background, ready to join in.

They politely told him about the situation between Toni and me, and he looked at us both and said, "I just want to talk to her. If Toni tells me to leave I'll go but we've known each for years, doesn't that count for something...........?

Toni spoke for the first time since he arrived, "No, Johnny, it doesn't. You were never my boyfriend even when you told everyone you were. I never liked you even when we were at school here before I went to Perth, and yes, I was sad when you lost both your parents, that didn't mean that all of a sudden things changed between us, because they never did. And now I know the only reason you want to be my boyfriend is so you can get the farm, and that's never going to happen. You'll never be my boyfriend - I've got David now, more of a man than you'll ever be, and you'll never get the farm, not while there's breath in me, you'll never get it. I'll ask this of you once. Please leave, don't come back, and don't contact my family again, you hear me." Tears were streaming down Toni's face and she turned and wrapped herself up in my arms holding me tight. She looked over her shoulder at Johnny and shouted at him, "Go, just go and leave us alone."

He scowled at us both, and shouted, "This isn't over yet, not by a long chalk, I'll be back." He turned, got into his truck and drove off. Everyone was subdued after that, and the night ended early with Harold and his family leaving shortly after 8.30 to go home.

After helping Ann and Toni to tidy up, I went off to bed, where sometime later I was again joined by Toni. For some reason, I really slept well when she was with me, even though there nothing more than some kissing and cuddling.