Published: 5 Sep 2024

From The Previous Chapter:

Upstairs, the boys had turned their computers on and were watching the dash camera YouTube videos of crashes, when Mr. Wayne came up to say good night. The Estate Master watched a few videos with the boys and then he said good night to all of them.

As Mr. Wayne was about to go to his guest suite, Collin stopped him. The young man told him that Chief was very restless, and that it seemed that she couldn’t get herself settled. Wayne asked him to keep a close watch on the resident pet, and to come and get him if she goes down to the whelping box during the night. Collin said that he would, and then told the man to have a good night.

The Cove was quiet that night. Although Chief was beginning to feel something inside of her that she had never felt before.

Wednesday morning Ken Thomas woke and got ready for what he figured was going to be a very stressful day. He showered, dressed and then went down to the lobby to have something to eat off the breakfast buffet that the hotel offered before heading over to the courthouse.

He arrived at the courthouse at 8:30 hoping to meet Kate, as she arrived, and not have her waiting and wondering if he was going to be there. Amy Ozarker, Kate’s lawyer, was already there and the two talked, as they waited for Kate.

Kate Partlunds apologized for being late. She told them that the boys kept asking her why she had to be here and that Rusty asked her if it had anything to do with his dad. Kate told Ken and Amy that she told the boys a little white lie and she hopes and prays that is all it is.

Amy and Kate talked about what they could expect when the judge calls the court to order, and they discussed that after that, they would have to play everything by ear, as it comes. It was then they saw a police detective Amy knew walk through the main hall, and go into the courtroom, where their hearing would also be held. The three of them decided they should probably take their positions inside the courtroom.

Kate and Amy had no sooner taken their seats at their table when Lane Blankenhart and his mother, Evelyn, came in, along with the lawyer Lane used the first time he was in court. The three sat down at their table.

But just before he sat down, Lane looked over to Kate and snickered with a smile on his face, and then he noticed that her boyfriend, Ken, was seated in the first row of seats right behind her. He then quickly looked away and sat. He whispered something to his mother, who quickly looked over his shoulder to see Ken was there, and then she whispered something back to her son.

At nine o’clock the bailiff came into the court and called the court to order, “All stand.”

The judge walked into the court, sat behind his bench and looked out over the courtroom to see who was there. He looked through some papers and then he began to speak.

JUDGE: We are here today to continue the hearing, from three weeks ago, to ascertain whether or not that Lane Blankenhart would be required to pay child support for the children he has supposedly fathered, and secondarily … to determine the paternity of one said child known as Russell. I see that both parties are present for the hearing, so let us begin.

JUDGE: Mr. Blankenhart … It is good to see that you are represented by a lawyer this time. Did you bring with you the unopened results of the DNA test you and Ms. Partlunds were supposed to have done almost three weeks ago?”

LANE: (Remembering he needed to stand when he addressed the judge, stood up before he answered.) Yes, your honor, I have the envelope right here.

JUDGE: Have your lawyer bring it to me, please.

JUDGE: Ms. Partlunds … are you ready to learn the results of this DNA test?”

KATE: Yes, your honor.

The lawyer took the unopened envelope and handed it to the judge. The judge made a production of opening the envelope in front of both parties involved and then taking the contents out. He wanted them both to see that there was no sleight-of-handin changing the results.

The judge then read through the results of the DNA test and then placed the paper down in front of him.

JUDGE: After looking at these results, Mr. Blankenhart, I will have no problem in deciding your visitation rights.

The judge then made a motion to the bailiffs at the back of the courtroom to come forward.

JUDGE: To not delay these proceedings any further, Ms. Partlunds and Mr. Blankenhart, would you both please stand. … Mr. Blankenhart … after reviewing the results of the DNA test that you and Ms. Partlunds submitted three weeks ago … I want you to know that you are … NOT, I repeat that you are not the father of one Russell Partlunds.

There was an audible gasp that came from Evelyn when the judge made that announcement.

JUDGE: And Mr. Blankenhart … because you have tested as not being the father of Russell Partlunds, and it has been brought to my attention that you have been accused of blackmailing, or extorting, one Kate Partlunds, for thousands of dollars, I am now signing a search warrant for the detectives to search the house, where you reside, to search for those items you told Ms. Partlunds that you had proving that she had sexual relations with other men, at the time you two had supposedly conceived Russell.

JUDGE: And, since you have criminal drug convictions the detectives … they will also collect any illegal substances that may be in the immediate area that you use within that house where you reside.

LANE: You can’t do that to my mother!

JUDGE: (Bangs his gavel.) Yes, I can, Mr. Blankenhart and I already have.

JUDGE: Ms. Partlunds, I am sorry that you had to hear that the man that you thought was the father of your first child actually was not. But since you both agree that he is the father of your second child, I am hereby ordering that he pay you $600.00 a month.

LANE: But I can’t pay that your honor. And what about my visitation rights with Jessy, if I’m going to be paying all that money?

JUDGE: (Bangs his gavel) You’re out of order Mr. Blankenhart. Stand there and be quiet!

Upon hearing that her son was not the father of Rusty, Evelyn began to cry. She couldn’t understand how her son, who had told her for years that he was Rusty’s father, how he could be found not to be the father.

Lane’s mother was devastated. And now she heard that her son was also blackmailing Kate for thousands of dollars, and now her house, her home, was going to be searched for the proof that he was using to blackmail the woman with. What then caught her attention was the possibility that there may be illegal drugs there, too. She couldn’t believe that her son would do that to her after all the support that she’d given him all the times he’d been in jail.

The judge then signed some additional papers, then motioned for the police detectives to come forward to receive them. The judge and the detectives talked for a few moments before the judge focused his attention back to the two people who were still standing at their tables.

JUDGE: Mr. Blankenhart … your probation officer … he is also here in the courtroom and he would like to talk to you when these proceedings are over. So, do not leave this courtroom when I am finished with you. Mrs. Blankenhart … I am sorry … that you had to hear that your son is not the father of Russell Partlunds. The detectives … so as not to alarm your neighbors, they will wait for you to arrive at your home, before they enter it. They will allow you to show them where your son has his bedroom and where else he spends the majority of his time at your home. That is where they will focus their initial search. Please cooperate with them.

JUDGE: Also, Mrs. Blankenhart … I am not sure if your son … if he will be home later. That will be up to his probation officer, and what the detectives may or may not find at your home. You may want to head back there now.

JUDGE: Ms. Partlunds … seeing that Lane Blankenhart doesn’t have any present means of paying his child support, it will be a long time before you see any of that money. But, as of today, and going forward, he will be held accountable for that child support, and he will be required to eventually pay you everything that he owes.

JUDGE: If there isn’t any other business that needs to be conducted here this morning, then these proceedings are hereby concluded.

LANE: What about my visitation rights with my son, Jessy? If I’m going to have to pay all that money.

JUDGE: (Bangs his gavel.) You are out of order, Mr. Blankenhart. You will have to refile, when the time is right, and apply to the court for those visitation rights. But in the meantime, you need to take care of any situation you may find yourself in right now.

JUDGE: These proceedings are hereby concluded. The judge banged his gavel, the bailiff called out, “All Rise,” and within a few moments the judge was gone and Ken immediately went to Kate and hugged her.

“Ken, what am I going to tell Rusty?” was the first thing Kate asked her boyfriend.

As Ken continued to hug her, Ken told Kate, “Kate … you’ll sit down with your son, and you’ll tell him the truth. Don’t hold back anything. Let him ask questions and answer them truthfully.

“When he asks if you know who his daddy really is … tell him you that aren’t sure, but that you will find out and then he will meet him. If he asks how it is that Lane isn’t his father you tell him that somehow Lane had done something the night he was conceived, and you are going to get to the bottom of it.”

Ken then looked over to Amy Ozarker, who knew, by that look, that she needed to continue to have her investigator look for all of Lane’s high school close friends, and try to find the man who might be the father of Rusty.

As they left the courthouse, Kate asked Ken to follow her to her house. She wanted him to be there when she talked to Rusty about what was revealed at the court that morning. The woman wanted some moral support, as she told her son about Lane not being his biological father. Kate also knew how well Ken was able to talk to his foster sons. She hoped that, with him there, he would be able to help her explain the whole complicated issue to her son.

At The Cove, the boys were finishing their breakfast and they were talking about what their ‘dad’ was doing back east. They were speculating that he was out at Crystal Lake talking to Mr. Arnie about the new water park. But Charles reminded them that their ‘dad’ was not back east to talk to Mr. Arnie, but was out there to support Ms. Kate at a court hearing, and that he was probably with her right then.

After clearing the table and thanking Momma for fixing their breakfast, Billy headed out to work with Lonnie on power washing the estate walls, while the rest of the boys went upstairs to take their showers and to get ready for their day.

As Phillip came downstairs, after his shower and getting ready for his day, he realized that he hadn’t seen the resident pet enter into the Kitchen Nook to eat her food, or drink any of the cold water he set out for her. So, the young Cover went looking for the resident pet. When he saw Collin, he asked him if he’d seen Chief, and he told the young man why he was asking.

Collin told Phillip that Chief wasn’t herself last night when they went to bed, and that they better go looking for her just in case she is giving birth to her puppies. The two hurried down to the whelping box and there was Chief, in the box, and she had already given birth to three of her pups.

Collin told Phillip to hurry and get Mr. Wayne, while he went and got Mr. Chris. The four Covers met about thirty seconds later at the whelping box, where Chief was about to birth her fourth puppy.

Chief looked up at the Covers and then with a push of sorts the fourth puppy slipped out of the birth canal and she went to cleaning it up. Phillip watched for a few seconds and then he got sick from seeing the resident pet cleaning up the new born pup and left the area. Phillip went and told his ‘brothers’ what was happening, so the rest of the boys came down to the Great Room to see the miracle of birth.

When Kate and Ken arrived at Kate’s home, the two of them told Edith what happened at the courthouse. Kate’s mother was taken aback at the revelation that Lane Blankenhart was not Rusty’s father. They told her that they were going to sit down with Rusty and tell him everything, get it out in the open and answer all of his questions.

Edith was concerned about his young age, but Kate told her mom that she felt that it would be best to tell him outright about the charade Lane had been pulling over them both, and that she would do whatever it would take, to find his real father. Edith wished them good luck.

Kate called Rusty into her home office and asked him to sit down. She closed the door and the boy thought that maybe he was in trouble.

“Rusty … you know that I had to go to court today. (The boy nodded that he knew that.) Remember when we took a sample from your cheek and Lane’s? (The boy again nodded.) Well, at the court today, the judge, he … he read the results of the test,” got out the boy’s mother before she was cut off.

“He’s not my dad, is he?” quickly asked Rusty.

Kate quickly looked to Ken and then back to her son, and then shook her head, and answered her son. “No, Rusty, he isn’t! The test … it was to make sure that he was your father. I had my doubts, because of what … of what he was … of what he was telling me.

“Rusty … Lane … he had been blackmailing me, you know, making me give him money because … because he said he had something that proved other men … that other men could have made you. … That was why I made him, and you, do that DNA test a few weeks back.

‘Rusty … I promise you … that I will do everything that I can to find who your real father is and I will bring him to meet you. Amy, the lawyer, who has been working with me, she will have her investigators continue to work on this until we all know who your real dad is. Please believe me on this,” begged Kate, as she pulled her crying son to her.

Mother and son hugged for what seemed like an eternity, but when they separated, Rusty wiped his wet eyes and cheeks on his sleeve. The eight-year-old then looked at Mr. Ken. The man saw that the boy had a question on his face, so he asked him.

“Rusty … you have a question … for me?” gently asked the man the boy called Mr. Ken.

“Ahh, Mr. Ken … is this … is this what it feels like to be a … a foster boy?” the boy wanted to know.

“Come here, Rusty, sit with me. (The boy went over and sat on Mr. Ken’s lap.) No, Rusty, this is not what it feels like to be a foster boy. And the reason you are not a foster boy is that … is that you are still living with your mother and grandmother. My foster sons … they were either sent away from their parents, or their parents … they were no longer available to take care of their sons.

“Rusty … please trust your mother when she says that she will do everything she can to find out who your real father is. This in no way is your mom’s fault. Lane … he did your mother wrong and, as your mom told you, he was threatening your mom to pay him money, or else he was going to spread rumors about her, which would have affected you and your brother,” counseled Mr. Ken.

“Mr. Ken … is Lane … is he Jessy’s dad? Or, did he do to my brother what he did to me?” the boy wanted to know.

“Yes, Rusty, I do believe he is Jessy’s dad. But your mom … she can always ask that there be another DNA test to make sure that he is. But I think … I think we need to wait on that for right now. Let your mom … let her find your real dad first, before we go down that rabbit hole. OK?” teased Mr. Ken, as he tickled the boy’s ribs.

The boy giggled as the man tickled him some. Rusty enjoyed the attention he got not only from the man, but also from his ‘big brothers’. The boy never had that kind of attention from any males, including Lane, until he met the owner of the amusement park, and his ‘sons’, last year, after Jesse tripped and spilled his drink. Rusty relished the attention he was sorely missing in his life, up until that chance meeting, and he hoped it would never end.

Mr. Wayne told the boys that Chief is doing what is instinctively inside of her, and after all of the pups are born, they will want to eat and they will see them all suckle on Chief. He told them that the new born pups will probably eat every two to three hours.

Mr. Chris asked the boys to periodically check on the puppies every few hours to make sure they were all doing ok. He told them that he called the veterinarian and that he would stop by later this evening to check on Chief and her pups. He then asked Phillip to bring Chief’s bowls of food and fresh water down there, so she would have it when she feels the need to eat.

Collin asked Mr. Wayne when he was going to call his Big Bro. The Estate Master told the young man that he would wait until all of the pups were born. He added that he knew that his boss would want to know how many males and females there were because he knew his boss would want to know that.

The boys were all mesmerized by the birthing process. None of them ever had a pet, and this was the first time any one of them had the chance to witness this wonderful event. In hushed tones, they all commented on how dirty the whelping box was getting, with all of the birthing fluids that came out when the puppy was born. They talked how Chief would clean it up, but of course she didn’t clean it all.

Mr. Wayne heard them talking and he told them that after the vet checks Chief, and the new born puppies, they will have to change the whelping box bedding. The Estate Master told all the boys that they will all have to pitch in with that chore, as it will be upwards of four weeks before the puppies will begin to get out of the box and hopefully start going potty outside.

The boys suddenly realized why they now needed someone to stay at The Cove, while they went and visited their ‘dad’s’ amusement parks. It was only a little after the middle of July, and their trip was scheduled within the next three weeks and the puppies would still be using the whelping box then. One week short of them possibly getting out and about.

Mr. Wayne went and got some rubber gloves and placed the new born pups in one corner to keep them all away from Chief, as she was walking around trying to get into her next comfortable position to birth the next pup. Mr. Wayne wanted to keep the puppies safe from Chief stepping on them.

Mr. Chris, after watching for a few minutes, went and got the space heater that will help the newborn puppies stay warm.

Chief was doing her best for it being the first-time she was giving birth to a litter of puppies. She’d already given birth to four puppies and the boys were seeing how she was cleaning up her newborn pups.

It was then that Chief began to walk around to get ready to birth the fifth puppy of the litter. All the boys watched as the resident pet then laid down and began the process of pushing the puppy out and as soon as the pup was coming out Chief began the process of cleaning it up.

Phillip told his ‘brothers’ that was why he left. He said he couldn’t stand to watch Chief clean up her pups, but now that he watches her some more, he realized that is what she is supposed to do.

Mr. Dennis had arrived and wondered where everyone was. So, he called Wayne only to learn that Chief was giving birth. Phillip went up to the Foyer Door to let the Assistant Estate Master into the home, so he could watch the miracle of birth.

Jessy was outside the home office wondering why his mom and brother were in there talking so long, along with Mr. Ken. He knocked on the door hoping they would let him in. They did.

“Mom … why did you have to talk to Rusty for so long. Did he do something very bad?’ asked the younger Partlunds.

Kate pulled her youngest to her, as Rusty was still sitting on Ken’s lap.

“Jessy … you know I had to go to court today, right? (Jessy nodded his head.) Well … at the courthouse today … I learned that your dad, Lane, I learned that he … that he is not Rusty’s dad,” softly explained the young boy’s mother.

“Then who is my brother’s dad, mommy?” quickly asked Jessy.

“I don’t know honey. But I am going to try my hardest to find out. I promised your brother that I will find out who he is, and then we’ll get to meet him,” Kate assured her son.

“Mr. Ken … will you help my mom find Rusty’s dad?” innocently asked the young boy.

Ken looked over to Kate before he answered. Ken then told Jessy, “Yes, Jessy … I am going to help your mom in any way I can … to help her find the man who is your brother’s dad. Even Ms. Amy … she will do her best to find Rusty’s dad, too.”

Jessy then asked, “Mr. Ken … can we … will you take us out to the amusement park, so we can ride some of the rides?” The boy then looked to his mom to see if he misspoke.

Mr. Ken smiled at the question knowing that the boys wanted to go out there, and have some fun. So, he told the boys to go and ask their grandmother if they could have a snack, while he and their mom talked. Rusty and Jessy ran out of the home office to search out Edith.

Kate and Ken talked about what Jessy asked. Ken told her that the boys needed something to take their minds off what happened this morning, and the amusement park was the perfect place. Kate argued that she had to go to work. But Ken told her that he’d bet she planned to take the whole day off not knowing what the outcome of the hearing would be. Then he smiled.

Ken went over to Kate and pulled her out of her seat, hugged her and then kissed her. He told her that she needed to relax some, too, and Crystal Lake was the perfect place for her and the boys. He even teased that Edith might like a day at the park.

Kate said that she’s asked her mom if she’d like to go, but that she would like to have a fun day at the park with him.

The boys were at the door and heard what their mom said, and they both yelled, “Yeaaaa!”

The boys stayed and watched as Chief birthed her last two puppies. They saw that Mr. Wayne would nestle all of the pups in the far corner after Chief had cleaned them up. It was after the seventh pup was all clean that the Estate Master brought the other six pups over to their momma, so they could begin to get their first meal.

The puppies went at the teats with gusto and Chief laid there,breathing hard with what everyone would consider as a big smile on her face. All of the Covers just stood there and marveled at the wonder of birth that they all just witnessed. Mr. Wayne then took out his cell phone to take a picture that he could send Mr. Ken so he could see what the puppies all looked like.

Mr. Wayne told the boys that they were not to bring their friends down there to show the newborn puppies off. He explained that Chief just went through a rough time, and that she didn’t need an audience. The Estate Master added that the puppies right now will only be sleeping and eating and they too didn’t need forty boys trouncing in and out, gawking at them.

The boys got the message not to bother Chief, or her pups, for now. But they were going to tell all their friends. And since they couldn’t take their friends to see the puppies, they took their cell phones out and took a bunch of pictures for show and tell.

Edith agreed to go out to Crystal Lake Amusement Park with Ken, Kate and the boys. But she told them that she was going to drive her own car, so that when she was tired, she could then head home. With that agreed to, Kate and the boys joined Ken in his vehicle and Edith followed him as they drove over to the park and its operations parking lot.

When Ken Thomas, and four other people, walked into the operations building, it took Arnie Arnolds, the park’s operations manager, completely by surprise.

“Mr. Thomas … whata pleasant surprise. And I see you brought some guests with you. Welcome to Crystal Lake Amusement Park,” Arnie offered to Edith, Kate and her boys.

“Arnie, Kate and her boys … they’ve been here before. And Edith is Kate’s mother. We are here to have some fun. Aren’t we boys?” explained Ken Thomas.

The boys yelled, “Yeaaaa!”

Arnie asked Ken if he had time to talk, but the owner of the park told the ops manager that he was there to just have fun and not to work. Arnie then asked one of the secretaries to walk the group over to the FFF Booth to get them all Fastest Passes and then he wished the group to have a fun time.

After getting their Fastest Passes the group headed over to the kiddie rides. But along the way, Edith asked if they could ride the train. The boys were all for that.

It was now early afternoon, and the group of five knew if they rode the train over to the kiddie rides area, they could get off there and that way Edith wouldn’t get tired from all the walking.

It was while they were riding the train thatMr. Ken’s cell phone rang. When he looked at who the caller was, he told Kate that it was Wayne and that he needed to take the call.

“Yes, Wayne, have the boys mutinied and taken over The Cove?” Kate heard Ken tease his Estate Master.

.. ..

“She did, that’s wonderful. What did she have? How many males and females?” Kate, Edith and the boys heard Ken ask Wayne.

.. ..

“Is Chief doing, OK?” now asked Ken.

.. ..

“Thank you, Wayne. Everything is going well, here. We are at Crystal Lake enjoying the rides. I look forward to seeing the picture. I’ll talk to you later. Tell the boys that I should be home late tomorrow night. Bye.”

“That was Wayne. Chief had her puppies this morning. She had four males and three females. Mom and puppies are doing fine. The vet will stop by later this evening to check them out. Wayne is also sending me a picture of the puppies,” briefed Ken to Kate and her mom.

Ken Thomas then looked at his cell phone to see the picture of the puppies that Wayne just sent and he showed it to Kate and Edith and the boys. The boys quickly asked their mom if they could get one of Chief’s puppies. But their mom reminded them that she told them they could only get one if one of the people who are supposed to get a puppy doesn’t take it. The boys said they remembered her telling them that.

The boys then told Mr. Ken not to forget that they get a puppy if someone doesn’t take theirs. Mr. Ken just smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm at wanting a puppy. Kate then looked at her boyfriend and while mouthing the word, “No,” she also shook her head indicating that her boys were not going to get a dog.

After the boys got off the train, they couldn’t decide which ride they wanted to go on first. They had the Mini-Bumper Cars, the Frog Hopper, a Balloon Ride, the Small Version of the Swings, a Mini Pirate Ship, the Carousel and the KiddieCoaster that was only 12 feet high and a track length of 380 feet that lets the riders reach a top speed of almost 17 mph, as it twists and turns through beautiful landscaping.

Kate suggested to the boys that they take the rides as they came to them. So that’s what they did. The Frog Hopper was first. The boys then rode all of the other rides that were designed for children their size.

But Mr. Ken wanted to take them on a few bigger rides. So, he asked Kate if she thought they could all go on the Scrambler. They walked over to that ride and watched it go through its paces. Rusty asked if they were going to ride it. Mr. Ken asked the boy if he’d like to try it. Rusty was all smiles as he said that he did.

Ken, Kate and Rusty all rode the Scrambler, while Jessy stayed with Edith. Rusty sat on the end and as the ride twisted and turned back and forth the boy giggled and thoroughly enjoyed riding a ‘big boy’ ride. Kate also enjoyed the ride as she sat next to Ken and was squeezed into him as the ride’s slight ‘g’ forces pushed her into him.

The next ride Ken wanted to take Rusty on was the Swinging Boat. He also thought that Jessy could ride that one, but not necessarily on the upper most seats. So, the group used their Fastest Passes and even Edith rode and sat with Jessy on a lower seat, while Ken, Kate and Rusty sat at the upper most seat.

Rusty loved sitting between his mom and Mr. Ken. He felt himself being lifted out of his seat at the top of the swing of the boat, but his mom and Mr. Ken kept him from flying out. Jessy even loved that he was on the big kid ride.

The Airplanes were next. This was a ride that the boys’‘big brothers’ took them on. Ken took Rusty and Kate had Jessy and the two adults let the boys operate the joy stick which had the ride car go up and down while the ride went around.

After about four hours, Edith had decided to leave her daughter, grandkids and Ken at the park. She thanked Ken for taking them all to the park, and told Kate that she’d see her later tonight. The boys were hungry now, so they stopped for something to eat.

The Covers showed their friends the pictures of the new born pups. They were all saying how cute they all were. Of course, the boys wanted to go down and see them, but they were told that they couldn’t until Mr. Wayne said they could. They were all disappointed.

Phillip and his band were still learning the new music and now they made sure they tuned their guitars before they started to practice. The day went like every other day at The Cove. After lunch, the band members helped clean up and then they all went swimming.

While Kate, Ken and the boys were eating, Kate’s cell phone rang. It was Amy Ozarker calling her to let her know what she had learned from the detectives. After the lawyer filled her in on what she had found out, Kate thanked her and told her that she would be in touch tomorrow, before hanging up.

Ken was curious as to what the call was all about, so Kate told him that she would tell him once they had the boys back on another ride.

They took the boys back to the Mini-Bumper Cars, a ride they both enjoyed, and once they were seated in their car and the ride was turned on, Kate told her boyfriend what her phone call with her lawyer was all about.

“Ken … Amy told me that the detectives … that they found the video and some pictures that Lane was using to blackmail me with. She also told me that they found some illegal drugs – marijuana, methamphetamine and some cocaine in Lane’s bedroom. She said that Lane … that he was in a world of hurt right now and that his parole was revoked. She told me that the detective would brief me tomorrow at ten in her office. Ken … I hope that you’ll be there with me. Please?

“Amy … she also told me that Lane was now sitting in a jail cell awaiting arraignment on the new charges of extortion and distribution and sale of illegal drugs. Ken … Amy said that the detectives … that they found over $50,000.00 hidden in a loose board under his bed.

“Ken … Lane … he obviously didn’t learn his lessons from being in prison and here he was with … with $50,000.00 in his bedroom, and he was extorting money … from me,” now cried Kate, who then leaned on Ken’s shoulder and cried some more.

Ken told her that they would figure this out, but for now, she needed to get control of herself before the boys got off the ride. Kate agreed, wiped her eyes and told Ken to tell the boys that she was going to the Women’s Restroom to freshen up.

When the boys came off the ride they asked where their mom was. Mr. Ken told them where she went and then asked them which ride, they wanted to go on next. The brothers looked around and they chose the Mini-Pirate Ship. Mr. Ken took them over there and they got on the next ride. The man then watched for Kate to come out of the restroom.

When Kate caught up with Ken and the boys, she was in better spirits. She apologized to Ken for the way she acted. But Ken told her that everything that has happened to her today hit her like a 2×4, and she just wasn’t ready for it all. He told her to try to sort through it all, and to let Amy help her work through what’s obviously going to come up in the future.

Ken told Kate that with the video and pictures they found in the house, they might be able to help her determine who is Rusty’s father. He did add that Amy will probably have to petition to get copies of them and then somehow get the men to do DNA tests.

Kate told her boyfriend that she’ll work with Amy all the way. She then told him that she wished that he could stay there with her until it was all figured out.

Ken smiled and agreed that he would love to stay, but that he had five boys that were expecting him home tomorrow, plus he had businesses that he needed to manage. Ken then told Kate that he was only a phone call away, and that he could be there in a few hours for a dire emergency.

Kate hugged Ken and thanked him for everything he was doing for her and her sons. She asked him when he would be back that way again. Ken told her that he was planning another park visit with the boys, but with Chief now having her puppies, it might just be him and maybe one or two of the boys, as someone will need to stay home and take care of Chief and her brood.

The veterinarian stopped by The Cove after his normal office hours that Wednesday. He gave Chief a quick check-up, looked over the puppies and he told Wayne that everything looked fine. He told the Estate Master that Chief did a fine job for her first time as a mother.

The vet gave Wayne and the boys some helpful instructions on how to take care of the puppies and when to change the soiled bedding. He told them to make sure Chief had fresh kibble and water available to her and to keep the space heater close, but not too close, as the puppies needed to stay warm.

Momma Maria got to see the puppies after they were born. She served the Covers their dinner that evening and before she left the house, she went back down to the Great Room to take another look. The boys smiled as the woman came up the stairs and they thanked her again for making them a wonderful dinner.

In the Study, the boys told the Estate Master that they had hoped that their ‘dad’ would call them, but Mr. Wayne told them not to expect one, as he seemed to be very busy when he talked to him earlier in the day. They then covered which boys had what appointment next week.

Ken and Kate fed the boys dinner out at the amusement park. The boys thoroughly enjoyed being out there and they thanked Mr. Ken for taking them. They did ask when their ‘big brothers’ were coming back, and Mr. Ken had to tell them that they might not be back because someone had to stay home to take care of Chief and her puppies now. Rusty and Jessy were disappointed when they heard that.

Ken and Kate spent some time out on the front porch talking, after they took the boy’s home. They talked about everything that they learned today, and how Kate needed to move forward. The biggest hurdle Ken felt Kate had would be trying to get the authorities to identify the men in the videos and pictures and to try to get Lane to tell her how those men got involved in Rusty’s conception.

After their extended talk, the two enjoyed one another’s company that evening out on the porch. Edith had put the boys to bed and was deeply happy that Ken had remained on the scene and had not abandoned her daughter after learning all the sorted details about Lane about not being Rusty’s father and had $50k at his disposal, while he was still extorting money from her daughter.

Edith felt that Ken Thomas would be an excellent husband for her daughter, and an awesome step-father for the boys. She could only hope and pray that things would work out for her daughter, Kate.

The Cover boys were disappointed that their ‘dad’ hadn’t called them that Wednesday evening. But they knew that he was captivated with Kate and that he was back east to help her and that he would spend as much time with her as he could. They all liked her, so they didn’t mind that he was back there with her.

Before Ken left Kate that evening, he asked her if he could pick her up and take her out for breakfast and then go over to Amy’s office from there. Kate smiled at the offer and told the man that she would be waiting for him, and that she was happy that he would be there for her when the detective explained what they found in Lane’s room.

Ken then explained he had a late afternoon flight, so he had the time to help figure things out with her, but that he did want to go out to Crystal Lake and talk to Arnie about some things he needed to know. Kate said that she understood.

The two then shared a close embrace and a few lover’s kisses and then they hugged some more, before sharing one last kiss, before Ken went back to his hotel. The two were becoming more and more an item.

Chief was very pleased that she birthed seven pups and that they were healthy and constantly hungry. She was tired from the ordeal of birth, and she was going to try to rest as much as the newborns would allow that night. The Cove was quiet that night.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com

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