Published: 21 Nov 2024

From The Previous Chapter:

Kate and the boys thanked Ken for taking them out to dinner and when they got into Kate’s car, Ken got into his rental vehicle and followed them home. The rest of the group loaded into the vans and went back to their hotel, where the adults stopped at the hotel’s lounge for a few adult drinks. The boys went up to their rooms and talked before going to bed.

Kate put her boys to bed and then she and Ken sat out on her front porch and talked about what was happening with the investigation of Lane’s high school friends. After that, they talked about them.

Ken Thomas was up, showered and dressed for the day when a few of the boys came down for breakfast. They were surprised that their ‘dad’ was ready to go, and they asked him why he was up so early and dressed. ‘Dad’ Ken reminded them that he had other business to take care of while he was there and he had to meet some people at nine o’clock.

Looking at the time, Mr. Ken told the boys he needed to get a move on. So, he drank the rest of his coffee, visited the restroom and then, just before heading out the front hotel door, he told the boys that he should see them sometime after noon at the park.

Ken Thomas’ first appointment was with Amy Ozarker. He wanted to get a briefing on what was happening with any investigation with Lane’s old high school friends and what, if any, results had come back on any DNA samples the detectives had taken from the local men.

Amy told him that the detective working the case told her that there were no DNA tests because the men had told them that they needed to talk to their lawyers, or for them to get a court order. She did say that they have talked to the other two men who, now, are also unwilling to submit DNA samples, and they now have to convince Kate to file rape charges in order for them to get court ordered samples from all four men.

Ken Thomas told her to get her investigator out to where those assholes are and get something with their DNA on it, and then do the same for the two local men and they would do their own DNA check and then take it from there. He reminded her that they aren’t bound by any laws and once they have something with DNA on it, then they would take it from there.

Amy asked him if she should tell Kate what they were doing. That was a difficult question for Mr. Ken. He told her that they should wait until they had the samples and then tell her when they needed to have Rusty give his sample for a comparison. He reminded the lawyer that Kate had suggested that they do that, so she will probably be okay with what they are doing, but that they should still wait until they have all of the DNA samples.

Amy then asked about telling the detective. Ken told her they would have to cross that bridge when the DNA results come back. But, for now, they didn’t have anything to tell him, including that they were going to try to get their own underhanded sample. Amy just shook her head, but she agreed that with Kate not wanting to file charges, this was the only other way to find out who might be Rusty’s dad.

After meeting with Amy, Ken Thomas had made an appointment to meet with one of the County Commissioners about Crystal Lake using the lake water for the water park. The Board that controlled the lake’s water had yet to decide on their application to use the lake’s water and Ken Thomas wanted someone local who could hopefully champion his cause in that endeavor.

Ken then met Kate for lunch. The two had a nice couple’s lunch that included talk about his local business interests because, as a Real Estate Agent, Kate serviced his sales contracts in the area and there were still a few remaining contracts that were yet to go to closing. They then talked about themselves and how the boys enjoyed yesterday.

Kate told him the boys love him and their big brothers, and that she loves them, too. Kate then smiled at Ken and reached across the table for his hands. Ken told Kate that they’ll get through this Lane thing together, and then they’ll make plans for them and the boys. He then squeezed her hands to give her some sign of assurance that he meant what he said. Kate smiled knowing that he still loved her, even after all that he knew about what she was going through.

Kate then told Ken what she forgot to tell him last night. “Ken … Evelyn … she came to me and she apologized. She apologized for the actions of her son and her. Ken … Evelyn … she seemed to be really sincere, as she told me that she had no idea that her son was blackmailing me and … and that he was holding something over me in order to get me to pay him.

“Evelyn … she mentioned that she watched the detectives as they searched where Lane usually stays in the house, and that they found the drugs. She said they found some marijuana, methamphetamines and some cocaine, and she told me that she was horrified that her son was dealing with that stuff again that put him in prison in the first place.

“Ken … Evelyn … then she told me that when the detectives found that $50,000.00, she couldn’t believe that he had all that money, because he was constantly asking her for money. Evelyn also told me that she had no idea that her son was so mixed up in all of those things. She told me that she had no clue as to where he could have gotten a hold of that much money, unless … unless it was from selling all those drugs.

“Evelyn did mention that the detectives … that they also found a video tape and some pictures, but that she didn’t see them, and she told me that she had no idea why the detectives took them. Ken … I’ll bet that Evelyn … I’ll bet that she still has no idea that her son had four of his best friends rape me that night, and that he took a video of it.

“Ken … I wonder … I wonder if Lane … I wonder if Lane was also extorting money from the four men in the video, too. That could also be another reason why he had all that money hidden in the house. What do you think?” asked Kate.

“Kate … I think we need to get Amy’s investigator on this to see if he can find that out. Because if Lane … if he was also extorting money from the four of them too, he could find himself behind bars until he is sixty. … But the one thing that I am happy about is that at least Evelyn … at least she has come to her senses and finally knows what a despicable son she has,” offered the boyfriend to Kate’s question.

Ken then told Kate that he had to get back to Crystal Lake and finish up his business there. He told her that he would see her later tonight for dinner. The two shared a loving kiss and then the two departed until later that evening.

Ken Thomas arrived back at Crystal Lake closer to 12:30 than to twelve, noon, as he intended, but it didn’t matter to his guests, as they were all out in the park enjoying the rides. The park’s owner put on his owner’s polo shirt and then he and Arnie took the golf cart down to where the water park was going to be located.

Arnie still wanted the entrance located in such a way so that if they ever decided to have a separate fee for both the amusement and water parks, they could easily institute that. Arnie Arnolds used the argument that some of the major amusement park concerns have already done that with their dual use parks and he didn’t want, in the future, to lose the opportunity for that extra income. Ken Thomas said he understood.

As the two walked around the proposed water park site, the two discussed where the wave pool and the lazy river would be and then some of the other major water slides. Arnie had the proposed plans in his hands, but they weren’t set in concrete, yet, and that was what they were doing today.

After today, the plans would be sent to Ben who would have them finalized and then sent to the contractor, who would be set to begin construction on or about September first. The only change that Arnie wanted was the entrance location and an assurance that people wouldn’t have wet bathing suits when they are on the rides.

The boys were out having fun on the rides. Today, Miriam stayed with the large group and only rode the rides she felt comfortable riding. This time out she rode the Octopus and even the Himalaya, which she said afterwards that if she knew then what she knew now she would never have ridden it. All the boys laughed.

The group walked over to the Boomerang. They walked up the exit to ride and Miriam stayed back with Phillip. Mark called out to her to come and ride with him. He told her that it is fast and she won’t even know that the ride went upside down.

The woman thought about it and when she saw that both Dan and Dennis were going to ride, she began to think about riding the Boomerang. She figured if they were going to ride, and with Dennis being much older than she, so he decided to join them. Only Phillip wasn’t riding because of his injured shoulder.

The twelve were all on the same coaster train. Mark made sure his mother was in the middle of the train, as this was her first time ever riding. Miriam was apprehensive about the ride and when the train went backwards up the launch hill, she grabbed her son’s hand. Then the catch was opened and the coaster raced to the bat-wing and before Miriam knew it, she was in the loop and racing up the other hill and being pulled up it.

Mark’s mom was going to say something to him, but the train was at its peak and the catch was released and the coaster train went racing backwards through the loop, then through the bat-wing and up the initial launch hill. Miriam then caught her breath as the train was slowly let back into the station house.

The boys all yelled and laughed after the ride. Miriam let Mark help her out of the seat and the two walked down the exit ramp.

“Well, how was it?” asked Phillip.

“Phillip … I don’t know. It was over so fast that my brain … it is still processing it. But I think … I think I liked it. And, I don’t like going upside down,” confessed Miriam, with a smile.

After Mr. Ken and Arnie Arnolds had finished their business concerning the water park that would begin being constructed that fall, Ken Thomas told the parks operations manager that he was going out into the park, catch up with his boys and ride a few rides with them.

As Mr. Ken left the building, Arnie made an announcement over the radio, “Park One to all supervisors. Owner One is now out in the park with his family. There is no need to respond to this announcement,”

Ken Thomas didn’t hear the announcement, as he didn’t take his radio with him. But the section supervisors were on the lookout for the park’s owner and would run interference if need be.

“Dad, are you going to ride a few rides with us?’ asked Charles, when he saw his dad approaching.

“Yes, I thought I’d ride a few rides before we leave and go out to dinner. Now, where to?” asked the boys’ ‘dad’?

The group headed to a few of the rides and each of the boys had the chance to ride with their ‘dad’, before it was time to leave the park and head out for dinner. Mr. Ken did change out of his owner’s polo shirt and then told the group that he was picking up Kate and they were going out to dinner by themselves, and that he would meet them back at the hotel.

Ken and Kate went to that small restaurant they found the last time Ken was there. The quaint place was out of the way, the food was relatively good and the atmosphere made for a couple’s night. They talked some more about each other and what they would like to do.

Ken told Kate that he knew that the thunderstorm that was hanging over her head would eventually be gone and Lane would be out of her life forever. He told her that even if the man was Jessy’s father, with his current troubles, he wouldn’t see the boy until he was a young man. Then Ken assured her that Jessy would then be old enough to decide for himself if he wanted anything to do with his father.

Kate loved that the man, that she had fallen for last year, was always upbeat about things, no matter how much mayhem or turmoil might come of them. She just loved that he focused on her and that he was not put off by what he knew about her and the rape.

She knew that he was paying for her lawyer, Amy Ozarker, to work on her behalf to get to the bottom of what Lane had done to her, all those years ago. And what she really loved about the man was that he treated her boys like they were a part of his ‘family’ of boys, and those boys had adopted them as their ‘little brothers’ and took care of them, as if they actually were.

Kate knew that the man wanted to marry her, as he told her as much when she was with him back during the 4^th of July week. But she told him that she didn’t want to do that just yet, make a commitment to marry him, until everything that Lane had put in motion was all straightened out and she knew who Rusty’s real father was.

Kate was so grateful that Ken had stuck with her through everything and if he ever did leave her, she would totally understand. But she hoped that he never would.

During dinner, the two looked into one another’s eyes, they held hands across the table and they talked softly about the possible future they could have together. And then afterwards, they walked hand-in-hand, then stopped for an ice cream before Ken returned Kate to her home, where they sat on the front porch and talked some more.

The large traveling group had a very nice steak dinner that evening, for which Collin picked up the tab, since Wayne wasn’t there with his black credit card. Afterwards, they all went back to the hotel to pack for tomorrow’s flight to the last park they would visit, Edgewood, soon to be Adventure Forest. The adults did meet in the hotel’s lounge for a few adult drinks, as they had been doing every night during the trip.

When Mr. Ken arrived back at the hotel, the adults saw him and had him join them for one drink and any last comments before he went up to pack. He didn’t have anything for them, but they told him that during tomorrow’s flight, they had talked about changing up the manifest, but that they had already done that so everyone would continue in the same plane they arrived in. Mr. Ken laughed that they talked about making passenger changes and then realized that they’d already made them.

After finishing his drink, Mr. Ken told everyone that he’d see them at eight o’clock tomorrow morning and for them to have a good night. Before long, everyone was in their own rooms sleeping and waiting for the last stop on their trip to begin.

The travelers began to filter down to the hotel lobby between 7:30 and eight o’clock. The boys immediately took their bags out to the vans and then they came back into the hotel to grab something off the breakfast buffet to satisfy their stomachs before they got something to eat on the plane, as they flew to their next stop, Edgewood.

The two aircraft took off about five minutes apart from one another.

The flight was only ninety minutes long, but the flight attendants had to wait until they reached cruising altitude before they could serve their passengers a simple breakfast. They could only offer pre-made pancakes, waffles and breakfast tacos which they would reheat for them and a drink of orange juice, soda, and coffee.

The boys scarfed their food down in record time, and asked for more, while the adults enjoyed their coffee along with their simple fare knowing they could get something at the park when they arrived.

The attendants were kept busy during the flight heating up additional items for the boys and then they had to collect all the trays and dirty cups. By the time the attendants had done all that it was almost time to land, so the boys looked out the windows and enjoyed the scenery.

It was after eleven o’clock by the time both private jets had landed and were unloading their passengers. When all their bags were brought into the terminal, the boys helped the drivers place their bags into their transportation vans. They knew the sooner they arrived at their hotels the sooner they could get out to the amusement park and see what it looks like after all the cleaning they knew had been done and some that they helped with.

At the hotel, Mr. Ken got the key cards for all their rooms and made the room assignments amongst the boys, who quickly took the bags to the appropriate room. Everyone knew to use their room’s facilities and to meet down in the lobby in fifteen minutes.

Mr. Ken decided to stop for lunch along the way, as they drove out to the park. He had the van drivers stop at a national fast-food chain, so they knew the food would be consistent with what they were used to from where they were from. Granted it wasn’t a sit-down place that Miriam would have liked, but Mr. Ken did promise that they would go out for a big dinner later tonight.

The woman understood that the trip had two purposes. The first was for Mr. Ken to visit his properties and to inspect them and make sure they were performing to his expectations. The second reason was so his ‘boys’ could enjoy all of the rides, as that was what boys their ages wanted to do.

Miriam also knew the boys were anxious to see what changes had been made at Edgewood, since they visited the park earlier in the year, and had helped some with getting it ready for the Grand Re-Opening, which was another reason why they never stopped for a big meal on their way to any of the parks.

Even though they only stopped at a fast-food restaurant, it was still close to 2 p.m. when the travelers arrived at the Edgewood operations building, where Jason Zimms, the Operations Manager, along with Braxton Carter and Tucker Clark, his two Assistant Ops Managers met the large group.

“Welcome back, Mr. Thomas,” loudly greeted Jason. “And I see a new face in the group,” added the operations manager.

“Yes, Jason, I have with me this time Miriam Golderson, Mark’s mom. He was my foster son last year and you probably met him at Crystal Lake.” finished Mr. Ken.

Jason introduced his two right-hand men and it was Tucker Clark who walked the group over to the FFF Booth, so they could get their Fastest Passes. So, while the group received their Passes, in order for them to get on the rides quickly, Mr. Ken talked with Jason.

“Jason, Ben and I … we review your statistics every week and I must say that I am impressed with what you’ve accomplished here. The attendance figures … they continue at a steady pace, even with the rides that are missing. I also see that the food revenue is also consistent every week and that says that your menu choices were the correct way to go.

“But let me ask … how is this lighthearted contest between Coke and Pepsi turning out? Are the guests happy with having both choices available to them? Have the guests leaned towards one cold drink more than the other? I’m really anxious to know if one distributor is going to have egg on their face, after agreeing to this challenge, when they learn that they aren’t as popular with the guests as they hoped,” asked the park’s owner.

“Mr. Ken … let me tell you … both distributors … they have been keeping close tabs on the amount of product that we’ve gone through. And … they both try to get me, Braxton and Tucker, to tell them how much their competitor is going through, too. It is funny at times, but we won’t tell them. But to be honest with you, it is really nip and tuck as to who will be the winner.

“And, Mr. Ken, … I would like, if at all possible, I would love to keep offering both soft drink company’s offerings. I think the guests … I do believe that they love that they have a choice of both soft drink companies to choose from. And if I were lucky enough to keep both companies, I’d trade off where they are this year to where their competitor is now, to give them an equal opportunity to see if the food offerings have any bearing on the amount of product they sold,” explained Jason Zimms.

While the two men discussed Edgewood Park’s issues, the first ride the boys hurried to, after getting their Fastest Passes, was to the renamed wooden roller coaster, Patches. Charles told everyone how he and Rylan, the President of Three Finger Entertainment, Ben Walthers’ son, decorated it for the Grand Re-Opening.

When the group walked up the coaster’s exit, the ride attendant’s recognized Charles and said “Hi” and asked him if Rylan was also there. Charles told them that these were his ‘brothers’ and it was a long story and they were only there for the rest of the day.

The twelve people holding the Fastest Passes all headed to the coaster train, but Mariam told her son that she was not going to ride in the front. Billy then asked Phillip if he was going to ride. The young Cover said that he was going to try it because he’s supposed to go back living with his mom after Labor Day, and this might be the only time that he’ll get to ride it.

Billy suggested that the two of them sit in the middle of the train so his younger ‘brother’ doesn’t get too tussled around from riding in the front or the back and hurt his shoulder. Phillip smiled that his big ‘brother’ would want to ride with him, and the middle of the train is where the two headed.

Mark and his mom sat in the same train car as Billy and Phillip and after the rest of the group found their seats the ride attendants opened the turnstiles for the remaining seats to be filled.

When the brakes were released, the train rolled down a slight hill before it caught the lift hill chain and as it rose up the 110-foot first hill, Phillip looked out and enjoyed seeing what the entire park looked like from that high up advantage point.

And being in the middle of the coaster train, they had to wait until the rest of the cars came over the top of the hill before the entire train raced the 78-degree slope that went down 94 feet before leveling out some and then heading up the next hill. The coaster had some speed and it leaned to one side or the other a time or two giving the rider an even better thrill ride. It had some air time on the return bunny hills, which every coaster lover enjoyed.

When the group met at the bottom of the exit, Miriam told everyone that the ride was a much better wooden coaster than the other ones she’d ridden during their trip. Charles spoke up right then and told her that his dad had a major inspection and repair company come in before they reopened Edgewood and made some changes. The young teen told her that all the new wood on the coaster is where the new name, Patches, came from and why it was so smooth.

Miriam thanked Charles for telling her that and she added that the coaster was probably the best of the wooden coasters she had ridden during the entire trip.

The next ride the boys wanted to go on was Roll-O-Plane. This had twin opposite facing cockpits on long arms that spun around 360 degrees, just like the Axe, Hatchet and Tomahawk did. It was also attached to a rotating arm mounted to a pivoting hinge on a central support column. The ride arm had two enclosed cars (one at the top and one at the bottom) and each car held four riders seated in pairs facing opposite directions making the maximum capacity of eight riders.

After the ride operator filled all eight seats, once in motion, the Roll-O-Plane arm swung until it made a complete loop, though the riders never became inverted. This is because the ride cars are free to rotate horizontally or “roll”, while the ride is in motion, always keeping the riders right-side-up. The Roll-O-Plane makes a few loops and then it turns so it is parallel to the ground for a few turns and then goes back to its looping motion before it comes to a stop.

After watching the ride, Miriam told her son, “I am NOT riding that. Period!” After hearing the way his mother said what she had, Mark knew not to argue with her when she said something in that tone of voice.

Dan and Dennis joined the lady along the fence line and agreed that they weren’t going to ride it either. That meant there were nine riders, but only eight seats. But in the end, Collin decided to ride again with Phillip, so he could try the ride out as well.

As the group walked away, they mentioned a number of rides for Miriam to choose from. There was the Scrambler, Swinging Boat, Himalaya, Octopus, Ferris wheel and when the boys mentioned The Whip, she stopped them and asked them what that ride was all about.

When they explained it to her, she told them that she remembered riding something like that when she was younger and asked if they could go over and ride that. So, that was where they went next.

Upon arriving at The Whip, Miriam said that she remembered riding something like that and asked that they ride it. The group activated their Fastest Passes and when it was their turn, the group took up half of the twelve ride cars with Miriam riding with Mark, Robert riding with Eric, Collin with Charles, Mr. Dan with Matthew, Ryan with Billy and lastly Mr. Dennis rode with Phillip.

When the ride began, the ones closest to the end wheel didn’t get as much outward forces into their seat as the riders after them. They all enjoyed the ride and they laughed and the boys whooped and hollered some, as they went around the ends of the ride and experienced the centrifugal forces from when the car made that 180-degree turn.

The group gathered together, at the end of the ride, and talked about how an older ride such as The Whip, that was probably over 100-years-old, could be that much fun. The boys then looked at the time and knowing they arrived at the park late said they wanted to get in as many rides as they could. They told the adults that they knew their ‘dad’ would be calling for them to come back to the operations building pretty soon, so they could go out for a big dinner.

The big group walked by the Hey Dey and Miriam saw that the ride was being refurbished. She asked the boys if they knew what the story was behind it. Robert told her that his dad said it was the precursor to today’s Tilt-A Whirl, but in a much larger version and he wanted to bring it back to as close to its original configuration as possible.

The teenager continued to tell her that the ride was about four times larger than a Tilt-A-Whirl and that it seated six riders in a two-seat front/back car gondola. Charles then told the woman that their dad wanted to fix it up and keep it as it was a nostalgic ride that people might love to ride again and he hoped to have a Grand Re-Opening of it sometime late next spring.

As the group walked around, they showed Miriam where The Rocket was that jumped off its track and caused the park to eventually go into bankruptcy,giving their dad the chance to buy the park. They also pointed out where the Swinger and the Para-Drop were. They added that a Boomerang roller coaster, a Wave Swinger, swing ride, that oscillates as it goes around and a 250-foot-high Drop Tower would be installed before opening day next spring along with an inverted coaster that should bring the people to the park.

The group came up to the Head Over Heels and some of the boys said that they wanted to ride it. But after watching the ride, all three adults told the boys to, “Have fun!”

Collin and Ryan were first in line as they had never seen anything like that ever, and they wanted to experience it. The rest of the Covers debated if they really wanted to ride it. Phillip said that he wanted to as he might never get back that way again, once he lives with his mom again, and he wanted someone to ride with him.

Matthew said that he would, as long as they don’t turn upside down all the time. Phillip agreed and the two got in line to activate their Fastest Passes. The rest of the boys also got in line and before long the nine boys were on the ride, with Billy being the lone rider.

On this ride the two riders faced one another in a circular, or wheel like, gondola. Then with the riders firmly fastened into their seats, the ride spins on a central spindle, while the gondolas could turn 360 degrees forwards or backwards on its own axis, which was controlled by the riders.

Dan, Dennis and Miriam watched the ride go around and they heard some of the boys laughing as they turned upside down over and over. They also watched that Phillip and Matthew only turned 360-degrees a few times one way and then the other just to see what it was like, and then the rest of the time they just swung the gondola back and forth like a swing.

When the boys got off the ride, they all had different takes on how they enjoyed the ride. The consensus was the ride was a Take-it or Leave-it type of ride and then they asked where to next. But that was when ‘dad’ Ken and Jason Zimms caught up with them.

“What say we all head back to the ops building and stop along the way back to our hotel and get ourselves a good steak dinner,” offered Ken Thomas.

The boys moaned, but it was Robert who told his dad that he hadn’t ridden many rides with them at all on this trip, and that this was their last stop and he owed them.

‘Dad’ Ken thought about what his son said, and after a few moments he asked his son, “OK, son, which ride do you want me to ride with you on?” The teenager quickly answered, “Patches.”

All the boys smiled knowing that they would all be headed over to Patches. Mr. Ken and Jason Zimms gave Miriam a ride on the four-seat golf cart over to the wooden roller coaster, where they waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

While Mr. Ken waited for his group to arrive, he decided to go up the exit and talk to the people in line. Jason had never seen the man do that, but he’d heard from Julia Rennartz, the operating manager for Discovery Kingdom, that he’d done that at her park a few times and that the people loved it. Jason was now going to experience it for himself.

When the park’s owner and operations manager were at the exit gate to the station, the three ride attendants were not only surprised, they were concerned that they’d done something wrong.

When the current riders began exiting, Mr. Ken told the ride operator to hold the train. Then Mr. Ken went out on the platform and began to talk to the people in line.

“Hello … I am Ken Thomas … the owner of Edgewood and soon to be known as Adventure Forest Amusement Park. I wanted to ask you what you think of Edgewood since the Grand Re-Opening,” began Ken Thomas.

The people in line began shouting out how much they love how clean it is and that the price was very good. Some told him that the restrooms were bright and they smelled so clean that they didn’t mind using them. Others told him they couldn’t wait until he installed all the new rides, especially the inverted coaster, they announced he would build there for next year.

When Mr. Ken heard his boys were behind him, he told the group in line that he was going to play his owner’s privilege card. He then explained that it meant that he and his family were now going to ride Patches a few times before they leave and head back home to Texas.

Mr. Ken then told his group to load up and that he and Robert would take the first car, first seat and then he had the ride operator fill in the rest of the train and dispatch it when it was safe. Jason told the ride operator to do it and after the train was dispatched, he had the attendants empty and fill the next train and dispatch it when it was safe.

Jason talked to the people in line and asked them what they thought about the owner talking to them tonight. They told him they thought it was great that he would do that. Then the current train was dispatched and the owner’s train came into the station and all Mr. Ken did was have Robert and Charles change seats and the other riders get off and have new people in line get on and then the train was dispatched when it was safe.

After that train was dispatched, Jason again asked the new people in line what they thought about the owner talking to them. He got essentially the same response.

When the owner’s train came in the next time, Mr. Ken had everyone get off, and he asked his group to meet him at the bottom of the exit, while just he and Collin rode the train. He had the attendants then fill the rest of the train.

When Ken Thomas returned to the station, he got out of the train and he stood on the platform and thanked the people in line for their understanding in allowing him to play his owner’s card to ride Patches with his family. The people applauded and thanked him for talking to them.

At the bottom of the exit, the boys wanted to know what the people were applauding for. Jason spoke up and told them that the people were thanking Mr. Thomas for talking to them. The boys went over and gave their ‘dad’ a group hug. Jason was amazed at what he saw and heard and now he had a story to tell Julia about tomorrow.

Mr. Ken had the group head back over the operations building, so they could ride their vans to a good steak restaurant. At dinner that evening, Mr. Ken told everyone that they had a late take-off the next morning, so having a late dinner wasn’t too bad.

While the adults sat and ate, Mr. Ken asked Miriam what she thought about Edgewood. The woman told her host that it was the cleanest of them all, but that Crystal Lake was right up there with it. She added that she knew that it had only been open since the first of July, so it probably didn’t have the attendance numbers that Crystal Lake had.

Miriam did tell Ken that she loved Patches and that she wished all his wooden coasters were as smooth as that one was. She said there was something about it that made her totally like it. Dan spoke up and said he liked that coaster as well, because of its speed and that it didn’t have a lot of shaking and rattling, as some of his other wooden coasters have.

When the group was back at the hotel, Mr. Ken told everyone that they had an 11 a.m. take-off time and that they all should be down in the lobby by nine o’clock. He reminded them the hotel breakfast buffet closes at nine, so that if they wanted something to eat to hold them over until they were fed on the plane, they needed to plan accordingly.

None of the adults visited the hotel’s lounge that evening. They all decided that they needed to pack and get a good night’s rest before their long day that started the next morning.

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

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