Bab’s New Years’ Resolution 86. © Copyright to Beverly Taff May 2021.

List of Characters.

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.
Bab’s Barbara Smith. Lola’s adoptive ‘Nana’
Olivia Smith Bab’s adopted daughter. (Excellent Artist.)
Angela Smith Bab’s newly adopted daughter
Erica Bab’s foster daughter.
Sergeant Bridie Davies Lady Police detective protecting the girls.
Sergeant Brian Davies. Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington Lola’s university girlfriend.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to –
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
Mickey Talbot Aaron and Shirley’s oldest son.
Jessica Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s middle daughter.
Bianca Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s youngest daughter.
Henry Denton Callie’s only son.
Charlotte Denton Callie’s only daughter.
Beverly Callie’s maternal great aunt (Ellie’s paternal aunt)
Wendy Smith Beverly’s Operations Manager for Hull
Louisa Wendy’s Daughter
Griselda & Mia Wendy’s younger twin daughters.
Susan Harvey Prosecution counsel advocating for Erica in court.
Han’s The German policeman’s son whom Erica really fancies.
Uncle Phillip CIA Agent.
Emily Jackson. Texan girl Kidnapped to Holland & Turkey
Sandra Jackson Sister to Emily kidnapped in Texas as a hostage.

Chapter 86.

When the verdict was declared, the case hit the national headlines first and quickly spread internationally both on the internet and via the regular international press.
Even on the courtroom steps the victims found themselves under a barrage of cameras and microphones as they struggled to make their way through the media scrum to the police escort convoy. Eventually they made it in ones and twos to the armoured minibus and collapsed into their seats as cameras continued to flash all around the bus windows.

Last of all, Babs struggled cautiously through the crush with two of Houston’s finest forcing a path to the bus.

“Flippin heck!” Babs gasped as she finally slumped into her seat. “Is this what it’s going to be like until all the brouhah dies down?”

“F’raid so lady.” One of the police officers revealed. “Though there’ll most likely be a full press conference organised later. That will be the best opportunity to sort the chaos out.”

“Chaos is the right word!” Babs’ agreed as she turned to the chattering girls.

The universal response was to get the conference over and done with. The girls were drained physically and emotionally.

“What do you girls feel about Monday?”

“For what Nan?” Lola wondered.

“To meet the press.”

“Do we have to?” Erica pleaded. “I just want some peace and quiet.”

Coming from a teen-aged girl, these words brought a sympathetic smile to Bab’s’ lips.

“Well, until you give them their story, they’ll just keep hounding you.” Babs’ sighed.

“They won’t write the truth though, will they?” Lola protested. “It’ll be all about transgenderism and blacks and all the salacious shit they can dream up.”

“That’s why I’m suggesting next Monday. It’ll give the lawyers time to filter the questions. Lay down some ground rules and stuff.”

“And if you think one of their questions is too invasive or offensive, tell them in no uncertain terms.” Officer Peggy added. “Just say that event or memory is too hurtful to mention. Play the wounded victim card! They’ve got all the facts from the court transcripts so they’ll be looking for the human stories, the personal stuff.”

“Nosey bloody salacious stuff!” Emily sniffed.

“Don’t worry about those sort of questions,” the sheriff advised, “ there’ll be a team of lawyers and your parents to block any hurtful questions. We’ve still got ongoing inquiries that affect several unsolved murders and if any of their questions compromise those investigations, we’ll lock them for you, unless you really want to give it to them with both barrels.”

Officer Peggy added more.

“It won’t be a wild scrum like outside the court, you’ll be sat at a long table and they’ll be coming forward to the mike to speak. There’ll be the table between you and them plus your lawyers seated beside you. The ground rules will have been explained to them because of what Sheriff Peters has just explained.”

Having determined how the press interview was going to be conducted, the girls visibly relaxed. The started discussing what they were going to do between that Wednesday and the following Monday. It was decided to take a flight to the Grand Canyon and do some week-end sight-seeing.
ooo000ooo

Sandra and Emily’s parents had organised a trek down into the canyon for the girls with a guide and the mood became charged with excitement. As the adults sat around a table chatting, the girls disappeared into a Lola’s bedroom and started searching on line for Grand-canyon. Very quickly, they learned about raft rides down the canyon and appeared hopefully back in the hotel lounge with expectant faces. Their hopes were quickly dashed as both Babs’ and Emily’s father pointed out the costs.

“Three thousand dollars per person just for three days!” Lola sighed wistfully.

The girls lamented the news and trudged disappointedly into the rear garden of the hotel only to mope around under the large jacaranda tree.

As they sat glumly reflecting the bad news, the Houston police officer Peggy stopped by in the hotel on casual social call. She was directed by Babs’ and Sandra’s parents into the inner garden where she found the girls chatting listlessly.

“Hi girls, I thought you’d be excited to be going to the canyon.”

“Yeah; sort of.” Erica replied for all of them.

“So why all the glum faces?”
“We wanted to go rafting but it’s too expensive.”

“What d’you mean too expensive! After the reward you guys will be getting?”

“What reward?” Erica sighed.

“The reward for getting those bastards locked up.”

“Nobody’s mentioned any reward.” Said Erica as she looked around her friends. “Have any of you heard anything?”

The puzzled frowns confirmed their collective ignorance and Peggy suddenly realised there might have been a communication breakdown.

“Yes there is. There’s a huge reward. The Mexican government and the Guatemalan authorities have contacted the Houston police. There’s a huge reward because they can now interrogate the bastards and get some answers to a lot of bad stuff in both countries.”

Having revealed this, she immediately contacted Lola and Sandra’s lawyers.

“Yes. The trafficking case with the British kids and the two Texan kids!”

There were silent pauses because Peggy’s phone was on mute.

-“Yes.-“

-“Yes -“

“Of course they want to know, what was the delay?”

-“You’re joking!”-

“I’m telling them right now; they’re here with me!”

“The stupid bastards!” Peggy muttered as she started to explain.

“They were going to reveal the reward at Monday’s meeting. Local politics and advertising. There’s some senator or congresswoman with an axe to grind about women’s rights and rape politics and all that. She’s on a retainer with the law-firm and she’s looking for publicity.”

“Doesn’t that say it all!” Sandra grumbled. “How much is the reward?”

“A Hundred thousand dollars to be shared as you see fit.”

The girls exchanged happy looks then Lola checked again.

“So who’s the beneficiary?”

“It just says a hundred thou’. I suppose you’ll have to divvy it up yourselves. Frankly, I don’t know.”

“Don’t let the bloody lawyers get their sticky fingers on it.” Erica warned ironically. “Or we’ll see bugger all.”

“There speaks an old cynic!” Peggy smiled sympathetically. “Not to worry girls, your prosecution counsels were supplied by the state of Texas. They won’t be sharing the reward.”

The group returned to their parents in the hotel foyer with officer Peggy in tow. There they started discussions about rafting. Firstly, Peggy explained.

“We’ll have to get confirmation that the reward has been released, that will be a letter from the State Attorney’s office. Once we have that, we can approach a bank to get an advance loan.”

“Sooner the better,” Babs’ opined, “we haven’t got long.”

“We’d best approach my bank,” Sandra’s father explained. “It’ll be faster than transferring the money to your British bank and then transferring it back. What d’ you say Babs’?”

Babs’ nodded agreement as Peggy connected her cell-phone to the state attorney’s office while Mr Jackson got busy with his bank. Within an hour various loose ends were tied up and the girls were searching the internet for the best rafting deal down the canyon. Eventually, they found a good deal with three days rafting on Thursday, Friday and Saturday then returning to Houston on the Sunday for the Monday press release.

ooo000ooo

“What! We’re going down by helicopter!?” Sandra squealed.

“It would take half a day to walk it.” The guide explained.

Both Texan girls tensed with excitement then turned curiously to the Brits.

“Aren’t you excited?”

“By the prospect of rafting, yes,” Olivia grinned, “but the chopper thing, well it’s old hat.”

“What? You’ve flown before?”

As all the Brits nodded the Jackson sisters pouted. “Not fair. How come?”

“Back home,” Lola explained. “We got ferried around a lot during the initial British trial. It was to keep us safe mainly.”

“Lucky buggers!” The younger sister Emile observed enviously.

“It was just the police thing. It was safer to get us around quickly and without being car-jacked.” Lola explained but Erica added mischievously.

“Not all the time Lola. Your friend Callie taxied us a lot.”

She turned to explain to the Jackson sisters.

“Callie is her friend the transgendered duke. She owns her own chopper but it was in for servicing when we were all in London. Nobody thought to mention it. Callie’s fucking rich!”

"Yeah, we saw the house, remember?" Sandra pointed out.

“All right girls. Stop trying to score points. Which ones are going first. Three at a time plus kit.” Babs’ scolded them gently.

“Let Sandra, Lola and Emily go first.” Olivia suggested. “I want to sketch their departure.”

This was readily agreed and the others stood by the second chopper as the first one left. Soon everybody was gathered on a large landing beach area where rafts, kayaks and tents were laid out. Bab’s and the Jacksons watched as the girls eagerly loaded their raft under instruction then the guides went through the safety drills. Finally the rafts were on there way and the adults returned to the canyon rim in anticipation of three days quietly touring Arizona and Colorado.

ooo000ooo