Tom Brand Escapes

26 - Escapes Canada, Eh

Brand and Jenn sat in the darkness of the kitchen. It was warm. After they washed their hands to remove the remnants of the gel, Jenn poured coffee from the full pot on the counter next to the sink into two large mugs. She sat one in front of Brand and wrapped her hands about the other, breathing in its aroma.

"Hmmm. French Vanilla," she whispered.

They sat like that for several minutes before the flood light in the yard came on and off and on again. When the kitchen door swung open and the lights popped on, Jenn shielded her eyes. Brand squinted against the glare.

The man who entered stopped dead in his tracks. He quickly recovered.

"Hello! So glad you tried the door." He went and locked its handle.

"I'm terribly sorry about the delay. I had an unexpected visitor, my niece. Quite unexpected, I assure you."

"We were told this was a private party, Charles," Brand said.

"As I told you. It was my niece. She's on her way to meet some friends to go skiing and dropped in. She went an hour out of her way to surprise me."

Charles turned to Jenn. "I could hardly turn her away. What excuse could I give?"

Jenn walked to the fridge opened it and took out a carton of light cream. She shrugged. "He was just being polite," she said to Brand.

Jenn poured the cream into her coffee. "But why did you give the all clear signal?" she asked.

Charles slapped his hand against his forehead.

"I'm a dolt, that's why. I saw the time and did it instinctively. Ripps was so adamant about the signal. 'The time, the signal, the time, don't forget, Charles.' When I looked it was a minute past and I jumped and flicked the light switch. It completely flabbergasted Ashley – that's my niece, Ashley. 'Uncle, what are you doing?' she asked me. I told her I thought I saw something on the light, terrible trouble with squirrels lately - they chew everything."

Brand gave Jenn a look.

"Are you expecting her back?" Jenn asked.

"Oh, no, no. She's off with her friends. She's close in age to you. I'm sure the two of you would like each other."

"Perhaps we'll meet another time."

"Fabulous. Let's get down to business," Charles said.

Charles led them along a corridor off the kitchen to a large room. The walls were dark oak wood and it was filled with books and games. There was a pool table in its center, three dart boards and a cluster of tables strewn with papers and books. Large over-sized upholstered chairs and a leather couch were the finishing touches of what was a wealthy man's man-cave.

"Here we are!" he declared. He went and sat at the plush window seat under the room's large bay window. Jenn went to join him, but Brand stopped her. Lights were twinkling on the water. During the day, it would be a pretty view.

"Oh, of course. What am I thinking?" Charles pushed a button on the jamb and a dark blind rolled down, obscuring the view.

"Come, sit, sit," he insisted.

Jenn sat and Brand joined her.

"I have everything you need. You'll see." Charles ran his finger along the underside of the window's pane. "I can never find it," he clucked.

"I suppose the pool table transforms into some kind of storage unit," Jenn said.

Charles chuckled. "That is a fun idea, but a bit clichéd, don't you think?"

The room disappeared as a wall rose from the floor in front of them, transforming the window seat into a cushioned pod. The pod began to rise and then clicked to a stop. It lurched left as if they were now moving along a track.

When it stopped again, the wall sank into the floor, revealing another room.