Chapter 96
The putt-putt fields where Jay had gone in to business with Toren was unrecognizable when Toren and Boland arrived that afternoon to take a look at things. They were there to ensure that the money Boland had dispensed from Jay's account had been spent properly, and Boland was very happy with how things were looking. That was what he told Toren anyway. What he was really doing there was setting himself out as bait.
Someone wanted to steal that business and land right out from under them and Boland was hoping that the man responsible would show up and try to do so that night. His agent had indicated that the man in question would use the city watch to help him so there was a good chance they'd show up as well. Boland was counting on it actually. Boland carried a leather folio stuffed with paperwork that was currently zipped up tight. He was looking forward to hopefully using some of those papers, sooner rather than later.
Toren and Boland stopped in the road in front of the old putt-putt fields. From the street things had changed completely. Instead of a rickety wooden sign a finely painted sign was in its place. It hung, centered, over the ticket booth. The sign was chalkboard black with a woman's head painted on to the left most side. The woman was facing mostly away and only the corner of one eye could be seen. She was smiling but again, the viewer could only see a tiny portion of her face as she was facing away.
It was M'redith.
Her hair was done up in a bun showing off her neck and an extremely expensive looking pearl necklace that was more choker than necklace. She was viewable only from the neck up on the sign and had been painted with extra glossy paint making her head and neck appear to hover over the matte black chalkboard background in the air.
The rest of the sign was taken up with teal paint and read “M'redith Meadows.”
The Meadows was surrounded by twelve foot high wooden fencing coated with an almost black wood stain and had a ticket booth between the entrance and exit doors. The fencing was impossible to see through as the fencing slats were right up against one another. It was a fence to keep curious eyeballs away from the course it contained. Only those who paid to enter would see what lay inside.
“Good so far?” Toren asked to which Boland nodded with a smile.
“I especially love the sign. Impeccably painted really.” Boland said with an appreciative glance back at M'redith's portrait above them on the wide sign. It had always been Jay's intent to name the business after M'redith, and he really liked the name M'redith Meadows.
Toren unlocked the entrance and led him inside.
There was an area to the right as they entered with various clubs and golf balls. To the left near the exit was a kiosk for refreshments – cheese, crackers, wine. Straight ahead was the golf course. The holes each had a fancy hazard that was brightly colored. Boland smiled at the first hole – it was a windmill with a ramp leading up to a hole in the center at the base of the windmill.
The windmill would turn and the blades would block the hole at the end of the ramp. Players would have to time their shot to pass between the blades or have to face their shot bouncing off of a passing blade.
Boland couldn't wait to try it. There wasn't anything else like this in all of K'tharkle. Or anywhere else for that matter. Jay had set up something completely new to anyone living on Eden. Mini golf. It was unique.
An expertly manicured pathway wound along the entire course. They had fit a total of nine holes in after all. The hazards were especially well done but the surrounding grass, plants, and trees had been set up expertly as well. The entire place looked like a relaxing oasis. A person could come here to play mini-golf, sure, but they could also come here for a glass of wine just to relax and watch people play.
A stream ran the length of the course and was used as a water hazard for one of the holes. The bubbling sounds of moving water only added to the relaxed atmosphere.
Boland inspected each hole and paid particular attention to the flow of the place. People would enter through the entrance, take a club and ball, follow the course taking a giant u shaped path until they arrived back near the entrance and the wine kiosk. There was a section of seating and tables towards the exit.
The seating was on a raised platform that allowed those sitting to watch others playing.
“This could work.” Boland said with a nod.
Toren grinned.
“What about lighting? It seems a bit dim.” Boland asked.
Toren nodded, “We have some mages coming by this week to set up all new lighting. Direct lighting on each hole as well as the entry and exit area, light strips to go along the border of pathways, and indirect lighting for everywhere else. Oh! And some lighting for the signage out front as well.”
Boland smiled widely, “It sounds like you've got everything covered. What is your expected open date?”
Toren shrugged, “Any time after Friday we could technically open. I'd like to wait until the end of the week to put out our advertising and set up a grand opening to attract attention.”
Boland nodded, “That'll work. I'll trust your judgment. Maybe speak with Jay before you make any big decisions on that though.”
Toren nodded, “Absolutely.”
The two men walked the length of the complete nine hole course and Boland smiled appreciatively at each as they passed them. Finally they had reached the exit and they walked upstairs to the sitting area. They could see the entire course from there. Boland walked to the back of the sitting area that abutted the front fencing. Standing on his toes he could just make out a men and two City Guards waiting outside in the street in front of the main entrance.
“It appears our guests have arrived.” Boland said with an evil looking grin.
Boland turned to face Toren and Toren took a step back as he caught sight of Boland's facial expression.
“Everything alright?” Toren asked nervously.
“It will be. Come, let's go say hello.” Boland replied as he led Toren down the stairs and through the front exit.
As they exited Toren locked the door behind him along with the main entrance door. As he was doing so a man wearing a red coat and grey pants pointed at them.
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“There they are! Trespassers! I want them arrested!” the man said.
Boland laughed and crossed his arms.
Two members of the City Watch were there and had apparently been dragged there by the man in the red coat.
“I own this land and I want them gone. Oh, and they stole the keys too, I need those back. Only the owner should have those keys!” the red coated man stated loudly.
“Right, you lot, give him the keys,” one of the City Watch guards demanded tiredly. He was at the end of his shift and just wanted to go home.
Boland merely smiled, “Well I happen to represent the real owner of this business, and there is no way I am handing over keys or anything else to this man. I've never even seen him before.”
Toren looked confused but Boland looked the opposite and appeared supremely confidant. It threw the first guard off a bit and he tilted his head.
The guard sighed, “Look, if you both claim ownership we'll have to send a runner to confirm. You'll both have to wait here while we do that. Do you two really want to do this?” the guard asked.
The red coated man grinned evilly. “I'm not leaving until this man is removed from my land.”
“Very well.” the guard said and nodded towards the other guard who walked off to a main road to flag down a runner. A few minutes later he returned, alone. The runner would return after they visited the place where land ownership and business ownership was kept track of.
The Registry Of Deeds.
Upon arrival the runner gave a slip of paper to the person at the front desk. That person gave it to another person and then waited for ten minutes. They returned with an envelope and the person at the desk passed it across the desk to the runner.
While all of that was going on things were becoming a bit heated back at the Meadows.
The man in red had accused Toren and Boland of breaking in to the business and stealing the keys. The guards didn't know what to do and decided to wait for the runner's return before taking any action no matter how much the man in red complained.
Minutes later the runner darted up to the second guard and handed him the envelope. The guard tipped him a coin and the runner zipped off and around the corner, off to their next job.
The man in the red coat was still grinning evilly as the guard opened the envelope and withdrew a sheet of paper and began reading. The sheet was quite detailed and official looking and had a raised embossed seal in the lower right corner.
“Who is Jay?” the guard asked.
Toren went to reply and Boland stopped him. “I know him and can prove it. Can this other.. man?” he said glancing over at the man in red with distaste as if he had found something unpleasant on the underside of his boot.
The man in red shrugged it off, “I don't know any Jay and who cares. Just arrest this man and get me my keys!” He was blustering and trying to bully the guards in to acting but they did not seem willing to act so rashly.
“Ok, you then, who is he?” asked the guard and pointing at Boland.
“Jay is a full partner and part owner of M'redith Meadows.” he replied.
“And you are?” asked the other guard.
“Oh me? I'm just a senior financial consultant with K'tharkle Bank. I'm Jay's financial advisor. I am also currently on official bank business.” Boland replied smugly with a raised eyebrow.
The guard's behavior changed instantly when Boland identified himself.
“Excuse me, sir, our apologies for the misunderstanding.” the guard said as the second guard nodded in quick agreement.
In K'tharkle bank officers were awarded unspoken rights much as a politician would be. They were not to be trifled with and those that did so would find the law especially unforgiving. No City Watch guard wanted to find themselves on K'tharkle Bank's bad side.
The guards turned towards the man in red with dark looks. The way they stood changed as well, going from a resting stance to a fighting one. From their point of view he had dragged them out to the business, lied to them about ownership, falsely accused a senior bank official of a crime, and attempted to get the guards to arrest him. All of which would have ended up getting the two guards in a great deal of trouble with their bosses if things fell apart.
The guards were angry.
“Why aren't you arresting him!” the man in red demanded.
The guard looked at the sheet of paper then back up at the man in red. “I don't know who you are but I know who they are and this sheet of paper says they own this business. Your name is nowhere on this paper.”
The man in red looked furious, “This must be a mistake! I have a copy of my title and papers right here!” he said as he handed them a sheaf of papers.
The first guard looked through the paperwork while the second guard kept an eye on the man in red while also placing a hand on his sword. The motion did not go unnoticed by anyone present. Things had become a bit tense.
“This,” the guard said as he waved the single paper from the Registry of Deeds, “is a valid claim of ownership supported by an official document sourced from the Registry itself.”
“This,” the guard continued while he waved the other papers around as the man in red reached to take them back, “is evidence.” the guard finished as he moved the papers away from the man in red's hands. The guard put them in to a bag on his side and withdrew a pair of handcuffs.
“You are under arrest for forgery of an official document – multiple counts, presenting false information to a peace officer, filing a false report or claim, falsely accusing a bank official of a crime, interfering with official bank business, and disturbing the peace.” the guard said as the second guard moved forward and pulled the man in red's arms behind him.
He held the arms there until the first guard had him cuffed. “But I was mostly quiet this entire time! Whose peace did I disturb?!” the man in red begged.
“Ours.” replied the guard. “Stop talking or I'll make you.”
The guards had no choice. A senior bank officer had been wronged and was standing right in front of them watching their response. They had to make the arrest. Otherwise Boland might ask questions of their supervisor, questions like why wasn't that man arrested? No, it was simpler for the guards to just make the arrest.
The guard turned to Boland, “Sir, again, my apologies. He'll be brought to Precinct 12 and will most likely be arraigned tomorrow morning should you desire to be present for that.”
Boland nodded and smiled darkly at the man in red, “I'm sure one of the Bank's legal representatives will show up for that. I believe the Bank would like to speak with him regarding his recent activities.”
The man in red had acted as if all this were merely a misunderstanding that would be cleared up sooner rather than later but at Boland's mention of a Bank investigation he became anxious and the blood drained from his face. That was not part of his plan. He stared at Boland in terror as he belatedly understood what was happening. He had been caught. This was for real. There would be repercussions.
“Have a good night, sir.” said the second guard as they turned and led the man in red away in cuffs.