Three weeks later the Marshall program counter signed a note for one hundred and forty seven thousand dollars and change. When the papers were all signed, I took possession of another falling down Monkey Junction building. I found a contractor willing to do the minimum repairs necessary for the building to be habitable for seventy five thousand dollars. The Marshall service underwrote that loan as well.

What the Marshall service never knew is that the contractor and I worked out a deal. I paid him cash for anything above the minimum repairs. The base contract was to repair the roof, the carpentry, and replace the doors and windows with contractor grade materials. I explained to him that I wanted a steel doors with a spy hole in ever unit. The code required a second entrance which really wouldn't have been a problem since each unit after being renovated would have a living room kitchen combination and a bedroom bathroom. In other words one of the new units would be two of the old motel rooms. My unit of course would be the old office and one of the adjoining old motel rooms. The way it worked out I had one end unit for storage.

In what was the bedroom unit I had the contractor close up the front door, and add a rear door. It was an unnecessary expense but one I paid for myself so no harm no foul to the government. The contractor and I agree that no one needed to know about the very large over run expenses. When I finally got the units ready to rent after two more months it was Christmas in Monkey Junction.

To celebrate my new digs, I decided to have a Christmas party at the shop. All my employees were invited, that was a total of none. The two fabricator /subcontractors and their families got an invitation of course, all the local people who had bought bikes from me got an invitation. I was surprised to find that I had sold a dozen, give or take one or two, high end bikes. The moped trailers were a much better selling product. I had sold twenty three of those retail and another fifty odd ones to dealers who resold them to their customers.

The five push trailers I had the fabricators build sat on the showroom floor untouched. I had to push them into the shop for the party. I expected that those would wind up being a game show question. You know, what was the best idea that never sold a unit, kind of thing.

I invited Jengin of course, but she didn't show. I hadn't expected her to. Everyone I did any kind of business with got invitations as well. The employees of the Monkey Junction diners where I ate, the convenience store employees,where I bought my gas. In other words everyone I knew in my new life.

I usually over estimated my popularity, but it seems I underestimated the people of Monkey Junctions love of free food and beer. I can only say that it was a good thing I had located the shop near a grocery store. The family that was doing the catering just kept making trips to the store and adding to my bill as the night progressed. I spoke to a lot of people I had never seen before, but that was okay. It was the only time I expected to ever have a party there.

I shouldn't have been surprised to see Cindy, but I was. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hey, I'm like the rest of these people I never miss free food and drinks." She tried to smile but I could see that something was on her mind.

"So why the long face?"

"This isn't keeping a low profile Eddie," she stated bluntly.

"I know but these are all local people and this won't make the papers."

"I hope not," was her only reply.

The Christmas party ended at midnight only because we ran out of food and beer. The reason we ran out of everything at midnight, was the store closed at ten. The family who had taken care of the food, presented me with a bill while Cindy was dancing with the younger brother of the man who fabricated my moped trailers. I paid the hefty bill with cash that was till warm from the off shore bank.

"I understand that contractor finally got finished at your apartment building," Cindy said after her dance.

"Yes he did, That's some of why we are partying tonight. I have a new place to go home to tonight."

"I'm coming with you for the grand tour," she demanded.

"Sure, but only one unit has furniture, mine."

"I'll sleep on your sofa."

"No way, you sleep in the bed."

"Where will you sleep?" she asked.

"Anywhere you want me to sleep."