Sagehen Mesa Part 16 - Jolene's plan in action and other teen drama

 So I successfully recruited Hector to go with me on a hunt to the buzzberry farm. We took his dad's horse Soldier. It took a few hours, but based on where I heard Dad tell Mom it was, we soon found a old broken-down bus and a shed. The shed had a bed in it, so I guess it's where the criminals who are watching the farm stay.

We also found the hole that the paparazzi woman was talking to Clancy's mom about. I took out my video camera and filmed the area. Meanwhile, Hector managed to fall in the hole. 

He followed it for a while, but came back and said it came to a dead end. Mr. Mahon must not be done drilling yet. 

We didn't want to stay too long in case the criminals came back, so we left soon after we learned the hole didn't go anywhere. When I got home, I checked out the video footage in my room. I was quite happy with it. 

A few nights later, I snuck back with my video camera to see if I could catch any of the criminals on film. I was out of luck. 

Prom came around again. I assumed Clancy would ask me to it, but he didn't. Finally, I asked him, but he said he had to work that night. I ended up going to the prom by myself. How embarrassing!

 

Kathy went with Timothy again, but I think she has a crush on Hector. 

I think she was hoping to dump Tim for Hector, but Hector was snubbing her. 

However, Tim seems to really like her, so at least she has a guy. 

I'm not sure what to think about Clancy. I guess next time there's a dance, I will need to ask him and ask him early, so if he's "too busy" I can find someone else! I can't wait to get out of this town where there are more guys to choose from!

Kathy is finally able to ride Clark. I wonder if she'll get more interested in him now. 

She's starting to get herself in a some trouble lately, so I guess Mom and Dad are finally realizing she's not the perfect angel they thought she was. Now I'm not the only one to be hauled home in a police car!

Mom was not at all happy with her, but then it seemed Mom was having a bad day anyway.

Officer Gandy has left for greener pastures, and now we have this lady cop. Officer Gooch. 

I told her I was a private investigator and hoped to be an investigative journalist some day and asked if I could job shadow her for a school project. She agreed. 

She seems okay, but maybe a little inexperienced. I'm not sure she has what it takes to bring down the local crime ring, but I'll keep my eye on her and see if she's someone I can release my evidence to. 

I'm a little hesitant to turn it in because Clancy's dad is involved. I subtly asked Clancy what he thought I should do - leaving out the fact that his Dad was involved, of course. I think he already knows, but just wants to distance himself from the situation. 

"So I caught some footage of the buzzberry farm a few weeks ago, and I don't know what to do with it. There was a hole there, and it really looks like your dad could be involved. Should I turn it in to the cops or just keep it to myself?"

"It seems logical that the right thing to do is to turn it in to the police. If you withhold evidence, you could be considered an accessory, and you're still a kid now, but soon you won't be, and they'd go a lot stricter on you once you're an adult," he advised. "I don't like the idea that Dad might be involved, but he's responsible for the decisions he's made." (Kathy was standing nearby eavesdropping. I hope she doesn't blab. She won't if she knows what's good for her.)

Still, I wanted to know more about the situation. It's been awhile since me and Hector were at the farm, and I wondered if the tunnel had been completed. So I made one more trip up there with my camera and explored the hole. It was a long journey through the tunnel but this time it didn't dead-end. I found myself in a shed with crates and rubble, and some tables for processing  . . . . something. Then I realized I was on Mr. Mahon's land and ran for it! 

I know I need to turn in the evidence, but since Hector is involved and on the footage, I felt I needed to tell him what I was doing, so he didn't get blindsided if the cops decided to question him on what he saw. 

We met at the park, and I told him what I was planning. 

I told him I was going to help bring the buzzberry ring to justice. He was supportive, and seemed more interested in flirting with me than he was concerned about how this decision could affect him personally. 

Just my luck! Clancy and his family showed up at the park and found me and Hector together and jumped to conclusions. 

I hastily told Hector goodbye and busied myself with making an igloo, but I think Clancy suspects something. 

"It's not what you think, Clance. Me and Hector are just friends. I had to talk to him about a project we were working on together. Yeah, he's a bit flirty, but I'm not serious about him in any way." 

Bless him. He always thinks the best of people. 

Anyway, I mustered up the courage to call Officer Gooch and asked to meet her at the fire station so it didn't look like I was snitching or anything, because we all know snitches get stitches. 

"Officer Gooch, I think there's something you need to see."

 "For me?!? You shouldn't have!"

"It's not really a gift, at least not a personal one. It's more job-related. I know you're new here and this looks like a quiet little town, but there's a sinister underbelly to this place."

The firefighters were out on training exercises, so we had the place to ourselves. I worked on my homework while Officer Gooch reviewed the footage. 

"Where did you get this?"

"Me and Hector kinda stumbled across it in the mountains. I had my camera with me so I took some videos," I explained. 

"Hmmm, this footage looks like it was taken quite awhile ago, young lady. There's no snow on the ground in these shots."

"Yeah, about that. It was taken a few months ago, but as you know, the police department was in transition, so I wasn't sure who I should give it to," I hedged. "As far as I knew, it wasn't what I suspected it was, and I didn't want to waste anyone's valuable time."

"Is that a hole in the ground?"

"Yeah, Hector explored it that day, but said it didn't go anywhere. The next video was taken a while later when I explored it, and it DID go somewhere."

"Where was this taken?"

"This is in a shed on Mr. Mahon's property. He may seem innocent enough, but there's something wrong about that man. He smiles way too much for such a grouchy person."

"Are you SURE this is on Mahon's property?"

"Yeah, I'm sure, once I realized where I was I ran away from there as fast as I could. You might be familiar with his aggravated assault charges. I didn't want to be on the wrong end of his fists." 

"This evidence should bring him and the crime ring he's involved in to their knees!" I explained. 

"Jolene, if I happen to collar these perps, I owe you a fancy dinner!"

"But first I need to bring Mr. Mahon in for questioning."

Well, Officer Gooch did call him in for questioning. Of course I wasn't allowed in the interrogation room, but she let me watch through the one-way glass. Office Gooch is so cool!

 

"Mr. Mahon, am I correct in assuming you are the only man in town with drilling equipment?"

"Wait a minute! Are you interrogating me? I thought you said this was just a 'friendly chat!'"

"Do I need a lawyer? This is ridiculous! I'm not saying another word without a lawyer present!"

"Your are acting awfully paranoid, Mr. Mahon. I just asked a simple question, and you act as if I'm some kind of monster. What are you hiding?"

"Perhaps you are worried about a certain 'farm' I've gotten wind of?"

"Are you cooking up some illegal scheme to make some easy money?"

"You're living in a fantasy world, lady. I'm a law abiding citizen just trying to make ends meet for me and mine!"

"Some evidence has come to light that you are NOT a law abiding citizen, Mr. Mahon. Things will go easier on you if you give up the names of your accomplices."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. And the way I see it, you're a one-man, excuse me, one WOMAN operation, so unless you plan on pressing charges now, I'll be leaving."

"Don't leave town!"

Officer Gooch is so bad-ass! As I was leaving to go home, I overheard Mrs. Thurston in the hospital garden on the phone to someone. 

"He just left the police station. I hope he hasn't blabbed. You'd better make sure that cop doesn't investigate our operation. That's YOUR job, remember? She's your 'girlfriend' so keep her under control! If we go down, so do you!"

"There's a lot of money on the line, not to mention our freedom and reputations!"

She was in a tizzy! She went into the police station and up to the breakroom. I peeked in and saw her venting her frustration out on the vending machine. She was shaking it and slamming it like crazy! Doesn't she know doing so can be deadly? 

I guess I've got some more information to give to Officer Gooch, but she'd better get some backup because it looks like she's outnumbered! 

I met up with Clancy and told him what I knew about the investigation of his dad. 

"Thanks for letting me know, I should probably check up on Tim," he said. 

The next morning, Kathy got a call from Tim. He asked her to meet him at the junkyard. He just learned about some criminal dealings. 

"Oooh! I love scandals!" Kathy said. "I'll meet you there!" 

 I could tell she thought this would be a date, but I called Clancy and let him know that Tim and Kathy were meeting at the junkyard, and I guess he took his mom with him - kind of an intervention, I guess. 

This apparently was not what Kathy had in mind, so she hightailed it outta there. 

So Clancy had to tell me the rest. 

I guess Clancy broke the computer, and Tim tried to fix it, but was unsuccessful. 

"Don't worry about my singed state. It's nothing a little detergent can't take care of."

"I'm more concerned that Dad's gonna be involved in a scandal. You should probably move in with us for a little while," Clancy advised. 

"Oh, you mean the buzzberry smuggling ring? Yeah, I know all about it, but don't tell Dad! He told me to never go in the new shed - it was off limits. So what could I do but investigate the shed while he was off at work? Right?" 

"There's a big hole right in the middle of the shed, and it leads to a tunnel. I followed the tunnel . . . . 

. . . and it lead to a buzzberry farm. I'm no dummy, I can put two and two together. But don't worry about me. Dad has no idea that I know about it. I hightailed it home after I learned where the tunnel lead." 

"Tim! You should have reported it to the police!"

"Oh, I couldn't do that! He's my Dad! Where the heck is YOUR loyalty, Clancy?"

Clancy has been trying to improve his relationship with his brother and father, but I don't think it's gonna happen any time soon. 

I need to relay the information I learned about Mrs. Thurston and Officer Gooch's boyfriend, but Officer Gooch's bachelorette party is tonight, so I haven't been able to get a hold of her. I figure I'll go to the party and try to warn her there. 

In the meantime, it's best to keep up appearances. The fam wants to go to the Snowflake Bazaar and get ideas for Snowflake Day gifts. 

 

I'm wondering what to get for Clancy. 

Dad seemed a little melancholy. I think he likes buying toys but Kathy and I have both outgrown them. 

Kathy was considering some perfume for Mom, but she wasn't sure what scent she'd like. 

Mr. Thurston's horse Eclipse was there. He never loses a competition. I think Dad was trying to see what made him so good at racing and jumping. Wait! If Mrs. Thurston is part of the crime ring, and Mr. Thurston's horse always wins every competition, is it possible they are feeding him buzzberry? That would be so unfair! Dad tries and tries to win the competitions, and he always plays fair. Poor Dad! And Mr. Thurston is an athlete! Could he be using buzzberry too? Hmmm . . . .