This is a section from further through Act One of the story. By this point, Roxanne and the kids have been kidnapped, and Caspian and Steven have followed, going back to Tywacomb, Caspian's native planet. Here it introduces a few tertiary characters that have been mentioned before this point.
Margot Winslow is the focus character for this scene. She is Roxanne's mother. Mike is her husband, and is only mentioned. Not mentioned and perhaps needing some explanation is that Roxanne is an only child, but this is mentioned and a plot point later.
Doris Winchel is the next door neighbor to Steven and Roxanne. She is a stay-at-home retiree married to another. Her husband does not play any significant part of this story.
Steven and Roxanne live in a rural area of the Carson Valley, Nevada. This valley is south of Carson City, Nevada, and east over the last line of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Margot Winslow always enjoyed coming to visit her daughter, and grandkids. The cleaner air and altitude of Carson Valley agreed with her. Her husband, Mike, on the other hand despised any gain in altitude, equating that with getting cold. He refused to travel to Tahoe in the winter. In lighter moments he claimed to be allergic to snow. Margot, on the other hand, enjoyed snow, so long as it was not moving sideways. She had seen enough of that growing up in Nebraska. For her purposes she was well enough off in Santa Cruz.
Now events happened that had left her wondering a few things. First were the strange dreams, about flying through space. Then there was the phone call. She had heard of Judge Kevan; that he was a good judge to go before, and a kind of stern man personally.
When he called Thursday evening to report that Roxanne and the kids had been abducted, she was devastated. Then when he said that his best investigator was on the case, and to call Steven and tell him to trust the investigator, and go with him, that had been strange. More so was that he had only given a single name, “Detective Caspian.” That was different. But her instincts said that this was all right. So she called, and relayed the message.
She then told of this to Mike.
The next day, Friday, Margot had gone to Sacramento, and found this Judge Kevan, and taken him to lunch. The information they shared was quite startling, to both of them. He had been surprised that she had known that her grandmother was an elf from another planet. When he told her of the origin of the kidnappers, she quickly put together that Rox and the kids had been taken to her grandmother’s home world. Then he mentioned that Caspian and Steven had already left in pursuit. Margot was a bit dumbfounded by this. She left lunch promising to keep in touch.
She drove to her husband’s work place, and told him everything she knew, start to finish. And also why there was no good reason that Roxanne had not been told of her half-breed status. They decided to do what ever they could to keep things in order.
When she finally got back to her office, for the last 20 minutes of the day, she found two messages from a detective investigating the abduction, one from Judge Kevan, and a handful from her work she had neglected that day. She told her secretary, partners, and boss what she had been up to and why. Also that this might take up unexpected time in the next while.
She then planned to drive up to Roxanne’s place on Sunday, and see the detective then. Also to take care of the house. Mike begged off the trip, having other things he wanted to do. Margot recognized it as his dislike for traveling, and let it go.
So here she was taking a Sunday drive from Santa Cruz through Tahoe, going to her daughter’s house to finish cleaning it up and to close it up until Roxanne and Steven returned. She arrived just after ten a.m. and let herself in.
Doris Winchel watched a strange car pull up in front of the Caplan house. A Toyota Corolla with California plates and what looked like some extra fancy work done to it. After a moment, a woman got out. Doris almost jumped, thinking for a moment that this was Roxanne. But this woman was dressed in slacks and a nice blouse, where Roxanne would wear jeans and a tee-shirt. Also her hair was snow-white in color, but pulled back in the same kind of tail that Roxanne routinely wore, if a bit longer. And Roxanne never carried a purse like that one.
Doris watched the woman walk up the driveway at the Caplan’s and decided that she had better go see what she was about. Especially after Steven’s call asking her to watch the place. She put her current project down, wiped her hands on her apron, and picked up the ring of keys that she had been given. She walked next door, and found the door closed, the strange woman evidently having gone inside. Doris knocked, and waited. After a moment the strange woman opened the door. Again for a brief moment she thought she this was Roxanne. But this woman, while almost a physical match, was visibly older.
“I’m from next door. Are you here to visit Roxanne and Steven?”
The woman looked Doris over, then pointed at her. “Mrs. Duncan, right?”
“Mrs. Winchel, dear. How can I help you?”
“I’m Roxanne’s mother, Margot. Steven asked me to come and take care of whatever I found. But he didn’t mention you.” Margot looked a bit puzzled.
Mrs. Winchel thought a moment. “Oh, I remember, you visited last summer. I watch everybody’s houses around here.” Doris stepped inside, causing Margot to step back. “Steven called me the night things happened and asked me to watch the place while they were gone. So, where shall we begin?” Doris turned and entered the kitchen, looking around.
Margot was a bit put off. Here was this woman in her apron barging in like she owned the place, and offering help. ‘Why not?’ she thought to herself. Shrugging, Margot closed the door. She would have to remember Mrs. Winchel’s correct name. She had always been associated with donuts in Margot’s mind, just the wrong brand.
Margot first got out her clipboard and pen and walked the house, noting damage and messes. From there they went into the yard, and around back to the garage, still noting things.
Margot unlocked and opened the side door to the garage, turning on the lights as Mrs. Winchel followed. Not having been in here before, Mrs. Winchel was immediately scandalized by the poster of the family that hung over the main doors. Having a print of the same that was portrait sized in her office at home, Margot paid the poster less heed than Roxanne ever did, and went through the place as quickly as she did the house and yard.
They went back to the house, and found the detective in his car in the driveway, taking notes to himself. Margot went out, and introduced herself, as Mrs. Winchel made some sandwiches and juice.
The detective invites himself in, and finds his tape recorder on the kitchen counter. He winds it back to listen to it, and scowls a bit in disappointment. They all gathered around the kitchen table, and he starts, by turning on the recorder.
First, he asked Margot for her identification, and how she fit in all this. He then asked if there would be any reason for Steven to have the family killed or kidnapped. Or for Roxanne to take the kids and run. Or where Steven went and why. Or if she knows who this private investigator ‘Caspian’ or ‘Judge Kevan’ was. Using her skills as a lawyer, Margot gets out of him that he really does not have anything to go on, and is fishing for clues.
She then rounds on him, chewing him out for not trusting the accounts given him by truthful people.
He counters that he is not being given the whole truth.
She parry’s that he has enough to solve the case, and to stay out of the private lives of those involved. And if he is done, that he is invited to leave now, or she will have him arrested for trespassing, verbal abuse, and abuse of authority.
He, seeing that he will not get any farther, leaves.
Margot and Mrs. Winchel finish lunch, and then commence to clean the house, starting with the lunch dishes. Josh knocked on the door as they were finishing up. He explained that he had seen people here, and was wanting to know what was going on. He then told them about his truck, and Rox helping with it. Margot knew nothing about this, though Mrs. Winchel did. She asked Josh to return later, and they could talk all about what was going to happen. But first they needed to finish straightening up. So he left, promising to return.
Mrs. Winchel left just after, to finish her house work, and leaves Margot to the laundry. By the time things are ready to be folded and put away, Mrs. Winchel has returned, and began vacuuming the living room after moving all the furniture to one end of the room. They get everything folded, and put away. The kid’s beds are finally put back completely right.
Margot also calls Steven’s secretary to confirm with her that she is getting the mail, and tending to the bills.
Mid-afternoon, a stranger showed up at the door, asking for Roxanne, and about picking up the Camero. Roxanne had already arranged to sell the car to him, and finish the deal this day. Margot finds the business records, and a bill of sale, and finishes the deal with a note that she is a third party conducting it. She then takes him around back. As he watches, she pulls the car out of the garage, and leaves it for him. They close the garage again, and he drives away. Margot then looks at the various piles of truck parts, and the two trucks in process. This reminds her of Josh.
Margot leaves the cashiers check with the mail and a note to the secretary what it’s about.
Mrs. Winchel was now out tending her flower beds, and simply moved on the take care of Steven’s. They had to be Steven’s because Roxanne could not even grow mold.
Finally Mr. Winchel comes home from his errands, and Mrs. Winchel calls Josh and has him come over. They work things out that Josh can work on his truck, but only when Mr. Winchel is there. And he has to clean up everything. Margot also arranges to have Mr. Winchel drive the truck with the trailer for the errands that need to be run, again with Josh along, and only for these related errands, and they have to buy the gas. Steven’s Secretary is left a note about this arrangement.
When everything was done, Margot bid farewell to the Winchel’s and Josh, and arranged to come by every few weeks.
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