Disclaimer:

Author's Notes:

Story Notes:

Disclaimer -The characters and stories of Due South are Copyright (c) Alliance Communications, and are used here without permission or license. The author of this work makes no claim to the above copyright. This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only. This work is the expression of the author and the depictions of the Due South characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Due South as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s). Please do not link to/or archive this fiction anywhere without the author's express permission to do so. Please do not use any character I have created elsewhere without my permission. Alliance, Paul Haggis and the actors involved in Due South gave their audience a great show and made some of us wonder.... what went before and what comes next.

Taking Care of Matilda

Author: Lys reached at tyklys@hotmail.com Rated: G
No Pairings
No Spoilers

Author's Note: This story presupposes that before Ray Vecchio, the real Ray Vecchio, disappeared into his undercover assignment in Las Vegas that he and Benton Fraser were aware of the move from the beautifully, well-maintained old consulate to the ancient edifice that was seen when Ray Kowalski came on the scene in season 3 of Due South. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Margaret Thatcher picked the place out when ordered to lower the budget by Ottawa and left Fraser to clean it up with the enticement of a trip home to Canada when he had completed the job.

Chicago isn't called the 'Windy City' strictly for either the blustery mouths of its politicians or the winds of conflict that roar through its very neighborhoods that are often divided by ethnic/racial and political diversities. But it wasn't either of these thoughts nor the hundred and other one reasons that Chicago had earned the epithet of 'The Windy City' that ran through the little man that lurched along as he leaned into the harshest of Chicago's winter winds. He was a short man who was of obvious stout stature that wasn't at all enhanced by the many thick layers of clothing he wore to hold out the stiffly brutal winds that roared through the downtown city streets its howling whirl of lake air laden with the heavy flakes of a winter lake effect snow. The man's feet were encased in heavy boots that were beginning to be clumped about with wet snow. His legs felt the cold horribly and the little man worried that when he returned to his office he would find the skin under his fine woolen suit pants rough and red with near frostbite. The flapping length of his very fine, imported winter overcoat snapped sharply at his short legs as he leaned further into the wind that was blowing strong enough to hold him at a near 45 degree angle as it blew directly towards the front of him. His short, stubby looking arms with their hands in the softest of cordovan leather gloves were wrapped protectively around a heavy briefcase that had seen better years. The scarf he wore as an indulgence to his secretary's whim to protect his face was tightly pulled up over the bridge of his nose where his glasses sat bravely holding the flying flakes of wet snow from his eye orbits and he was extremely glad of her insistence that he bring it to this godforsaken city with him. Clamped tightly down on top of the man's nearly balding head was the epitome of business hats worn by most of the men of his profession in his native land. With every step the man took he muttered softly to himself as he drew in cold air and let out warm into the folds if his scarf. If the cabby that had abandoned him a block from his destination could hear the mutterings of his recent patron he would be surprised at the vehemence and invective that the mild looking little man had it in him to voice to the cruel winds. The little man stopped every few steps and took a tighter grip on his briefcase as he tried to see into the whirling flakes before him towards the building the cabby had said fit the address he was required to visit.

It was with real relief that the little man finally stood before the old building with its wrought iron fencing and graceful old door. He leaned into the wind once again and approached the door where he rapped as loudly as he could against the wood. He drew back in surprise when he heard the howling of a dog from within the building. 'Surely, that's not a wolf." He shook his shoulders and prepared his most officious smile for whosoever might open the door in front of him.

Grumbling in Italian, Ray Vecchio, Detective of the 27 Precinct, and caretaker of his entire family shivered and turned towards the front door of the Canadian Consulate where he was visiting his best friend, Constable Benton Fraser. Of course, this was an unscheduled visit and he hadn't let up about that fact one bit during the blustery afternoon that had found the snowfall outside getting worse and worse as the morning progressed. What was even worse was than the unexpected snowfall was the fact the heating system at the consulate was in non-working order. This in itself wouldn't be so bad he thought; after all, the old place did have several find fireplaces in it. No, what really frosted Ray's emotional temperature this fine day was the facts that his beloved RIV was in the shop and the consulate was without water pressure. Now, he could live without water pressure in this old place and he could deal with the snow but he was having a terrible time dealing with the temporary loss of his beloved Buick Riviera. He pulled his coat tightly around his shoulders as he walked and yelled back over his shoulder, "Hey, Benny. You expecting somebody, cause there's someone idiot out there in the snow knocking on the door." He didn't wait for an answer but strode to the door and pulled it open whereupon the small bundle of clothing nearly hunched into the shelter of the door nearly fell flat on his face at Ray's feet.

Constable Benton Fraser, strode out of his office at the back of the building and began pulling his sleeves down on his arms. He wore one of his oldest pair of jeans and a thick, blue plaid flannel shirt over a light colored Henley. Instead of his usual hi-top leather boots, his feet were encased in heavy hiking boots. His half-breed wolf, Diefenbaker, pranced and danced voicing all the sharp, high and low pitched sounds he was capable of as he moved along beside the booted feet.

"Yes, I heard the knocking." Benton frowned as he caught sight of the nearly frozen visitor leaning against the doorframe of the door that Ray and just shut tightly against the elements outside.

The little man closed his eyes and nearly dropped his briefcase. He had the presence of mind to set it down and begin trying to remove his gloves from his frozen appendages. When his hands were free he grabbed at his scarf and removed it from his face. He looked uncertainly at the two men before him and squinted through his quickly frosting glass lenses. "Is either of you gentleman, Constable Benton Fraser? Oh, I do hope I was given the right address. It would be unforgivable if I was at the wrong establishment." His voice was rather high pitched and didn't seem to be of an adequate sound to fit his features.

"I'm Constable Benton Fraser, Mr.?"

"My name is Ezekiel Dobbs Mr. Fraser, so happy to have found you and with not a moment to lose. Thank goodness." The little man looked down at his wristwatch and the tension seemed to flee from his body. "Is there someplace where we can sit down so that I may explain the reason for my visit." The little man's eyes peered around the dust and grimness of the foyer of what would eventually be the entry to the newest Canadian Consulate location in the city of Chicago. He pulled his coat closer around himself and waited expectantly.

Diefenbaker chose just that moment to make his presence known and sat down exactly in front of Mr. Dobbs and let his tongue hang out and his teeth show. It was his form of a wolf smile but Mr. Dobbs wasn't to know that and the poor man nearly fainted on the spot.

Ray chuckled and had the good grace to turn his face away from their visitor. Benton put out a reassuring hand to Mr. Dobbs and gave his four-footed friend a glare. "This is my companion, Diefenbaker, Mr. Dobbs. I assure you that despite his nearly half-wolf heritage he is quite gentle and means no harm." Benton watched the way in which Diefenbaker eyed Mr. Dobbs and cleared his throat in an embarrassed way. "Uh, Mr. Dobbs...do you perhaps have any food on your person? A sweet of some sort perhaps?" He motioned Diefenbaker back. "I do apologize. He can be rather embarrassing in his manner of begging for sweets."

The eyes behind Mr. Dobbs glasses became distressingly white-eyed and the poor man gulped. "No. I have nothing of that sort." The voice that escaped him was tinier and sharper than before and small sweat beads began appearing on his forehead.

Ray and Benton exchanged glances and looked down at the wolf. The expression on each man's face was stern and reproving. The wolf whined.

"If there's water left in the thermos, I'll go make some coffee." Ray offered as he looked at the puzzled look on his friend's face. "The stove works in this joint, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does Ray. Thank you." Benton turned back to Mr. Dobbs. "I must apologize for the state of the building. But we have just acquired it and it has not been thoroughly renovated for use. But I think if you will accompany me, we can be comfortable in my office." Benton put out a hand and pointed down the hall towards his office. "I apologize for not taking your coat Mr. Dobbs, but as I think you can see, you might be better wearing it."

Mr. Dobbs nodded and leaned down carefully to pick up his briefcase. He kept a nervous vigil of the wolf as he moved. At the sound of metal banging from further inside the consulate, Diefenbaker stood up and trotted off in search of the source of the sounds with his tail sailing high in the air behind him as he moved.

Benton opened the door to his new office and quickly surveyed the mess spread across the top of the old desk he had managed to install as a base of operations for the restoration of the major portion of the consulate. He was still secretly amused that Inspector Thatcher had degreed her office off limits for the restoration and he could only presume that she was going to handle those arrangements. He held the door wide for Mr. Dobbs to enter the office before him and again apologized profusely for the disorderly condition of the office.

Mr. Dobbs kept a tight hold on his briefcase and marched solemnly over to an uncluttered chair by the window where he proceeded to open his briefcase. The little man balanced his briefcase upon his knees and opened it with a sharp click of the latches. He laid his gloves down inside the case and pulled out a blue covered, official looking document.

As Mr. Dobbs flipped open the document cover, Ray Vecchio entered the room with a small coffee pot in one hand and three cups in the other.

Ray grinned, "Coffee. It's not much, but it is hot."

Benton looked up at Ray as he was settling in his desk chair and pushed several items on the surface of his desk over leaving a space for the coffee pot and cups. He was cold himself and though he wouldn't admit it, the thought of anything warm at the moment was a pleasant distraction from waiting for Mr. Dobbs to begin.

Mr. Dobbs slid the document back down on to the open briefcase and raised hopeful eyes at the coffee pot. His shoulders shook a bit as he thought of just how cold it was here in this awful city. But, he cleared his throat and began talking. "First, I will need to see some identification Mr. Fraser." All the little man's nervousness seemed to disappear as he settled into the familiar need to the process of notification expected of one in his profession. "If you can show me some forms of legally recognized identification, we can begin."

Ray began pouring the coffee into the three cups and watched Benton lean over and pick up his Stetson that lay on a box behind him. Benton tilted his hat over and reached down inside the band on of the hat's inner crown and removed his photo ID that was required of him as a member of the Canadian Consulate. He handed it over to Mr. Dobbs and waited patiently while the little man inspected it.

Mr. Dobbs handed the identification back to Benton and nodded. "Everything is in order then and we can begin." He gratefully reached for the cup of coffee Ray was holding out to him and took a quick sip before looking for a place to set the cup. Once the cup was firmly in place on a box top near the windowsill, Mr. Dobbs raised the document again and began reading out loud the first words of the last will and testament of one Angus McDowell.

Detective Vecchio sipped his own cup of coffee and leaned back against a crate that was as yet unpacked. He watched Benton silently as the words the little man read from the document filled the cold air of the small room.

Taking a short pause to actually take the time to look at Benton Fraser, Mr. Dobbs became pleased with his mission for it wasn't often he had the good fortune to deliver unexpected news. He began reading again, "So, Benton, you've no doubt grown into a fine young man. You were always a lad I could trust. You're the only one I would trust to take care of this for me. Most of my family has died before me and there is no one else to whom I can turn with this, my last request. I have set aside the proper funds and property that you will need to fulfill this obligation I lay at your door. The law firm I hired to handle this has no doubt sent a reputable person to disclose this to you. Please believe me when I say that I hope you will honor an old man's request and take care of my Matilda for me. She's all I have left of importance in this world and I trust you will find it in your heart to make an old man happy."

Benton became as still as a marble statue as he listened to old McDowell's will as it was read. His thoughts were filled with all the good times he had enjoyed on the old man's property. He heard the crash of a coffee cup being dropped on the old wooden flooring as Matilda's name was read out loud and barely glanced sideways to see his friend Ray's jaw hanging open.

Mr. Dobbs concluded the reading of the McDowell bequest to Benton and quickly held out a couple of papers for Benton to sign. Benton did not hesitate in the slightest but used the offered pen from Dobbs' hand to sign and date his acceptance of the documents that lay before him on his desk. The little man thanked them for the coffee and turned to look out the office window. The furious lake effect snowfall had stopped during the reading and the window was now filled with the sharp, brightness of a winter sun's glare. Mr. Dobbs quickly closed his briefcase and after handing Benton his business card he left the room and the consulate building. As he stepped out the front door he could see the first of several snow ploughs that would wend their way down the street in short order clearing out the heavy wet snowfall. He pulled his scarf back up around his face and began trudging back down the unclear sidewalk towards what he had been assured by his cab driver was a cab stand.

Inside the consulate Benton Fraser sat staring out his office window with a finger placed lightly against the side of his face while Ray Vecchio stared at him in amazement.

"Fraser. Who is Matilda? You can't just accept this you know." When he didn't receive an answer Ray's voice hiked up a notch and he said in a whisper, "Fraser?"

Part 2

Ray Vecchio's hands gripped the steering wheel as the wheels of his Riviera plowed through yet another batch of new fallen snow. He cursed the snow and the cold using rather colorful language of the kind that he knew would upset his best friend. But he couldn't help it. Too much snow and too much cold were finally getting to him. His wool stocking cap itched his head and his feet were cold inside two layers of socks and thick boots. There was no joy in Ray Vecchio this day, not one little speck of joy. It had been cold and snowy in Chicago for weeks now and Ray's emotional temperament kept right on falling to new lows as new layers of snow cluttered Chicago's streets. Conversely, for every dip in emotional temperament Ray had taken, the emotional temperature of his best friend, Constable Benton Fraser had taken a very visible rise. Snow was the catalyst and Ray knew it.

He began to slowly pull off to the side of the street so that he could pull up and park outside Benton Fraser's apartment building. He keyed off the engine and pulled his coat closer about him in preparation for getting out. He congratulated himself on finding the perfect parking space. The RIV was parked close to the curb where Benny and Diefenbaker would be able to enter the car without stepping in slush, hence bringing salt into his beloved RIV and far enough away from the street that he wouldn't be a moving target for traffic once he stood next to his car. He did, however, make one fateful mistake; without glancing out his car door window, he put his hand out and grasped the release latch on his car door and cracked the door open while dragging his feet towards the door. Just as Ray nearly had his head and shoulder out the car door, fate stepped in and laughed right in Ray Vecchio's face. He heard it before he saw or felt it. There's only one thing that makes that particular crunching sound as it moves down a city street in the winter and that's a huge snowplowing truck. Ray turned his head as he heard the first telltale thwacks as snow hit the sides of vehicles parked behind him. He had just enough time to pull his head back in his car and start slamming the door shut when what could only be described as a huge glob of wet, heavy, dirty snow landed on his windshield and down the side of the RIV. The RIV actually rocked on its wheel from the force of the hit. Ray just sat there and hung his head. It was clearly not his day.

Benton grabbed his leather jacket and flung his arms through its sleeves and glanced down at his lupine companion. He grinned. Diefenbaker sat at his feet with much more decorum than usual and didn't even whine. However, the sound of a heavy tail swishing back and forth across the old wooden floor did accompany a rather wolfish grin worn by the wolf.

"Yes, I know." Benton reached over and picked up his Stetson. "No, we won't be late." He looked down at his watch. "Unless, of course, Ray is early." He settled the Stetson down on his head and picked up his gloves. He heard the very tiniest of wolf sounds escaping the canine teeth. "Very well. Come along. We'll wait by the door, but I can assure you that we are early."

Wolf and companion went out the apartment door and down the hall. Together they seemed to bounce down the staircase. The front hall was dimly lit in comparison to the winter sunlight that greeted their eyes as Benton opened the outer door to look for Ray's arrival. He and Diefenbaker arrived at the front portico just in time to see the snowplow glide past the freshly parked RIV leaving salt spray spewing from the small spigots near its rear tires as it left its newest victim in its wake. The bright smile in his eyes dimmed quickly as he realized that Ray was sitting nearly motionless in his car. "Oh dear!" Benton's shoulders sagged just a bit then he motioned Diefenbaker next to him and the two of them approached the parked car.

Ray barely registered the sound of the passenger door opening. It wasn't until Benton and Dief were actually sitting in the car with the door shut that Ray turned tired looking eyes towards Benton. "Not a word, OK!" Ray struggled to get the key back in the ignition and started the engine. "You've kept me wondering for three days. Three days! Now, I am finally about to find out what all the mystery is about and I get suckered by a snowplow." He deftly turned the vehicles steering wheel and they glided into traffic. "Does the guardian you have to meet know you are coming?" Another deft turn of the wheel and they were westbound towards the edge of the city.

"Yes, Ray. I called the morning after Mr. Dobbs met with me."

"OK. Does Matilda know you are coming?"

"I don't think so Ray." Benton's eyes began to sparkle again as he watched Ray trying to figure out another tactic to get information revealed to him. Ray had been trying unsuccessfully for three days to gleam information out of his best friend. So far, he hadn't learned a thing. The entire situation had turned into a sort of challenge that was not outwardly voiced by either man.

"How far do we have to drive?"

Benton spread the sheet of instructions that he had written down across his legs. He glanced down then noted, "We need to take Irving Park out to Route 45 Ray. Then we travel north. Mr. Jennings said we wouldn't be able to miss the turn off."

"Yea, right. Look for landing planes you mean. That's nearly airport property out there." Ray glanced sideways at his friend. "That's no place for a kid you know."

Benton grinned, "Matilda isn't exactly a child, Ray."

"Ah ha. A clue. You finally let something slip." Ray grinned. "How old is she?"

"Matilda's not your average female Ray."

"I think you said that already Benny."

"So I did Ray."

"You're not going to say anymore, right. You've decided this is 'keep' Ray Vecchio in the dark day. This is take a ride from your best friend, but don't tell best friend a thing, right." Ray stopped ranting and turned towards Benton. "I can wait. Never let it be said that I can't wait." He paused for effect. "Just remember I did you a favor."

"What favor Ray?"

"I didn't tell Franny about this little trip."

Benton's jaw dropped a little but he gamely said nothing. Dief grumbled from the back seat. Ray pulled the RIV up to a stop light and turned to face the wolf. "Yea, you know that too, uh Dief."

"Well, Francesca will know about Matilda eventually Ray." Benton turned to look over his shoulder at Dief. "Actually, I think Francesca will like Matilda." Dief growled a bit. "I think you underestimate Francesca greatly Dief. She is a very caring woman."

"Yea, she cares." Ray frowned and pulled out with traffic. "Like a barracuda."

An hour of moving in slow traffic did nothing to lighten Ray's mood. They had been stopped by red lights at every intersection before finally turning from Irving Park onto Route 45. Ray had had Benton read out the driving directions at least 5 times. He knew the area and he just couldn't believe it.

Before long they were driving down a side street off of Route 45. It wasn't exactly a derelict area but several of the buildings in the area had seen better days. Those days might have been more than 30 years in the past. Ray turned another inquiring look towards Benton. This time he noted a look of distinct anticipation in Benny's entire body. "Well, here we are. You sure you have the right address. This doesn't look like a place someone named Matilda might be comfortable."

Benton grinned and motioned towards the highest wooden fence that had a slightly open gate. "There, that's it. Pull in Ray."

"Sure Benny."

Once the RIV rounded the turn into the driveway opening, Ray's mouth twitched. His lips formed a distinct solid and unforgiving line as they drove past several abandoned vehicles with their windows broken out. His expression seemed to turn to stone as they drove past the framework hulk of some former luxury car, but he remained silent.

Benton climbed out of the car and walked rapidly towards a rather small building off to the side of the drive and knocked on the door. When the door opened, a tall old man smiled a toothy smile and held out his hand.

"You must be Benton. You look just like the picture old Angus sent me. How do you like living down here?" The old man talked and shook Benton's hand but turned away before he get any answers to his questions. He stepped back inside the small building and emerged a moment later with a huge ring of keys dangling from his hand.

Ray climbed out of the car and his feet slid in the snow. He gasped as a cold wind blew through the open gate. He looked around and his lips thinned again. He huddled into his coat and stalked off towards Benton. "This your idea of joke, Fraser?" Ray thrust his hands into his pockets and stood quietly at Benton's side. When the old man came out with the ring of keys Ray let out a huge sigh. He knew he'd been had the moment that he pulled into this driveway. He knew it. He'd been set up. But he still wondered who or what Matilda was.

Section 3

The winter sun's bright, eye-hurting rays broke out overhead as the little old man holding the keys began walking away from his small office. "So, you knew old Angus. What a character he was. Never knew anyone else quite like him." The little man rambled on as he walked leaving Ben and Ray to follow along behind him. It was clear from the constant line of chatter the old man kept up without a pause for breath that he didn't expect any responses to his questions. He walked and he talked; always keeping the keys swinging in his hand so that they made a crisp metallic clinking sound as he walked. "Yes, old Angus described you to a `T'. Seemed right found of you he did. Shame he died before he could talk to you. He meant to you know. I suppose Mr. Dobbs has given you all the papers?" The little man rambled on again not waiting even a millisecond for Benton to respond to any of his questions.

Diefenbaker bounded and leapt with lupine abandon through the piles of snow that seemed to be everywhere inside the fenced in area. He sniffed around strange objects protruding through the snow in various places and took off to follow an interesting smell totally disregarding the voice of Benton Fraser that beseeched him to turn his attention away from the enticing trail. With each leap followed by a lupine grin that his companions were witness to, Diefenbaker maintained a steady pace and disappeared behind a huge tractor parked near the fencing on the opposite area of the open drive area. Benton Fraser sighed, shook his head and began muttering to himself about wolves who made one pay and pay as he and his friend, Ray, followed after the little old man carrying the keys that walked ahead of them towards a large building at the back of the parking area.

Ray Vecchio grinned and listened to the softly spoken words coming out of his friend's mouth and kept his thoughts to himself. He trudged along behind Ben and kept a careful eye on where his feet landed in the path being set in the snow by Ben and the little old man moving ahead of him. He became so lost in watching where his feet landed that he didn't pay attention to their destination. When Ben stopped suddenly in front of him, he had to put his hands out and touched Ben's shoulders to keep from falling. It was only then that he took the opportunity to glance around and noted the heavy lock on the door to what appeared to be a very large storage shed or barn seemed to starring him in the face.

With a smile up at Benton and a clinking of his keys, the little old man made a great show of opening the lock slowly and with great care. When the lock was open, he lifted it carefully through the closure loop and swung the latch back. He grabbed the wood edge of the door and began pulling it open until it was open far enough for him to step slightly inside and turn and lean heavily into the door so that he could push it fully open. The wood creaked and moaned but moved fluidly away from the opening until it stood flat against the sidewall of the building. He turned and felt inside the door and hit a switch that turned on a huge overhead lighting fixture hung high overhead in the center of the buildings interior. He stood back and waved Ben inside with a toothy grin.

Huge piles of hay lined portions of one the buildings interior walls. Car parts and body frames filled an entire corner of what seemed to be 50 foot by 80 foot work area formed by the interior of the buildings structure. In the far corner there appeared to be two vehicles covered under very expensive, protective canvas tarpaulins. Ben grinned and began moving over what was the cleanest area of the building that housed the two canvas covered shapes. Ben reverently put out his gloved hands and touched the larger, bulkier of the two shapes. With a quick tug of his teeth on a gloved hand, he removed first one glove and then the other and carefully began lifting the canvas edge.

Ray stood dumbly surveying the interior in front of him. He whispered in a barely audible tone, "Oh my God. It's beautiful." But he wasn't watching Benton; his attention was riveted on some of the auto parts lying on racks near the other canvas-covered shape. He walked over to a brightly painted fender attached to the front portion of vehicle structure and laid a hand down on it in awe. "Benny, do you know what this is?" Ray turned his head and finally saw what held Ben's attention. He goggled his eyes almost like Eddie Cantor as he stood and watched.

Benton pulled softly at the canvas and slowly drew it back and up and over the protected shape beneath it. He grinned and the grin widened as the canvas finally was pulled off completely. He dropped the canvas from his hands and slowly, reverently put out his hand to touch a brightly painted red fender. His hands ran over the fender as gently as he had ever touched anything in his life. The grin on his face softened as he neared the driver's door. With a delicate touch to the door handle, he opened the vehicle door and leaned inside and took a deep breath. His hands felt the back of the driver's seat. He pulled away and just stood staring at the vehicle.

"Benny?" Ray watched as his friend stood and stared at what appeared to be a very old red and white jeep. "That thing looks older than you, you know?" He kept his own hand carefully on the fender next to him.

"Ray. This is Matilda. She was Angus' first new vehicle. He drove her everywhere. He often spoke of her like she was his child. And yes, Ray, she is older than I." Benton lovingly touched a side panel and stood back from the vehicle. "Isn't she beautiful, Ray?" Ben stared at the red painted fenders and then the roof of the vehicle. "I rode in Matilda when I was a boy, Ray. She brought supplies to our village. She's special, Ray." Ben turned and gave Ray another toothy grin. "All of our supplies, even our medical supplies and the doctor came to our village in Matilda."

All Ray saw was a huge Jeep station wagon painted red and white. He did, however, grin at Ben. "Yea, I guess she's beautiful. She's not a RIV, though, you know." Ray's hand didn't leave the fender next to him. "So, now you have a vehicle."

"Yes, Ray. But Matilda isn't meant for city driving. That's why Angus had her brought out here."

"What Chicago streets too good for Matilda?" Ray actually walked forward now and began walking around the vehicle. `High red paneled sides, large windows with the surrounding metal painted white and a red roof...boxy looking, nothing spectacular,' Ray thought as he finally stood next to his friend.

"Actually Ray, Angus just wants me to take care of her. He specifically didn't want her in traffic on Chicago streets."

"Oh I get it. The old man knew how you drive. I can understand that." Ray grinned and clasped a hand on Ben's shoulder.

A laugh from the old man watching them broke their attention away from the Jeep. "She's a Willy's and a beauty. Angus loved her like he loved his family. Doesn't surprise me at all that he bought this property and had her shipped down here for Mr. Fraser here."

It was Ray's turn to look more than awe struck. "Wait a minute. Are you saying this property belongs to my friend here?"

"Yes, along with everything on it or in its buildings."

"Benny, this is an expensive inheritance..."

"Ray, Angus left Matilda to me and left the property and monetary means for her care in my trust. She won't be a bother, Angus saw to that."

Ray turned his head and saw the rapt look of love on his friends face as his eyes wandered over the jeep again. He turned to the little man and grinned, "Hey, got any parts for a 1972 Buick Riviera around here?"

"You'll have to take a look out back...the man Angus bought this property from loved old cars. Back area of the property is full of the stuff."

"Cool." Ray's hand pinched Ben's shoulder a bit. "What's under the other canvas?"

Ben looked startled for a moment then grinned again. "Angus wanted me to have my own transportation out here. I believe that's a 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo under the other canvas."

Ray pulled away and moved quickly over to the other covered shape. "Come on Benny, get the canvas off."

The old man grinned. "I'll be back in my office." He handed Ben the set of keys he had opened the door lock with and said, "I believe you'll find keys for Matilda and her friend on that ring." He patted Ben on the arm before he walked away. "Angus was right. You'll do."

Pulling a corner of the canvas up to peak under it Ray grinned again. "Wow, Benny, wow!" When the canvas was entirely off of the Chevy, Ray stood back in awe. "Now that's beauty!"

Ben grinned for all he saw before him was a beautifully blue, painted and restored 1972 Monte Carlo. It certainly didn't compare to Matilda. He tilted his head this way and that looking at the car trying to see the beauty Ray was seeing, but eventually he turned his gaze reverently back to Matilda.

Ray opened the Chevy's car door and found a note lying inside the car on the seat. "Hey Benny. Looks like old Angus left you a private note."

Ben turned back and walked over to the driver's door of the Chevy and held out his hand. He read the note Ray gave him quickly as a sad expression crossed his features. He pocketed the note and lifted the keys in his hand. "He said he titled both vehicles in my name and paid the revenue taxes and the insurance on both."

"Gosh, you with a car. Gee, Benny...what's this world coming too." Ray gave a longing look to the interior of the Chevy. "You think they start?"

"I'm sure they do, Ray." Ben handed the keys to Ray and motioned Ray into the driver's seat.

"No way. She's yours. You start her."

And so they argued for a few minutes and eventually one of them won out. They started the Chevy up first and stood looking under the hood and checking her out. And eventually, Ben let Ray keep pouring over the Chevy and he turned back to Matilda. He reverently opened the driver's door and stepped inside. He remembered the last time he had sat in Matilda's driver seat that his feet had barely touched the pedals. He grinned when he realized he was now a perfect fit.

Diefenbaker trotted up to the door of the building and looked inside. He moved quietly towards the back area of the building and sat down to watch his two friends comparing the oddly shaped metal things that humans seemed to love. With a definite loud sigh he dropped down to lay on the ground with one paw crossed over the other one and let his nose rest on his paws. He could see that it was going to be a very long time before any donuts came his way this day.

Several hours later, Ben started up the Chevy and began to drive it out of the building with Ray sitting beside him. After several lurches and false starts the car was eventually outside of the building. Ray leapt out and put the lock on the building's door.

Ray grinned when he saw Diefenbaker sitting calmly by the side of the building. "So, who you going to ride back with Dief?" Ray stood and watched Dief run towards the entry and the waiting RIV.

He leaned in and heard Ben whispering in almost the soft tone of swearing, "Coward."

Hope you enjoyed the story. There will possibly be a graphic for this in the offing in the future. But until then...the link below will lead to you to a picture of Matilda as I see her.

http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/willys-wagon.htm

tyk,
Lys

End Taking Care of Matilda by Lys: tyklys@hotmail.com

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