"I'm not handing out blank IOU's," Ava blurted. "No offense, Abe, but I'd rather do this on my own anyway. So I'll take this," she grabbed the watch and stood up from the sofa, "and head to Paris myself."
"Don't be a fool!" Charlie cried suddenly, startling her. "I know more about that watch than you ever will. Why do you think I bloody have it in the first place? I could write a dissertation on the set of Coulise skills you only just realized you even have!"
Ava narrowed her eyes. "And why exactly is that?" she asked.
"I met your grandad, about twenty years back," he said. "Oh, yes. Struck a particular interest after he disappeared. Ended up doing a bit of research--" At this, Abe gave a sort of guffaw, but quickly covered his mouth under Charlie's glare. "More than a bit, perhaps," the old man admitted. "Point is, I can help you. As can my boy -- how long do you think you would have lasted without him by that plane?" He sat back smugly and folded his arms.
Ava didn't want to admit it, but he had a point.
