Part 23 (2/2)

'You'regoodforher.'

'Ohsure.'Shelaughedgently,stretchinglikeacat.'Isn'tthisheatjustgorgeous?'

'Mm.'

'Whatareallthosescarsonyou?'

'Lionsandtigersandappendicitis.'Shesnorted.'Shallwegoinandswim?'

'Inaminute.WhatdidyouandEuniceandOffensaytoeachotherbeforeIarrived?'

'Oh...'Shesoundedbored.'Hewantedtoknowwhatyouweredoing.EunicetoldhimyouandWaltwerecookingsomethingupbutshedidn'tknowwhat.And...er...yes...heaskedifWaltwasreallyaninsuranceman,andEunicesaidhewas...andheaskedotherthingsaboutyou,whatyourjobwasandsoon,andwhyyouwereoutherewithus...'

'DidEunicetellhimIgothertoshowhimthatphotographonpurpose?DidshetellhimthatIwascertainthehorsesthathehasatOrpheusFarmareMoviemakerandCentigrade?'

Lynnieshookherhead.

'You'requitesure?'

'Yes,absolutely.Wouldithavebeenanuisanceifwehad?'

'Afairwaytobeingdisastrous.'

'Don'tworrythen.Hewasonlyhereaboutaquarterofanhourbeforeyoucamedown,andallEunicesaidwasthatyouwereer...er...wellheractualwordswere,somedimb.l.o.o.d.ylittleofficeworkeronvacation.'Lynnielaughed.'Shesaidherhusbandhadbeengratefultoyouforsavinghislifeandwaspayingyourbillhere,andthatallyouseemedtobeinterestedinatpresentwasagirlupinSanFrancisco.'

IlookeddowntowhereEunice'sheadbobbedinthesurfandwonderedwhethershe'dgivenhimperfectanswersfromdesignorb.i.t.c.hiness.

'What'sshelike?'Lynniesaid.

'Who?'

'ThegirlinSanFrancisco.'

'You'dbetteraskWalt,'Isaid,turningmyheadtolookather.'Heinventedher.'

Shegaspedandlaughedinone.'Ohgood!Imean...er...thenwhatwereyoureallydoing?'

'Ah,well,'Isaid.'Nowthat'ssomethingI'dhateEunicetohavetoldCulhamOffen.'

Shelaylookingbackatmesteadilyforseveralseconds.Somuchmorea.s.surance,Ithoughtidly,thanonthatdayontheriver,whenshehadstillbeenachild.

'Isthatwhyyou'vetolduspracticallynothing?Don'tyoutrusther?'

'She'sneverwantedthehorsesback.'

Lynnieblinked.'Butshewouldn't...shewouldn'thaveruinedonpurposewhatyou'retryingtodo.Afterall,you'redoingitforherhusband.'

Ismiled,andshesatupabruptlyandputherarmsroundherknees.

'Youmakemefeelso...naive.'

'You,'Isaid,'areadorable.'

'Andnowyou'relaughingatme.'

IwantedimpulsivelytosaythatIlovedher,butIwasn'tsurethat.i.twastrue.Maybeall1wantedwasanantidotetodepression.ShewascertainlythebestI'dfound.

'I'mgoingawayagaininthemorning,'Isaid.

'ToSanFrancisco?'

'Somewherelikethat.'

'Howlongfor?'

'Twonights.'

'Thisisyourlastweek,'shesaid,lookingouttosea.

Thethoughtleaptinvoluntarily,ifonlyitwere...Ishookmyheadabruptly,asifonecouldemptythebrainbyforce,andclimbedslowlyupontomyfeet.

'There'stoday,anyway,'Isaid,smiling,'Let'sgoandgetwet.'

Waltcamebackatsevenwithdraggingfeetandaragingthirst.

'ThosedetectivesfromtheD.A.'sofficewillscalpmeiftheyfindoutwe'reonlyusingthem,'hesaidgloomily,upinmyroom.'TwoofthemhaveagreedtogoouttoOrpheusFarmtomorrow,andI'mmeetingthemontheL.A.roadtoshowthemtheway.Dayaftertomorrow,someguyfromthebloodstockregistryofficeisgoingout.IgottheD.A.'sofficetocallhimandfixit.'

'Couldn'tbebetter.'

WaltrechargedhisbatterieswithOldGrandadandsaid,'Sowhat'snewwithyou?'

'Offencamehereonafact-findingmission.'

'Hedidwhat?'

'Camelookingforanswers.GotsomerealbeautiesfromEunicewhichwon'thelphimany,andwentawaybelievingwe'dbebackonhisdoorstepprettysoon.'

'Iguess,'Waltsaid,'thathewantedtoknowifwe'dcalleditoffandgonehome,andwhetheritwa.s.safetobringthosehorsesbackagain.It'sdayssincehesawanysignofus.MusthavebeenlikesittingonanH-bombwithatrickyfiringpin.'Heswallowedappreciativelyandrolledhistongueoverhisgums.'He'llgetalltheactionhewants,tomorrow.'

Whenheploddedtiredlyofftoshowerbeforedinner,ItelephonedtoJeffRoots.

'HowwasMiami?'Isaid.

'Hotandhorrible,andIgainedfourpounds.'

Commiserating,IthankedhimforhishelpwiththenewspaperfilesandtoldhimthatowingtoMissBrittwehadfoundthetwostallions.

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