us hopping like the one-legged whore the day the fleet pulled in. Dellwood, you got to try to get through to him.”
“I’ll try.” Dellwood didn’t sound optimistic.
They went on, now the ball was rolling. I learned more than I wanted to know about how and where the place was falling apart, what had been allowed to slide too long and what had to be done right now to stave off disaster.
Tyler said, “I say we worry about that damned poacher in our spare time. And say the hell with trying to catch the others. The General don’t come out no more. How’s he going to know we’re not wasting time looking for them? They want a few deer, I say let them have them. We need to keep this place from falling apart.”
That debate raged a while.
Jennifer contributed not a word. She seemed more interested in me. My fatal charm. My curse. Or maybe she just wondered how I’d gotten those old boys so animated.
15
I helped Cook clear away. Dellwood helped me help. He didn’t seem inclined to let me out of his sight. Cook was as tight-lipped as she claimed with a third party present.
Dellwood wanted to talk. He started as soon as we left the kitchen. “I hope you have some progress to report. It would be a good time to give the General an emotional lift.”
“How come?”
“He had a good day today. He’s been alert. His mind has had a keen edge. He managed to eat his lunch without help. Your presence seems to have motivated him. It would be nice if you could give him something to keep him feeling positive.”
“I don’t know.” What I had to tell the General wasn’t positive. “I’ll try not to bring him down.”
We were watched going up. This time I wasn’t wrong about it being Jennifer. A strange woman. Pity. She was gorgeous.
I didn’t get it. When was the last time a woman like that left me cold? I couldn’t recall. Female is my favorite sport. Wasn’t anything obviously wrong with her, either. Maybe it was bad chemistry. The opposite of lust at first sight.
“Who raised Jennifer?”
“Cook, mostly. And the staff.”
“Oh. What became of them?”
“The General released them to make room for us. We should’ve been able to manage the place, putting the cropland out for rent. Hasn’t worked out, though.”
“He kept Cook. Why her?”
“She’s a fixture. Been here forever. Raised him, too. And his father before him, and his father, too. He has his sentimental streak.”
“That’s nice.” He hadn’t been sentimental when he’d been my supreme commander. Of course, I hadn’t gotten to know him.
“He takes care of his own.” Dellwood opened the General’s door, seated me in the room where I’d met the old man before. Old Kaid was stoking the fire. “Wait here. I’ll have him out in a few minutes.” The temperature was obscene.
“Sure. Thanks.”
It was more than a few minutes but the old man was worth seeing when he came out. He had a smile on. His cheeks had gained some color. He waited till Dellwood and Kaid departed. “Good evening, Mr. Garrett. I take it you’ve made progress?”
“Progress, General, but I don’t have any good news.” Had his health improved because the poisoner had backed off with me around?
“Good news, bad news, better get on with it.”
“I went into the city this morning. I put some acquaintances to work tracing the missing items through those people who deal in articles that stray from home. They’re competent. If the thief disposed of anything through those channels, they’ll find out and get a description of the seller. I do need instructions. Should they recover the articles? If they’ve been sold, you could be at the mercy of the new owners.”
“Very good, sir. Very good. Yes. By all means. I want to recover whatever I can. I expect you’ll have problems getting them back from someone who’s taken a fancy to them.” He smiled.
“You seem in good spirits, sir.”
“I am. I am indeed. I haven’t felt this well in
“I’ll try.” Dellwood didn’t sound optimistic.
They went on, now the ball was rolling. I learned more than I wanted to know about how and where the place was falling apart, what had been allowed to slide too long and what had to be done right now to stave off disaster.
Tyler said, “I say we worry about that damned poacher in our spare time. And say the hell with trying to catch the others. The General don’t come out no more. How’s he going to know we’re not wasting time looking for them? They want a few deer, I say let them have them. We need to keep this place from falling apart.”
That debate raged a while.
Jennifer contributed not a word. She seemed more interested in me. My fatal charm. My curse. Or maybe she just wondered how I’d gotten those old boys so animated.
15
I helped Cook clear away. Dellwood helped me help. He didn’t seem inclined to let me out of his sight. Cook was as tight-lipped as she claimed with a third party present.
Dellwood wanted to talk. He started as soon as we left the kitchen. “I hope you have some progress to report. It would be a good time to give the General an emotional lift.”
“How come?”
“He had a good day today. He’s been alert. His mind has had a keen edge. He managed to eat his lunch without help. Your presence seems to have motivated him. It would be nice if you could give him something to keep him feeling positive.”
“I don’t know.” What I had to tell the General wasn’t positive. “I’ll try not to bring him down.”
We were watched going up. This time I wasn’t wrong about it being Jennifer. A strange woman. Pity. She was gorgeous.
I didn’t get it. When was the last time a woman like that left me cold? I couldn’t recall. Female is my favorite sport. Wasn’t anything obviously wrong with her, either. Maybe it was bad chemistry. The opposite of lust at first sight.
“Who raised Jennifer?”
“Cook, mostly. And the staff.”
“Oh. What became of them?”
“The General released them to make room for us. We should’ve been able to manage the place, putting the cropland out for rent. Hasn’t worked out, though.”
“He kept Cook. Why her?”
“She’s a fixture. Been here forever. Raised him, too. And his father before him, and his father, too. He has his sentimental streak.”
“That’s nice.” He hadn’t been sentimental when he’d been my supreme commander. Of course, I hadn’t gotten to know him.
“He takes care of his own.” Dellwood opened the General’s door, seated me in the room where I’d met the old man before. Old Kaid was stoking the fire. “Wait here. I’ll have him out in a few minutes.” The temperature was obscene.
“Sure. Thanks.”
It was more than a few minutes but the old man was worth seeing when he came out. He had a smile on. His cheeks had gained some color. He waited till Dellwood and Kaid departed. “Good evening, Mr. Garrett. I take it you’ve made progress?”
“Progress, General, but I don’t have any good news.” Had his health improved because the poisoner had backed off with me around?
“Good news, bad news, better get on with it.”
“I went into the city this morning. I put some acquaintances to work tracing the missing items through those people who deal in articles that stray from home. They’re competent. If the thief disposed of anything through those channels, they’ll find out and get a description of the seller. I do need instructions. Should they recover the articles? If they’ve been sold, you could be at the mercy of the new owners.”
“Very good, sir. Very good. Yes. By all means. I want to recover whatever I can. I expect you’ll have problems getting them back from someone who’s taken a fancy to them.” He smiled.
“You seem in good spirits, sir.”
“I am. I am indeed. I haven’t felt this well in
Similar Books
