Whisker of Evil by Rita Mae Brown Page B

smiled up at him, then checked her watch, an old Bulova that had been her father’s. “Later than I think!”
    â€œRemember how your mother used to say that time moved faster as she got older? It’s the truth.”
    â€œI know. Kind of scares me.”
    He walked her out to her old 1978 truck, Tucker bringing up the rear. He opened the door, lifted up Tucker, then kissed Harry on the cheek. “Jim said something to me. Said I ought to take one or even two partners. I suppose I should, but I like running my own ship.”
    â€œYou’d still run your own ship, but there’d be more money and more paperwork.”
    â€œAnd more personalities. All I have to worry about now is Alma.” He mentioned his new secretary, as his former one had retired.
    â€œJim’s right. First of all, honey, you’d be doing the hiring, and you’re a good judge of character.”
    â€œWhy, thank you.”
    â€œI guess it’s kind of like marriage: You don’t really know somebody until you live with them, but, still, you’d get a good sense of them and you could build in a trial period for both of you. And the other thing is, you aren’t forty yet but we’re both kind of closing in.”
    â€œI know.” He smiled weakly. “Just a number.”
    â€œIt is, but everyone sure makes a big damned deal out of it. If you had partners, the practice could expand and you’d make more money and hopefully have a little more time for yourself.”
    â€œWhich I would like to spend with you.”
    She climbed into the truck, closed the door, then leaned out the open window to give him a kiss on the cheek. “If you’re lucky.”

16

    M orning, ladies,” Rob Collier sang out as he tossed up two large canvas mail sacks in the back. “Thursday and heating up!”
    â€œMorning. I didn’t hear you drive up.” Miranda, who lived across the alleyway, usually heard the big mail truck when it rumbled to the back door.
    She felt she had the perfect life, for all she had to do was walk through her garden, cross the gravel alleyway, and unlock the back door. She incurred no commuting costs, and the walk wasn’t far enough to wear out shoe leather.
    Harry, on the other hand, drove in from her farm at the base of Yellow Mountain, or, if the weather permitted, she might walk the four miles in just for the delight of it. This morning she drove.
    â€œAny news from the other P.O.s?” Miranda asked.
    â€œPage’s Store closed in Batesville, but the P.O. still rents space there.”
    â€œPage’s Store? Why, that’s been open since 1913.” Miranda gasped, for she enjoyed the store and the whole Page family.
    â€œI know, but time’s a movin’ on. Time flies like an arrow,” Rob said.
    â€œAnd fruit flies like a banana,” Harry said.
    Both Miranda and Rob laughed and shook their heads.
    â€œMom’s in one of her Looney Tunes moods.”
Tucker smiled.
    Rob, never one to turn a deaf ear to gossip, announced, “I heard that Dr. Langston told Sugar and Carmen, too, to come in and get tested for rabies.”
    Harry, who thought she worked at the nerve center of Crozet, betrayed a flash of irritation. “Where’d you hear that?”
    â€œSister-in-law. Her best friend works in Dr. Langston’s office.” He enjoyed his scoop. “And Sugar said, ‘The hell with it. He’d be too damned late to do anything.’ But I reckon Carmen will go. She’ll have to emote over it for a time.”
    â€œRob.” Miranda had to stifle a laugh so her voice didn’t truly carry censure.
    â€œCarmen is all over the map.” He had his hand on the doorknob. “I tell you, that girl is nine miles of bad road. She will get a man in trouble.”
    â€œRob, I thought most girls could get a man in trouble—especially you.” Harry raised an eyebrow.
    â€œI wish.” He winked