[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
creaked when O Conner pulled it open. He grinned.
Always did like that sound, he said. The guys working on the house replaced
the old spring with a new one that didn t make any noise. I made them take the
new spring off and put the old one back on.
O Conner disappeared, then emerged from the kitchen several minutes later,
bearing two tall ceramic tumblers. The one he handed me was ice cold and
frosted at the top fresh from the freezer. I took a sip. I d had O Conner s
hot ginseng tea once before, but never iced ginseng. I liked it cold. It had
the slightly earthy, tangy taste I d remembered, and hints of honey, plus
maybe a little fruit juice in it, too.
It s good, I said. You ought to bottle this stuff.
He smiled. It s in the business plan year two, he said.
You ve got a good head for business, Doc.
I took another sip. No, I just know something tasty when I get a swig of it,
I said.
O Conner sat in the other chair and began to rock in time with me. A small end
Page 72
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
table separated the rockers, a remote control rested on the table. O Conner
pressed a button on the remote, and a ceiling fan stirred a breeze down onto
us.
Another new addition, I said.
Yeah, he said. Usually there s a pretty good breeze, but this summer s been
so hot I finally broke down and hauled in some technology. I can t remember
how I did without it. I got a house in town now, but sometimes, if the night s
not too hot, I ll come up here and sleep on the porch. He opened a drawer in
the end table and pulled out a small silver flask. You want a little nip of
Jack in there? he said.
No thanks, I said.
That s right, you don t drink, he said. You mind if I add a little nip to
mine?
Go right ahead, I said. I m not sure you ll be helping the taste any, but
you probably know what you re doing.
I ve done rigorous experiments, he said. I think I ve perfected the ratio.
He poured in a small splash it couldn t have been more than an ounce then
screwed the cap back on the flask and replaced the flask in the drawer.
Different, he said, taking a sip and assessing it. But mighty good.
You gonna bottle that version, too? I asked.
He laughed. Year three. Good thing I m not trying to keep any trade secrets
from you.
We rocked until sundown, and beyond, the sheriff and I. As the daylight
dwindled, so did our words, and the night wrapped us in a blanket of
comfortable silence. After a while I realized that Jim and I were not the only
two people present on the porch. Leena Bonds Jim s murdered love was with
us, too, somewhere in the darkness beyond him. So was Jess Carter, I realized
with me in the way that everyone you ever love remains with you, no matter
what happens to either of you.
As the rockers creaked and the stars came out, I felt the pain and the fear
inside me subside. In their place, I was amazed to find at least for this
moment peace and a feeling I could only have described as quiet, unexpected
joy.
CHAPTER 21
IT WAS RARE FOR ME TO STAY UP LATE ENOUGH TO watch the eleven o clock news,
but I was late getting home from Cooke County. Besides, Channel 10 had
promised an update on the manhunt for Garland Hamilton. I d heard through the
Knox County prosecutor s office that the Tennessee Association of District
Attorneys General had offered a twenty-thousand-dollar reward for information
leading to Hamilton s arrest and capture, and Channel 10 was promising to lead
off the newscast with more details. Jess Carter had worked closely with
district attorneys, so the D.A. s had taken a special interest in recapturing
her killer.
The newscast s theme music had just started when my phone rang. I checked the
caller ID display and saw the main number for the UT switchboard. I knew there
were no operators on duty this late at night. That meant the phone call could
have come from any one of thousands of extensions scattered across the campus.
Hello?
Is this Dr. Brockton?
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]