Free The Deep Blue Good-By by John D. MacDonald Page B

Callowell.
    from Troy New York, a first It. and a good safe flyer and he fits in okay with me and George so no worry on that acct. The food isn't much but I am eating good and feeling fine. You tell Cathy I am glad she likes her teacher, and kiss her for me and Christy too and a kiss for yourself as always your loving husb. Dave.

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    There were other names in other letters. Casual references, less complete. Vern from Kerrville, Texas. Degan from California. I wrote down all the fragments.
    She sat with the showgirl brevities in her lap and stitched neatly and quickly. "I didn't know Mrs.
    Atkinson would be like that," she said thoughtfully.
    "It wasn't anything she wanted to get involved in."
    "No more'n me. She's beautiful." The brown-eyed look was quick. "You keeping her right there on your boat?"
    "Until she feels better."
    She crossed the room and put the costumes in a small suitcase and closed the lid. 'Maybe S he needs help more than I do."
    "She needs a different kind of help."
    "What are you going to do next?"
    "Find out where your father got the money, if I can."
    "What time is it?"
    "A little after five."
    "I've got to change and go out there."
    "Have you got a ride?"
    "I take a bus mostly-, "I can wait and take you on out."
    I don't like to be a trouble to you, Trav." I waited. She showered quickly and came out of the bedroom wearing a pink blouse and a white skirt. In moments the blouse was damp and beginning to cling. I drove her on out to ' Teabolt's Mile O'Beach and went on back to Bahia Mar. My ward had arisen. She had slept so hard her eyes looked puffy, but she had acquainted herself with the equipment in my stainless steel galley, and she wore a pretty cotton dress, which hung just a little loosely on her, and she had taken two generous steaks out of the locker and set them out to thaw. She seemed a little more aware of the situation, shyly aware that she might be a nuisance.
    "I could cook and clean and take care of laundry and things like that, and anything else you want me to do, Trav."
    "if you feel up to it."
    "I don't want to be a dead weight."
    "Your job is to get well."
    I guess I wasn't particularly gracious. Mine are bachelor ways, tending toward too much order Page 40

    and habit. Some affectionate little guest for a few days is one thing. A party cruise is another. But a lady in residence is potential irritation.
    "I can pay my share," she said in a small voice.
    "Oh, for God's sake!" I roared. She fled to her stateroom and silently closed the door.
    In twenty minutes I felt sufficiently ashamed of myself to look in on her. She was diagonally across the big bed, sound asleep. I made a drink and carried it around until it was gone, and made another, and then went in and shook her awake.
    "If you want to cook, it's time to cook."
    "All right, Trav."
    "Medium rare."
    "Yes, dear."
    "Don't be so damned humble!"
    11111 try.0)
    After dinner, after she had cleaned up the galley, I brought her into the lounge and asked her if she felt well enough for questions.
    "What about?"
    "Junior Allen."
    Her mouth twisted and she closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them and said, 'You can ask questions."
    But first I had to brief her. I had to make her understand why I was asking and what I wanted to know. She had heard village gossip about Junior Allen and the sisters. I gave her all of the facts, as I knew them.
    For once her new placidity was impaired.
    She stared across at me through the lamplight.
    "He had a lot of cash with him when he came back. I didn't give him anything. So everything, the boat and everything, came from what he took from that place where he was living?"
    "That's the only answer."
    "But what could it have been?"
    "Something he had to go to New York to get rid of."
    "Travis, why are you so interested in all this?"

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    I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but from the look on her face it was not successful. 'I am going to take it away from him,' I said, in a voice not quite