Chapter 33

After we had Mr. X. hunting for a new home, I met with Lucinda for the dinner she owed me. She wanted to go to a fancy place in one of the tourist trap motels. I wanted to go to a family barbecue joint. Since she was paying, and the bill would be less than half the price at Joshua’s stew and Que, I won the argument.

While I sat in the small booth with the plate of barbecued ribs, Lucinda took a long look, then a deep breath before she spoke. “Ed we need to get together.” she said.

“Whoa, where the hell is that coming from?” I asked. “Neither of us has a very good track record with our home life.”

She broke out in a loud laugh. It was loud enough so that some of he customers turned to look. She turned three shades of read. “Ed not like that. We need to organize a company. You know. Our own company set up to do some good things.”

“Honey there are not that many things that are interesting, or there are going to be way too many things that need doing. So exactly who decides what we need to do?” I asked. “The point is there are not enough things to keep us from being bored, or there are too many things to do. I just don’t see how we could pick and choose what to do. We sure as hell can’t have a meeting on every issue that comes along. Hell my son alone can keep us busy doing nothing, from now till the day we die.”

“Then we let him decide,” she argued. “I frankly don’t give a crap who makes the decisions. Just so long as we stay free and stay busy,”

“And we got to do it the way we want to do it,” I offered.

“Of course,” she replied.

I put down the rib before I wiped my hands. Good ribs required four large napkins minimum. “So what do you need me for?”

“You are far and away the most devious man I ever met. You have always come up with a plan that skirts the letter of the law, we all love that. So do you want to tweak the nose of the lady with the blindfold and scales again?” she asked.

“Did anybody ever tell you, that you are this huge drama queen?” I asked.

“Funny you should mention that. Gerome and I are joining the community theater,” she informed me.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I replied.

“Scout’s honor,” she said raising her right hand.

“So what’s the play?” I asked.

“We haven’t decided yet. The whole company decides on the play,” she advised.

“So have you decided on your next job?” I asked

“No, we were hoping you could ask around. You have the best contacts in this area,” she suggested.

“What makes you say that?” I asked. “The Sheriff’s department hates me.”

“Not really, well maybe the men. You were a bit of a womanizer in your younger days, I’m told.” she added.

“Don’t believe all you hear,” I said.

“I was told that, if we ever did that undercover shit again, you couldn’t be the public face. They say that all the women, of all the towns for a hundred miles in any direction, either call you daddy, or at least know you. And I mean know you in that way special way.” She added with a grin.