Orchid Beach

CHAPTER

27

Holly nearly fell into the trailer, with Daisy snarling, trying to get past her. “Freeze!” she shouted, getting the gun out in front of her.

“Okay, I’m freezing!” a man’s voice called from the darkness inside. “Get hold of that dog, will you?”

Holly dropped her left hand and got hold of Daisy’s collar, but she kept the gun pointed into the trailer.

“Jesus, Holly,” the man said. “Are you going to shoot me?”

The voice was familiar. “Ham?” she called out.

“Right. Is that dog going to eat me?”

“Daisy, back!” Holly said. She pointed to the walkway. “Sit!”

Jackson was there now. “What’s going on?” he demanded.

“Jackson, I’d like you to meet my father. Ham, this is Jackson Oxenhandler.”

Ham turned on a light and looked at the two of them. “How you doin’?” he said, offering Jackson his hand.

“Good to meet you,” Jackson replied.

Holly turned to the dog. “Daisy, come. It’s all right.”

The dog walked warily into the trailer, her hackles still up.

“Daisy, this is Ham; he’s good, good. Ham, hold out your hand, palm down.”

“Am I going to get it back?” Ham asked.

“Just do it.”

Ham held out a hand. Daisy sniffed at it, tasted it.

“Good dog,” Holly said. “Ham is good, and you’re a good dog. Don’t eat Ham.”

“Thanks a lot,” Ham said. “I thought that was his next move.”

“It’s a she,” Holly said. “What on earth are you doing here? I’ve been trying to call you today, and a recorded message said your phone had been disconnected. Didn’t you pay your bill?”

“I moved,” Ham said.

“Where did you move?”

“Here. My truck’s parked down by the gate. There didn’t seem to be enough room for it by the trailer.”

“Let’s all sit down,” Holly said. “Anybody want a beer?”

“You talked me into it,” Ham said.

“Nothing for me,” Jackson said.

Holly got Ham a beer and sat down. The three of them and Daisy made the trailer seem crowded. “Okay, Ham, let’s have it.”

“I’m a civilian,” Ham said. “I am officially a retired military person.”

“Congratulations,” Holly said. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

“Well, it is. I’m glad to see you. What are your plans?”

“Orchid Beach sounds like a nice place,” he said. “Chet said there was some golf to be had.”

“Well, I’m delighted to hear it,” Holly said. “You just picked up and drove down here? Why so sudden?”

“Look, Chet Marley and Hank Doherty are the two best friends I’ve ever had. It pisses me off when somebody shoots one and murders the other one. I thought I’d give you a hand finding out who did it—and killing the bastards.”

Holly turned to Jackson. “Everybody’s a detective—first you and now him.” She nodded at Ham.

“Unless you’ve already killed them,” Ham said.

“Whoa, there, Sarge,” Holly said. “I’m not going to kill anybody, and neither are you.”

“Well, is anybody going to do anything about this?”

“I’m working on it,” she said. “It’s not an easy one.”

“Tell me everything,” Ham said. “I’m all ears. Start with how Chet is.”

“Still in a coma, and nobody knows if he’s ever going to come out of it.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“All right, start at the beginning,” Ham said.

“Now?” Holly looked at her watch. “It’s one o’clock in the morning, and you’ve been driving all day. Tomorrow will be soon enough.”

“Aw, c’mon, Holly, tell me about it.”

“Here’s how we’re going to do this, Ham: you’re sleeping here, and I’m going to Jackson’s house.”

Ham’s eyes narrowed, and he looked back and forth at the two of them.

“Now, don’t start, Ham,” Holly said. “I’ve been a big girl for a long time, and I’ll decide where I sleep.”

Jackson looked at Ham and shrugged.

Ham rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, darlin’.”

Holly looked down at his bag. “I see you’ve got your stuff. You get some sleep, and tomorrow morning, you come down to Jackson’s place, and we’ll all have breakfast, and I’ll fill you in.”

“Okay, what time?”

She looked at Jackson. “Ten o’clock?”

Jackson nodded.

“Hell, that’s practically afternoon,” Ham said.

“If you get hungry earlier, just root around in my galley.” She gave him directions to Jackson’s.

“Okay, ten o’clock.”

Holly got a small duffel and stuffed some clean clothes and underwear into it. When Ham wasn’t looking she dug her diaphragm out of a drawer and stuck it under the clothes. “All right,” she said, “let’s go. The sheets are pretty clean, Ham; don’t get them any dirtier. If the phone rings, let the answering machine get it. The station knows to call my cell phone first if they need me.”

“Okay, then,” Ham said. “See you in the morning.” He glared at Jackson. “You be nice to her.”

“Ham, shut up!” Holly said.

“Don’t worry,” Jackson replied, “I’ll take good care of her. See you at breakfast.”

They left the trailer and got into Jackson’s car.

“Jesus, what a shock!” Holly said.

“Aren’t you glad to see him?”

“Sure, I am, but I would have liked a little notice. What am I going to do with him? We can’t both sleep in the trailer. I’d kill him the first day.”

“Listen, you can go right on bunking with me until we can find him a place.”

She reached over and patted his thigh. “What a sweet offer,” she said.

“He seems like a nice guy,” Jackson said. “But he talks about killing a lot.”

“He’s done a lot of that in his time. You’re lucky he didn’t kill you with a single blow,” Holly replied. “He’s been trained to do that, you know.”

“I’ll make it a point to be real nice to him.”

“And me, too.”

“Especially you.”