Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker 6)

“Why don’t you come out to the airport tomorrow, and I’ll give you a biennial flight review and an instrument competency check.”

“Good idea,” Holly said. “Let me call you in the morning and set it up.”

“You want your steak rare?” Ham asked.

“No, I want it medium rare, and that means when I stick it with a fork, I don’t want it to moo.”

They dined on the huge steak, which Ham had sawed into human-sized chunks, baked potatoes and a Caesar salad along with a big, fat California cabernet. Daisy dealt with the bone.

Ham, who had been quiet, finally said something. “Tell me, what was the most fun you’ve ever had at your job?”

“You just want me to tell you some secret stuff, don’t you?”

“If you really want to. I just want to know if you’re having any fun.”

“Well, a few months ago I got to pose as an assistant director of the FBI and serve a phony court order on the editor of the National Inquisitor.”

“You’re shittin’ me!”

“I shit you not.”

“God, I hate that rag,” he said. “I hope you gave the guy a really hard time.”

“Oh, I did, and I savored every moment of it.”

“I thought the Agency wasn’t supposed to mess around in domestic stuff,” Ham said with false naïveté.

“Oh, I was never there,” Holly said. “The minute I left his office I ceased to exist, and so did what I did there. Or rather, what I didn’t do.”

“Just don’t get caught not doing it,” Ham said.

“I’ll do my best.”

“How was the Farm?” The Farm was Fort Peary, the Agency’s training facility for new officers.

“Hard but fun. You’d have been proud of my shooting.”

“I heard,” Ham said. “The best ever scores by a trainee.”

“You heard? You’re not supposed to hear; we’re talking about the CIA.”

“I heard. I got a call from your instructor. He was properly awed, and, of course, he gave me all the credit.”

“He said he knew you, but…”

“I kicked his ass in the national championships one year.”

They ate and drank on, enjoying each other. Holly hadn’t had such a good time since she had joined the Agency.

5

They ate and drank and talked until nearly midnight, then, after a cup of strong coffee, Holly stood up and said, “If I’m going to sleep in my own bed tonight, I’d better get going.” Ginny came out of the bedroom. “Daisy’s dead to the world on our bed; you want me to wake her up?”

“Let her sleep,” Ham said. “We haven’t seen her for a long time. I’ll bring her home tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Holly said. “Great grilling, Ham.”

He handed her something wrapped in aluminum foil. “Take some home; we’ve got enough for a week.”