Orchid Blues (Holly Barker 2)

"Come on, men," John said. "I'll buy you all a beer. Ham, join us when you tame that thing."

"Be right with you," Ham said. He took a pen from his pocket and pretended to do something to the alarm. As soon as they left the room, he pressed the reset button and the beeping stopped. He took Eddie's unit from his pocket, ripped off the plastic covering the tape and stuck it to the ceiling. Then he pocketed the old alarm and went to find the others. On the way, he stopped at his truck and tossed the original alarm inside.

"Thank you, Jesus," he said aloud, as he made his way toward the picnic area.

Half an hour later, Harry was on the phone in the den of the beach house when someone turned on the radio in the living room. He covered the receiver and yelled, "Will somebody turn that goddamned thing down?"

Eddie stuck his head in the door. "Are you sure, Harry? Ham's smoke detector just went on the air."

"Holy shit!" He uncovered the phone. "Sorry, sir, I've got to run. Will you overnight that equipment to me?" He hung up without waiting for an answer and ran into the living room.

Doug and Eddie were staring at the speaker as if were a television.

The voices were clear, except when someone mumbled.

"Everybody take the oath?" someone asked.

"Every man jack of them," another replied.

"Ham, too?"

"You bet."

"That man's a real find, isn't he?"

"Peck, you spotted him. You get all the credit for bringing him in."

"That's Rawlings," Doug said.

"Is the other one John?" Harry asked.

Eddie held up a hand for quiet, then he fumbled with a tape recorder and started it.

"I think it's time we got Ham started, don't you?" the other man asked.

"I believe it is," Peck replied.

"Let's get him moved in here, then," the other man said.

"John, I don't know about that. He's got a real sweet place out on the river, and he's not going to want to leave it to move into a bunkhouse."

"All right, feel him out about it. I don't want to piss him off at this stage, so go gently, but he's going to have to be in residence here before the day."

"On the day," Peck said.

"On the day," John echoed.

43

Ham finished his marksmanship class for the day and glanced at his watch. Nearly six. He would go straight to the beach house and see if his newly planted bug was working. He was walking toward the truck when Peck Rawlings approached.

"Well, Ham, this was quite a day."

"It sure was, Peck, and I want to tell you I'm proud to be a part of all this. Anything you want done, you just ask."

"How would you feel about moving out here?" Peck asked.

"Moving?" Ham was alarmed, but he took care not to sound it. "Where?"