The Invitation (Montgomery/Taggert 19)

“That’s of less importance than what’s inside the head.”

“You know, I like you. I really do.”

“And I have always liked you.”

She was silent for a moment. “I wish I could remember you.”

“Time enough. Are you cold? Hungry? Thirsty?”

“No, nothing. I’m perfect.”

“That you are.”

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Jackie was embarrassed by his compliment but pleased by it, too. “When do you want to start…ah, our partnership?” When do you want to start spending enormous amounts of time together? was what she wanted to ask him.

“Tomorrow I have to go to Denver for a few days, and I’ll get money from the bank there. I’ll return on Saturday. How about if I come to your place in the afternoon? Can you give me a list of what you need so I can pick it up in Denver?”

She laughed at that. “How about some new planes for a start?”

“What type would you like?”

He was as serious as she was being lighthearted, and Jackie was suddenly serious too. “How about a couple of Wacos for a start?” And, she thought, maybe later something heavy that can carry a dozen rich passengers in style.

“All right, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Just like that?” she said. “I snap my fingers and two new planes show up?”

“They’re not free. I come with them. You have to take me with the planes.”

That didn’t seem like much of a punishment. “I guess beggars can’t be choosers.” Stretching, she yawned, snuggling her head on his leg.

“I think it would be all right if you went to sleep now,” he said, tucking the blanket around her.

“What about you?” she asked dreamily. “You need to sleep too.”

“No, I’ll stay awake and watch the fire.”

“And protect me,” she murmured as she closed her eyes. No, she didn’t think there was going to be any problem with this man’s reliability. Smiling, she dozed off, feeling as safe as though she were home in her own bed, not in the open with coyotes howling in the distance.

Chapter Two

Good morning.”

Wearily, Jackie sat up on the hard ground, and for a moment she didn’t know where she was. Blinking against the bright light of day, she squinted at the woman sitting on the rock across from her.

“Would you like some coffee?”

Rubbing her eyes, covering a yawn, Jackie took the tin mug that was held out to her. “Who are you?”

“William’s sister.”

“Oh,” she said, still too groggy to ask any questions, but she looked around. William’s car was gone, and in its place was a pickup truck.

The woman—pretty, dark haired, about thirty—smiled. “You must be confused. Here’s what happened. Last night my mother had one of her spells, as the family calls them. She often gets the idea that one of her children is hurt, is going to be hurt, or is in some danger. Since most of these hunches of hers are correct, my father listened when she said that her son William was lost. That was at about three this morning. I happened to be up, so I said I’d go. It wasn’t difficult to find William; he’d left a map showing where he’d be.” She raised her eyebrows in sisterly mockery. “William is a very responsible person.” She said this last in a sarcastic voice, accompanied by some eye-rolling, as though she also thought William was a bit of a stick-in-the-mud.

Jackie opened her mouth to defend him, but she closed it. “So you found us.”