Back from the Holiday/BREAKFAST SERIAL

Okay, I had a wonderful holiday.  Very rested.  Didn't do much.  (The to do list did NOT get ta done and I feel GOOD about it because I actually got to do things like READ and RELAX.)  Saw Sherlock Holmes with a friend.  I still want to see Mission Impossible.  Weirdness of mine---a while back when I was having a REALLY frantic day I caught myself humming ---the theme from Mission Impossible.  Made me laugh, which improved the day immensely.  Now I do it deliberately.

This week the Visiting Dignitary is Colleen Coble.  I have to FIND her post and get it ready to go up for y'all.  AND, since I promised, today I am doing a delayed breakfast serial. 

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Who in the *W@$ is Boone Carter?


"My granddaughter has taken up with an inappropriate man. I want you to discourage him."

I sighed.  I couldn't help it.  As far as Mrs. Carmichael was concerned I was an inappropriate man.  And to my mind the granddaughter could 'take up with' whoever the hell she wanted.  Assuming she was of age.  Which she was.  My boss keeps pictures of the girls on his desk.  "No."

"Excuse me?"

It was a simple enough word, if one she hadn't heard much.  I didn't figure I needed to explain, even if she wanted me to.  So I gave her a beatific glance--all blue eyes and innocence.  Her eyes narrowed.  So did her nostrils.  Most people don't notice the latter.  I did, because it made her look like the hated word even smelled bad to her. 

"MISter Carter."  She said it just like that, heavy emphasis on the first syllable.  Being polite, but not really meaning it.  I just kept beaming at her.  Let her do the heavy conversational lifting.  "I am not young, and I am no fool.  If this were just adolescent rebellion, or a fling I would stand aside, however distasteful I might find the man."  She turned looking out the window for a moment before continuing.  "But I know a man with his 'eyes on the prize' when I see it.  Jacob Chester is after my daughter's money, plain and simple."

The smile froze on my face.  Jacob Chester.   No.  It couldn't be.  It just couldn't.  I'd put all that behind me.  But it's not a common name. 

The old woman turned away from the window.  Her eyes met mine, and it was a struggle to keep the fact that she'd rattled me from my face. 

"I want you to find him.  And discourage him.  And I don't want my granddaughter to know you did it.  Can you manage that?"

"I'll find him.  And I'll tell you where he is.  But I won't do any discouraging."

She frowned.  "Why not?  I'm quite sure you'd be good at it."
I gave her a crooked smile.  Yeah, I'd be good at it.  I'm big, strong, and tough enough to be pretty damned discouraging.  But I don't do anything that might land me on the cops' radar.  I'm off grid and intend to stay that way.  And no amount of money she'd wave in front of me was worth the risks involved.  Particularly if it was Jacob. 

But I had to know.  So I'd take her money.  And I'd find him.  If it really was Jacob Chester . . . well, I'd burn that bridge if I came to it.