Hide and Seek

another. There was not the slightest hint of tension in her, or of

conflict of any kind.

Maybe they knew what they had the same as I did.

Someone special. Someone to whom the rules did not apply. And, like

me, asked no questions.

We should have asked.

But there are all kinds of sins, aren't there.

I know them all by now.

I took Monday off. Called in sick. I'd never done it before, not

once, so there was no trouble. The rain had passed with the weekend.

It was a hot, bright morning- the first of July- and we decided to

drive to the beach again.

Steven picked us up in the royal blue Le Baron. He and Kim had already

gone on their little shopping spree, so the trunk was full of beer and

the usual delicacies. I felt glad to be left out of that particular

part of it. Steve was in a terrific mood. I wondered aloud if it was

the stealing

"Nah. That's always fun, sure. But my sister's home, see? And guess

who's left her little shit of a husband? Young Babs of Radcliffe,

that's who. Still all drawly and horsey-looking and completely tit

less but free at last. And god! Is she ever driving my parents' nuts!

All she does these past couple of days is give them tears and

arrogance and general craziness, and all those other good things that

come with shedding a rich partner and every bit of it's directed at

them.

"That's the best part. Because they got her into it, you see? They

just absolutely loved Robert Cowpie Jessup. Not to mention Jessup

Laboratories. Oh, they are catching royal fucking helll This morning

over breakfast on the pa-tee-oh she called them leeches. Can you

imagine? Leeches! And last night it was pimps.

"I am having a hell of a time, I tell you."

"Lots of good feeling between you and the folks, huh?"

You could have wished it to happen every morning. At least he wasn't

driving like a maniac. We took the coast road out at a nice, easy pace

for a change. A pleasant little drive in the country with a trunk full

of stolen caviar. When we passed the Crouch place he looked at me and

grinned.