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The parade call couldn’t be returned until Monday, and Angie would be at work until two o’clock in the morning. The call to Joa
“How’d it go?” he asked. “You get Je
The hours between then and Joa
“Did you get it fixed?” Jim Bob asked at once. “Is there anything you need me to do?”
Her in-laws’ unfailing helpfulness and generosity never failed to warm Joa
“Good. What about di
“Di
“One. One-thirty.”
“I’ll be there,” Joa
Ending that call, she dialed the bar in Brewery Gulch. Angie Kellogg answered, speaking over the din of talking people and blaring jukebox music. “Blue Moon. Angie speaking.”
“It’s Joa
“Yes,” Angie said. “I wanted to ask a favor, but it doesn’t matter. He’s already here.”
“Who’s already there?”
“The parrot guy. He came to take me for a hike tomorrow morning. To see some hummingbirds. I was going to ask you to come along.”
“No kidding. The parrot guy? The one from the Chircahuas? What was his name? Hacker, isn’t it?”
“That’s right,” Angie said. “De
“And the two of you are going on a hike? That’s great.”
Angie’s voice sounded a little more hopeful. “Could you maybe come along with us?” she asked. “We’re going to leave here right after I get off work.”
At two o’clock in the morning? Joa
“Oh,” Angie said. “Well, I guess I won’t go then, either.”
“What do you mean you won’t go? You love hummingbirds.”
“It’s just that…”
“It’s just what?”
“I don’t know if I want to go with him all by myself.”
Joa
“Mom,” she had babbled breathlessly, “you’ll never guess who’s out there in the hall. It’s the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.”
Smiling at the memory, Joa
“That’s just it,” Angie said defensively. “I don’t know what to think. What if he turns out to be too nice for me or else… “
“Or else what?” Joa
“Well,” Angie returned defensively, “what if it turns out to be like the old days? What if we go on a hike to see the birds but he really thinks we’re going out there for something else?”
“You wrote him a letter, didn’t you?” Joa
“Yes. He claims that’s why he came to see me after all this time-because of the letter.”
“What do your instincts tell you?”
“Half one way and half the other.”
Joa
“Would you really?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve gotta go,” Angie said. “Someone’s asking for a drink.”
“Have fun,” Joa
“Okay,” Angie said with a dubious sigh. “I will.”
CHAPTER TEN
Joa
Dear Je
I had to go in to work this afternoon for a little while, so I’ve only just now come home. If it weren’t for Mr. Rhodes stopping by to feed the dogs on a regular basis, they’d be living on the same kind of crazy schedule I am.
It’s almost eleven o’clock at night, and it’s too hot to be inside, so I’m writing this on the front porch. Even the dogs think it’s too hot. They’re both lying here beside me, panting like crazy. They didn’t much like it when I came home and you didn’t get out of the car. Tigger especially couldn’t quite believe it.
I just took a message off the machine asking me if I could serve as grand marshal of Bisbee’s Fourth of July parade. I don’t know if you heard about it, but Mayor Pratt had an appendectomy last week. She isn’t going to be up to riding in a parade. I’d be happy to sub for her, but I don’t happen to own a horse. I was wondering if you’d consider lending me Kiddo for the day.
Joa
I stopped by Jim Hobbs’s place tonight and made an appointment to have the Eagle fixed. You’ll be happy to know that by the time I come pick you up, we’ll once again have a fully working air conditioner.
Joa
With a shock, Joa
Grandpa and Grandma Brady have invited me over for di
Speaking of drying up, I can see lightning way off in the distance to the south, somewhere down in Sonora. Maybe the summer rains will get here a little early this year-sooner than the Fourth of July. But not so soon, I hope, that they spoil any of your time at camp.
I guess that’s all for now. It’s so hot inside the house and so nice out here on the porch that I think I’ll do what we used to do on hot summer nights when Dad was alive. Re-member how we’d bring those old army cots out here and sleep on the porch? That way, you’ll be camping out tonight, and so will I.