Ten minutes later, Jack arrived, smelling like a woodsy glen, with Maggie right on his heels. She was wearing a sundress, and her wet, kinky hair was pulled back and pinned into place with colorful clips that matched the rainbow of color on her dress. Jack wore flip-flops, khaki cargo shorts, and a bright yellow polo T-shirt. Both looked clean and refreshed.

“Anyone want coffee?” Charles asked just as Ted and Dennis entered the kitchen. They could have been Jack Emery clones, dressed in like attire, their hair still wet from the shower and slicked back. Everyone said yes.

While Fergus poured the coffee, Jack shared what they’d learned out at Happy Village with the two old spies.

“What was your takeaway, Jack?” Charles asked.

“That something is definitely off out there. I don’t think Gentry Lomax is who he pretends to be. Having met Zack Meadows, I think he’s also hiding something, and he’s the one with the most skin in the game at this point. Lomax is just a hired hand. Meadows and Cosmo are nothing like two peas in a pod as we originally thought. I think Cosmo found that out somehow, some way. I sense there was dissension between the two of them, and Cosmo acted on it. That’s just my opinion. Any news on his condition? Has anyone talked to Lizzie? Do we know anything more?” Jack asked, walking back to the counter to get a refill on the coffee that he’d gulped down in two long swallows.

“Well, I for one like your opinion. I’m gravitating toward the same one based on the little I know. Late this morning we went to the hospital, and Cosmo had regained consciousness. Dr. Wylie insisted that Lizzie go home and not come back until tomorrow. Dr. Wylie said Cosmo is not all the way out of the woods. He’s still in the weeds. I guess that’s doctor talk. But he was more encouraged than he was yesterday, which Lizzie is taking all the way to the bank, counting on Cosmo to make a full recovery. All good from where I’m standing,” Charles said as he opened the oven door to slide the heavy tray containing the meat loaves onto the rack.

The conversation turned to Harry and his friends and their current dilemma, then to the missing Avery and Abner, then back to who was going to set the table.

Maggie sighed, knowing she was the designated table setter. She smiled at Ted and winked. He immediately jumped to oblige, which had been Maggie’s intention all along.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9