Chip heard his mother calling him to breakfast, and he went downstairs for some eggs and bacon.

“Did you sleep well?” she asked as she served him.

“I woke up early,” he said, “and never got back to sleep.”

“Are you going to look for a job today?”

“Yeah, Mom, sure.”

“What kind of job?”

“I’ll go check with the New Mexican and see if they’ve got an opening yet.”

“How many times have you done that?”

“I don’t know, half a dozen maybe.”

“You should try somewhere else.”

He wanted to show her the pictures he had shot, just to prove he was trying to earn money, but he could imagine what her reaction would be.

27

LAURENCE AND THERESA followed the directions they had been given to the Eagle house, in the hills above Tesuque. A large stone eagle greeted them at the gate, wings outspread, and the house was of a contemporary style, but inviting.

Ed Eagle greeted them and played bartender, and Stone and Gala arrived soon after. They sat down with their drinks.

“We had an incident last night,” Laurence said.

“What sort of incident?” Ed asked.

Laurence told them about the new flash security lights.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Stone said. “But what happened last night?”

“Yes,” Theresa said, “I’d like to hear about that, too.”

“I thought I’d keep it until we were here, then I wouldn’t have to repeat myself.”

“Well, go ahead.”

“We were getting ready for bed. Theresa was in the shower, and one of the lights went off outside. I ran downstairs,” he said, skipping the part about the gun, which neither Theresa nor Stone knew about, “and out into the piñons. I rousted somebody, apparently, and I could hear footsteps running and him brushing against the trees. He got to the road and ran for a short distance, then I heard a car start and got a glimpse of it as it reversed around a bend in the road. Then its lights came on and I heard it drive away in a hurry.”

“Did you see the man?” Ed asked.

“Only his back. He was smallish.”

“Did you see the car?” Stone asked.

“For a second or two. It was something small, like a Mini, I think.”

“That sounds like the car I saw parked near your gate the night we came over,” Stone said. “Must be the same guy.”

“And he’s not behaving like a burglar,” Ed said. “A burglar would be in the house as soon as you left.”

“We didn’t leave last night, and our new security system is up and running.”

Theresa spoke up. “I had the feeling—just a feeling—that there was someone in the trees outside the kitchen when we went down for breakfast.” She thought about that. “I hope I was wrong, because neither of us was wearing much.”