tomorrow morning, then I won’t be ready to leave for Cortez.”
“Custis, why are you acting like you got a big boil on your ass today?”
Longarm just shook his head. “I have to hand it to you, Boss. You’ve got a real set of brass balls. But that aside, just have the tickets, the money, and the letter ready when I come in tomorrow afternoon.”
“You’ll also need to see the letter from Miss Mason.”
“Okay, add that with the rest.”
“I hope that you realize how sensitive this whole business is,” Billy said as Longarm headed for the door. “There are lots of important people in Colorado and everywhere else who have become very interested in the history of our Aboriginal Americans.”
“Our what?”
“Well, they were the first people on the continent,” Billy said a little defensively.
“Whatever you say,” Longarm replied. “To me, they’re Americans first and Indians second. Just like an Irishman or an Italian, say, might think of himself as Irish or Italian, but American first. Savy?”
“Sure,” Billy said, unable to hide his sarcasm. “And I’m glad to see that you are so attuned to the cultural sensitivities in this matter.”
“Billy,” Longarm said at the door, “you and I have been friends for a good many years, but I have to tell you that you are starting to talk like a gawdamn bureaucrat. And if I were you, I’d be worried.”
“Get out of here and get some sleep,” Billy ordered. “You’re as touchy as a teased polecat and twice as ugly.
Longarm left his boss then. Most days he and Billy could joke around and work well together, but even Billy had his bad days. And he was a pushy bastard at times too. But then, when you went into management and administration, that was what happened to an otherwise fine fella.
Longarm wasted no time clearing out of the Federal Building located near the U.S. Mint on West Colfax Avenue. He was going to head for his rooming house near Cherry Creek and take a long afternoon nap. Then he would go see Miranda and try to smooth things over about the fact that they wouldn’t be having much time together until after this job was finished.
Miranda was going to be mad as hell, but what could he do? She’d waited for him before, and he was pretty sure that she’d wait for him now. She’d just have to, dammit. And anyway, he’d have that letter promising him vacation time, and then, with a month off, maybe he’d take her down to New Orleans. He had a few scores to settle there, and then he’d show her the French Quarter and they could have a real, real good time.
Chapter 2
When Longarm arrived at Miranda’s place, he was freshly shaven and wearing a clean shirt and pants. And he had a bouquet of red roses clenched in his big fist.
“Hi, honey,” he said when she opened her door. “These are for you.”
Miranda was a tall, statuesque gal with red hair and green eyes. Longarm thought her beautiful, as did everyone else who had the pleasure of seeing her strolling down the streets of Denver. She had a great, hearty laugh and shared his own slightly bizarre sense of humor.
“My, my!” she exclaimed, giving him a big hug and then dragging him inside. “What an unexpected surprise! Roses! They’re beautiful, Custis!”
“They’re nothing compared to you,” Longarm said, laying the praise on as thick as he could without overdoing it. Miranda had a fiery temper. She was going to go through the ceiling when he finally told her that he was leaving for Cortez tomorrow instead of taking her off on that nice, romantic vacation he’d been promising for the past six months.
“You sure are in a great vacation mood this evening,” Miranda said. “I’ve been thinking about what you were saying, whether we should go to California, Mexico, or New Orleans. I’ve decided that I’d prefer California. Maybe go to San Francisco on the train and see the sights. It’d be nice to see the ocean as well.”
“Yeah,” Longarm agreed, “it would, but …”
“The thing of it is,” Miranda said, cutting him off as she found a vase and filled it with water to keep the roses from wilting, “just being together is the important thing. It doesn’t matter where we are really.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve got my boss to give me three weeks off,” Miranda was saying, “Two of ‘em will be without pay, but I’ve been saving money for this vacation for a good long while and-“
“Miranda,” he said, coming over and placing his hands on her shoulders. “I have some bad news. I have to go out in the field again and I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
She spun around and swatted him in the face with the roses.
“Ouch!” Several thorns had stabbed him in the chin.
“How can you do this to me!” Miranda wailed. “This must be the third or fourth time you’ve left me like this.”
Actually, it was the fifth, but Longarm wasn’t about to tell Miranda that. “Listen,” he said, “I’m getting a signed paper from Billy Vail promising me a month’s paid vacation when I return from this job.”
“But what if you don’t return!”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You could be killed. You’ve told me about all the close calls you’ve had over the years. What good is that piece of damned paper going to do if you’re shot to death!
“Settle down, Miranda. I’m not going to get killed. The job they’re sending me on this time really doesn’t sound
