'A what?'
'Heidi in the edelweiss.'
'Oh, no, I think it's very masculine—’
'Oy, let's get out of here.' Weingrass started for the door, then stopped. 'Girls!' he shouted, his voice carrying to the veranda.
'Yes, Manny?'
'What?'
'Please listen to me, ladies, I'm serious. I'd feel much more comfortable, what with the phone being out, if you would please turn on the main alarm. Humour me, my lovelies. I'm a foolish old man to you, I realize that, but I really would feel better if you did this for me.'
'How sweet of him—'
'Of course we will, Manny.'
That humble crap always works, thought Weingrass, continuing towards the door. 'Come on, hurry up,' he said to the nurse behind him who was struggling with her parka. 'I want to get to Gee-Gee's before that phone company closes up for the month.'
The winds from the mountains were strong; the trek from the massive front door to Kendrick's Saab Turbo halfway down the circular drive was made by leaning into the gusts. Manny shielded his face with his left hand, his head turned to the right, when suddenly the wind and his discomfort became irrelevant. At first, he thought that the swirling leaves and erratic pockets of dust were distorting his still viable eyesight—and then he knew it was not so. There was movement, human movement, beyond the tall hedges that fronted the road. A figure had rushed to the right, lurching to the ground behind a particularly thick area of the foliage… Then another! This one following the first and going farther.
'You okay, Manny?' shouted the nurse as they approached the car.
'This stuff is kindergarten compared with the passes in the Maritime Alps!' yelled back Weingrass. 'Get in. Hurry up.'
'Oh, I'd love to see the Alps some day!'
'So would I,' mumbled Weingrass, climbing into the Saab, his right hand unobtrusively slipping under the overcoat and the sweater to reach his automatic. He pulled it out and lowered it between the seat and the door as the nurse inserted the key and started the engine. 'When you get to the road, turn left,' he said.
'No, Manny, you're wrong. The quickest way to Mesa Verde is to the right.'
'I know that, lovely thing, but I still want you to turn left.'
'Manny, if you're trying to pull something at your age I'm going to be furious!'
'Just turn left, drive around the curve, and stop.'
'Mister Weingrass, if you think for an instant—'
'I'm getting out,' broke in the old architect quietly. 'I don't want to alarm you, and I'll explain everything later, but right now you're going to do exactly as I tell you… Please. Drive.' The astonished nurse did not understand Manny's soft-spoken words but she understood the look in his eyes. There were no theatrics, no bombast; he was simply giving her an order. 'Thank you,' he continued, as she drove out between the wall of tall hedges and swung left. 'I want you to take the Mancos road back into Verde—’
'That'll add at least ten minutes—’
'I know, but it's what I want you to do. Go directly to Gee-Gee's as fast as you can and tell him to call the police—’
'Manny!' cried the nurse, interrupting as she tightly gripped the wheel.
'I'm sure it's nothing at all,' said Weingrass quickly, reassuringly. 'Probably just someone whose car broke down or a hiker who's lost. Nevertheless, it's better to check these things out, don't you think?'
'I don't know what to think but I'm certainly not letting you out of this car!'
