Cooked Goose

Hush and go to sleep.”
    “Okay. Thanks, Savannah .”
    “No sweat.”

    * * *

    9:10 A.M.

    “Good morning, ladies. Coulter Limousine Service.” Dirk stood in Savannah’s doorway, wearing a smile that could only have been accomplished by sleeping with a coat hanger in his mouth the evening before. A night owl, like Savannah , Dirk felt basically the same way about morning people as she did: They should be shot at sunrise, when they were at their obnoxious perkiest.
    Savannah ushered him into the living room, where she and Margie were sipping coffee, munching donuts, and watching Bugs Bunny cartoons on television. Although Savannah had slipped into jeans and a sweatshirt, Margie was still wearing her borrowed p.j.’s and robe. They looked like the remnants of a pajama party.
    Margie was only mildly pleased to see Dirk. “So, you’re the one my dad pawned me off on,” she muttered. “Lucky you.“
    “Actually, he didn’t pawn you off on anybody. I volunteered for the job,” he said, sweeping off an imaginary hat and bowing low. “Driving a couple of beautiful women around the town isn’t such a bad way for a guy to make a buck. Are you about ready to go?”
    She sagged as though every bone in her body had just melted. “Let me get dressed.”
    After watching the girl trudge up the stairs, Savannah turned to Dirk. “Boy, you’re sure laying it on thick. What’s up?”
    He grunted, plopped down on one end of the sofa and reached into the bright pink donut box for a cream horn. “The old man wants me to dump her off at Casa Presidio in the marina.”
    “Will he be there?” She sat beside him and finished off her coffee.
    “Are you kidding?” He bit off a third of the pastry in one bite and talked while he chewed, dribbling powdered sugar down his chin. Years ago, Savannah had realized that her attempts to civilize this rough-around-the-edges bachelor were only going to be moderately effective. “If Bloss wouldn’t take the time to drive his own daughter around this morning, do you think he’s going to spend the day baby-sitting her?”
    Savannah couldn’t believe it. This was low, even for a slug like Bloss. “Are you telling me that poor kid has to sit in a hotel room alone all day, after what happened to her last night?”
    “Seems so.” He shoved in another huge bite.
    “Well, that stinks. He stinks. She’s going to be hurt and mad as hell, and I don’t blame her.”
    “Me, either. That’s why I was hoping you’d come along for the ride... you know, and get her settled into the room.“
    “Settled, my butt. You want someone else there to defuse the bomb when she blows.”
    “That too. Will you ride along?”
    He crammed the last third of the cream horn into his mouth and chewed noisily while he waited for her answer.! He didn’t look particularly worried or anxious; he knew how Savannah felt about neglected kids, having been one herself.
    “Sure,” she said.
    He lowered his voice, leaned closer to her... and the donut box... and nabbed a lemon-filled one. “And there’s another reason why I want you along. Something’s come up. I want you to run out to Titus Dunn’s place with me.“
    “Titus? Why?”
    Before he could answer, Margie reappeared, wearing the same soiled T-shirt and shorts she had worn last night. She looked vulnerable and forlorn.
    “Okay,” she said. “I’m ready. Where are we going?”
    “Well, I...” Dirk half-choked on the jelly donut.
    A look of horror crossed her face, quickly replaced by fury. “My dad didn’t tell you to take me home, did he? I mean, I can’t go back there. Not yet!”
    “No, of course not,” Savannah interjected; Dirk was still gagging. “Your father arranged for you to have a nice room down on the beach at the Casa Presidio.”
    Margie glared at Dirk. If looks could have killed the messenger bearing the bad tidings, he would have been a corpse. “A hotel?” she shouted. “He’s having you dump me off at a lousy hotel?”
    “Ah... that’s what he said, yes,” Dirk admitted, looking miserable. “Well, he didn’t say the ‘dump’ part.”
    “Is he or anyone else going to be there?”
    “No-o-o’o... not right away.”
    “Then he’s dumping me. Why couldn’t he just let me go to one of my friends’ houses? Then I could at least be with somebody who cares about me.”
    Her eyes flooded with tears and her chin trembled. Savannah wanted to take her in her arms and give her a tight hug, but she didn’t