Dawn in Eclipse Bay

“But I got to admit, they’re keeping us real busy over there at the inn.”
    “You got that right,” Torrance agreed. There was a groan of metal and wood as he leaned into the task of removing the broken lock. “Walt and me didn’t even bother to bid on any of the work on the new wing of the institute. Knew we wouldn’t have time.”
    “Not that we was invited to bid, mind you.” Walter removed the new lock from its packaging. “Perry Decatur is runnin’ things up there now. Doesn’t like dealin’ with local business if he can avoid it. Made it real clear he wanted to bring in out-of-town contractors. Said they were more competitive .”
    “Like money’s the most important aspect of a good job,” Torrance scoffed. “No respect for fine craftsmanship these days.”
    “So you two didn’t even get a slice of the project?” Gabe asked.
    “Nope.” Walter positioned the new lock. “Not to say we don’t get some work on the side from time to time. Lot of the folks employed up there are local. They know us. They call us when they got a plumbing problem or need a hot-water tank replaced. Those fancy out-of-town contractors aren’t interested in the small jobs.”
    “Claire Jensen mentioned that she had you take care of a clogged toilet for her,” Lillian said.
    “Yep, she did, as a matter of fact.” Walter exchanged a meaningful look with Torrance. Both men smirked.
    “What’s the joke?” Gabe asked.
    “Nothing much.” Torrance readied a drill. “Just that while Walt and me was in Claire’s bathroom we couldn’t help noticing that she had some birth control pills and a box of condoms under the bathroom sink.”
    Lillian frowned. “Don’t you think it’s a little tacky to snoop in people’s bathroom cupboards when they hire you to fix their plumbing?”
    Walter had the grace to blush. “You’re right. We shouldn’t have said nothin’ about it.”
    “Why not?” Torrance said. “Not like it’s news. That woman always did have what you’d call an active social life, even back in the old days. Remember how she used to sneak around with Larry Fulton?”
    “Sure do,” Walter said. “The two of ’em used to crawl into the back of his dad’s delivery van and go at it like a couple of bunnies.”
    Lillian straightened in the doorway. “She ran around with Larry Fulton? But he’s married.”
    “This was back before he married Sheila Groves and took over his dad’s grocery store,” Walter assured her.
    “Way back when he was still in college. That sound right to you, Torrance?”
    “Yep, sounds about right. Way I hear it, Claire hasn’t changed much over the years.”
    “I think that’s enough gossip about Claire,” Gabe said.
    He spoke quietly, but Walter and Torrance immediately changed the subject. Lillian smiled to herself. Everyone knew that whatever else you could say about the Madison men, they didn’t kiss and tell. Apparently, they didn’t listen to other masculine gossip about women either. That kind of old-fashioned chivalry was an extremely endearing trait in a man.

chapter 18
    The following morning Arizona held her security briefing from her dimly lit hospital room. She certainly looked the part of the heroically wounded warrior, Lillian thought. The bandages around A.Z.’s head gave her a dashing air. It was clear from the glittering determination in her eyes that she was recovering rapidly.
    Lillian was quite relieved to see Arizona looking so much better this morning. She and Gabe had received the phone call summoning them to A.Z.’s bedside half an hour ago, just as they were finishing breakfast.
    The only other attendee present today was Photon from the Incandescent Body bakery. He stood in the corner, serene and silent in his strange robes and jewelry. His shaved head gleamed green in the light of a nearby monitor. Could have passed for a space alien, Lillian thought.
    “Way I figure it,” Arizona said, “the institute spy followed me home because he spotted me taking my routine sector surveillance photos. I cover the whole town right out to the boundaries three mornings a week, you know. Check up on the institute daily, of course. I must have caught something on film that they didn’t want anyone to see. When he saw his chance he knocked me out and stole my VPX 5000.”
    “Don’t worry about it, A.Z.,” Gabe said. “You can replace the camera and get back to your daily recon work in no time.”
    “Forget the camera,” Arizona said.