Ill Take Forever

of California. She's forever going visiting.' Jenny shook her head. 'I don't know, though. A friend's son would stay with Mom, not me.'
    'A cousin of your late husband?'
    Jenny considered that, then slowly nodded. 'Yes, Johnny's dad had several brothers and sisters that live elsewhere. He's dead now, too, and Johnny's mother went to live with her sister in Sacramento.' She looked at him. 'Why would he come to stay with me, though?'
    'He's a writer, needs a quiet place to work? Given to wandering around while thinking up a new plot?' Brownley suggested.
    Jenny shrugged. 'If you think it’ll work.’
    ‘We’ll fine-tune the story as we go. Maybe you could rent the room. You probably could used the money renting a room would bring.’
    She shook her head. ‘As an accountant, I need to project confidence in my clientele, which I would not do if I couldn’t manage my own finances.’
    ‘Then you’ll be helping out your husband’s cousin. It’s the peace and quiet he’s looking for,’ Brownley mused as he appeared to be talking to himself.
    ‘When would he arrive?’ she asked, wondering how dangerous it would be. If there were truly pot growers in the area, they could be ruthless. Would she get any fallout from harboring the DEA agent?
    ‘Actually, not for a few weeks. The reason I wanted to lay the groundwork is so you can start talking about your expected visitor. Springing to your friends would cause as much talk as if our agent just pitched a tent in the town center. We'd like you to begin telling people your husband's cousin is coming this summer, lay the foundation of his relationship. Get people used to the idea.'
    'And how long will your agent stay?'
    'Until we find out where the fields are and who might be responsible. It could be months, maybe a few weeks. The department will pick up the cost of housing him with you, of course.'
    Jenny looked at her visitor, considering the implications of the proposal he had made. Then the thought of marijuana being grown near Palmer, the thought of all the havoc drugs caused helped her make up her mind.
    'Okay, Mr. Brownley, you’ve got a deal. What do I do?'
    'We'll be in touch with all the details as soon as we formulate them. We wanted your co-operation before going further with the planning stage. Thank you for your assistance, Mrs. Warwick.' Brownley stood. 'If you have any questions, or second thoughts, please give me a call.' He handed her a business card. 'If for any reason I'm not there, my secretary can locate me. One more thing. Men who deal in drugs are ruthless and uncaring about any harm they cause. They’ll protect their business at all costs. Don’t tell anyone about my visit or our agent’s mission. Even a best friend could inadvertently let something slip that could mean serious danger for our agent and you.' He glanced at the dog. ‘At least you have some protection.’
    ‘The very best,’ she said, resting her hand on Shasta’s neck.
    Shasta had stood when she did, never taking his eyes from Brownley.
    Jenny walked him out and watched ass the car vanished down her drive. Sitting on the top step, Jenny hugged Shasta. 'So we're to become government agents. What fun!'
    Shasta rested his head on her leg and waited patiently as Jenny sat on the porch, her imagination running riot. Who could be involved in something like this? She reviewed all the families she knew, imagination balking at anyone's involvement. Maybe it was a false alarm. She wished she could talk with Betsy or April. They’d all been friends from kindergarten. But mindful of the inherent dangers, she’d honor Brownley’s wishes and keep silent.

    ***
    Jenny waited more than two weeks before the next call from Mr. Brownley came.
    'I'll come straight to the point.' He was all business, no pleasantries. 'The cover story needs to change a little. Have you told many people yet?'
    'Actually, I only mentioned to my parents that one of Johnny's cousins might be coming this summer. Thankfully it was in a store and they didn’t have a chance to ask questions. I'm not very good at this. I need more information on the background on this guy so I'm ready for the next time I see them. If they buy into to, I’ll tell a few friends, one who is a notorious gossip.'
    'Scrap the writer story, if you can, or change it. This cousin was injured in a motorcycle accident and needs time to convalesce. Fortunately he's a college professor and has the summer off. The accident occurred the day