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“It’s that earthshaking?”
“It will be, yes.”
“But I had all the fun.”
“Shows how little you know.”
She smiled and he kissed her quickly, then turned them around and headed for home. “By the way, since I need two hands to drive this damn thing, you’d better button up your shirt or Mike’ll get an eyeful.”
* * *
The following morning Daniel got up early. He showered and dressed quickly, then packed a few changes of clothing to take to the country before going downstairs. Maxine had been most unhappy to hear about his planned weekend without her and had made her displeasure known. So he was very meek this morning when
he asked her if it would be too much trouble for him to have his breakfast in the courtyard.
“No trouble at all, Mr. Matherly. It’ll take me just a few minutes to get the tray ready.”
“Perfect. I can use the time to make a couple of calls.”
He went into his study and placed the first call to a number he now had memorized. He said little during the five-minute call. The majority of the time was spent listening.
Mr. William Sutherland finally said everything he had to say and asked, “Do you want me to proceed, Mr. Matherly?”
“By all means.”
Daniel placed the second call of the morning to Becker-Howe. He wasn’t surprised that even at this time of day, when most New Yorkers were queuing up at Starbucks and crowding subways to get to their offices at a reasonable hour, his call was answered by Mr. Oliver Howe himself.
Howe, rather pompously, had always boasted that he put in a fourteen-hour workday, except on holidays when he worked only eight. Apparently his schedule was as arduous as it had always been, despite his advanced age.
Howe’s publishing career had been launched at approximately the same time as Daniel’s and in a similar fashion. Howe was bequeathed his company from his grandfather within months of his graduation from his university. He and Daniel had remained friendly rivals through the years, and eventually their acquaintance had evolved into a grudging friendship. They held one another in the highest esteem.
“Ollie, it’s Daniel Matherly.”
As expected, his old colleague was delighted to hear from him. After exchanging pleasantries, Oliver Howe said, “I can’t play golf anymore, Danny Boy. Goddamn rheumatism won’t let me.”
“That’s not why I’m calling, Ollie. This is business-related.”
“I thought you had retired.”
“That’s the rumor, but you of all people should know better. The fact is, I’ve run across an exciting proposition that I thought might interest you.”
Daniel emerged from his study a few minutes later without the benefit of his cane. He felt invigorated. He was even rubbing his palms together as he approached Maxine. “Would you please go out and buy some bread at that Kosher bakery I like?”
“They don’t have bread in Massachusetts? Mr. Reed said he was going to have the house stocked with food.”
“I know, but I’m hungry for… you know the kind. With the seeds on it.”
“I know the kind. That bakery is across town. I’ll go after you’ve had breakfast.”
“Noah will be picking me up after breakfast. Better go now. I can serve myself breakfast.”
She eyed him suspiciously, and with good cause. His sudden yen for a particular bread was a ruse to get her out of the house. He had a guest coming for breakfast and he didn’t want anyone to know about it.
Maxine continued to argue, but eventually she huffed out the service entrance, muttering to herself. She’d only been gone a few minutes when Daniel answered the front doorbell and invited his guest inside.
“My housekeeper is out on an errand,” he explained as he led the way to the courtyard. Maxine always set the table for three on the chance that Maris or Noah or both would drop by. Even though Maris was out of town and Noah was due to arrive later, Daniel was relieved to see that she hadn’t broken with habit. He indicated a chair at the round wrought-iron table. “Please sit. Coffee?”
“Yes, thank you.”
