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I hesitated before taking it.
“I need your help, Z.I won’t kill you unless you force me to.”
“How reassuring,” I muttered under my breath.Knowing it would do me no good to become dehydrated, I took a sip.He set a bag beside me.In it was an apple and two biscuits.After eating the entirety of the fruit, I felt as though my wits had been restored, at least somewhat.“Earlier, you said you intended to propose at Christmas.That was almost a year ago.What’s happened since?”
He took a deep breath, looked away, and shrugged his shoulders.
“For God’s sake,” I repeated a second time, then raised my voice.“Fucking tell me what it is you want from me, or let me go!”
Puck scrubbed his face with his hand.“I intended to talk to her again the day everyone left for Cayman’s wedding.”
I took a bite of the biscuit, then put the rest back in the bag.“That is only one of many things that disappointed me.Cayman considers you to be a good friend.That you weren’t at his wedding, hurt him.”
“Considered.Past tense.”
I felt as though I was talking to my own son, but when he was a teenager, not a thirty-three-year-old man.I cleared my throat.“Caymanconsidersyou a friend.Present tense.Although this latest stunt will certainly test the loyalty of all those who do.Myself included.”
Puck looked down at the floor but, otherwise, had no reaction.
“Back to Seshat.You said you intended to contact her last Christmas.Why didn’t you?”
“I watched her.She didn’t seem herself.”
“In what way?”
“It was almost like she was a different person.”
“You’re not making a bit of sense.”
“This is precisely why I didn’t ask for your help in a more conventional manner.”He stood and paced with his hands on his hips.“I know it wasn’t her, Z.”
“Puck…I simply do not know what to say.I fear you’re?—”
Before I could finish my sentence, he stormed out of the room, leaving me to think about things I’d rather not.Namely, the Christmas after Quint turned two and Kennedy turned one.
* * *
“What is it?”I asked when all color left Katherine’s face as she spoke to someone on the phone.
“My dad,” she whispered, handing me the receiver as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Hello?”I said, not knowing who was on the other end of the call.
“Mr.Alexander, this here’s Bart Blue.I’m a hand at King Ranch.I called to let Katherine know they just took her daddy away in a helicopter, headed for the hospital in Austin.From what I heard, he had a heart attack.”
“Understood.Thank you, Mr.Blue.If you hear anything else, let us know immediately.”
“Yes, sir, and I’m sorry, sir.”
I hung up and gathered Katherine in my arms.“Tell me what you want to do.”
“We need to go to Texas.Right now, Archer.”
“Understood.I’ll make the arrangements.”
We tookthe next flight out of Heathrow, but by the time we arrived, Katherine’s father had passed away.Understandably, my wife was nearly inconsolable.
Three days after the funeral and church service, Katherine’s mother, who insisted I call her Josephine, approached after Quint and Kennedy were asleep, asking if she could speak with me.
