"Hansen, Maxine Joy - The Letter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hansen Maxine Joy)

Kathryn glanced at her watch. It was just after 11:30 on a gorgeous Florida morning and she sighed with pleasure as she took in the view.
"Jesse and I explored Dunedin the other day. It's a pretty little community. I think you'll like it. I've picked the perfect place for lunch. Jesse gave it two thumbs up and I know you will too. After all, nothing's too good for our U.S. Post Office employees, right Ms. Cartwright?" He smiled that smile and Kathryn melted and giggled all at once.
For awhile they drove together in companionable silence. Kathryn watched the play of the sun's rays on the pristine water as they crossed the stretch of bridge leading from Clearwater Beach to downtown and the main road to Dunedin. Beside her Colt concentrated on driving, easily making his way through the busy weekday traffic.
"Kathryn." his deep tones finally broke through the quiet. "There's just a little something I need to fill you in on."
"What's that?" she turned to him, her brown eyes inquisitive and laced with a hint of their old mischief.
"I mentioned when I was talking to Dick Hazlett I figured it was better to play things a little conservative. I mean I really didn't know who or what I was dealing with."
"I completely understand. It is a very unusual situation."
"Exactly." he agreed. "So, like I told you I said I found the letter in the kitchen, in a drawer, and so on. And I didn't tell him what was in the letter. That's his dad's business."
"I totally agree. The only reason we read it...well, you know."
"Of course, we had to. You wouldn't be here if you hadn't and I...hell, I probably would have helped you anyway." he grinned. "But here's the thing." Colt went on. "I wanted to work you into the plan. I mean this is your mission and I wanted to make sure you were part of it in every way, except I didn't mention you when I first spoke to Dick. I told you that over the phone."
"Uh huh." Kathryn nodded. "We agreed that I'd just sort of pop up with you, that I could be anyone going for a ride with you. A relative, a sitter you were taking home, whatever."
"Yeah, well when Dick called me back to confirm everything, I decided to let him know there would be two of us. I'm sorry I didn't mention that to do when I phoned you with the final details. Anyway, not that it would make any difference, I'm sure, but I just thought..."
"I don't see a problem in that. It's fine." she agreed.
"Good. So, I told him I was bringing my girlfriend. That you were visiting me from California and I thought you might enjoy the drive."
Kathryn stared at him.
"I don't think he rushed to call his father back to say hey pop, watch out he's bringing his girlfriend. But just in case it does come up. Who knows."
Colt swung the car into the ample open parking lot of a rather large building that was a cross between the coast of New England and sunny Florida architecture. The effect was inviting.
"You are going to love this place." He smiled as he got out of the car.
Kathryn was still staring, this time at an empty driver's seat. Slightly startled, she turned when Colt opened her door and offered his hand to help her out of the Cherokee.
"Kathryn, it seemed like the most plausible thing to say. And before you start wondering, I don't have a wife hidden in the house somewhere. My wife and I were divorced about a year ago."
Kathryn blushed, put her hand in his, and stepped out onto the pavement. There was no doubt about it, she had been curious right from the start.
The restaurant Colt chose was split into two parts. The first Kathryn had caught out of the corner of her eye as they entered the parking lot. Built of wooden beams painted gray and sparkling glass it housed the indoor restaurant. On the far left, adjacent to the water, a long structure covered with a bright blue awning featured outdoor patio dining. It served somewhat lighter fare.
"Would you like to eat inside or out?" Colt asked her.
"Oh, outside definitely if that's okay with you," she said as she looked at the inviting Gulf water. "It's perfect."
He guided her through to one of the tables directly beside the water.
"Jesse and I were lucky enough to see a dolphin playing out in the Gulf when we came here. Maybe he'll give a repeat performance for you."
"That would be terrific." Kathryn beamed with pleasure.
A bronzed, young beach boy waiter brought them menus and gave them a rundown on the luncheon specials. Kathryn decided to splurge and ordered a linguini seafood dish which sounded sinful. When it arrived she was proven right. Colt stuck with a club sandwich and fries. They both complemented their meal with mineral water.
"So, Kathryn Cartwright, aside from part time work for the Post Office, what do you do out in sunny, smoggy Los Angeles?"
"Well, nothing as glamorous as a traveling troubleshooter for the postal service. I'm an administrative assistant, another term for secretary, at one of the studios in town."
"Ah, show business."
"Programming for television," Kathryn offered. "I've actually worked at the studio for about fourteen years in one department or another. But for the last three I've been in program development."
"Well, I don't suppose you want to hear my long list of ideas, concepts for a new half hour situation comedy, and complaints."
Kathryn laughed. "Not on my vacation. But you've been so nice. Maybe I will let you vent your frustrations and bounce off your ideas. Actually, we could trade off. I could tell you about a few thoughts I've had for some one hour series and specials, and follow that up with a few of my pet peeves." She took a cool, refreshing sip of her icy mineral water and continued. "In defense, since I do work in the area, I think television is a great medium. It's capable of being used to entertain, to educate, to make us think, even to bring comfort. I guess what I'm saying is, television can be used in so many different ways. Sometimes, it's just great to sit back and watch a light frothy whodunit. Other times, there you are swimming with a dolphin, learning about the history of some invention you take for granted now, and sailing the high seas with some pirate in the seventeen hundreds. Unfortunately, there are still too many hours when the medium is misused by those who control it. I don't think there's an absolute, but there is definitely a more ideal scene to strive for. Well, I better not get started. But I do work for a wonderful gentleman. He came aboard about three years ago from an innovative cable channel. He really does have some terrific ideas and he's willing to listen to my input. So, it's pretty exciting right now."
"It sounds like you might end up being more than an administrative assistant. I think you have a lot to offer."
"Thanks. Me and every other programming want-to-be. Seriously, I have thought about it and I do feel I have some constructive concepts that I'd like to run with. Well, we'll see." Kathryn realized that she had gone from being nervous and tense to relatively relaxed, carefree, and open in his company. Only a little shyness remained. He was very good at making her feel at ease. And from the way he was able to get to James Hazlett so fast, she suspected it was a talent that he had with others.
"What about you?" she asked. "I noticed some trophies in your living room."
"Baseball," he smiled. "I played professionally for some years. I'm retired now though."
"You played in the major leagues?"
"You're a baseball fan?"
"Not a big one. But I did attend a few games with...with a friend of mine. Which team did you play for?"
"California for most of my career."
"Oh, I'm afraid Charley was a Los Angeles fan. He still is."
"Charley? Your boyfriend?"
"Well...I...we were very close for quite awhile. We're very good friends." Kathryn had never been uncomfortable about her relationship with Charley until this moment. Ten years ago, they chose to live together to test the ground before taking the plunge. Although Kathryn's parents were very happy, Charley came from a broken home, and both of them had experienced trying to give comfort to some of their friends whose marriages failed after just a few years. Months had turned into a year, then the year into three and four, until loath to introduce a change when something was working so well, they just carried on the way they were. Kathryn had no regrets about the decision. She looked up at Colt and watched the strong, corded muscles in his throat work as he chewed on a bite of his sandwich.
"Charley and I clicked when we first met. We were attending a party thrown by a mutual acquaintance. The party turned a little...strange, and I was pretty straight laced even at twenty. So was Charley. I was standing in a corner of the room trying to come up with a good reason for leaving early without it looking obvious or embarrassing anyone, especially myself. Charley was at the opposite end of the room planning his own escape. We caught each other's eye and he looked just as lost as I was in that crazy situation. Well, we started talking and, it turned out, two heads were better than one; we were out of there in record time. I doubt our hostess even paid that much attention to our hasty exit. We took in a movie and the rest, as they say, is history. We started out as the best of friends. He nursed me through a few crushes and a heartbreak or two, and I urged him on when he fell head over heels for a cheerleader from a local football team. Later on, we just moved in together to test the waters and see if we could make it on the marriage circuit. Except for my parents, we didn't have too many good examples around us and we were a little gun-shy. But we figured we had a lot going for us. We never did get married, but we were together for a long time, just over ten years. Until we admitted we were better best friends than...well, I'm rambling."
"No, I think that's great. I believe in marriage, but maybe my wife and I would have done better to test the waters as well."
Kathryn studied Colt as he trailed a fat French fry through a maze of ketchup.
"Well, is Charley still your best friend?" Colt asked.
Kathryn smiled. "Pretty much. He's actually getting married next month to a terrific girl. Guess when it's right it's right. No hesitation there."