John D McDonald – Travis McGee 07 Darker Than Amber

Why be gloomy because the woman supply had run bad for a time? If there was any truth in averages, it had to start getting good. I thought it certainly wasn’t going to improve if I kept spooking around like a wounded violinist. The world was good, and it had been one hell of a shooting star.

At ten o’clock that same morning, while entertaining myself with as many choruses as I could remember of the lass who had her head tucked underneath her arm, and putting n a little topside paint at the same time, I glanced down at the dock and saw Meyer staring up at me in vast astonishment.

“It isn’t always exactly on key,” I said, “but it’s real loud.”

“It is that. Yes indeed.”

“Clamber aboard for a brew.”

We drank them under the topside awning. Meyer said, “With a few more years of practice, boy, you could work up to real manic depression. I never know when you’re going to come bounding out of the slump. Or hy.”

“Decided I was spoiling my retirement all to hell.”

“You weren’t doing mine any good.”

“Meyer, let us round up a boatload of amiable clowns, jolly doxies, and old drinking friends and go bonk-chonkie bonk-cbonkie up the Inland Waterway in this lush tub, visit old haunts, scare the sea birds, invent parlor games and outrage the shoredwellers. And, above all, regain our health, our clean young American good looks.”

“McGee, the last time I came back I went to bed for a week.”

“Let’s try for ten days.”

I heard the distant ringing of my phone and decided finally to answer it.

A small forlorn voice I did not recognize said, “Travis?”

“Yes, dear.”

“About that luck. How’s the supply?”

The voice had been so dispirited and uncharacteristic I had not identified it until then. “Merrimay, unless I get rid of some, the supply is going to sink the boat. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, I had to talk big. You know. And Uncle Jake got me a test. And I blew it. I came on like country ham. Old Rubber face herself. Actress! Ha! I don’t want to face any of the gang I run with, and get patted on the head and told I’m still a great dancer. Travis, if maybe you could make up a sort of CARE package. Sonic of that luck, and a thick steak and red wine…. Maybe you’re all sewed up?”

“And bring it to you at five-thirty?”

“Or five. I might not be any bundle of cheer, though.” She sighed. “Got a pencil handy? Write down the address.”

When I climbed back to the sundeck Meyer said, “I’ve made a tentative mental list of the passengers for this epic voyage. Let me check them out with you.”

“Sure, Meyer.”

After about six names he leaned and snapped his fingers in front of my face. “I get the curious feeling you aren’t listening.”

“They’re great names. Great: Meyer. Who were they again?”

“Pierce, Fenner, Smitli, Kidder, Beane and Goodbody,” he said disgustedly and went home.

I think I sat right there for a long time. Just smiling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John D. MacDonald was graduated from Syracuse University and received an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He and his wife, Dorothy, had one son and several grandchildren. Mr. MacDonald died in December 1986.

Other Books by John D. MacDonald

All These Condemned

April Evil

Area Of Suspicion

Ballroom Of The Skies

The Beach Girls

The Brass Cupcake

A Bullet For Cinderella

Clemmie

The Crossroads

Deadly Welcome

Death Trap

The Deceivers

The Drowner

The Empty Trap

The End Of The Night

The Executioners

A Flash Of Green

The Girl, The Gold Watch & Everything

Judge Me Not

A Man Of Affairs

Murder In The Wind

The Neon Jungle

On The Run

One Monday We Killed Them All

The Only Girl In The Game

Please Write For Details

The Price Of Murder

Slam The Big Door

Soft Touch

Where Is Janice Gantry?

Wine Of The Dreamers

And in the Travis Mcgee Series

01 The Deep Blue Good-By

02 Nightmare In Pink

03 A Purple Place For Dying

04 The Quick Red Fox

05 A Deadly Shade Of Gold

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