“Truce?” Canidy said.
“Truce,” she said.
“That’s better,” Canidy said. He made the sign of the cross.
“Bless You, my children. Go and sin no more! “I Cynthia Chenowith smiled and shook her head.
Jim. “Why do I suspect that isn’t your first of the day?” she asked Canidy was afraid that would start it all over again, but Whittaker just grinned.
“To counterbalance your breathtaking beauty and overwhelming desirability,” he said, “God has given you a nasty, suspicious na-ture. And it isn It. I had a couple of beers at Anacostia. waiting for Dick.”
“What brings you back to Washington, Dick?” Cynthia asked.
“We’re on our way to New York,” Canidy said. “Tomorrow.”
“They’re on their way to China,” Whittaker said. “The damned fools joined that American Volunteer Group.”
“Have you really?” she asked.
Bitter was surprised to see that Cynthia Chenowith seemed to know about the American Volunteer Group.
“So,” Whittaker said lightly, “it seems to me the least you can do before these brave boys go off to China is feed them, and otherwise let them know how much the home front appreciates their sacrifice.”
Before she could reply, the door from the foyer slid open again, and Chestywhittaker came into the room.
“Dick!” Chesty Whittaker said. “You’re back. How nice!”
“You won’t think so when you hear why,” Jim said.
“My name is Chesty Whittaker,” he said, putting out his hand to Bitter.
“Ed Bitter,” Bitter said.
“He’s Brandon Chambers’s nephew,” Jim said.
“Then you’re twice welcome,” Chesty said.
“My father is Chandler Bitter, Mr. Whittaker,” Bitter said.
“Aren’t you acquainted?”
“What is Chan Bitter’s son doing with these thugs?” Whittaker asked.
“Being embarrassed by this one,” Jim said. “And going to China with the other one:’
Chesty Whittaker looked quickly at Canidy.
“You went to the AVG, Dick?”
Canidy nodded.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Whittaker said, “It has something to do with saving the world for democracy, and a lot more to do with six hundred a month,” Canidy said.
“You heard Jim’s going to the Philippines?” Chesty Whittaker asked.
Canidy nodded.
Chesty Whittaker gave his hand to Cynthia Chenowith.
“It’s good to see you, my dear I ” he said. “And thank you.”
“I’m happy to be asked,” she said.
44Could I impose even further and ask you to amuse these two while Jim and I are off to see the king?”
“I’d be happy to,” she said. “We were just talking about it.”
No one who hadn’t seen Chesty Whittaker sneaking out of her apartment in the wee hours would ever suspect they were lovers, Canidy thought.
Another man entered. Chesty turned and greeted him, and then he introduced the newcomer to the others.
“I want you to meet my lawyer hiend, Mr. Stanley Fine.”
Fine shook hands with Cynthia, Canidy, and Bitter.
As their eyes met, Canidy knew who Fine was.
“We’ve met,” he said. “Professionallyl@
There was no recognition in Fine’s eyes.
“The charge was arson,” Canidy said.
“My God,” Fine said after a moment. “Reverend Canidy’s Son, right?”
“Right,” Canidy said.
“Arson?” Jim said, absolutely fascinated.
“Arson and inflicting grievous bodily harm with an explosive device,” Canidy, smiling broadly, explained. “A kid named Fulmar and I stood accused of trying to bum down Cedar Rapids, and of trying to blow up a teacher. We were in jail about to undergo ‘rehabilitation for what a fat lady in charge called our ‘societal problern,’ when out of the west, on his white horse, comes Mr. Fine, who got us out. I stand forever in your debt, sir.”
“My pleasure, Mr. Canidy,” Fine said, smiling at the memory.
“How did he get you out?” Jim asked. “How come I don’t know this story?”
“It was a painful memory,” Canidy said. “You should have seen the fat lady. It wasn’t the sort of thing one talked about.”
“It wasn’t all that difficult,” Fine said, laughing. “All it took was a new Studebaker.”
He and Canidy laughed aloud.
“A new Studebaker?” Chesty asked, confused.
“To replace the one he and Fulmar blew up,” Fine said.
“I want to hear about this in some detail, of course,” Chesty Whittaker said, chuckling. “But right now there’s not the time. Save it for later.”