I was stunned to think Howie would be so audacious. Then I remember; he'd been similarly presumptuous at every turn from the very start. "Willard Humphries is in Philadelphia," I countered. "That must be three hundred and fifty miles from here!" I know," my wife answered. "You could do it in a day." The last point sealed the deal against further discussion. I looked up for clarification with the knowledge I'd been omitted from the decision phase of our discussion. She reached for her lap top computer on the coffee table and fired it up. Molly looked on expectantly while I remained silent.
"There's an afternoon Amtrak train that makes the trip from South Station in Boston to Philly in less than five hours. It's comfortable and quick. I used to use Amtrak when I was working out of New York and had to travel the east coast."
"But it's at least a two hour drive to Boston. That's not even allowing time to park. I might as well drive for seven hours."
"You could drop Molly and me off at Logan airport for the ten o'clock flight to California, be in Philadelphia by early evening, and fly out to join us the next morning."
"Can we?" Molly asked, practically holding her breath. I don't know why she asked me; it didn't appear as if I had a say in the matter.
Cheshire County, New Hampshire. So close; so incredibly close! If I hadn't taken time to apply my sleeping solution to the rag, I'd have been in the process of taking them just as that police car with its flashing lights came rolling up! I was just able to turn in the other direction and be gone. Alas, woman and child have missed their opportunity to share our company.
But what made the police seek out the woman and child and drive directly to them? What do the police know? Perhaps these people fear a threat after that stupid other person broke into the Abbott house and interrupted my activities.
When is the pair in California to return? I don't deserve to be forced to wait. My time is far too important. If I can't today have this child so abruptly placed in police care, I shall drive down the road and find another. But I'll return. A curse on you who disrupt the master's plans; you will pay dearly when the time of reckoning finally arrives!