Chapter 3
Gone for Soldiers Every One
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
“I think it’s cool that Dan joined the Marines.” Bobby stood and watched as his sister pulled weeds in their mother’s vegetable garden. “I don’t know why you’re so upset.”
“Who said I was upset?” Trixie looked back over her shoulder. “And aren’t you supposed to be watering the flowers on the patio?”
“Mart was talking about it last night.” Bobby ignored his sister’s suggestion that he get to work. “He said Dan went to the Recruiting Station yesterday and signed up. He’s not too happy and he said you REALLY got ticked. But, gee, it takes real guts to be a Marine. I think Dan’s really brave.”
“I’m not really happy about it, Bobby, but I’m not ticked either. Everyone has to serve in the military and Dan’s no exception. I just wish he’d waited until he got out of school. Maybe by then we’ll be out of Vietnam and…”
“Not everyone serves. Only men!” Bobby interrupted his sister.
Trixie rolled her eyes at that comment and focused her attention on a stubborn weed.
“Do you think we’ll be out of the war by then? By the time I’m 18? I mean, I think it’d be cool to be a Marine and fight in a real war.”
Trixie shook her head at the naivety of her younger brother, who, at twelve, still saw the heroic and patriotic honor of military service but none of the dangers. “Gee sprout, that’s six more years. Do you really want us to be in the war that long? I mean, how many American soldiers would be injured or killed, not to mention other lives lost, and the devastation in Vietnam and…”
Bobby frowned. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. We’re sure to be out of there before 1973! I guess I could sign up when I’m seventeen!”
“Like Moms and Dad would let you! And that’s only one year sooner. I think you can wait until you’re out of high school and preferably college!”
“What about Annapolis?”
“Annapolis? What do you mean?”
“The Naval Academy. I’ve been thinking about going there. Dad and Uncle Andrew were in the Navy and Brian will be when he gets out of med school. Now Dan’s joined the Marines. I know you have to have good grades and everything. But I’d get a free education, and then serve in the Navy or Marines.”
Trixie wasn’t sure what to say. Although Bobby was already several inches taller than her, he was still her little brother; twelve years old. It was hard to believe he was thinking seriously about his future, especially one as a naval officer.
“Are you serious?” She stood up and led him out of the fenced garden area and over to the patio. “Sit.” She sat and patted the bench beside her. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I dunno, Trixie. I know how much college costs and Moms and Dad will be old and pretty broke by the time I graduate.”
Trixie laughed. Their mother wouldn’t even be fifty when Bobby graduated high school, but money had always been tight in the Belden household.
Bobby ignored her chuckle. “If I’m gonna go into the military one day, why shouldn’t it be as an officer in the Navy and why not get a free education? I know it’s not easy to get in and even harder to STAY in at Annapolis, but, I mean, you saw my grades this year. Maybe not all A’s but they would have been if I hadn’t had Miss Spindle for English Literature. And I got the highest standardized scores in the entire school in math. It’s not like I have to decide today.”
“You amaze me, Bobby.” She pulled her brother to her and hugged him for a long time, trying to accept that all three of her brothers would have to serve in the military, even Bobby. She swallowed hard. “My baby brother is getting big.”
“Geez…” Bobby pulled away. “Someone might see you. And I am not your BABY brother or your LITTLE brother, either.”
“Okay, YOUNGER brother, you need to get to those flowers and I need to keep pulling weeds before Moms sees us goofing off.”
“And Bobby was talking about going to Annapolis to become a Navy Officer! Oh, Jim, can you imagine Bobby going to war, too? I don’t know if I can deal with that.”
It was later that same day and Trixie was on the phone with her boyfriend, Jim Frayne. Their high school relationship had continued into college, maintained by daily letters and frequent phone calls. It had worked well when Jim was an undergraduate at Columbia and managed to come home regularly on weekends. He’d originally planned to remain at Columbia for graduate school, but recently decided to attend Harvard instead, and they were both anxious about how the distance would affect their relationship. He’d accepted a research fellowship in Boston and the summer would be their first test of a true long-distance relationship. Fortunately, Jim’s father never questioned the size of his long-distance bill, so either he called at their pre-arranged times or she might call collect.
“Trix…”
“I didn’t sleep at all last night. Oh Jim, before he came to Sleepyside, Dan was so close to spending his life in jail…or worse! He’s accomplished so much since then, but now this…I’m afraid for him.”
“It’s not like he doesn’t know what he’s getting into. Marine Boot Camp is brutal, but Dan can handle it. Dan is already so disciplined; he’ll probably thrive in the Marine Corps.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Trixie, a stint in the military is something we all have to do. Now it’s Dan’s turn. You didn’t say a thing when Brian signed up for the Berry Plan. Navy doctors serve with Marines. You didn’t say anything when I went off to Guard Training last summer.” Clearly, Jim was getting frustrated. “And what about Tad Webster, and Ed Albritton, and Jack Kelly, and …” Jim named some classmates from Sleepside High School. “I haven’t heard you say anything about them. Jack’s on his second tour in Vietnam.”
Trixie fell silent. She knew that Jim was right. She also knew that he could be insecure about her relationship with Dan, even though he had no reason to be.
“You forget that I could be called into active duty any time. And Mart has only delayed his service. In another year or so, he’ll have to make a decision.”
“I know that. I know all that. I’m concerned about all of you. But now even Bobby is talking about his turn in the military. This dumb war may go on forever.”
“Then why are you obsessing about Dan?”
“What do you mean? I care about…I don’t want any of you to have to…Dan is my friend. You’re my…It’s just the final straw.”
“It just seems that whenever you call, all you do is talk about him. I’d like to talk about us for a change.”
“That’s not true. How can you say that?”
“It seems that way sometimes.”
“Maybe I talk about Dan because he’s the only one of the BWG’s that I see anymore. If I talk about him, it’s because he’s here. I never see you. I never see Honey. Mart and Diana spend all their time together.”
“If you transfer to Boston next year, we’ll see each other all the time. Dammit Trixie! I don’t want to fight with you. I don’t want to be separated from you. I want you here, with me, not down there obsessing over Dan.”
“You know I want to go to John Jay and…” Near tears, Trixie struggled to keep her voice level. “I don’t want to talk about this. I don’t want to talk about Boston or the war or…”
“Then why did you call, Trixie?” Jim was clearly angry, now.
Trixie had been struggling with her emotions for almost two days and had hoped Jim would offer some encouragement and reassurance. She was totally unprepared for him to be angry. “I actually thought you might want to know that Dan had enlisted.”
“I already heard from Honey and I spoke to him last night.”
“Then I guess I shouldn’t have called!” Trixie hung up.
“I guess not!” Jim yelled into the phone before slamming it down.
“Can I come in?” Dan stood at the doorway of the office of the new WRF Equestrian Center. Just over two years earlier, Bill Regan and Matt Wheeler had incorporated WRF Stables, hoping to create a world-class thoroughbred breeding and training operation. The original Manor House stables had been replaced with a state of the art facility that Bill Regan managed for a salary and one third of the corporation profits, if and when they materialized. Matt Wheeler retained two-thirds ownership. The business had operated in the red its first year and broken even its second. They were confident they would see a small profit this year.
Bill Regan looked up at his nephew and pointed to a chair. “Damn paper work. I knew I’d have a lot of it when we formed WRF, but…damn.”
Dan smiled. Orphaned young, his uncle had been on his own since he was fifteen and he’d had no formal education since. He’d earned his GED just weeks before Dan had graduated from high school, but he was more intelligent than most of Dan’s instructors in college. And he was gifted in anything related to horses. “You’ll work it out.”
“Of course I will!” Regan snapped. “But I’d rather be working with the horses. We just got a beautiful filly…” He set down his pencil. “Would you like to see her?”
“I need…we need to talk.” Dan sat down across from his uncle.
“How’s Edgar?” Regan referred to the former gamekeeper for the Wheelers, Edgar Maypenny. When he first came to Sleepyside, Dan had lived and worked with the older gentleman in a cabin located on a small piece of property that Mr. Maypenny owned, deep within the wooded preserve of the Wheelers’ extensive property. The new Equestrian Center included spacious living quarters and he’d been living there with his uncle since starting college, but he continued to stay frequently with his surrogate grandfather. He’d spent the past two nights in the Maypenny cabin.
“Old and stubborn. Nothing new.”
Regan laughed, “But you love him.”
Dan nodded. “I know you’re still PO’d at me. I should have told you first, before I went down to the recruiting station.”
“You’re an adult.”
“And you’re the only family I have. I want…I need…”
The two men stared at each other in silence.
“I..” They both began talking at the same time.
“Go ahead.” Regan offered.
“I need your support.”
“I wish you’d waited. But you didn’t. Honestly, Dan…” Regan paused, trying to find the right words. “Oh, hell. You’re strong in both mind and body. I think you’ll make a fine Marine.” He offered his hand to his nephew.
The cab driver gasped aloud as he turned off of Glen Road and the expansive Manor House and outbuildings came into view. Large, stunning estates were commonplace in Westchester County, but Manor House was one of the largest and most elegant.
His reaction startled Honey Wheeler who, sitting in the back seat, saw only shelter.
After her disturbing conversation with Jim the prior evening, she had wandered around the spacious penthouse apartment for some time, wishing she had someone who understood how much Chip meant to her…wishing someone understood that their relationship was one of love and caring and not just sex. Brian was so focused on his studies; she doubted he even knew Chip existed. Jim refused to understand. Trixie tried unsuccessfully; and Diana and Mart were disinterested. Of all the Bob Whites, Dan was the only one who seemed to understand her emotional and moral conflicts. But she certainly wasn’t going to burden him since she knew he had too many conflicts of his own. On impulse, she began calling airlines to see how soon she could catch a flight to the west coast. All the details fell into place and she was able to get a seat on a non-stop flight to San Francisco.
After jotting down a short note to her parents, who were out for the evening, she had tried to call Chip. There was no answer, but he’d practically begged her to join him and she knew he’d welcome the surprise.
Instead, the surprise had been on her. Arriving just before dawn at the apartment where he was staying, she found him in bed with another woman. She’d gone directly back to the airport and tried to get on a flight home.
Of course, all the morning flights were booked and it was mid-afternoon before she could get a seat. Miraculously, she had maintained her composure at the airport and on the long cross-country flight, functioning on instinct more than anything else. The pilot announcing that they were landing at John F. Kennedy airport had reminded Honey of her mother’s stubborn insistence on calling it Idlewild, even though it had been over three and a half years since the name change. Her mother considered Democrats to be only slightly more tolerable than Communists and recently had expressed fears that Honey’s mind was being poisoned with “Commie propaganda” at Barnard.
Honey realized then that, if she returned to the penthouse, she would have to explain her early return to her parents. No one was at Manor House in Sleepyside except for a skeleton staff and she knew that, even if there might be whispering, they would never ask direct questions.
Honey had almost lost her composure when a middle-aged businessman had shoved her aside to get into the taxi she’d hailed. After spouting a few curse words she didn’t realize she knew at the rude, balding, capitalist pig, she hailed another cab that took her to Grand Central where she caught the last commuter train of the evening.
Honey slumped in the seat on the long ride up the Hudson Valley, thankful for the near empty train and not needing to speak to anyone. She had to tap on the window to rouse the cab driver dozing at the Sleepyside station, gave him the street address of Manor House and then hefted her suitcase onto the back seat of the vehicle before he was fully awake. She said nothing as she slid in beside her bag. Honey rode through town and out Glen Road, oblivious to anything but her own misery.
“This the right place?” The cabbie asked when she stirred.
“Yes.” Honey pulled a twenty dollar bill from her purse and handed it to the man. “Thank you.”
The cabbie made no effort to help her despite the generous tip, so she took her suitcase and carried it up the wide stairs to the main entrance. Of course, the door was locked and Honey only had a key for a door to her father’s office. She turned, kicked the suitcase, and walked around to the side entrance. Once inside, she turned on a lamp and started across the room. Seeing the arrangements of antique crystal decanters on the credenza, she decided that she had earned a good stiff drink. Totally naïve about alcoholic beverages and not sure what was in the different decanters, she chose one that was a beautiful amber color and poured about two inches of liquid into a glass. She lifted it as if to offer a toast and downed the potion in one big gulp. After coughing and choking for a few moments, she poured more, filling the glass this time. She repeated the ritual several times until, the last thing she remembered, she stretched was out on the soft leather divan with the empty decanter on the floor beside her.
Dan sat on the darkened balcony of his uncle’s apartment, lulled by the singing of crickets and the occasional soft hooting of an owl in the distance. The past two days had been filled with turmoil and emotion and he knew there’d be even more over the next several weeks as he prepared to leave for boot camp. His decision had not come easily and the reactions of his friends had left him unable to sleep. He welcomed the comforting sounds of a summer night in the country. He chuckled to himself, remembering how he’d hated those same night sounds when he first came to Sleepyside.
He’d been angry and terrified that first year in Sleepyside and had tried initially to hide it. But Edgar Maypenny and his Uncle Bill had seen through the false bravado. Their patience and understanding had carried him through the rough patches, given him the motivation to change and to even atone for his earlier mistakes, and allowed him to be sitting enjoying the sounds of a summer evening in the country five years later.
Someone else had helped him through that difficult time. Dan smiled at the memory of the way she looked that morning when he’d stepped onto the bus—the chip on his shoulder bigger than the stack of books she’d carried. He’d seen the look of curiosity and knew…knew there was no one like her in the world.
Jim had understood what it was like to be orphaned and alone. Brian and Mart, although wary, were tolerant and welcoming. Ever the flirt, Diana accepted him as a potential suitor. Honey had been sweet and sympathetic, but Trixie…
Dan chuckled. After she stopped accusing him of every petty crime in a fifty-mile radius, she accepted him, encouraged him, and, yes, in her way, loved him.
Dan’s quiet reverie was interrupted by a taxi turning off Glen Rand and onto the Wheeler estate property. Dan watched as it came up the driveway, stopped at the main entrance, and a young woman got out of the back. He leaned forward trying to identify her as she paid the driver and dragged a large suitcase up to the main entrance. Knowing that Jim was in Boston and Honey and her parents were staying in the City, he wondered who it might be. He stood and stepped over to the railing just as the woman walked into the shadows of the unlit veranda. He continued to watch as she came out of the shadows and walked around to the side entrance into Mr. Wheeler’s offices.
Recognizing Honey, he wondered why she had come there alone and in a taxi instead of the sharp yellow Mustang convertible her parents had given her as a high school graduation gift. He started to get up to go and see if she needed help, but decided not to when he saw interior lights come on. There certainly was an explanation for her coming out alone, but tomorrow morning was soon enough to learn why. He settled back into the chair, closed his eyes, and listened to peaceful night sounds.
“Did you sleep out here all night?”
Dan jumped up from the lounge chair where he’d fallen asleep the prior evening. “Huh?”
His uncle laughed. “You asked me to make sure you got up early. Weren’t you going to join me on a ride?”
“Yeah. Yeah. I guess I…” Dan stood up, running his hands through his hair.
“You don’t want to be laying around over the next two weeks. You need to stay in shape.”
“I know, Uncle Bill.” He stretched. “Lemme clean up a bit and I’ll be right down.”
Since the incorporation of WRF Stables, managing and supervising the large staff responsible for the day-today training and care of the horses, as well as maintenance of the facility, had become more than a full-time job for Bill Regan. However, he always saved a few hours each day to spend with the animals he loved, usually in the early morning. The prior evening he had convinced Dan to join him on an early ride.
“I’ll saddle Spartan for you this morning but don’t expect it every day.” Regan called out as he headed down the stairs. While Dan had never owned him, Spartan had been his horse to ride since shortly after he moved to Sleepyside. Spartan was a beautiful, intelligent animal, who loved his young master almost as much as Dan loved him. He had aged significantly over the past few months and Regan feared the gentle horse might not survive Dan’s absence while in the Marines. He knew that both the young man and the aging horse would benefit from a ride.
Dan quickly washed his face, brushed his teeth and changed into his riding boots and rushed back outside. Just as he turned to head down the exterior stairway, he noticed Honey’s suitcase was still sitting on the veranda, next to the main entrance of the Manor House. He stopped abruptly and took a closer look to confirm that it was the same large bag he’s seen her struggling with the prior evening.
He trotted down the stairs and into stables where his uncle was just leading Spartan out of a stall. “I need to check on something, Uncle Bill,” he called out from the entrance. “You go on ahead and I’ll catch up if I can.”
His uncle turned to ask for clarification, but Dan was already headed towards the main house.
Dan jogged across the lawn, up the stairs, and began knocking on the front door. If the Wheelers were present, the staff would already be up and busy, but with them out of town, he knew they might still be in their quarters on the third floor at this early hour. He waited, and not hearing anything, he pounded more loudly and rang the bell. When he still heard nothing stirring inside the house after several tries of pounding on the door and ringing the bell, he headed around to the side entrance.
Seeing the door into Mr. Wheeler’s office ajar, Dan slowed and approached it cautiously. Not hearing anything, he stepped up to the entrance and called inside. “Hello! Anyone there?”
Dan pushed the door open, still calling. “Hello? Hello?” He saw a handbag sitting on the small bar across the room, and, fearing something might have happened to Honey, he rushed inside. He stopped abruptly when he saw his friend asleep on the leather sofa.
“Honey?” Dan hurried over to her and almost tripped on the decanter on the floor beside her.
“Mmm?” Honey mumbled and rolled over. “Where? Who?” She asked groggily. “Dan?”
She startled awake when she realized Dan was standing over her and sat up. “Ooooh.” She grabbed her head. “I’m…oh my…” She jumped up and ran towards the small powder room off the office.
Dan picked up the decanter, carried it over to the small bar and set it in the sink. “You okay?” he called out, as he walked over to the powder room. The door was slightly ajar, so he stood listening as Honey emptied her stomach of whatever had once been in the antique decanter.
He listened as the toilet was flushed and water ran in the sink. Honey came out wiping her face with a hand towel. “I’m so embarrassed,” she mumbled.
Dan took her arm and gently led her over to the sofa. “Sit here while I find some aspirin.”
“Top drawer, left side of the desk. I’ve seen my dad take some from there.”
Dan found the bottle and shook out two tablets, found a bottle of ginger ale behind the bar and poured some into a glass. He walked over and held them out for Honey to take.
“I’m not sure I’ll keep it down.”
“You need to rehydrate. Take the aspirin and sip on the soda.”
Honey took the tablets, popped them into her mouth and then took the glass and sipped from it. She then patted the sofa next to her. “I guess I should explain.”
Dan sat down, “Only if you want to.”
Honey sat, sipping from the glass, and Dan waited silently, knowing Honey would share what was bothering her if and when she was ready and not before.
“It’s…I’m so stupid!” Honey finally sobbed. “He…Oh, Dan…” She dropped her head into her hands, sobbing and shaking. Dan grabbed a box of tissues from the side table, scooted closer and placed his arm around her shoulders. Honey took the box and leaned into him, continuing to cry for some time.
Finally, with no real warning to Dan, she sat straight, blew her nose and shook her head, as if to shake her troubles away.
“I’m sorry, Dan. That was…I can’t believe… I can’t believe I drank so much.” She laughed nervously. “I don’t even know what it was. I’ve never had anything stronger than wine.”
“Smelled like bourbon, which can give you killer headaches.”
“I’ve got a killer. That’s for sure.” Honey sat silently for a few moments. “I guess I need to shower and…and…”
“Honey, why did you…”
“I’m too embarrassed to talk about it right now, Dan. I know I owe you an explanation, but…” Honey stood up, but Dan refused to be dismissed so easily. He understood Honey’s reluctance to share what was wrong, but he feared leaving her alone would only worsen the situation.
“You don’t need to be embarrassed. You don’t need to apologize. But I don’t want you to …” Dan motioned towards the bar. “You don’t need THAT.”
“Oh, Dan. Yesterday was so, so…I thought a drink would help me calm down and sleep and I guess…You don’t have to worry about that. I’m fine.” She winced. “At least, I will be…”
“And your being here alone?”
“I’m not alone…the staff…”
“That’s alone. And something tells me you shouldn’t be.” Dan hesitated. “If I leave now, will you go upstairs, shower, rest and then meet me for lunch? I think you’ll feel a little better by then.”
“I’m not sure I’ll feel like eating… I need to shower and sleep. I’ll be fine after that.”
“I’ll be back at Noon.” Dan stood up. “We’ll eat if you feel like it. If not, we’ll do something else.” Dan turned to leave. “You don’t have to explain anything to me, Honey, but I’m not going to leave you to wallow in your misery, either.”
Not wanting to give Honey another opportunity to protest, he went out the same way he came in, silently praying that she would be okay.
Exactly at Noon, Dan drove his faded red Valiant up the driveway and pulled into the parking area to the side of Manor House. He grabbed the cardboard carrier that contained a bag of burgers and one of Honey’s favorite mocha milkshakes from the floor of the car and headed towards the back entrance. By now, the house staff would be busy and could let him in.
Despite the heat and humidity, the door was open and he tapped on the screen door. He was surprised when Honey came and unlatched the hook.
“You’re looking much better,” he said softly as he entered.
“Amazing what a few prayers to the porcelain gods will do for you.” Honey whispered back. “I was just telling Cook that I’ll be here for a week or two.” She said loudly. “Is that lunch?” She grabbed the milkshake from Dan and turned around. “See Cook, I told you he was bringing me lunch. “
Dan followed her into the spacious kitchen.
“I thought we’d have lunch down at the lake, if that’s okay. I have a thermos of lemonade, but it doesn’t look like I’ll need it.” Honey was babbling. It was obvious to Dan that she didn’t want to explain any more to the cook.
“Daniel.” The older lady greeted him as she stood in front of the large pantry making a list.
“Good to see you.” He took a large thermos and a small basket from the counter. “Lake sounds fine, Honey. Are the tables…”
“I have a tablecloth if we need it.” Honey grabbed a red and white checkered cloth from the counter and headed back towards the door. “Let’s eat those burgers before they get cold.”
Once they were away from the house, Honey slowed her pace and turned to Dan who was following behind. “Ouch! I hate being that way…but Cook is very curious about why I came out alone and late at night…I just don’t feel like explaining anything right now. My head still throbs but at least my stomach is better.”
Dan laughed. “I wasn’t sure if you’d feel like a burger, but I knew you’d be ready for the shake.”
“And you remembered I like mocha. Thank you, Dan.” The two crossed the lawn, entered the shade of the woods and headed up the wide path towards the lake. After Honey spread the cloth over a wooden picnic table, Dan set down the thermos and basket he was carrying. The two friends sat at the table across from each other.
“I can’t thank you enough, Dan.” Honey stuck a straw into the paper cup and took a long sip. “Delicious. I guess by now, you’ve realized that…” She took another sip. “Chip and I are over. I behaved a bit…well, I’m mortified by what I did, but I’m feeling better now.” She sipped again.
“What did the SOB do?”
“Oh, well, I decided to surprise him in San Francisco.” Honey forced a laugh. “I surprised him and some…” Honey’s laugh turned to a sob and Dan started to stand up, but she held her hand up. “No, Dan. I’m not going to cry.” She shook her head in an attempt to compose herself. “I am not wasting tears on that… Chip was in bed with another girl…she was quite ugly in fact…so the surprise was on me.”
Honey leaned across the table and took a burger out of the bag. She slowly unwrapped it and lifted it to her mouth, then set it back down. “Anyway… I didn’t know it could hurt like it did yesterday, but today I’m just angry. Angry at Chip, but also at myself for being so…so stupid! I’m determined to get over this; even if it takes the whole summer. I don’t have any plans or anything. But I don’t need Jim telling me he told me so, or trying to explain to my parents that the perfect future son-in-law is far from perfect. I don’t need Trixie or Diana or anyone, fawning all over me. I thought it might be nice to stay here…but I need to find something to tell everyone. ” She quickly took a bite.
“Trixie will know something is wrong. You won’t be able to keep it from her.”
“Maybe…but I need to deal with this myself before I even tell her. It’s hard enough talking to you.”
Dan sat quietly as Honey rambled on, enjoying his hamburger and fries, happy to give her the opportunity to air her feelings. When he stood to pour his second cup of lemonade from the thermos, Honey laughed nervously.
“I’ve been rambling on and on and…I’m sorry, Dan. You have no idea…”
Dan walked over and sat on the bench next to her, leaning back against the table. “I’m glad I was here this morning and I’ll be here any time you need to share.”
“For what? Two weeks?”
“I go up to Albany for my physical next Monday, but that’s just overnight. I had to turn down the job in White Plains since I’m in limbo, but I should be here for most of the summer. I don’t have any plans, Honey, other than to bug Uncle Bill and help Mr. Maypenny. Maybe we both can just take a break this summer.” Dan spun around and stretched his legs under the table. “I’m a bit lost about what to do with myself, too.”
“Imagine that. Hard working and over-achieving Daniel Mangan has nothing to do?”
“Looks like it.”
“Looks that way for me too, but…”
Dan held out his hand. “We’ll do nothing together.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Honey Wheeler’s tinkling laugh echoed off the lake as she grabbed Dan’s hand and shook it.
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