Chapter 68

 

 

The flight into Albuquerque and the drive back to Phoenix held a dismal feeling for Pen and Mary. Watching Corinthian sail away, with Foster Fordyce grinning back at them from the rail, was the most intense disappointment either of them had ever felt. Exhausted, they needed to see their friends.

“I don’t even need to go home first,” Mary said. “Let’s just call the others and see who’s up for a pub evening.”

Pen smiled at her from the driver’s seat. “I could use some fun after the past two days, most certainly.”

They chose O’Reilly’s, an English-style pub in central Phoenix. Most of the happy hour crowd had dissipated and there wasn’t much dinner business at the moment. By the time Amber arrived, the others had decided on ale and comfort food—the house specialty, shepherd’s pie.

“Here’s to giving it our best effort,” Sandy said, raising her glass to Mary and Pen. “It wasn’t as if you didn’t go all-out to catch dear old Orion and Sunshine.”

“I haven’t felt so let down since my ex hid all that money and the lawyers did nothing to help me,” said Mary.

“Nor I, when I couldn’t convince a prosecutor to take the case of my stolen heirloom,” Pen added. “But when those agents waited to get warrants, at least we felt they were trying. If I had realized the warrants were only valid while the ship was at the pier, I would have thrown myself in front of the gangway or some such maneuver.”

The others laughed at the image of their sophisticated Penelope lying facedown on a metal plank.

“It had to be such an anticlimax, after you chased them down,” Gracie said. “Our experience with Ron, on the other hand, was a really strange mix of comic and sad.”

“Not to mention infuriating,” Sandy said. “The man is completely delusional. He thinks everything he does is a big lark, a fun time, as he outwits the rest of the world.”

“He really does think he’s invincible,” Gracie added. “If there’s a name for that kind of psychological complex, he’s got it.”

“I hope our little talk got through to him,” Sandy said. “I don’t hold a lot of hope for that, though.” She sat straighter as the barkeep brought their meals.

Conversation waned for several minutes as they dug into the savory mixture of meat, vegetables and potatoes.

“Anyway,” Sandy said, “we’re glad Pen and Mary are home again. The holidays are behind us and we can start the new year fresh.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let it go quite that easily,” Mary said, her fists clenched on the tabletop. “I feel such anger at what they did. Ron for posing as needy when he’s not, for taking things from those who can least afford to lose anything. And those religious posers. It’s unconscionable how much money they must have taken while preying on people’s deepest beliefs. I still feel there must be something we can do.”

Amber had been quiet up to this point, but a glimmer came into her eyes. “Don’t give up just yet. I’m working on something.”