Rita Royale 2 (The Beach House). Terry JD Anderson
out anything yet.”
“But you were involved. Shouldn’t you be handling things?”
“That’s the Army’s job.”
“Does General Arnold know about all this?”
Rita nodded. “He knows.”
“And what’s he doing about it?”
“Colonel Robinson is head of the MPs. He’s on the case.”
Dorothy took a quick glance at Rita’s chest, this new major obviously not wearing a bra. She bristled slightly. “I hope so, because things have become very dangerous around here. I mean, going after children? What kind of animals are we dealing with?”
The waiter walked to their table, asked the women if they wanted anything to drink before ordering. Rita ordered a soda and lime, Dorothy a glass of dry red wine and they both ordered the linguini.
Rita looked at her. “I don’t know what kind of people we’re dealing with. My guess is the Islamists.”
The mayor studied the new Liaison Officer, the air of confidence about this younger woman. She didn’t know whether she liked this new braless major. Her new boss. “Islamists? They’re still around?”
“Yes, Dorothy, they’re still around, but we’ll find these guys.”
“Well I certainly hope so, Major. Our little town has become much too dangerous of late.” Dorothy glanced again at Rita’s braless chest. Could not believe a Liaison Officer could be so vulgar. She played with a spoon and smiled politely.
Rita smiled, said nothing. She wasn’t sure she liked this mayor very much. Something about her was irritating. Grating even. She glanced to the waiter walking toward the table with their drinks.
After lunch, Rita decided to walk the few blocks to Kats Klub to check on Alex, as it was a perfect day for a walk. She strolled briskly along the busy sidewalk hoping to work off the linguini, which was actually pretty good. People passed her, some smiled, some didn’t, but all looked at her black uniform and shoulder holster.
Rita quite enjoyed the smells of the west coast. A very different smell from southern Saskatchewan. That was sage and rough grass and dry desert heat. This was cool humid and salty. The smell of the ocean.
As she approached the building she spotted Alex. He had more paint on himself than the wall she thought, still, what she could see looked pretty good. The whole of the front was covered in colorful looking flowers of some unknown variety. Rita wasn’t sure which variety, but they certainly stood out.
“Hi Rita. You won’t guess what happened.”
“What?”
“A person saw me painting and wants me to paint his place too.”
Rita smiled, his big multicolored grin spread across his face. “You may have found a business to run.”
“No, I want to be in Badger Troop like you.”
She nodded. “Well, its a good summer job.”
“Nicki said she’d pay me four hundred dollars to paint all four walls.”
“Good. A little walking around money. Now you can buy gas for your truck.”
He smiled. “Yes, Ma’am.” He looked at her uniform, her face. “How is your day?”
“So far so good.”
“I talked to a couple lesbians a while ago. They like the flowers.”
“Imagine that? Lesbians who like flowers. Who ever heard of such a thing?”
“I know when your joking, Rita. The eagle has been circling over me most of the day too.”
“That’s good. It must like you. Unless of course its a lesbian eagle.”
“There’s no such thing.”
Rita tilted her head, smiled. “There might be.”
He laughed. “Maybe.”
She glanced at her watch. “What time will you be home?”
“I already had lunch. Nicki made me a cheeseburger and fries. I guess about five o’clock maybe.”
“Okay. Where’s the Army guy?”
He nodded. “He’s over there. All he does is sit and watch me. He could help me.”
“Then you’d have to pay him.”
“Yeah. I wouldn’t mind his job.”
“No. Its an awful job sitting and watching people all day. Time drags.”
“Do you like the wall?”
She nodded, smiled. “Very much. Have fun, Picasso.”
He looked at her. “A couple of the lesbians were nice looking. Not as nice as you, but still pretty nice looking. They might be someone you could date.”
Rita blurted out a small laugh. “You playing matchmaker? I’m okay, Alex. I don’t want a date.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I just don’t want you lonely.”
She touched his arm. “You keep me company. I’m not lonely.”
He smiled. Nodded. Tried to memorize the shade of green in her eyes.
Rita arrived at the office just as Cathy hung up the telephone. She looked at Rita. “Sergeant Lewis is dead, Major. He was found a short while ago with his head cut off.”
“His head cut off? Where was he found?”
“Near his apartment. He doesn’t live on the base. Some passers by spotted the head in some bushes. The body was found a few feet away.”
“He had to have been involved in this.” Rita thought for a moment. “Who’s in charge of the drugs that were confiscated?”
“I believe he was, Ma’am. Or maybe Lieutenant Sweet. The drugs were due to be destroyed apparently.”
“What if the sergeant didn’t destroy the drugs and someone like Mamoud found out? Maybe the sergeant tried to sell some of the powder and Mamoud heard about it?”
“I don’t know, and Colonel Robinson didn’t mention it.”
“Sergeant Lewis might have told Mamoud the drugs were destroyed. If Mamoud thought he was being conned he would do something like cut off a head.” Rita felt like she was reaching.
“How can we find out?”
“I wish I knew someone at the base. I’m afraid to trust anyone there.”
Rita and Alex had steaks and salad for dinner, Alex eating like he hadn’t eaten in months. The hard day of painting gave him a good appetite.
“You’re hungry?”
He smiled. “I guess I am.”
“How did the painting go?”
“I have two walls left to do.”
“That’s good. You did a lot of painting today.”
“A lesbian in an Army uniform said she really liked the flowers. She said she likes to paint and asked me to have a coffee with her and talk about painting.”
Rita just looked at him. “An Army woman? How old is she?”
“Eighteen or nineteen I think.”
“You’re only sixteen.”
“Sixteen and a half. I wouldn’t mind talking to her about painting. She seems pretty smart.”
“How do you know she’s a lesbian?”
“She was going into Kats Klub