"I think he has the watch now. Shall I chuck you a robe?"
"Am I getting too much sun? Doesn't feel so; I've been using the lotion. Oh! You mean for Thomas the Tom Cat? But, dear, we've been swimming with him and his family every day. As well as with Fred and the Dabrowskis."
"I don't give a hoot, dear, but I thought you were anxious to preserve appearances."
"Seems silly when I swim and sunbathe with all of them. As for appearances, didn't I see you patting Hester's bottom in the pool yesterday? Or was it Wednesday?"
"It was Tuesday and it wasn't Hester, it was her daughter Eve. Just practicing to be a sex maniac, Beautiful—nothing serious. So don't be jealous."
"Beloved, the day I'm jealous of a little girl I want you to beat me. Not spank me. Beat some sense into me, woodshed style. But it was Hester, not her daughter. My gallant, wonderful Jacob would never bother a little- girl."
"Perhaps not but that little girl bothers the hell out of me. Furthermore she does it on purpose."
"Poor Jake. Even thirteen-year-olds won't leave him alone. I'm not surprised; I didn't leave him alone, either."
"In this case, she's thirteen-going-on-twenty-one. I'll make you a deal, dearest. I'll carefully avoid chaperoning you with her father if you will be very careful always to chaperon me with his daughter."
"Yes, sir. To hear is to obey, my lord—though I am chagrined that you think I might need chaperoning—or not chaperoning, as the case may be-with one of our servants. But how about Hester? Must I always be sure to be in sight when she's around?"
"Mind your own business, wench. Uh, no need to be fanatical about it. I want them all to feel easy when they come up here to swim as I don't want any of our household ever to swim in that sewage down there. You know the coliform count in that beautiful surf. That was the deal we offered—stay off the beaches entirely and they could swim in our pool at any time. So we sacrifice a little privacy but don't have one of them picking up amebiasis or such and spreading it through our whole family. It evens out—and they are all nice people...even our precocious Eve who's doing her best to see if she can upset me."
"I haven't minded, Jacob; it is not good to be too much alone. But we were speaking of Hester's bottom. Shapely, huh?"
"Hon, you're as bad as Eve. I'm going to go and say ten Money Hums and catch that siesta. I'll send out Tom. Don't let me sleep more than an hour. Kiss."
She turned her face up. As he left she dived in, swam a couple of lengths and climbed out, was waiting, staring down at the yacht harbor when Finchley arrived. "You sent for me, Ma'am?"
She smiled. "Thomas Cattus, that's not my name when we're alone."
He glanced over his shoulder, said almost soundlessly, "Pussy Cat, the Boss is awake."
"So he is. But he's gone to his room and closed the door. Siesta. He'll be asleep in almost no time. But I don't mean to scare you, Thomas Cattus dear. Come here to the rail, want to show you something. Have you done any sailing? Or has it all been power?"
"Sailing? Oh, sure, I grew up on Chesapeake Bay. Cat boats and such."
"Ever sail a trimaran?"
"Never skippered one. Crewed in one when I was sixteen."
"What do you think of them?"
"Depends on what for. Okay if you want something more like a houseboat than a racer. But I wouldn't have one without an auxiliary engine. In tight waters they can be as awkward as two people in a bathtub."
"Ever try it in a bathtub, Thomas Cattus?'
"Sure, who hasn't? Okay for a giggle with a few drinks aboard. But a bed is better. Or a floor."
"How about a sunbathing mat?"
"Pussy Cat, you enjoy scaring me. You gonna get us caught, yet."
"Rhetorical question, dear; I wasn't twisting your arm. Tell me, do you think Hester and Jake have ever made it?"
"Practically certain they never." He grinned at her. "But I can tell you something."
"Then do. Pretty please. Pretty Tom Cat with the muscles."
"Not Hester's fault they haven't. I know. She told me bang, one night, while we were at it. Said the Boss could have it any time he reached for it. Hester thinks the Boss is God's right hand."
"Well, so do I. But it doesn't keep me from appreciating my Thomas Cat. How would you feel about it? Jake and Hester."
"Me?" He looked astonished. "Look, Pussy Cat, you ‘know if anybody does I don't see no sense in putting a fence around a broad. Just makes her want to jump it. I'd ruther hold open the gate for her, she wants to."
"I said, ‘How would you feel about it, dear?'"
"Oh." Her driver-guard looked thoughtful. "Wouldn't get my nose out of joint. The Boss is numero uno, da kine. Rozzer?"
"Roz."
"He knocked up a broad, he'd pay. No huhu. But no huhu anyhow; we were only licensed for one and Hester had herself fixed, right after she had Eve. Good broad I married—didn't split when I dropped one, took me back when I was paroled. Oh, she shacked, sure—but just with her boss, she worked. Didn't peddle it. Or kept it to herself, didn't tell me. Hester and the Boss? Sure, if they want to. Told her so, bang. Have fun, I told her."
"Mmm...Thomas Cattus, let's give them a chance. Or six chances. Might be insurance for us, later."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Smart thinking, Pussy Cat. But how? And would he? The Boss?"
"I feel sure he would if he knew it was safe. Private, I mean; Jake has courage under fire, just as you have, dear.
Main problem is to get Eve out from underfoot. Mmm... you could take me shopping or such and I could ask Hester to get Mr. Salomon's lunch... then as an afterthought I could invite Eve to come with me. Hmm?"
"With either Fred or Ski up here? No good, Pussy Cat."
"All it needs is a time when you have the guard. Jake won't send for your relief; at most he'll lock open the lift door. He doesn't worry about him, he worries about guarding me."
"Mmm... roz. Could work if he wants it. You're filling out, Pussy Cat. Tits prettier than ever."
"Joe says a woman gets prettier as she bigs out. But I don't think many men think so."
"Hester looked awful cute, clear up to the last minute. And on you it looks good, too. Uh... you're sure the Boss is asleep?"
"Certain enough that I'm willing to risk it. But I don't mean to scare you, dear. Want to wait and see how our plans for Jake and Hester work out?"
"Uh...oh, hell, we might all be dead by then."
"Right here?"
"Uh, copter might cruise by."
"Let's go into the lanai."
27
Harvard University Corporation voted to withhold all funds until the Student Government selected a new university president. Both of the rival student governments and the faculty senate sought court relief from this "reckless and irresponsible action." CONS BEST COPS SEZ FUZZ PREZ—the General Secretary of the Private Police, Guards, and Security Drivers (AFL) at its annual banquet congratulated Milwaukee on joining the growing list of municipalities that had abolished the "clean record" rule in hiring peace officers. "The outstanding success of parolees and probationers as licensed private security officers is finally teaching the politicians to ‘hunt ducks where the ducks are.' The Bible says ‘To catch a thief you set a thief,' don't it? Who knows more about hoods than a hood? Give a man incentives to keep his nose clean and put him on work he understands and you can count on him in the crunch. My Mom kept telling me that when I was just a punk knockin' over candy stores. Besides, like the Sec'etary of the Treasury told us earlier tonight, ‘Look what it's done for the economy!' In this great republic—"