I told him, “Okay, we’re both glad your daughter didn’t get hurt. Let’s leave it at that. But there’s nothing urgent about calling to say thanks. So something else is on your mind.”
“Yes, very true. You’re an insightful man. There is another subject I’d like to discuss. Actually, what I’d like to do is share some information, then ask a favor. You’ll find it interesting; probably find it informative. The subject has to do with your past, Doctor Ford. And your future.”
With the phone wedged between shoulder and ear, I moved out onto the veranda. Through the palms, the swimming pool was a Caribbean jade. There were four or five women in lounge chairs, baking themselves black. Overhead, circling in a pale winter sky, was a pair of osprey hawks, screaming their ascending whistling call as if outraged by the intrusion of these dozing women. I watched the osprey as I said, “My future? I thought the reason you called would have something to do with your daughter.”
Harrington’s tone became both amused and accusatory. “Oh, it does, it does. This has a lot to do with her-and I find it odd, by the way, that you should refer to her as ‘my daughter’ instead of ‘Lindsey.’ Maybe one of those Freudian things, huh? You two had yourselves quite a time last night. A girl nearly young enough to be your own daughter.”
“Mister Harrington, if you surprise loved ones by spying on them, shouldn’t you expect to be the one who’s surprised? The way you spend your nights, your private time, how’d you like her to know every detail?”
“I do whatever it takes to keep track of her, and I don’t apologize a damn minute for that! I stay informed. I’ve got to, her recovery requires it. Don’t try to turn it around, Ford. You two sitting around chatting away like adults, then on the couch. I’ve got the entire transcript on the desk in front of me. Playing astronauts, for Christ’s sake! Every word you two said, at least every word before you hauled her upstairs to the bedroom.”
I’m not always conversational, but I am seldom at a complete loss for words. I now was.
“Are you still there, Doctor Ford?”
I finally found voice. “Yes. I’m listening.”
“Know what I find most offensive? The way you manipulated her. That pious act of yours: ‘Lindsey, Go home because it’s the right thing to do.’ Here, let me read a sentence or two back-”
I said quickly, “Nope, we’re not going to do that. I choose not to listen to a review of our private conversations.”
“Oh, I don’t blame you for not wanting to hear it. The girl’s a drug addict, Doctor Ford. She’s emotionally unstable. She’s spoiled, immature, and, let’s face it, Lindsey’s not extremely bright either. Two generations ago, back in Houston, my grandfather would’ve shot you down like a dog for doing what you did.”
A father ridiculing his daughter-how do you react to something like that? True, I hadn’t been on my best behavior with Lindsey. True, it was understandable the man was furious. If Harrington wanted to vent, okay. I’d stand there and take it. But I was quickly becoming irritated by the man’s cruel characterizations of the girl.
“Doctor Ford, tell me something. Is it your normal course of habit to take advantage of young women who’ve been recently traumatized? The girl was nearly killed, for Christ’s sake! Then you hustle her off to bed and treat her like some damn floozy from a Caracas whorehouse. Unfortunately, I’ve got to admit, and it pains me to say it, Lindsey tends to act like a whore whenever she gets the chance-”
Which did it. All I was going to listen to. I raised my voice, interrupting him and said, “Harrington? Has anyone ever told you that you’re an ass? Because you are. You use a word like that to describe your own daughter? In my opinion, Lindsey’s the one with the brains in the family. And the maturity. You’ve got my number. Call back when you’re calmer. Or acquire a little class.”
And I hung up.
I waited for all of twenty seconds before the phone rang. I was still on the porch, looking at the pool. I noticed Tomlinson and Ransom approaching. They’d showered, were wearing fresh clothes, Ransom in a short black skirt and green blouse, Tomlinson in a tank top and a green sarong wrapped around his waist.
The happy couple in matching colors, immersed in conversation.
Sharing a joint, too, from the way it looked. Tomlinson holding fingers to his lips, head tilted as if in analysis, then exhaling slow smoke-all distinctive-then handing the cigarette to Ransom, who was using her hands to talk, right at home with the process.
When the phone rang, I punched the button to hear Harrington say, “Okay, so you passed the first test. Congratulations. I’m relieved. You should be relieved, too.”
I said, “Pardon me?”
“I apologize for doing it, but I needed to know. It was important. I had to find out how you really feel about Lindsey. Do you respect who she is?-a very gifted and complicated person. I had to find out before going any farther. A simple test of character. Would you defend her? Would you tolerate someone speaking badly of her-even her own father?”
I said, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Not at all. In the last eighteen hours, I’ve learned a great deal about you. But I have no idea what kind of man you are. I had to make a quick assessment, and there was no better way-”
I interrupted him again. “Harrington, I stopped taking tests years ago. Most of us do when we become adults. So call me when you want to have a mature conversation-”
“Don’t hang up on me again, damn it!”
I wanted to. I came close to putting the phone down and walking away. But there was something in the man’s tone, an edge of worry and desperation that made me pause. So, instead, I took a couple of breaths, controlled my anger, and said, “No more tricks, no more devices. If you want to talk, we’ll talk. But no more manipulating.”
He seemed relieved. “Okay, okay. You have my word. But you have to understand my thinking. Why I need to be careful. I don’t apologize for wanting to find out if you have genuine respect for my daughter. You could have used her very easily. Many men would have jumped at the chance. She was indebted to you. As much as I love her, I also know that she doesn’t always think before she acts. Plus there are times when she’ll do absolutely anything to make me angry, because she knows-”
I finished the sentence for him. “Because she knows it’s the only way to get your full attention. We discussed that-but then, you already know. You have the tape, don’t you?”
“I’ve known it for a while-and regret that it’s the truth. I mean, it was the truth. But not now. In the past, it wasn’t easy for her to get my full attention. I admit it. You’re exactly right. I also admit I haven’t been a very good father. I know that, too. Years ago, when Lindsey’s mother died, something went out of me. Some emotional component-but you don’t need to hear about that.”
I said, “You don’t want to tell me about how your little girl let you down? What was it? She either reminded you too much of your late wife, or maybe she didn’t come close enough.”
He gave a snort of self-deprecation. “Pew! Cocktail party psychology, but you’re a little too close for comfort. There’s a Mayan maxim that goes ‘Only through a stranger’s eyes is our vision perfect.’ Something like that, so maybe it really is that obvious to outsiders. From the time Lindsey was three, she was the mirror image of Linda-that was my wife’s name. I didn’t realize the truth. Or wouldn’t admit it. It hurt too much to be around my daughter, and we tend to avoid the things that hurt us, don’t we? I screwed up. I was inattentive, and maybe figured out the problem way too late. But I adore my daughter, Ford. Please do not question that. Don’t even insinuate it because I won’t tolerate the suggestion.”
Harrington’s tone was returning to normal. The forceful administrator, in charge once more.
“There’s a reason why I’m telling you this.”