Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: Willy Tamarack
Title: Surfers Rule
Part: 3 of 11
Universe:
Summary:
Keywords: (love story, adventure, war viol)
Language: English


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   @(C) 1996-2015 Willy Tamarack Commercial use in any form requires the
written permission of the author and will ensure a portion of the proceeds
goes to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

   Surfers Rule

   by

   Willy Tamarack

   With thanks to the founding fathers and the U.S.  Constitution

   Chapter Seven

   March 2000

   Torrance Municipal Airport, Torrance Beach, California, U.S.A.

   Isabel Morales was exhausted.  She had used her daughter as cover to
leave the country, saying the widows needed a vacation.  They had been on
the road for three weeks.  Early on she shared her fantasy with Maria and
overnight it became a bond bringing mother and daughter closer together. 
If the two of them couldn't do it...So be it, but they would try.

   Since starting their quest the two of them had visited close to thirty
little airfields and had not a thing to show for it.  Several places
thought they were looking for Malibu, the surfing spot.  Maybe they should
have employed an interpreter ?  Hardly an option.  Isabel's english would
have to do.

   She looked up and could hardly see across the street.  The hanger was
barely visible in the thick fog that was almost a mist.  These people might
never come to work this morning.

   Her daughter was napping as they had driven in from the valley very
early.  She had learned that if you don't catch these pilots early, they're
gone for the day...Out flying.  It was difficult keeping up their spirits.
Senor Motay gave them so little to go on.  Southern California and the
names, "Malibu and Surfer Girl."

   And even if they could find them, Malibu might refuse her request...Or
not be in a position to help her.  And even if Malibu and Surfer Girl
agreed to help them there were no guarantees.  Rumor and innuendo had
guided her this far.  This trip could be a total bust but she was going to
try.  Several of her countrymen had acted macho and volunteered to exact
her vengeance but she was sure they were more interested in her money.  And
even if they weren't interested in her money none had the skills nor the
ability.  Isabel was sure it had to be a foreigner and a Norte Americano
was better yet.

   *****

   Palos Verdes Cove was breaking very well on this fine spring day.  The
rain showers were becoming sporadic and the ocean was losing some of it's
chop.  The waves were good, shoulder high walls of water rushing toward the
rock covered shore line, breaking both ways, both rights and lefts.

   Ed Merril always felt the right was a better wave but the left was
usually steeper.  Still he preferred the right.  He was sitting astride his
surfboard.  Craig Hansen was twenty feet to the north of him, lying on his.

   "You want the flight this afternoon ?" Craig called over to the old
man.....

   .....What a find !  What a friend !  Ten months ago this old man flies
into Torrance and today he's like a partner who works for next to nothing.
Oh !  Craig had other pilots but Ed was the best.  Nobody but nobody ever
took Cindy's pre-employment test and got more than 88.  Ed comes back with
a 97 !  Unbelievable !  And what a great stick !  In and out of LAX first
time without Craig having to say a word.  And what a super roommate, lives
up above the garage, which is more like a surfboard shop.  Uses his
commissary privileges to keep the refrigerator full of food and fucking "A"
best of all pays rent on time, every time !  And did he tell you, the
mother fucker surfs !  Craig thought he had died and gone to heaven.

   Cindy also couldn't be happier with their renter and employee.  Ed spent
a lot of time with them both on and off the job.  They had heard the story
about his leaving Henderson in the dead of night with just his back pack
and flight gear.  Cindy asked him how he got away so fast ?  Ed told her
that he kept the backpack packed and ready to go at all times, a hold over
from flying in so many fighter squadrons back in the seventies and
eighties. Craig and Ed had swapped combat stories both trying to top the
other, so much the fighter pilot in each of them.  Craig always came out on
the short end of that one.  Nothing Craig had done compared to Ed's stories
about rescuing pilots up north, around Hanoi in North Vietnam.

   Except one...Craig had shared much, much more and remembered Ed, half
drunk on Jack Daniels, yelling, "Bull shit !  That's fucking bull shit you
did that...I fucking don't believe you, you twin tailed sissy !" Ed looked
over at the girl.  She was smoking on that pipe of hers.  Sometimes he
wondered why he was living with them ?  She smiled at him.

   "Better listen up, old man.  He's never told a soul this war story, that
I know of." She looked over at her husband with that, "You really gonna
tell him this !?" look on her face.  Ed took another gulp of Jack Daniels
then got up to get himself another drink.

   He looked across at the two of them.  All the lights were off and Cindy
had lit several candles.  She did this all the time when they got stoned.
Ed felt guilty at times but had to admit that it provided a pleasant
feeling.  And he'd never seen the guy get near an airplane when he was
impaired.

   "So let me get this straight...You two, went out and bought a
C-123...Brought it up to speed, put some better avionics in it, flew down
to Columbia and brought back four tons of cocaine.  Is that what you're
telling me ?" He remained across the room from them.

   Craig was getting the pipe going again.  Cindy looked back at him from
across the room.  "You got it.  There were a whole bunch of other details
and shit but you got the main story line down." Craig was nodding his head
up and down as he took a drag off the pipe.

   "You guys smoke too much weed.  I'm going to bed.  If you two remember
any of this tomorrow morning remind me." He left without another word being
spoken.  Nobody mentioned a thing about C-123s, or drugs or anything much
the next morning.  They were all a little too fucking hung over.....

   .....Ed was wheeling his board around toward shore.  He called out to
Craig, "Sure thing.  See you on shore." He was paddling, alternating his
arms to pull the board through the water.  The swell passed Craig.  Craig
turned and paddled further out to sea.  Another wave was going to break
further out.

   *****

   Cindy drove the gray panel truck, with "Blake Electronics" painted on
the sides, through the gate and onto the perimeter road.  She noticed the
car parked across the street about a half a block down from their hanger.
Unusual...She became alert and took a good look around before walking
slowly to the door to the hanger.

   She never opened until nine and today was a bust unless she had a
walk-in.  She logged on to the server and downloaded all the website data.
Two new charters, she was excited.  One looked as it might be a regular
thing with a business name instead of a personal name.  She would move out
front at exactly nine.

   *****

   Senora Isabel Morales shook her daughter, "Get up !  Get up !  Someone
is here." Her daughter woke immediately and peered across the street.  She
saw the panel truck parked on the other side of the chain link fence.  A
medium height woman was getting out of the truck.  She had long, blonde
hair, down to her waist, and it flowed freely behind her.  The blonde
disappeared inside the hanger without appearing to notice them.

   "It's them !  It's them !" Trailed off into nothing.  Her mother had her
hands gripped on the steering wheel of their rental car.  The engine was
running.  They had the heater on.  It was cold up here.  Neither her mother
nor Maria were accustomed to this damp cold and it went right through the
light pullovers they brought north.

   Her mother moved to put the car in gear.  Maria grabbed her arm.  "Hold
on, mother.  Let's do a little planning.  Remember the six `P's."

   Isabel put the car in park and leaned back against the driver's seat. 
"Prior planning prevents piss poor performance.  Okay, Maria, what do you
propose ?"

   "Remember, mother, we speak Spanish.  Felix said..." The two women
talked for close to twenty minutes.  Unfortunately Felix neglected to
inform them that Cindy Blake was bi-lingual.

   *****

   Cindy had momentarily forgotten the two in the car until they appeared
at the front door about fifteen minutes after she opened.  Hispanic, she
could tell before they got the door open.  Now she could hear them speaking
Spanish.  They were arguing about something.  Both well dressed, driving a
rental car, possibly foreign...Maybe just rich Mexicans but she thought
further south.  Their Spanish was not from Mexico.  Something was just not
right about this.  The younger one was looking right at Cindy as she argued
with the older woman, who was obviously her mother.  Cindy smiled back
dumbly.  The dumb blonde act was the one that almost always worked best,
especially with men.  Women, not so much.

   They stopped talking.  The young one was still staring at her.  "Can I
help you ?  Our only flight today is at two-thirty.  LAX shuttle.  There's
only two seats left," Cindy lied.

   "My name is Isabel Morales..." The younger one pushed her mother aside
and stepped right up to the counter.  Cindy took a step back.  This was one
ballsy bitch.  Out of the corner of her mouth she told her mother to
shut-up in Spanish.

   "You must be `Surfer Girl.' Tell `Malibu' that we need instruction in
the six `P's." Maria was leaning across the counter, half whispering.

   Cindy stared the young one down with that dumb smile of hers.  Her eyes
were locked with the younger one's.  "Ma'am, I just work here.  I have no
idea what you are talking about.  The owner is out surfing now and I have
no idea when he'll be back."

   "We'll wait if that is permitted ?  Tell him, Felix sent us." Cindy
noticed the mother flinch.  She continued to smile at them.

   "Sure...Sure...Make yourselves at home." She turned to the computer
screen and brought up a word processing program.  She willed herself calm
but was pretty sure the young one noticed her recognition of the name
"Felix." She just started typing any and all keys producing nothing but
gibberish.  Seven long minutes later she excused herself and went into the
hanger.

   *****

   His cell phone was ringing.  It was Cindy.  Ed answered.

   "Sorry, babe, he's still out sliding.  Want me to have him call you when
he paddles in ?"

   "Listen carefully, Ed.  Tell him that two Hispanic women came in this
morning looking for Malibu and Surfer Girl.  Said Felix sent them.  I'm
sure he'll brief you on the way home.  I'm in the hanger.  They're waiting
in the lounge.  Were the waves good ?"

   "Yes, very.  Shoulder high, a little rough.  Should smooth out by
tomorrow.  If the charter's still on for this afternoon, I'm taking it."

   "As far as I know, yes.  I told the mystery ladies that I only had two
seats left." She laughed.  "Have him call me, Ed."

   "Sure, babe.  Over and out." He closed the phone up and put it back in
his jacket pocket.  He always carried comm these days...Craig, not so much.
He looked out into the cove and watched several waves being ridden.  This
place was much better for a longer board.  Craig even rode a seven footer
here.  Now Haggerties was a much better short board place and the beach
breaks of the South Bay, just outstanding.  He much preferred Palos Verdes
Cove.  He had no idea who Malibu, Surfer Girl or Felix were.

   Chapter Eight

   The phone was ringing.  Cindy let it go three rings before she reached
over and picked it up.  "Blake Hansen Air Taxi Service, Cindy here, may I
help you ?" She relaxed when she heard Craig's voice.

   "Say `hi' to some girl friend and then just gossip for a bit.  They
still there ?"

   Cindy blurted out, "Oh !  Jill, you're right on, baby.  I don't believe
that for a minute.  Hey, are you gonna be able to party tonight ?"

   "So they're still there.  Anything else unusual, clicks on the phone,
strange vehicles around ?"

   "No...No...That's too bad, girl.  My old man's out of town so I'm on my
own.  Oh, yea !"

   "Okay, tell them that the owner will be in at..." He looked at his
watch. "...eleven.  Admit to nothing as if you need to be told.  Get
someone to fly this afternoon instead of Ed.  I want him in on this.  Okay
with you ?"

   Cindy squealed, "Yes...Yes...Yes..." into the phone.  The young one was
looking through a magazine, her suspicion muted for now.  The old woman had
a laptop in her lap and was reading something.  Occasionally she would type
for a moment.

   "Gotta run, girl friend.  Boss calling." Cindy rang off and picked up
another line.  "Yes, sir.  Thank you for calling back.  Yes, I'm
listening." Cindy listened to the dial tone for thirty seconds.  "Yes, sir,
I've got it.  I'll tell them." After hanging up the phone, she turned to
the Hispanic ladies and told them.  "The owner will be here at eleven and
will meet with you.  I hope you got a better explanation for him.  He
thinks you're nut cases." Cindy went about her business, answering a few
phone calls, ordering next month's parts and finding a replacement pilot
for this afternoon's flight.

   Now both of the Hispanic ladies were looking at the laptop, talking
quietly together.  Cindy felt that any suspicion had disappeared.  She
surfed the web for a good while then left for the hanger.  At a few minutes
before eleven hundred hours she opened the hanger doors.

   *****

   After talking with Cindy, Craig remained totally silent all the way back
home so Ed parked the bug in the driveway and left him sitting there.  It
was just a little before ten.  He put the boards away and then went up to
shit, shower and shave.

   Craig surprised Ed when he came upstairs all dressed and ready to go to
the airport at ten thirty.  He knocked before sticking his head in the
door. Ed was sitting at a small kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereal.

   "Ed, I'd like you to come to the hanger with me at eleven.  Can you make
that work ?"

   "Sure, Craig, no problem..." Ed was looking right at him.  "...What's
this all about ?  Is this a drug thing ?  Because I'm not interested in
that.  Understand, Craig ?"

   "Ed, I wouldn't ask you to do anything like that.  I just want you
there...Mutual support.  Cindy won't be there for the initial interview. 
Could be nothing but Malibu and Surfer Girl are the call signs we used back
in '93 when we did that importing.  And Felix is the guy we handed the
money over to." Ed looked down at his bowl of cereal and started eating
again.

   "Be ready at ten of ?" Craig asked.

   "Sure, boss, I'll be ready." Craig noticed the change in the
relationship.  It was evident in his face when he looked up from his cereal
bowl.

   Ed was sitting in the Bug when Craig got in.  They drove to the air
field in silence.  The door to the hanger was coming open as they
approached on the perimeter road.  Craig drove right in and parked the Bug
well off to the side of the hanger.  Cindy was closing the hanger doors.

   "Ed, you don't have to say a word just listen to what they have to say,
observe them, catch the things I don't catch.  I don't know these women.  I
have never met them before.  I don't believe there is anyone who can
connect Cindy or I to a drug run almost eight years ago now.  Come on
lighten up a bit, Ed.  We are not going to start transporting dope at this
stage of our careers."

   Ed smiled that small smile of his.  "The feds don't forget, twin-tailed
sissy.  You remember that, Craig.  The drug warriors are protecting their
turf.  They do that by making grand announcements of the arrests they make.
They don't care how long ago this happened."

   Craig laughed.  "Fuck you, old man.  It's called the statute of
limitations and dope smuggling doesn't meet the criteria.  After so long,
it just disappears."

   "You're making that up, aren't you ?"

   Craig laughed, "Yea, but so were you." Ed laughed.  He was visibly
relaxed as they got out of the bug and met Cindy over by the door to the
office area.

   "I'll bring them back in five minutes, honey.  You two do a good job
now. Don't fuck this up by gawking at the young one.  She's hot looking but
a real bitch...A little suspicious, I imagine.  Pay attention, twin-tailed
sissy, I'm talking to you.  Ed, keep an eye on him." Cindy patted her
husband on the butt and walked down the hallway.

   Craig was sitting behind his desk.  He had a huge mural of a twin-tailed
F-15 Eagle mounted on the wall behind him.  Ed was sitting in the lone
chair in the room.  Cindy stuck her head in the door, "Here they are,
boss."

   Isabel Morales and her daughter, Maria Barrias, came through the door to
the office.  Cindy left and closed the door behind her.  Ed watched the
mother.  Attractive, close to five-three, four, about his age with her dark
hair going gray in places, braided and wrapped in a bun.  She was wearing
jeans which were a little tight around the butt, a white blouse and a light
blue pullover, topped off with expensive cowboy boots !  The daughter was
dressed almost identically, just different colors.  Both were stacked.

   The two women froze, staring at Craig and the mural behind him.  Ed
heard one of them say something in Spanish...Then silence.  When it
stretched on for a bit Ed jumped up out of his chair, "Why don't you ladies
sit down on the couch over here." The daughter moved toward the couch.  The
mother remained where she was, still staring at the mural.  The daughter
sat so Ed retreated back across the room to his chair.

   "My name is Isabel Morales.  This is my daughter, Maria Barrias.  We are
sure now." She pointed to the mural.  "The lady out front is `Surfer Girl'
and you are `Malibu'." Craig held up his hand but she took a step toward
the desk and threw her right arm at him, in a slashing motion.  "You will
listen first, senor.  You owe your old friend, Felix, at least that
courtesy.  Yes ?" She had both of her hands on Craig's desktop.  Ed was
sitting up straight in his chair.  He was staring at the older woman and
impressed.  He never saw Craig nod his head and then the woman pushed
herself away from his desk.  The daughter was sitting forward on the couch.
These were intense women.  The older one was under total control when she
began again.

   "I have been the President of Morales Exporters, S.A.  for ten months
now.  Since my husband and my daughter's husband, accompanied by two of our
most senior employees, were flying our airplane, near some new land we had
just purchased.  They did not come home that evening because the air force
of a foreign country shot them out of the sky." She paid no attention to
the older man, giving her undivided attention to the one behind the desk.
He was the one she had to sell.  He'd all but admitted he was "Malibu."

   "At great cost I discovered the truth about my husband's death.  They
thought he was a drug smuggler.  I went to the narcos and demanded that
they do something to clear my husband's name.  They laughed at me.  Said
their word would not be much use in this matter but assured me that my
husband was not smuggling drugs when he was murdered." She was still
standing.  Ed noticed that the younger one was staring at Craig as
intensely as her mother, both strikingly good looking women.

   "I offered the narcos a million dollars to avenge my husband's death and
they laughed at me.  I'm not one to beg, senor, but I did.  The man, you
know as Felix, was kind enough to give me two names: Malibu and Surfer
Girl. He directed me to search in Southern California.  We have been in
this country, searching now, for three weeks."

   The younger woman, who Craig figured was about Cindy's age, rattled off
some Spanish and the mother turned and walked to the couch.  The older
woman sat and the younger one, Maria Barrias, patted her mother's thigh
then leaned forward toward Craig.  "We want to shoot down one of their jet
fighters, `Malibu'.  Felix said we'd need to know the six `P's...Prior
planning prevents piss poor performance.  He said you taught him the six
`P's." Her english was not near as good as her mother's but her beauty was
right up there, at least a nine.

   Ed rolled his eyes when Craig made eye contact.  Craig looked over at
the couch and the women.  "Ms.  Morales, Ms.  Barrias, that's a very
interesting story you tell.  If you have told others this story, I think
this will conclude our business." He paused for just a moment, neither
woman moved.  "But then if you did tell many ?  You would probably be in
jail by now." Craig smiled at them.

   "No one but my daughter and I know what we intend." It was the older
woman, about Ed's age.

   "And Felix ?"

   "I believe that's why we're here.  I'm not concerned about what happened
years ago.  You used to be a fighter pilot, unless you were lying to
Felix." Isabel pointed to the picture of the Eagle on the wall.  "Ego is
not always a good thing, senor."

   Craig blushed then applauded them for a few moments before speaking. 
"Excellent job, senoras.  You have been successful in your quest.  But no
serious discussion of the six `P's can begin before you allow me to inquire
whether you are serious people.  So if you like, you may return tomorrow
afternoon." The daughter was about to say something.  Craig could see why
Cindy thought she was a bitch.  She was a very hot looking lady with long
straight, dark hair to just below her shoulders, free flowing like Cindy's
and very large breasts.  Craig held up his hand.

   "Not negotiable, sweet heart.  Now...I could have the police or the DEA
or any number of government agents waiting for you when you arrive
tomorrow. Until then you'll have to trust me like I'm trusting that you
aren't working for some government sting or drug cartel." Craig stood up
behind his desk.  The mother stood and pulled on her daughter's arm.  The
daughter stood, reluctantly, continuing to stare at Craig.

   "Get rid of the car before you arrive back here tomorrow.  Stay in a
local motel.  Take a cab and bring your luggage.  Be here at two o'clock. I
will fly you to LAX.  You are on your way back to where ever you came from.
Make reservations.  Early evening, about six or seven.  Comprende, senora."

   It was the daughter who answered, "We will be here, `Malibu'...And do as
you request." Ed was already up and going toward the door, escorting them
out of the room.  Craig was leaning back in his chair, staring at the
ceiling when Cindy entered his office a few minutes later.

   "Ed's taking them out to their car.  How much do they know ?  And more
important, what do they want ?"

   Chapter Nine

   Craig continued looking at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.
"While we're waiting for Ed, honey, go out front and do a search on Morales
Exporters, S.A.  Print up what you find and bring Ed back with you.  You
were right, the daughter is intense."

   "I said she was a bitch, lover boy." Cindy spat as she ran back up the
hallway.

   As she surfed the internet for Morales Exporters, S.A., she noticed Ed
was still talking with them out by their car.  While she was reading the
hits on Morales Exporters, S.A., he was crossing the street and waving as
they drove away.  She hit print as Ed burst through the front door.

   "What took you so long ?" She threw at him.  He smiled that small smile
of his.

   "Nice ladies...I recommended a couple of places for them to stay up on
Pacific Coast Highway.  They're gonna be here tomorrow afternoon, you know.
Those are some very intense ladies and hot !?  Did you check out the body
on the daughter ?" It was like he just noticed she was doing something. 
"What the fuck you doing ?"

   Cindy grabbed the sheets she'd printed out and moved toward the hallway,
"Come on, old man." She held up the sheets and called over her shoulder. 
"Morales Exporters, S.A.  They're real." Ed shook his head.  He always had
a problem with something being real if it was just spit out of a computer.
Just something about that...Well, that was just not right.

   Ed followed Cindy to Craig's office.  She threw a few sheets of paper on
to the desk top.  Craig immediately snapped out of his ceiling gazing,
picked up the sheets and began reading.  Cindy went over and threw herself
on to the couch.  Ed continued standing, leaning against the door jam.

   "That was intense.  Shoot down a jet fighter...You guys have some
interesting clients, Felix and now these two hot looking foreign ladies. 
South American...Argentina, Venezuela, Columbia, some place down there..."

   "Brazil...Morales Exporters, S.A.  established in 1905 by Estancio
Morales, first generation immigrant from some place in eastern Spain, the
Basque country.  The company has been the number one exporter of raw
materials, lumber, mostly from western Brazil since the forties."

   Ed, still standing, "Well then, their wanting to shoot down a jet
fighter must be a legit business transaction.  Drugs must cause this
particular type of insanity.  I just can't wrap my arms around it, yet."

   "No, Ed, it's money." Cindy observed casually.

   "I know people with money and none of them go around trying to shoot
down a jet fighter..." Ed retorted.

   Craig held his hand up.  "Not this kind of money, Ed.  The company did
over five hundred million, gross revenue last year.  Close to fifty million
net profit.  Tell me you know somebody like that, Ed."

   Ed was silent for a moment.  "Well, I'm takin' 'em to dinner tonight..."

   Cindy sat up on the couch, "You're doing what !?"

   "Takin' 'em to dinner.  It was Maria's idea.  I can keep an eye on them.
You two obviously don't trust them.  No business will be discussed, she
said.  I told you I thought they were hot.  Why not ?  Your husband invited
'em back.  I might need to escape from here someday.  You say she's rich,
so maybe I'll fly her airplane around ?"

   Craig leaned forward on his desk, "Jeese, didn't we just hear a story
about how dangerous that particular job was, Ed ?"

   "Maybe the old man was too enthralled with their tits to hear much of
what they said.  By the way, is that what she wants to do ?  Shoot down a
jet fighter ?" Cindy asked.

   "You watch out, Ed, buddy.  Don't let that logic of theirs seep into
your pours.  It might get into your blood stream...Next stop...The brain."
Craig called as Ed was backing out of the office, flipping the two of them
the bird.

   "Ed...Ed come back here, please." Ed poked his head back in the doorway.

   "Ed, have you ever wondered how it would be to be rich ?  Not have to do
a thing except spend money." Ed was shaking his head back and forth from
the doorway.  "This business, Cindy and I have built up, is worth around
two point five million but it requires constant attention and is not
exactly a cash cow.  Doing some work for them might be quite lucrative. 
They're not gonna want us to carry drugs for them.  Keep that in mind while
you're wining and dining the senoras tonight.  Please take the Bug and wake
me when you get home.  Okay, Ed ?"

   "Sure thing, Craig.  See you two later." He was gone.  Cindy laid back
on the couch and looked up at the ceiling.  Craig was doing the same from
his chair.

   *****

   Craig was lying, bare ass naked, on his back in bed.  Cindy, equally
naked, was sitting astride him.  He was still inside her, she was still
moving on him but it had been over for moments.  The perspiration was
drying on Cindy, her breasts still taunt and excited.  She could feel their
passion drain out of her and reached for a towel.

   "You thinking of the young one's tits ?" She asked.  Craig thrust up
into her.  She leaned down on to him and whispered in his ear.  "Just
joking, honey.  I love you.  You think Ed is having as good a time as we
are ?"

   Craig laughed, his breath running up over her shoulder.  "No, I just
can't imagine Ed getting laid on a first date."

   The sound of the Bug rolling down the driveway and into the garage
alerted them both.  Cindy rolled off Craig and headed for the bathroom. 
Craig grabbed another towel and dried himself.  He was dressed in jeans and
a "T" shirt before Cindy got out of the bathroom.  He met Ed at the
backdoor.

   "How'd it go, Ed ?" It was just eleven o'clock and Ed was stone cold
sober.

   "Well now, a greeting committee is what I get...So what did you two do
this evening ?" Cindy was moving into the kitchen, dressed in just a night
gown.  Ed smiled that smile of his, short and not very turned up.

   "I believe that every bit of info you find on these two will point to
what they say they are...Two very pissed off, rich widows who want to
declare war on...Peru...I think it is.  Very committed and according to the
mother able to pay more than we could imagine in twenty years running this
place.  She some how got a hold of your numbers and rattled them off rather
impressively, I might add."

   Cindy snapped back, "What happened to not discussing business ?"

   "I got tired of looking at their tits and there was nothing else to do.
A threesome is just not my bag." He tossed toward Cindy.  Then asked Craig,
"We going sliding tomorrow ?"

   "Yea...See you at five." Ed skipped down the steps and walked across the
back yard toward the garage.

   "Well, what do you think, honey ?  Is this one of those hard to resist
temptations, like the coke run ?" Craig whispered.

   Cindy had her arms around his waist with her hands under his "T" shirt.
Ed was walking up the stairs to the apartment.

   "It's starting to look that way, don't cha' think, darling.  You think
he'll go for it ?" Cindy cooed.
   "Oh yea !  He's on board.  You wait and see." Craig whispered.