“I know. Like a sacred trust.”
“Exactly, Jimmy. Did she tell you what child to talk to? Good. Do give us a nice big spread on this if you can, old man.”
“Will try. Are you saving the bays again, Mortie?”
“What? Oh, that dreary meeting yesterday, of course. It was all sort of spiritless. You know? Actually, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s worth it. People down here seem to despise natural beauty. It seems to make them terribly uneasy. They don’t really feel secure until they can see asphalt in every direction, and they don’t trust a tree unless they’ve grown it themselves. Oh, we’ll fight the brave battle, mother, but I haven’t as much zing for it this time, and I don’t think the others do either. Except Tom Jennings. He’s incredibly warlike, you know. And little Kat Hubble is very dedicated. Will you be helping us this time?”
“It won’t be as easy, not with the owner in favor of the fill.”
“All done?” he called to the young people. “Splendid! It’s an absolutely glorious show, isn’t it? And beautifully hung. Thank you all so much! And I want you all at the reception tomorrow, please. Four o’clock. You come too, Jimmy, please.”
“If I can make it, Mortie.”
“Do try. When will the photographer come?”
“Next week some time, Mortie, during her class.” He started away and turned and said, “How were her drawings, anyway?”
“Eh? Oh, they were competent. But very constricted. Tight little exercises, as if her darling little knuckles were bone white when she did them, and she bit her lip until it bled. Absolutely virginal, actually.” Mortie giggled. “But, gracious, that certainly isn’t accurate!”
Until Jimmy Wing had driven a few blocks, the steering wheel of his car was so hot he had to keep shifting the position of his hands. It was too late for a chess game with Haas. He drove out to Cable Key, showered and changed and had time for a beer before driving to the Halleys to see Kat.
Ten
Except for the foundation pilings and the post and beam frame, trued and bolted, Ross and Jackie Halley had built their house themselves. It was an oblong eighty feet long and thirty feet wide, set on slender pilings which raised it four or five feet above raked shell. It was on a small bay-front lot, and was nested so closely against a fringe of water oak and mangrove that the highest tides came up under the structure. It had a big roofed redwood deck on the water side, looking out toward Grassy Bay, and an unroofed deck on the other side, facing the parking area. The central part of the structure was one big living area, with a kitchen island in the middle completely encircled by a bar. The bedroom and bath were to the left, and Ross’s studio was to the right.
From the parking area the whole side of the building was alternating rectangles of fixed glass, glass jalousies, and panels painted chalk blue, yellow-white and coral.
As soon as Kat had stopped the car, Roy and Alicia piled out, yelping and running toward Jackie’s fond loud greeting. She was good with children, and Kat knew how desperately disappointed they were to be unable to have any.
“Go climb into the stuff Ross laid out on my bed, Kat, then yell for the mahster. I’m putting your brats to work. We’re going oystering. The one that gets the biggest one gets to wear the straw sombrero.”
Kat went into the bedroom and changed into the fussy yellow blouse and wide vivid skirt. When she called Ross, he came out of the studio with camera and sketch pad. “Hi, Lady Kat. Mmmm. Just about right.”
“This shade of yellow makes me look like death.”
“I don’t want it for the color, m’am.”
“Hair?”
“As is, I think. No, you better sleek it back a little. Give me more ears.”
“I’ve got horrible ears.”
“I’ve got a whole file drawer full of ears.”
Smiling, she went and fixed her hair. Ross took her out into the side yard and had her sit in a garden chair under the shade of a punk tree. He squatted on the corner of the deck above her and had her move the chair a few times until the angle was right and the play of light and shadow was what he wanted. He was a square quick man with a metallic voice, a tall black brush cut which looked dense and harsh as a nylon brush, a solid bar of black eyebrow, little black shoe-button eyes.
“Little more toward me. Chin up. You’re looking up at a guy you didn’t expect to see, but you’re glad to see him. And you’re going to get out of the chair. Lean just a little forward. Okay. Now start to reach out a little with the right hand. Okay. Chin higher. Okay. Not so much smile. Okay. Pull your feet back a little. Okay.”
The camera ticked. Ross perspired in the sun. He changed angles slightly. He took two rolls of film, then made a few quick free sketches of details. After they went back into the house, he paid her in cash and she signed a receipt form. Jackie came back with the children, and a bucket of oysters. After Kat had changed back into her sun dress, she found that Ross had gone back out onto the oyster bar with the children.
“Can he take the time off to mind those two?” Kat asked.
“Heck, he’s way ahead of the art directors for a change. Let’s get going on our gals. I got the file out last night. Take turns? Here’s your stack. I’ll go first.”
By five o’clock on that Saturday afternoon, Kat Hubble and Jackie Halley were depressed and concerned. They sat on stools at the kitchen bar, the phone between them, their file cards and notes in front of them. Roy and Alicia were out at the end of the Halleys’ narrow dock, catching bait fish on tiny hooks and putting them in the bait well of Ross’s old skiff at the customary rate of two cents a fish.
Ross came out of his studio into the living room and said, “I developed the roll of black and white, Kat. It’s fine. Hey, are you two about to break into tears or something?”
“Shuck the oysters, dear,” Jackie said in a weary voice.
“Shuck the oysters, please, dear,” he corrected. “Where’s the oyster knife?”
“Please, then. Where it always is.”
“Hey, Ross, we got eleven!” Roy yelled.
“Good work, men! What’s with you sad ladies anyhow?”
“We’re not scoring so well,” Jackie said.
“Some of our best gals won’t do it this time,” Kat said.
“Word seems to have gotten around,” Jackie explained.
“They don’t even want to be members any more.”
“Twelve!” Alicia yelled.
“Just one card left?” Jackie said. “Go ahead, dear. Who is it?”
“Donna Armstrong.”
“Hmmm. Whose husband happens to be a car dealer,” Jackie said. She laughed bitterly. “Make three guesses. Go ahead.”
Kat dialed. “Donna? This is Kat Hubble. The S.O.B.’s are declaring a state of emergency, and we’re calling you back onto active duty. What? Yes, it’s Grassy Bay again. How did you know? Oh, I see. Well, you will help us...? I’d like to know, of course.”
Kat put her hand over the mouthpiece and looked hopelessly at Jackie and said, “She doesn’t want it filled, but...” She listened for a few more moments and then said, “We’ll miss you, Donna. You were so wonderful last time. But if Si really says you shouldn’t, I guess there isn’t much you can do. But please do ask him again, will you? And let us know if you can. Thank you, dear. I’m sorry too. ’Bye.”