AZOTUSLAND Chapter Sixty-Eight

Alice did some sketches and suggested a long trough be built with one small slotted groove and the other flatter to be filled with beach pebbles and glass. The long slope down would empty into a medium sized pool with a filteration system at the medway part of the long path on the North side.

It was not a path often used, but there were tables, and with the addtional features Jim felt Alice was right in seeing it as a new attraction. From the pool at midway, it would spill over three small spillways into a continuation of the same slotted groove and the other two which spilled over another 100 yards of pebbles and glass to the bottom pool. From there the water would be pumped back up thorugh pipes to the top and recycled.

The triangular area inbetween was half covered by an ancient oak and Alice thought that there was enough sun to place some smaller Japanese elms, ground cover, some iron art and her signature lighted crystal art in the center.

"What's the long slotted thing for?" Jim asked.

Alice played with him. "You mean this?" pointing to the diagram. "Where it ramps around the middle pool and slopes down the long drive home?"

Jim sensed he was being fucked with. "Yes."

"That's for your balls Jim," she laughed.

Remembering the Mousetrap crochet golf Jim just doubled over.

When he stopped laughing he said "okay, okay...yes..leave it in. How much?"

"I'll come in at $22k. But I need fifteen k of it up front."

"Okay, come upstairs and I will write you a check you can cash today."

***********

Detective Voloslovky was not pleased as he reviewed the letters. He didn't necessarily doubt that Rnonymous might be the Broyon woman, but her last note seemed to point to the two men as potential culprits. But what was their motive?

He decided to call on a few of the folks Jim had given him numbers for. The first was Delphia Gabriel. He knew from brief interviews that she and Jacob had been an item.

That afternoon Hans had scheduled two appointments. One was with Rachel Williams, the other with Dirk Cateson. Both were excellent candidates and Jim thought that perhaps one would work out running Azotus here and the other might be potential material for Santa Cruz, or San Francisco. He thought of Roo as Bostonian. She had the stuff.

Maugham was done in Silo One obcessing over details. Jim came in and asked how it was going.

"I have setup identities, photos, answers and various background details that are not at all related," Maugham said.

"So are you having any fun yet?"

"Nope," but I will when it's over.

"How's your writing coming along?"

"Oh I took a month off," Maugham said. "They are re-running old pieces from The Coffeehouse Diaries."

"Well I've got an interview or two the next hour or so. Let's catch up when that's done."

Jim left up the stairs and signalled to Hans to give him five minutes.

Jim's phone rang and it was Delphia. "I'm a little disappointed in you," she said.

Jim kicked his desk. "I'm sorry Del," he said. "I spaced."

"Yeah, well I'm gonna tell the policeman all about it," she chided.

"Called ya huh?"

"Yeah. He'll be here in an hour."

"All I told him was you knew each other and that were a regular here. Figured you can tell him what ya like. Personally, I'd tell him everything."

"I'll tell him you stand up beautiful sexy women," she said.

"Yes, on occasion," said Jim. "But always to my own detriment."

*******

Dirk Cateson was ushered into Jim's office at 1:00 p.m. sharp by Hans, who had suddenly taken to wearing a dressed shirt and tie.

He shook Dirk's hand and welcomed him to sit down then called after Hans. "Nice tie Hans."

"Sank you Jim," Hans said.

Dirk was new to the area from Fresno and had good manmagement experience. He had a degree in history and Jim asked him what his speciality was. The interview veered off from there, but Jim was more interested in the man and how versatile he could be.

Dirk had studied Russian literature and they had a nice chat about Pasternak. Jim asked if Dirk had read Thomas Merton's long essay on Doctor Zhivago, and Dirk admitted he didn't even know it existed but that he had, of course, heard of Merton.

Jim walked over to the bookshelves and selected the book of essays called Disputed Questions and gave it to Dirk. "I'd like to loan this to you. It's germaine to our discussion and you will enjoy it."

Dirk was surprised. "Thanks. Does this mean I get the job?"

"Well, not yet, but it does signal I am interested. But it's not a test Dirk, just a friendly gesture among two who enjoy Russian literature," Jim said. "Maybe someday you can help me get through Doestchevsky. I was spoiled by Tolstoy."

Dirk smiled and Jim asked, "How would you feel about relocating?"

"It would depend on where. Remember I just moved here from Fresno."

"Good point. What about someplace like Santa Cruz or San Francisco?"

Then Jim revealed what he was thinking as Dirk's interest grew even more intense.

*********

At 2 p.m. Hans ushered Ms. Williams into the room. Jim was a bit taken back. The last time he had met her she had her hair tied back straight and had wore a frumpy shirt. Today she was dressed in black jeans and a shoulderless black top and her long dark hair came down over her shoulders.

She was stunning and after Hans had departed she did not take a chair, she simply walked over to the bookcases and started to look.

"You're an interesting man Jim," she said to the bookcases. Jim sat in his chair and watched her. She was tall, like him, and he caught himself in a less than professional thought and shook it off.

She picked up a Loeb classic...Caesar's Gallic Wars and turned to Jim and said "Do you know how many extant manuscripts of Caesar's Gallic Wars were used to make this translation?"

Jim almost swooned but held it together.

"Er, seven?"

"Exactly" she said. Then she put it back and walked over and sat across from Jim.

"I'm all yours," she said.

*********

Maugham had hardly slept in two days. Martine had come down and brought him some food and He had only left to stop in at the IC and give Andy a list of words to do searches on. He had not called him "troll" and he patted him on the back, told him the yard looked nice and had actually thanked him.

Andy reconsidered puting him back on his considerable Christmas card list.

Jeremy say up at the stone table and wrote about girldfriend version 18.3. She had been snooty and alook and he had simply melted her by walking up, sitting down and saying to her "You are not funny enough to be with me."

In late afternoon Jim came in and got an update from Maugham. Then he asked him to make some calls and make sure Ms. Williams' references all checked out.

"Saw her walking in," Maugham grinned. "Yer type."

"Hasn't my 'type' gotten us into quite enough trouble?"

"Just saying..." he raised an eyebrow.

"Least of my concerns," Jim feigned. "But I do think she would be perfect to run Azotus, in time."

"What about the other guy?"

"Like him too. Here's his resume. Same deal."

"World domination Jim?"

"Only with you at my side Maug," he said and left.

That evening he had a quiet dinner in Silo 3 with Sabine and Matisse. Manfred was serving and had, in the back room, eated more than his fair share.

After dinner, while Matisse drew fishes he and Sabine talked.

"I am making a lot of changes," he said.

"You always say that Jim," she said.

"Yes well there is a great deal of evidence," he said.

"You know, you always exaggerate" she said.

"Yes, and you never do," he replied.

"What's the joke?" Matisse asked bounding over. They had been laughing at the exchange for well over a minute and each time they looked at each other it got funnier.

"God, we are nerds," he said to Sabine. Then he turned to Matisse and hugged her and said "We'll be back in a few minutes Pumpkin. We'll just be next door. I have something to show your mom."