Claire Gulliver #02 - Washington Weirdos Read online

  “I was admiring the flowers as I came through but frankly these vegetables take my breath away.”

  He was pleased and took a few minutes to show her the herbs as well as to point to the back end of the garden where fruit trees grew. “They use all this for the house. Cook likes her produce fresh. She picks what she wants herself. I’ve been fortunate enough to taste her work and can attest to the fact she is a master chef.”

  Claire nodded. “I sampled her work last night.” Then she smiled, remembering. “Of course, little Amy says her grandmother is the best cook. Apparently she makes great fish sticks.”

  Percy’s grin matched hers. “That little Amy is something, isn’t she? I’m surprised I haven’t seen her this morning. She usually likes to work with me while I’m here. She has her own row of carrots over there but she has to keep pulling one up to see if it’s grown. I came back and planted some more for her a couple of times while she wasn’t looking, but I can’t keep ahead of her. She has a few left that may get big enough for her to have at dinner.”

  They chatted about the gardens for a few more minutes and then Claire was off again. Tuffy led, confidently heading into the thick woods surrounding the estate, anxious to explore the delights waiting in the trees.

  The thick woods muted all sounds but the birds and scolding squirrels. It was like another world, yet Claire knew she was only a short distance from the house. She assumed this was originally a bridle trail because Percy had told her the garages had been converted from extensive stables after the Lickmans’ daughter had grown. The sunlight forced its way through the thick foliage to pleasantly dapple the path. Tuffy emerged from the brush, panting with enthusiasm, his nose covered with dirt. He had twigs and grass caught in his hair.

  “Well, where have you been?” She scolded lightly, “Up to no good I’d bet.” He barked and turned around to jauntily lead the way. When the path branched he took the right fork which led them out by the tennis courts.

  “Claire, Tuffy! There you are. Gramimi said I could come and see if you wanted to have breakfast with me.” Amy was full of bounce even so early in the day.

  “What a good idea. Have you been up long?”

  “Forever. But JoJo just didn’t want to get up, so I finally came down without her.” She bent over to hug Tuffy. “How are you this morning, Tuffy? Did you sleep well?” She sounded just like her grandmother.

  “Come on and I’ll race you to the house,” she challenged already running toward the house. The dog quickly took the lead and Claire, with a laugh, followed. She had forgotten the joy of racing all out across the lawn on a beautiful morning.

  MiMi laid down the paper when they arrived in the solarium. “Well, you all look as if you had a nice walk.”

  At first Claire tried to hide her gasps, but finally gave it up; she was much older than Amy, who wasn’t even breathing hard. She collapsed in a chair and breathed deeply until she could answer. “It’s beautiful out and the garden is wonderful. Are you the gardener?”

  MiMi smiled. “It’s a joint effort really. David and I both have our favorites. Then cook has her requirements.” She laughed. “And, of course, Percy has the final say.”

  “I met him. He says he’s getting a head start on the preparations for Saturday.”

  MiMi nodded, reaching out to help Amy pour milk into the bowl of oatmeal, which had just been put in front of her.

  “Careful, dear, not too full.” Disaster averted, she looked back at Claire. “We’re so lucky to have him. He doesn’t do much gardening anymore. But we were his first clients, so he takes a personal interest in our grounds. All his workers are as committed as he is and they do wonderful work. You’ll see his boys Saturday. They will be here to park the cars for all the guests. It was our lucky day when he came to work for us.”

  Claire’s breathing had completely recovered, so she stood and helped herself to some toast and fruit.

  “Don’t you want something more substantial?” MiMi suggested. “Just push the button for the kitchen.”

  “No, if we’re going to lunch, this will be plenty until then. Thanks anyway.” She glanced at her watch. “What time will we be going out?”

  JoJo, came into the solarium, still looking bleary-eyed.“Good morning, pumpkin. Still a little sleepy?” her grandmother inquired.

  She nodded, helped herself to a glass of orange juice, pressed the button and asked for oatmeal and then sat down at the table.

  “Amy, you made too much noise this morning,” she accused in a grouchy tone.

  “Did not!”

  “Did so! I wanted to sleep longer.”

  “Girls, girls. Be nice. Claire and I were just talking about going out today. We’re going to Annapolis and we’ll have lunch there. Do you want to go with us?”

  They both nodded enthusiastically.

  “Then be ready by eleven, all right? We’re having company this evening, so you’ll be having dinner upstairs tonight.” She smiled at their disappointed faces. “But we’ll get a movie for you to watch after you eat. You can pick it while we’re in town.”

  * * *

  Claire didn’t think she had fallen asleep but when the shadow came between her and the sun, it disturbed her and she was suddenly aware the girls had gone.

  “Be careful you don’t get too much sun.”

  She struggled to sit up, certain her mouth had been gaping, wondering with horror if she had been drooling. “Jack. When did you get here?”

  “About an hour ago. When I saw you were still out here, I thought I’d better warn you.”

  She poked her finger on her arm and seeing the white spot it left, she pulled on her shirt. “Thanks, I think I’m almost cooked. I didn’t realize how tired I was. Those little girls wore me out today. First Amy had to race me back to breakfast, then they had to look in every store in Annapolis for just the right present for one of their friends, and finally I had to swim laps with them this afternoon.”

  “I guess you don’t know the secret word?” He laughed at her puzzled expression. “You know the word? No!”

  She laughed. “Well, why didn’t I think of that? At the time it didn’t seem to be one of the choices.” She started gathering up her belongings. “I’d better go in and get cleaned up.”

  He walked beside her as she headed for the house. “I thought maybe we could meet tomorrow afternoon and do the Vietnam Memorial, the Korean Memorial and then have dinner. How does that sound?”

  “Good. It sounds good.” She glanced at him thoughtfully. “You know, I really didn’t expect to see you again. I guess I’m still a little surprised.”

  “What? You didn’t get my postcards?”

  “Ah. I thought they were from you. But you didn’t sign them.”

  “Well, I’m used to being secretive. I figured you’d know who sent them.”

  She nodded, “I did.”

  “Well, I just wanted to keep in touch. I’m not very good at that, but you know it’s because of my job... well, it’s hard to have a relationship. Anyway, that’s why when I found out we were both going to be here, I thought it was destiny intervening. I was hoping we could get to know each other a little better.”

  “Starting with your name?”

  He grinned. “You have the right one, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be using it the next time you see me.”

  She looked at him seeing the serious expression in his eyes, despite the grin on his face. “I see.” Just then they reached the house. “I need to get cleaned up for dinner. Can we discuss the details about tomorrow later?”

  She headed for the back stairs and her room thinking about what he had said. So Jack had sent those postcards. When the first one arrived, the innocuous message gave no clue as to who sent it, only saying the person was thinking of her. That one had been mailed from Paris. The second and third had been mailed from other towns, Dover and Amsterdam. Claire hadn’t given the first one much thought, as many of her customers sent postcards and some even forgot to sign them. Wh
en the second and third arrived with the same unique scroll, she had a strange feeling they might be from Jack. But she had scolded herself for being a romantic; telling herself a relationship wasn’t going to happen. And it wasn’t. But she was glad to see him again and she would enjoy his company tomorrow.

  * * *

  Claire thought the parlor was empty when Neil spoke. “Good evening, Ms. Gulliver. How was your day?” He was standing in a shadow near one of the French windows opening onto the terrace.

  She smiled. “Please call me Claire. And thank you for asking. I had a very pleasant day. I think it was a good choice to come out here. I’m enjoying the Lickmans and especially their granddaughters.”

  “Can I get you a drink?”

  She nodded. “White wine, please.” Then accepting a glass from him she asked, “Where is everyone?”

  He shrugged. “David went up to see the girls and get changed, and the others are around. Probably they haven’t finished their inspection yet. Would you care to sit?” He indicated a seating group behind her.

  “Actually, I’m glad to have a little time with you alone, Claire. I wanted to talk to you a bit. You know? Get to know you better. I see you’re wearing the watch. I hope you like it. We decided it was something you could wear as a reminder of our appreciation, without calling undue attention to you.”

  She nodded, holding her wrist out to admire it once again. “I love it. It’s far more than I would ever have anticipated. This trip was more than I anticipated. Vantage is a very special company. I’m sure there aren’t many companies in this day which take a personal interest in situations like this.”

  He agreed. “I believe Vantage is truly a unique organization. That’s why I was thrilled to be invited to join them. And, of course, that is one of the reasons I’m dedicated to managing them. I want to ensure they maintain those same qualities even after David retires.”

  “Oh, will he be retiring soon?”

  “Too soon, if you ask me.” His smile was tight. “Actually, he had planned to retire at the beginning of last year but then had second thoughts. Can’t say as I blame him. He’s in great shape; the company is going strong, and he loves his job. So why not work a few more years?”

  “Especially when I have Neil doing the hard work for me, hey Neil?” David Lickman headed directly for the bar set out on a cart in the corner.

  Neil lifted his glass in a salute. “Glad to be some use to you. It’s a privilege to work with a genius like David. Hopefully, we’ll be working together for many more years.”

  “Well, not too many. After all MiMi and I want to do a few things while we’re still young enough. And I know Neil well enough to know he won’t be willing to wait forever, right?” He winked at Claire. “Neil’s ambitious, of course. That’s one of the reasons we wanted him. It won’t do to keep him in second place too long, or he’s liable to get antsy.”

  Neil nodded his agreement.

  “But things will come, when the time is right.” David turned to Claire. “And how did your day go?”

  She smiled. “I don’t know how MiMi keeps up with those girls. They wore me out. It makes me wonder if I should have had some of my own.”

  “Oh, oh, trust me on this, Claire. It’s much easier to be a grandparent or an aunt. A fulltime diet takes all your time and energy for about twenty years and that’s 24-7, as they say now. MiMi and I really enjoy the grandchildren in a way we couldn’t our daughter. She says we spoil them but we just enjoy them. And we don’t have to be responsible for raising them. So we love them, spoil them and then give them back to their parents until the next time. And, as soon as they leave, we collapse for a while until we get our energy back.”

  “What’s that, dear? Are you telling our secrets?” MiMi arrived and Jack and Wiley were right behind her.

  It took a while before everyone had drinks. Then Mrs. Kramer came in and put an attractive tray of hors d’oeuvres down on a coffee table. Claire noticed that no one was talking about the serious issues, instead keeping the conversation on lighter subjects. So she didn’t ask any of the dozens of questions she had.

  David patted his pocket before reaching in to pull out a piece of paper. “Claire, I almost forgot. Suzanne sent you this.” He laughed. “Good thing I remembered or she’d be pinning a note on me like the kindergarten teacher did.”

  Claire glanced at the paper. It was an itinerary for the next day, starting at the Library of Congress, lunch with Marian Kirkpatrick, and then meeting Jack for the visit to the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials.

  She looked up with amazement. “How does she do this? How did she know Jack was taking me to the Vietnam Memorial tomorrow? And who is Marian Kirkpatrick?”

  “Amazing, isn’t she?” David nodded. “Actually, not so strange. I understand you told her about wanting to go to the Library and, of course, Jack talked to her about your schedule for tomorrow. Marian Kirkpatrick is our Director of Human Resources. You met her at the Board Meeting the other day. But I don’t know what lunch is about. Do you, Neil?” He looked at his protégé and seeing his headshake, he continued. “Well, if Suzanne scheduled it, there is a very good reason.”

  “Is the schedule all right with you, Claire? If it’s too much for one day or if you’d rather do other things, I’m sure Suzanne can adjust it for you.” MiMi’s concern was touching.

  “Are you kidding? I spent all day today trying to keep up with you and the girls; this will seem like a vacation.”

  When Mrs. Kramer appeared in the doorway to announce dinner, MiMi led them all into the small dining room. Cook had done herself proud. The salmon baked in a light pastry with fresh dill and lemon butter sauce was delightful. The vegetables and salad were more impressive to Claire now that she knew most of the ingredients were grown right outside the kitchen door.

  When they finished the English Trifle, loaded with rum and fresh fruit, and sat back to enjoy their coffee, the conversation turned to the more serious purpose of the dinner.

  “Well, David, we’ve done a thorough review of the security measures here, and I think we’re both satisfied with the plan. Jack made a couple of good suggestions to Charlie, and we all agree that we need to crank up our level of vigilance for a while. I’m sending a crew out to cover the house for the next week just as an abundance of caution. That way Charlie can stay close to you and Claire without worrying about the security here.”

  David nodded and MiMi looked relieved.

  “What about the party Saturday? The security won’t be obvious to the guests, will it?”

  “No, these guys will be unobtrusive. Most of them are off-duty police who do this kind of work a lot. We’ve used them before when we’ve had special projects. Some will dress so they look like guests while some will work with the valets to make sure all the guests are invited ones. I assume you’re using the same catering company?”

  At MiMi’s nod, Wiley continued. “I’ll have a word with them just for safety’s sake, but really, MiMi, don’t worry. We’re doing this so we don’t have to worry. If we thought there was imminent danger, we’d suggest you cancel the party. No one wants to risk your family or friends. Just think of us as party insurance.”

  MiMi nodded again, the worry now gone from her face. “I really appreciate your attention to this, Wiley. The Gala isn’t so important it couldn’t be cancelled, but it has become somewhat of a tradition. So I don’t want to cancel if I don’t have to. Really, you’ve made me feel so much better now.

  “And you talked to Percy and Mrs. Kramer?”

  Wiley nodded. “Everyone’s in the loop that needs to be. It will be a great party. My wife and I are looking forward to it as we do every year.” He shook his head with a dole look on his face. “Whoa, wouldn’t I just hear about it from her if I told her I made you cancel it. She’s been talking about what she’s going to wear for a month now.”

  “Well, Wiley, that sounds like you’re not taking your lady out dancing enough,” David interjected good-humoredly.
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br />   “Can’t; my boss keeps my nose to the grindstone.”

  Neil and David snorted their derision. “You’re the one. You love that office of yours.” Then they all laughed. They knew how it was when you worked at something you loved; it was hard to go home sometimes.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The Library of Congress was Mecca to librarians. And now Claire had made her pilgrimage. She remembered with embarrassment how before she opened the bookstore, she had spent years learning the routines and systems at the San Francisco Library, where she had worked for so long. Eventually she had almost become smug in her expertise. But that was nothing. This was the ultimate. This was what it was all about. This was the world’s largest library.

  Charlie had delivered her to the side door this morning just in time for her to join the VIP tour. After the tour she had been met by Amanda Myers, a friend of Suzanne Queensley, who took Claire into the inner-world of the library, introduced her to their process, the staff and the philosophy behind the Library of Congress. Claire couldn’t believe her good fortune. She never anticipated she would get such a personal view of the institution she and her colleagues had always regarded with such respect. And if its function wasn’t impressive enough the building was awe-inspiring. Each of the reading rooms available to visitors was spectacular, crowned by the Main Reading Room with its soaring domed ceiling, its marble columns and giant female figures dwarfing the reading desks available to researchers.

  The Great Hall she was crossing now, served no purpose that she could determine other than to impress the visitors with the importance of the building. The statuary, the columns, the stained glass skylights and the murals were only to please the senses, and she admitted they did. She glanced at her watch estimating she still had about forty-five minutes before she was to meet Marian Kirkpatrick at Neptune’s Fountain in front of the building.

  Her footsteps echoed loudly on the marble floor as Claire headed down the corridor to the room she had seen on her tour this morning. She had been surprised to learn there was an entire room devoted to Bob Hope’s jokes here in the Library. That room held a lifetime supply of funny quips. She needed to see them. She still remembered as a small child, sitting in front of the TV, laughing uncontrollably at his jokes. She didn’t know if she understood the humor or if she was joining her parents’ hilarity. Her father’s love of Bob Hope was one of her treasured memories. And so she had always admired him too.