McNally's luck Read Free

poinciana.
    "Right now it's beautiful," she said. Her voice was deep and resonant, totally unlike Laverne's girlish piping.
    "Oh yes," I said. " 'What is so rare as a day in June?' "
    She looked directly at me for the first time. "Keats?" she asked.
    "Lowell," I said, reflecting that though she might not know poetry, her pectorals were magnificent. "You're an excellent swimmer," I told her. "Do you compete?"
    "No," she said shortly. "There's no money in it. Do you swim?"
    "Wallow is more like it," I confessed.
    She nodded again, as if wallowing was to be expected from a chap who wore a teal polo shirt and madras slacks.
    "Laverne," she said, "I'd like to use the Porsche this afternoon. Can Leon drive me in?"
    Her sister pouted. "I want Leon to get busy on the silver; it's getting so tarnished." She turned to me. "Archy, the Porsche is at the garage in West Palm for a tune-up. They phoned that it's ready. Could you drive Meg in to pick it up?"
    "Of course," I said. "Delighted."
    "That's a good boy," she said. "Meg, Archy will drive you to the garage and you can use the Porsche all afternoon. How does that sound?"
    "Fine," the other woman said, expressing no gratitude to me. "I'll get dressed. I won't be long, Mr. McNally."
    "Listen, you two," Laverne said. "Enough of that 'Miss Trumble' and 'Mr. McNally' crap. Be nice. Make it Meg and Archy. Okay?"
    "Brilliant suggestion," I said.
    The sister gave me a frosty smile and headed for the house.
    "Don't mind her," Laverne advised me. "She's coming down off a heavy love affair that went sour."
    "Oh? What happened?"
    "It turned out the guy was married. Now she's in an 'All men should drop dead' mood. Treat her gently, Archy."
    "That's the way I always treat women who lift weights," I said. "Thank you for the drink, Laverne. Please call me at my office or home if you hear from the catnappers. And I'll let you know if I learn anything about Peaches."
    "I don't much care," she said, "but when Harry is miserable he makes sure everyone is miserable, if you know what I mean. So find that lousy cat, will you."
    I bid her adieu and was standing next to the Miata puffing my first English Oval of the day when Meg Trumble came striding from the house. She was wearing a tank dress of saffron linen, and I saw again how slender and muscled she was. Her bare arms and legs were lightly tanned, and she had the carriage of a duchess-a nubile duchess.
    I gave her the 100-watt smile I call my Super-charmer. My Jumbocharmer hits 150, but I didn't want to unnerve her. "You look absolutely lovely," I said.
    "I would prefer you didn't smoke," she said.
    I could have made a bitingly witty riposte and withered this haughty woman, but I did not lose the famed McNally cool. "Of course," I said, flicked my fag at a dwarf palm, and wondered why I had agreed to chauffeur Ms. Cactus.
    We headed north on Ocean Boulevard, and when we passed the McNally home, I jerked my thumb. "My digs," I said.
    She turned to stare. "Big," she said.
    "I live with my parents," I explained, "with room enough for my sister and her brood when they come to visit. Laverne tells me you're thinking of moving down here."
    "Possibly," she said.
    And that was the extent of our conversation. Ordinarily I am a talkative chap, enjoying the give-and-take of lively repartee, especially with a companion of the female persuasion. But Meg Trumble seemed in an uncommunicative mood. Perhaps she believed still waters run deep. Pshaw! Still waters run stupid.
    Then we were in West Palm Beach, nearing our destination when, staring straight ahead, she suddenly spoke. "I'm sorry," she said.
    What a shock that was! Not only was she making a two-word speech, but she was actually apologizing. The Ice Maiden had begun to melt.
    "Sorry about what?" I asked.
    "I'm in such a grumpy mood," she said. "But that's no reason to make you suffer. Please pardon me."
    If I had accepted that with a nod of forgiveness and said no more, I would have saved a number of people