OUT ON A LIMB Read Free Page B

greedy men who would eradicate the intrinsic essence of nature in order to build tacky condominiums?”
    I refused to be distracted by her Utopian manifesto. “Miss Parchester, your heart may be righteous, but it’s going to be cold tonight. At best, you can delay the bulldozers by a few days. The deer and the antelope are going to have to play somewhere else sooner or later.”
    “Then it shall be later. Lemon and sugar?”
    “You’ll be arrested for trespassing.”
    “So be it. Papa always admired those who availed themselves of civil disobedience when no other options were left. If I am physically removed, I shall be kicking and screaming. Finnigan has assured me that legal assistance will be available.” She glanced down at the protesters. “He has also assured me that should this developer choose to have me forcibly removed, national media will be on hand to record the brutality. It’s quite likely I shall have a heart attack.”
    “Miss Parchester—” I gurgled.
    “Or perhaps a stroke,” she added. “I haven’t decided which might be more effective. In either case, the film clip of an old woman being dragged to the ground will be the lead story on every channel. Finnigan has been in touch with the major cable news channels. CNN has promised to send a crew in the next few days, as have its competitors.”
    I accepted a cup of tea from the Mad Hatter. “So you volunteered because of the potential publicity factor?”
    “I’ve never underestimated you, dear.”
    She began to stir her tea as if she and I were sitting in her parlor, surrounded by piles of ancient yearbooks and yellowed newspaper clippings trumpeting her papa’s accomplishments in the courtroom. Below us, voices were belligerent as opposing parties debated the issue. Luanne and Finnigan Baybergen were in each other’s faces; I couldn’t hear the exchange, but I could see it was not amicable. The rednecks were no longer present, although I was not at all confident they were gone for the night
    “Miss Parchester,” I said without much hope, “it’s dangerous for you to sleep here. The temperature’s going to drop to forty, maybe lower. If you should happen to wake up and not realize where you are, you might—”
    “I am linked to my tree,” she said as she held out her ankle so I could see the cuff attached to a chain that wrapped around the trunk of the tree. “I suppose I might take a misstep and dangle, but I cannot fall all the way to the ground. It may well be uncomfortable, but Finnigan has the key.”
    The tea turned to acid in my mouth. “If you fall off the platform, only Finnigan can release you? You’ll swing by your ankle until he rescues you?”
    “Like a pendulum,” she agreed with a giggle.
    It took me a moment to respond. “And he will be here all night, right?”
    “I shouldn’t think so. He and the other members of the Green Party will stay until the media and sightseers leave. After that, I shall crawl into my sleeping bag and watch the moonlight through the branches. The whip poorwills will keep me company until dawn breaks.”
    “But what if…” I said weakly. The platform was ten feet above the ground. The image of her taking a tumble and then swinging helplessly made my stomach churn. I wasn’t sure exactly how old she was, but I had no doubt she was too old to take up this newly created gymnastic event. “If you should fall…”
    “Then I shall be a martyr, and Anthony Armstrong will never find the nerve to destroy this tree and those around it. The public outcry will be too much for him. I would rather have this vibrant stand of oak trees than a cold marble slab in a cemetery. A tasteful plaque would be nice, perhaps at the base of the tree. Bronze, I think.”
    She might be able to think, but I certainly wasn’t. I finished my tea, then said, “Is there any chance I can talk you out of this? What about your dogs? Who’ll look after them?”
    “Nick and Nora are staying at my niece’s