The Good Die Twice Read Free

contributed his black leather sofa, love seat, and
entertainment center. She did have a television set and VCR, but
only after her grandmother had discovered educational tapes that
her granddaughter could use. The earth-toned area rugs and Sara’s
bed were the only items she had kept after her grandmother
died.
    Simon did a slow
three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn as he surveyed the converted
dealer showroom. “This sure beats that apartment and office of
yours.”
    “You’ve got that right.” Dagger stood up and
stretched his tall, lean body. His features were chiseled with dark
eyes set deep and a continuous five o’clock shadow. He had muscular
arms and workman’s hands, which were callused and rough. Dagger had
already started work on the Florida room he was adding to Sara’s
house.
    “Is that an electrified gate you got out
front?”
    “Should be. But it’s just a monitored gate
that we can open remotely. Too many people think this property is a
nature walk open to the public.”
    Simon sauntered over to the doorway to
Einstein’s room. “What a set-up. Ya like your new home, Einstein?”
Einstein bobbed his head up and down and shrieked. “I guess you do.
You’ve got a swing, climbing ropes.” He looked at the tall tree on
one side of the room. “It looks like a goddamn rain forest in
here.”
    “That’s the idea. We wanted Einstein to feel
at home.”
    “Humidity must play havoc with your
computer.”
    “Sometimes. But when it gets too warm, we
just close Einstein off in his room and turn on the air.”
    Simon gazed through the large plate glass
windows at the property which extended as far as he could see.
“Three hundred acres of reservation land out there, huh?”
    “With a stream, a lot of natural preserve,
open prairie, and a few bluffs overlooking a fishing stream.”
    “Damn.” Simon did another slow survey of the
living areas, the wall of bookcases, and the aviary. “So this was
going to be an auto dealership.”
    “Pretty fortunate for Sara’s grandparents.
They didn’t have to build a house. Once it was revealed the land
shouldn’t have been sold to the dealer, the building was left as
is.” Dagger nodded toward the aviary. “That was supposed to be the
service area. It already had the plumbing for washing cars.”
    “I like those government boys. Always on top
of things,” Simon chuckled. “But why such a long driveway?”
    Dagger leaned against the paneled wall, legs
crossed at the ankles. “The dealership had planned to position the
new and used car lots closer to the road to entice shoppers. So
they set the building back a couple hundred feet.” Dagger asked,
“Did you have any trouble getting your route changed?”
    “Nope. Seniority has its upside. Besides, you
shouldn’t be trottin’ off to your post office box every day. And
it’s a good thing I’m your mailman, too. Who else would understand
all this Soldier of Fortune, Mercenary Today, Spy Network magazines you get?”
    “Nowadays, everyone with Y2K-phobia
subscribes to these magazines.”
    “Yeah, but that mercenary school in Kentucky
you attended still has you on their mailing list. What are they
teaching now? How to look like that Saddam Whozzits in fifteen
days?”
    Einstein flew to the catwalk railing.
“SQUAWK, GUGE, GONJI, KILL STRIKE, UZI, MI-FORTY SEVEN...”
    “Hey.” Dagger pointed a finger at Einstein.
“Put a clamp on it.”
    Einstein turned and ruffled his feathers at
Dagger.
    “See,” Simon motioned toward the macaw. “Even
the bird remembers the weapons and all those deadly self-defense
courses you took.”
    Dagger handed some of the mail back to Simon
saying, “Do me a favor and mark these Return to Sender. I’m more
into Tai Chi these days.”
    Simon rubbed a hand through his graying Afro
and took the mail from Dagger. He let his gaze drift toward the
kitchen. “How’s the little lady? Is she getting used to her
grandmother’s passing?”
    Dagger followed his gaze. “Some