One Hand On The Podium Read Online Free Page B

leaned to kiss it. “My, oh my, Spencer,” Moss smiled. “This woman is beautiful.”
    Mary looked at her husband in disbelief. Alex shrugged, somewhat puzzled as well by the colonel’s courtly behavior.
    “Spencer, my man, you have a gorgeous wife.” He didn’t look at Alex, but continued to gaze into Mary’s big brown eyes. “My dear, I am so sorry you had to wait in that cold, dark hallway. Here, have a seat on my couch. I’m sure you’ll find it to your liking.”
    Mary slipped her hand from the colonel’s grip, which had not loosened after his kiss. She tried not to show an interest in him, but found his debonair behavior and stately good looks intrigued her.
    “I’m sorry, Colonel, but we really have to get this done now,” Alex said. “Could you show us to the plane?”
    “Ah, well, I suppose. You’ve given me no choice. I don’t want to be accused of holding up this lovely creature’s honeymoon.”
    Mary smiled at Moss, and Alex shook his head in amazement over his transformation from a nasty old man to suave, sophisticated gentleman.
    “Is the plane here on this base, in one of those hangers outside by the airfield?” he asked, trying to get things moving.
    “No, it’s not here.”
    “It’s not here? I thought you said you brought it over from England?”
    “I did, but I didn’t bring it to this base. Hell, I was afraid some dumb fuck, Illinois boy might—” He stopped and shot a quick glance at Mary. “Excuse my gutter mouth, ma’am.” He turned back to Alex and continued. “I was afraid somebody might ship the thing off someplace and it would take me another ten years to find it again.”
    “You’re saying, then, it’s not here on the base?”
    “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
    “Where is it?”
    “I’ll give you a map and a key. You can drive there. I have it stored away on an old farm not too far from here. It’s about twenty miles north east of the base. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding it if you follow the map.” He went over to his desk, opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of papers. He opened another drawer, rummaged around for a few seconds, then held up a large silver key and put that on the papers.
    Alex was confused. “You mean to tell me you have taken government property and moved it off the base?”
    “No, it was never on the base, Spencer.”
    “You really shouldn’t have done that.”
    “I thought you said you were going to help me.”
    “I will, but I don’t need any more surprises.”
    “It sure doesn’t take much to surprise you. Spencer, you have to promise you’ll return this map and key to me.”
    “We’ll bring them back by here when we’re done.”
    The colonel reached down to the desk, picked up the key and one of the folded up pieces of paper, put them in a brown, nine by twelve, envelope, then wrote the address on the front and handed it to Alex.
    “Here’s the key and map. This should get you there and back without any trouble. You are planning to drive up there this afternoon?”
    “Yes, we can be on our way in a few minutes if there isn’t anything else we need to know.”
    “No, that’s it.”
    “Good. I’ll be writing my report tonight which should get things rolling back in Washington. All you have to do is wait.”
    “How long?”
    “I’m not really sure. I figure it’ll just take a few weeks.”
    “Are you going to bring papers here for me to sign?”
    “No, that won’t be necessary. But we’ll return your key and map when we’re done today, on our way back to St. Louis.”
    “That sounds acceptable,” Moss said, nodding his head in approval. “I won’t be here, so just leave them here with my aide.”
    “Well, Mary,” Alex said, taking his bride by the hand, as he folded the envelope and stuck it in his inside jacket pocket, “I guess we can be on our way.”
    Alex and the colonel shook hands then the colonel moved toward Mary, took her free hand, and gave it another kiss, bidding her