Read Online Dead Letter (Digger) by Warren Murphy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Warren Murphy
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eyes sparkled and her long fine hair cascaded loosely around her shoulders. She had wonderful cheekbones and Digger felt himself wishing, just for a moment, that she wasn’t the daughter of his boss and friend, because he would take a run at her in a wink. It must drive the big jock studs on campus crazy to know she preferred to hang around with little Danny Gilligan. What jock studs, he asked himself. Competitive ballet?
When Digger slid onto the seat across from them, Allie reached across the table and squeezed his hand in hers.
"How are you feeling?" he said.
"I’m all right now. Danny kept me together."
Digger nodded at the young man, who seemed to blush.
A waitress who might have graced Attila’s field kitchen lumbered into view.
"You gonna have eats?" she asked Digger. "They already ordered."
Digger glanced at the signs over the counter.
"What’s a Boston omelet?" he asked.
"Eggs and beans," she said.
"I’ll have toast and coffee," Digger said.
She snorted and stomped off.
"Always ask what’s in a dish you order in a restaurant. ’Cause they’re always trying to sneak eggplant past you," Digger said.
Allie giggled.
"Did you hear anything more about the accident?" Digger asked.
"We met that creep John Paul when we were leaving the dorm," Allie said. "But he didn’t know any more than you did. He said he heard it on the radio."
"So did I," Digger said.
"That isn’t all he said," Gilligan said.
"Oh, forget it," said Allie. "He was just talking to hear himself talk."
"No, don’t forget it," Digger said. "What’d he say?"
"He called Allie a siren and said she had the touch of death, luring men to their doom. He told me that I better be careful, hanging out with her, because she was fatal."
"He’s a shit," Digger said.
"That’s what I told him." The young man looked down at his coffee. "Mister Burroughs, do you know how I wish I was as big as you are? For just a couple of hours?"
What do you say to that, Digger wondered. He just nodded his head slightly.
Allie leaned over and kissed Gilligan on the cheek. "Danny," she said, "you’re more man than I can handle now. If there were any more of you, I don’t know how I’d live with it."
Digger was silent, watching them. He wanted to tell young Gilligan, enjoy it, love her now, enjoy her love now, because it doesn’t have a chance. She’s going to graduate this place in a week and so are you. You’re going to go your separate ways—she’s going to find out what the world is like. Before you know it, that smile will be gone from her face, and she’ll be hard and bitter like the rest of them. She’ll wind up marrying somebody because he looks right, or she’ll become one of the beautiful people and spend her time shopping. Innocence like that doesn’t last in the world, he wanted to say. There are just too many barracudas out there, and they’re just waiting to bite that smile from her face. Enjoy it while it’s yours, but don’t plan for tomorrow.
As he watched, the shoulders of the young man seemed to lift and his expression grew warmer. Frank Stevens’s daughter was marvelous, Digger thought. She was not only happy herself, but she radiated happiness like a fire radiated warmth. She turned to Digger, her eyes glistened as if she had taken strength from the young man by giving him strength. It was almost frightening; she was like an elemental force.
"I feel awful about Professor Redwing," she said.
"It wasn’t your fault," Digger said. "You shouldn’t feel anything without some information to feel something about."
"I guess you’re right," she said. "So what’s next?"
"I think you ought to go home," Digger said.
His statement wiped the smile abruptly from her face. "Not a chance," she said. "I’ve got finals this week and I’m not going to miss them for anything." He saw her reach under the table and squeeze Gilligan’s hand.
"You’re talking about finals," Digger said, "and I’m talking about something that
When Digger slid onto the seat across from them, Allie reached across the table and squeezed his hand in hers.
"How are you feeling?" he said.
"I’m all right now. Danny kept me together."
Digger nodded at the young man, who seemed to blush.
A waitress who might have graced Attila’s field kitchen lumbered into view.
"You gonna have eats?" she asked Digger. "They already ordered."
Digger glanced at the signs over the counter.
"What’s a Boston omelet?" he asked.
"Eggs and beans," she said.
"I’ll have toast and coffee," Digger said.
She snorted and stomped off.
"Always ask what’s in a dish you order in a restaurant. ’Cause they’re always trying to sneak eggplant past you," Digger said.
Allie giggled.
"Did you hear anything more about the accident?" Digger asked.
"We met that creep John Paul when we were leaving the dorm," Allie said. "But he didn’t know any more than you did. He said he heard it on the radio."
"So did I," Digger said.
"That isn’t all he said," Gilligan said.
"Oh, forget it," said Allie. "He was just talking to hear himself talk."
"No, don’t forget it," Digger said. "What’d he say?"
"He called Allie a siren and said she had the touch of death, luring men to their doom. He told me that I better be careful, hanging out with her, because she was fatal."
"He’s a shit," Digger said.
"That’s what I told him." The young man looked down at his coffee. "Mister Burroughs, do you know how I wish I was as big as you are? For just a couple of hours?"
What do you say to that, Digger wondered. He just nodded his head slightly.
Allie leaned over and kissed Gilligan on the cheek. "Danny," she said, "you’re more man than I can handle now. If there were any more of you, I don’t know how I’d live with it."
Digger was silent, watching them. He wanted to tell young Gilligan, enjoy it, love her now, enjoy her love now, because it doesn’t have a chance. She’s going to graduate this place in a week and so are you. You’re going to go your separate ways—she’s going to find out what the world is like. Before you know it, that smile will be gone from her face, and she’ll be hard and bitter like the rest of them. She’ll wind up marrying somebody because he looks right, or she’ll become one of the beautiful people and spend her time shopping. Innocence like that doesn’t last in the world, he wanted to say. There are just too many barracudas out there, and they’re just waiting to bite that smile from her face. Enjoy it while it’s yours, but don’t plan for tomorrow.
As he watched, the shoulders of the young man seemed to lift and his expression grew warmer. Frank Stevens’s daughter was marvelous, Digger thought. She was not only happy herself, but she radiated happiness like a fire radiated warmth. She turned to Digger, her eyes glistened as if she had taken strength from the young man by giving him strength. It was almost frightening; she was like an elemental force.
"I feel awful about Professor Redwing," she said.
"It wasn’t your fault," Digger said. "You shouldn’t feel anything without some information to feel something about."
"I guess you’re right," she said. "So what’s next?"
"I think you ought to go home," Digger said.
His statement wiped the smile abruptly from her face. "Not a chance," she said. "I’ve got finals this week and I’m not going to miss them for anything." He saw her reach under the table and squeeze Gilligan’s hand.
"You’re talking about finals," Digger said, "and I’m talking about something that
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