Read Online Dragon Moon by Alan F. Troop - Free Book Online

the requisite gift for her parents. I’d made amends by promising and sending them twice Elizabeth’s weight in gold. This time I don’t want to risk any chance of their displeasure. Still, it pains me to give them so much.
    Certainly I’m not the first being to wish for more pleasant in-laws. But when I think of how unpleasant they’d been, I wish there were a way to pursue Chloe without dealing with them or rewarding them with any of my possessions.
    For Chloe, however, I’d part with all the contents of this chamber. I search the room, sift through the jewelry, hoping to find something that would thrill my future bride. I look for anything in the treasure room that might be equal to or compliment the simple emerald-and-gold, four-leaf-clover necklace that I first gave Elizabeth. But each piece I look at is too massive or too gaudy or too plain or too ugly. Finally, I stop searching and sigh. Chloe’s gift will have to be found on the mainland.
    I call the office later in the morning. Rita, of course, answers.
    â€œMr. DelaSangre,” she says. “How are you this morning?”
    â€œTired and cranky,” I say, not mentioning that I’m also irritated that I have to waste time over some human’s machinations this morning. “Listen, Rita, does Arturo have the copies we discussed last night?”
    â€œOf course, Mr. DelaSangre,” she says, her voice turning coy. “I always do as I’m instructed.”
    I have to grin. If I were in the mood to be seduced by a human, she certainly would be one of my choices, but I’ve other concerns right now. “Sure you do,” I say. “Please put me in to Arturo now — and Rita?”
    â€œYes, sir?”
    â€œI told you, you can call me Peter.”
    â€œI don’t know if I should here,” she says.
    â€œYou should.”
    â€œBut you do own everything around me. ... You’re Mr. Tindall’s and Mr. Gomez’s boss.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œWell, they might not like it. They certainly don’t want me to call them by their first names.”
    â€œThen don’t call them by their first names. Anyway, I need to ask a favor of you after I finish with Arturo.”
    â€œWhatever you say, Peter.”
    â€œGoddamned Tindalls!” Arturo says as soon as he picks up the phone. “Can’t they ever just go along for a year or two without trying something?”
    â€œGuess not,” I say. “Tell me what you think.”
    â€œYou don’t want to know what I think.”
    I know what he’s going to say. I’ve heard it before. “Sure,” I say. “Go ahead, tell me.”
    â€œThe guy’s not worth it. Let’s cut our losses. I can arrange for him to go away, permanently. We could hire another attorney.”
    â€œArturo, the man’s useful to me. So far he hasn’t done anything that would make me terminate him. If you want to be fair about it, the Wayward Key deal isn’t any violation of his responsibilities to LaMar or of my trust.”
    â€œHe has to know how you’d feel,” the Latin says. “Technically he may not have betrayed you but any way I look at it, what he’s trying to do is a massive disservice to you.”
    Nodding, even though the man can’t see me, just as I’m sure Arturo is gesturing with his free hand, I say, “I agree with you. I’m sure Ian is taking pleasure in thumbing his nose at me. But I think we found out in time. We should be able to stop them.”
    Arturo says nothing.
    â€œWhat?” I say.
    â€œI made some calls before you phoned in. The sale may be a done deal.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œNot completely. You know I couldn’t approach anyone on Tindall’s side of the deal. So I arranged for a broker to call the Deering side, feeling them out, if they would amenable to an offer. They didn’t show much interest in hearing