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Friday, September 6, 2013

Graham Quartet - Part 10

Good Morning Friday Fiction Fans!
Can you believe it is September already? It just doesn't seem possible that the year is this far gone. It feels like just a few weeks ago that we had to start writing 2013 and now it's September and another school year.

Speaking of a new school year, I'm getting ready to start teaching my writing classes again next week. I'm looking forward to it. Most of the time I enjoy teaching, though there are a few times when I'm ready to just quit. :) But that's probably the same for any job no matter how much you love it.

I've been trying to get lots of writing done, but I haven't gotten as much as I would have liked. You all can keep praying for ideas for Triple Creek Ranch - Book 2 because I have until the end of this month to get it finished.

Last night's Sheriff's Citizens' Academy class was interesting. I learned things that I'd never known or never really thought about before, so I hope you'll stop by on Wednesday to read all about it.

And until then, enjoy this next part of

Graham Quartet - Part 10

    At last, having grown cold and and hungry, they climbed on the sleds once more, took their lunches and snowshoes and flew down the slope. The tramp across the field and to the cabin took no more than a few minutes. Upon arrival, the quartet noticed that the only sign of life was the delightful smell of a fire. They unstrapped their snowshoes and Matt gave the signal knock, five quick raps and then two slow ones.
    Instantly the door was opened and a smiling Guy welcomed them in. “I’ve been waiting for over an hour for the four of you to pay me a visit. Decided to make a good show of sledding, did you? Or is it really good sledding?”
    “Both,” Tim and Matt answered at once, pulling off their boots.
    Guy grinned. “It looked and sounded like fun. Took me back to my own childhood days of sledding. If it weren’t for this leg and a few other things, I just might have joined you. Now, get those wet things off, set yourselves before the fire and let’s have lunch. Matt, before you take your coat off . . .” Guy looked at Matt. “Would you—”
    “Sure thing. I just thought of it. Be right back.”
    “Where is he going?” Selena asked watching her oldest brother disappear outside once more.
    “Where would he go if I weren’t here?” Guy asked her, with a keen look.
    “Of course, he would have to get wood,” and Selena smiled. She turned to look at their friend. “I’m not as good a detective as the rest of them are.”
    Matt soon returned with a large armload of wood and in another minute had joined the group about the bright fire while the girls passed out the lunch.
    “So, how many questions do you have for me today?” Guy asked.
    The quartet exchanged quick glances and, as Elsa reached into her pocket, Tim asked, “How did you know we had questions?”
    “Because I would have if I were in your shoes. I only gave you a little information yesterday in hopes that you would notice what I didn’t tell you.”
    “I don’t know if we noticed everything,” Matt said. “But we did come up with some things.”
    Elsa began reading their list. “How often should we visit? What sort of conversations should we pay attention to and memorize? What information should we bring you? Do you want any information written down or brought by word of mouth? Should we try to find out information for you or just tell you if we hear anything? Is there anyone else we should be watching for besides the man in the picture? Is there a name we should call the man? Some code name? Wouldn’t it be a good idea to come to the cabin at different times each day?” Reaching the end of their list, Elsa looked up. “That was all we had thought of for now.”
    Guy began to laugh. “I was right, you four don’t miss much!” He held out his hand for the list. “Now, let me see if I can’t answer a few of these questions.” Rapidly he scanned the list, nodding now and then and pausing with a slight frown once. At last he spoke. “Great idea to come at different times of the day and always use the secret knock! But wait,” he paused in thought. “We ought to have two knocks; one for everyday use and one if it’s very important.” He thought for a moment and then asked, “Do you all happen to know Morse Code?”
    The Quartet’s eyes lit up. “Sure we do,” Matt said quickly. “That’s one of the first things we learned.”
    Guy nodded. “Good. Then use the SOS Morse code for the emergency knock. That way you won’t have to learn anything new and you can remember it if you’re in a hurry. Now what else?” He turned back to the paper in his hand. “How often should you come? That’s a bit harder to answer. Certainly come if you have something to report, but unless you do, I don’t think it would be wise to come every day. It would be too obvious if anyone was watching. Code name for the man in the picture? Not a bad idea. Any suggestions?” He looked about at the silent group gathered about the fireplace.
    “I think that if he’s a bad guy we should call him . . .” Tim paused and looked about the room with a glint of a smile in his eyes. “Aaron Burr,” he finished.
    “That’s because you’re studying about him in school,” Elsa laughed.
    Tim shrugged. “So. You have any other ideas?”
    No one had and Guy remarked in a thoughtful manner, “That’s actually not a bad name for him. In fact, I like it; good idea, Tim. What next? These last questions are a bit harder to answer. As far a bringing me information, word of mouth would be safer, but if you have to write things down to remember them, create some code or only write down enough info for you to remember but which won’t tell anyone else who may chance to see it anything.
    “Now, as far as the info, conversations and such that I’m needing—” the FBI agent leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs while staring thoughtfully into the fire. “That’s a bit harder.” It was a bit tricky to gather information through another person who didn’t even know what was going on. There was a very fine line between enough information and too much.
    Into the silence that followed Guys’s words, came a sudden crackle and a strange, slightly scratchy voice saying, “Farmer to Henhouse. Farmer to Henhouse. Come in Henhouse.”
    At the first crackle, Guy sprang to his feet, and limped quickly across the room, threw back a blanket revealing a small radio and picked up a microphone. “This is Henhouse. 10-12. Over.”
    “Roger that. Can you scramble? 10-17.”

So, what do you think?
Have any questions or thoughts?
Did you like this part?

2 comments:

Anott Amos Kowerd said...

10-12; that's clever:).

Rebekah said...

:) I had fun with it. :)