The Typewriter

Chapter 17 or Day 17 of NaNoWriMo 2012 (1,722 words)

Chapter 17: A New Week Begins

"Hi, Sadie," called Miles as he walked into Gray Landscaping two hours after dawn. "Is Mrs. Walton-Gray in."

"No, Mr. Dragonslayer, she'll be a bit late this morning. If you want to wait the only person ahead of you is Captain Whitehead over there." She indicated a military officer sitting under the picture of a unicorn.

"I'll wait," he ambled over to the officer and sit down next to him. "Nice to see you, Jeffrey. How's Daria?"

"Your sister's fine," he growled. "Nice job last night, Miles. I can understand siccing Mr. Martin onto my driver, but did you have to sic Mrs. Martin onto the MP's."

"I didn't sic anyone on to your MP's," Miles laughed. "That was there own fault for scattering trash all over the alley and on half her backyard. Did she take a broom after them?"

"Yes."

"I presume you're here to talk to Mrs. Walton-Gray about Jose Fastrunner." Miles studied the expression on his brother-in-laws face. "She doesn't know where he's staying."

"I figured as much, but I thought I'd ask her anyway." He got up, "I'll be on my way then."

"Jeffery, sit down. You don't want to leave until you people have finished bugging my office, now do you?"

"Miles," Jeffry sit back down. "I need to talk to Jose Fastrunner."

"About what?"

"About the bodies buried in Lydia Whiteapple's private garden."

Miles looked at Jeffry as if he had just sprouted wings. Then he begin to laugh, for fifteen minutes Miles laughter echoed through the offices of Gray Landscaping and through the closed door into the street. Miles stopped for a few minutes to catch his breath and then laughed louder then before.

"OK, Miles," Jeffry hissed. "What's so funny?"

"Jeffry, it's the idea of bodies being buried in Aunt Lydia's garden."

"What's so funny about.... Aunt Lydia, did you call Miss Whiteapple Aunt Lydia."

"Yes," Miles grinned. "Lydia Whiteapple is my mother's half sister."

"But your mother's maiden name was.... Oh, Shit!"

"No, Jeffry, my mother's maiden name was Nolan, not Oh, Shit."

"All right, Miles," Jeffry sighed. "I'm missing something somewhere. Let's start back at the bodies buried in the private garden,."

"There are no bodies buried in the garden, Jeffry. My aunt, and your aunt-in-law, is a sorceress." Miles waited for his words to sink in, "And, as you know, a sorceress uses spells to..."

"Miles, I know what a sorceress uses spells for. My first wife was a sorceress and my second wife..."

"Is the granddaughter of Luther Applewhite and the great granddaughter Selma Applewhite." Miles smiled at the expression on Jeffry's face. "What else do you want to know, Jeffry?"

"The spell she uses to make people disappear."

"Jeffry, your guess is as good as mine on that."

Jeffry got up and went to the reception desk, "Miss, I'll not be waiting to see Mrs. Walton-Gray." He removed a card from his pocket and handed it to Sadie, "Here is my card, please have Mrs. Walton-Gray call me whenever it's convenient."

"I'll see you later, Miles," he left slamming the door behind him.

At that moment, Mary Ann entered through the backdoor and came up to the reception counter. "Any calls, Sadie?"

"No, but a Captain Whitehead left his card, he said to call him whenever it's convenient and Mr. Dragonslayer is waiting to see you."

"Send Mr. Dragonslayer in."

"Good morning, Mr. Dragonslayer," Mary Ann said as he entered her office. "What can I do for you?"

"I came in to let you know that Jose Fastrunner is changing his residence to the guest house in Miss Lydia's private garden."

"Why?"

"You wrote my predecessor a note about a permanent job as the groundskeeper of the Applewhite estate. What better place for him to live?"

"Wonderful," she looked relieved. "Now I don't have to stress about finding someone that satisfies Miss Lydia criteria for groundskeeper."

A knock sounded on the office door and then Sadie came in. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Gray, but Sam Long called in sick."

"Thank you, Sadie," she frowned. "I suppose there's a first time for everything."

"I beg your pardon," said Miles.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dragonslayer, it's just that Mr. Long never calls in sick. No matter how bad he won't call in sick."

"Really," Miles rubbed his chin. "You have a nice day, Mrs. Walton-Gray."

So, thought Miles as he walked out of Gray Landscaping. This is the first time Long called in sick, I think I'll drop by his residence to see how he's doing.

At Number Eleven Star Light Court, Miles climbed the steps to the garage apartment and knocked on the door. When Sam Long answered, Miles gave him is card. "May I come in?"

"Of course, Mr. Dragonsalyer, have a seat at the table."

"You should see a doctor about that black eye and those bruises."

"I will, Mr. Dragonslayer, I will this afternoon," he sighed. "I suppose you're wondering how I got them."

"I'm a bit curious, Mr. Long."

"Well... Uh, I... I fell down the stairs, Sir."

"You weren't drunk, were you?"

"No, Mr. Dragonslayer, just clumsy."

Interesting, Miles pondered as he descended the stairs. Sam Long, who's K. C. Wainwright's roommate, beats up Jose because Sam's not allowed to weed the private garden. I still can't figure out what that has to do with the military thinking Aunt Lydia has bodies buried in her garden.

Miles checked his watch, then he walked across the street to Number Nine, unlocked the door, and went in. In the setting room George was talking to a gray haired general. Miles waved and went into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator he took out an apple and then started to leave.

"Miles," said George motioning him to come into the sitting room. "I'd like you to meet an old friend. This is General Lance Douglass, Lance this is my future son-in-law Miles Dragonslayer." They shook hands.

"I'll see you later, George."

"Leaving so soon," said General Douglass.

"I was in the neighborhood checking on a parolee and thought I'd stop in for a snack."

"Could you sit down a minute," George said. "Lance needs to ask you a few questions."

"General," Miles sit on the couch. "Are you one of those who thinks there are bodies buried in Lydia Applewhite's private garden?"

"How'd you know that," General Douglass frowned.

"Captain Jeffry Whitehead is married to my sister Caria." Miles smiled, "I saw him this morning at Gray Landscaping." Miles checked his watch, "I think Jeffry's people have had time enough to plant their bugs, so I should be getting back to my office."

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to be a little more forthright from now on."

"General," Miles smiled. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Jeffry, I don't know the spell my Aunt uses to make people disappear."

"Your Aunt?" The general looked confuses, "I thought we were talking about Lydia Applewhite."

"We are, General, my grandfather was Luther Applewhite and my great grandmother was..."

"Selma Applewhite," he sighed. "I thought the Applewhite name was familiar."

"Tell me," Miles said taking out a pocket knife and cutting the apple into four pieces. "Why is the military interested in another magic user?" He removed the seeds and placed them into a trashcan hidden between the couch and the side stand. "Does it have something to do with Aunt Lydia's ability to make people permanently without bodies every being found?"

"That's a Military Secret," General Douglass smiled. "I can't release that without at least an A-19 Security Clearance."

"The last I checked it was A-19," George laughed because he know his future son-in-laws Security Clearance. "Miles, isn't your clearance two degrees higher."

"Yes."

"Miles," General Douglass decided to change the subject. "When did you figure out you were being followed last night?"

"When we left the hospital, General. The soldier you stationed outside the ER was wearing a dress uniform with an embassy insignia on it. The only place you see a soldier wearing that insignia is in Central City."

"That still doesn't explain how you know we're after your Aunt's spell to make people disappear."

"Genetic, Sir."

"What do you mean," the General looked confused.

"I'm the great grandson of the most famous sorceress on the planet and I look like an Applewhite, which means I inherited more then simply the ability to use magic." He cut one of the apple slices in half and ate it, "What I can't figure out is why now? People have been disappear in Dragonview for three generations, ever since Great Grandma Selma figured out how to combine the use of magic and modern technology. I would've thought, that the Military would've attempted this operation two or three generations ago."

Damn, General Douglass thought, I'm either going to have to level with him and risk court martial or close this mission down. He chewed on his lower lip, If I close this mission down, there's going to be a lot of Brigadier Generals who'll demand me busted to private or force me into early retirement. He sighed, I'm too young to spend the rest of my life enhancing some rich dame's dinner party.

"Well, General," Miles cut another slice of apple.

"All right, Gentleman," he nodded his head. "It's this way. There are two faction struggling for supremacy, one faction is led by Retired Brigadier General Martin Lux, who is wants to see more use of magical technology in the military, The other is lead by Retired Brigadier General Max Baldwin, who thinks that magical technology is dragon shit.

"Last week, Brigadier General Baldwin contacted Supreme Command and requested help in finding the bodies of nephews, he said was buried in Lydia Applewhite's private garden. At first, Supreme Command was reluctant to assist because they wanted to know how he knew where the bodies were buried. He told them that his nephews had vanished without a trace and that the only other explanation was magic. When Brigadier General Lux heard about it, he backed Baldwin's request, with the stipulation that any magic discovered would immediately become Military Property."

"So," Miles laughed. "You hastily threw this mission together hoping now one here would be smart enough to figure it out."