Fletch Won by Gregory McDonald

Author:Gregory McDonald [McDonald, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fletch
ISBN: 9780307523891
Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Vintage Books A Division of Random House, Inc.
Published: 1985-06-24T05:00:00+00:00

“You have a hickey on your neck,” Barbara said to Fletch.

The waiter had brought a third chair to the table, heard with relief they wanted nothing more than the bill, and gone away.

“A passion mark,” Barbara added, looking closely at him from under the shade of the umbrella. “It wasn’t there when you left me this morning.”

Fletch fingered the mark on his neck. “I, uh…”

Cindy’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

“And that’s not the way you were dressed when you left this morning.” Barbara put her hand on his rolled T-shirt and jeans on the table. “How come you’re in shorts?”

Fletch folded his arms across his chest.

“What does your T-shirt say?” Barbara leaned forward and moved his arms. “ ‘You want a friend?’ What does that mean?” She reached into his lap. “Your shorts say the same thing.”

“They do,” Fletch admitted with dignity.

“Did you get a bargain?” Barbara asked.

Fletch croaked, “How do you two know each other?”

“We’re old friends from school,” Barbara said easily.

“You are? Old friends?”

“Yeah.”

“Good friends?”

“I’ve mentioned Cindy to you. She’s been advising me on the wedding.”

Fletch said: “Ah!”

“Fletch!” Cindy yelled. She hit her forehead with the heel of her hand. “You’re that Fletch!”

Accusingly, Fletch asked Barbara, “And why aren’t you wearing jodhpurs?”

“Ho, ho, ho,” Cindy laughed.

“I change for lunch,” Barbara answered. “I hate the beastly things.”

“This is the Fletch you’re marrying on Saturday?”

“In the flesh.” Barbara put her hand on his thigh. “Fletch, you’re awfully hot. You’re sweating. Your face is red. You all right?”

“Ho, ho, ho,” said Cindy.

“Oh, my God,” said Fletch.

“But how do you two know each other?” Barbara asked.

“Ho, ho, ho,” said Cindy.

“I, uh, we…” said Fletch.

“Is there something funny?” Barbara asked.

“Not really,” said Fletch.

“Ho, ho, ho,” said Cindy.

“After we’re married,” Barbara said, “I have the small hope Fletch comes home at night dressed something like the way he goes out in the morning.”

“Ho, ho, ho.” Cindy was choking with laughter.

“Barbara,” Fletch said slowly and seriously, “Cindy and I met in the course of business.”

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” laughed Cindy.

The secretary and the older man at the nearby table were frowning at this disturbance.

“The course of business?” Barbara asked.

“The course of business!” Cindy laughed.

“In the course of business,” Fletch affirmed. “Now, Barbara darling, if you’d just—”

“Barbara darling!” yelled Cindy.

Not understanding Cindy’s raucous good humor, Barbara said to Fletch, “Oh, by the way. I just heard on the car radio that someone has confessed to murdering Donald Habeck.”

Fletch snapped forward in his chair. “What?”

“A man named Childers, I think. Went to the police this morning and confessed to killing Donald Habeck. A client of Habeck’s—”

“I remember,” said Fletch. “The trial ended two or three months ago. He was accused of murdering his brother.”

“Well, this morning he admitted murdering Habeck.”

“But he was acquitted. I mean, of murdering his brother.”

“So you needn’t trouble your little head about the murder of Donald Habeck anymore. You can go back to doing the job you’re assigned to do.”

“Yeah,” Fletch said grimly. “Thanks.”

“We can get married Saturday, we can have a honeymoon, and maybe you’ll even have a job when we get back.

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