The Man in the Cloud by Dale Rominger

Author:Dale Rominger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Backroad Café
Published: 2024-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

DINNER WAS SOMEWHAT quiet, to say the least, though Nia did her best to keep things upbeat. Once my genius daughter gave up, all you could hear was the clinking of silverware on plates.

As the dinner was ending, I said, “Okay everyone, a big thanks to Head Chef, Nia! Great meal, Sweetie.”

“You helped, Daddy,” she said.

“Yes, indeed I did, as your humble sous chef.”

Everybody applauded and even managed a smile or two.

“Okay, Chef, time for you to head upstairs, get ready for bed, and maybe you should turn out the light a bit earlier tonight. Get some sleep,” I said to Nia.

“But it’s still really early and we’re all here!” she said.

“I know, Honey, but there’s an adult talk we need to have, and it doesn’t make sense for you to be here. You would find it boring.”

“I bet I won’t. And I can understand,” Nia said. “Andy told me I’m smarter than you are, so I can understand everything you say.”

At that, Zuri laughed and said, “Come on big girl, let’s go upstairs. I’ll help you get ready for bed. You can talk to Andy before turning out the light.” Zuri then turned to me and said, “No adult talk until I’m back.”

I had been going over everything in my head all through dinner. I had to come clean about my lunch with Lē-Hôa and let everyone know that I knew where Borysko Salenko was, or at least I thought I did. I figured that would drop like an unexploded bomb in the middle of the room. But I was dead certain that when I said that I had decided to go meet Salenko in Ukraine, the bomb would go off.

We cleared the table while Zuri was upstairs with Nia but left the dishes in the sink. No one had any intention of cleaning up. Everybody’s minds were on Gerard and what he had said before dinner. So when Zuri came back downstairs, we all settled in the living room. I took one of the large lounge chairs, Gerard the other, with Abby and Zuri claiming the sofa. In between us was a colorful throw rug dividing the room. I confess, though dark alleyways rarely bothered me, sitting there, in that attractive and comfortable room, I was tense. I didn’t think this was going to go well, and I knew, though it was time to spill about my conflab with Lē-Hôa, I damn sure wasn’t going to tell them everything! I don’t like withholding information from friends, especially my beloved, but needs must.

I leaned forward in the chair and said, “I know where Borysko Salenko is, and I’m flying to Ukraine to talk to him.”

The bomb went off.

Gerard almost jumped out of his chair. Zuri slammed back into the sofa clenching her fists. Abby turned toward Zuri with a shocked look on her face. All at once, the shouting started: “How the hell do you know where Salenko is?”; “Like hell you’re going to Ukraine, there’s a war going

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