The Severed Key by Helen Nielsen

Author:Helen Nielsen [Nielsen, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4405-4132-2
Publisher: Prologue Books
Published: 1973-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

AT ABOUT THE same time Simon started his day’s work at the Los Angeles coroner’s office, the day was beginning in a different way for four young people fifteen miles south of Tijuana.

The sea was calm. Waves lapped lazily at the sands of Rosarito Beach as if stirring themselves awake after a peaceful night’s sleep, and the sun, rising in a cloudless sky, shrank to a small patch of shade behind the van. It was the sun in his face that awakened Travis. He opened his eyes and squinted at the sky. It was warm. He threw back the folds of the army blanket that had covered him and stretched and wriggled in the sand. Then he sat up and sniffed the air. Coffee. He looked around for his boots. Finding them half buried under the battered guitar case he had used for a pillow, he emptied sand out of each one and then drew them on with loving care. They were the finest boots he had ever owned. He had bought them with the biggest half of his first two weeks’ pay cheque after his return from Vietnam. When they were on he stood up and breathed deeply of the sea air, counting audibly—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Then he hitched up his trousers and began to sing in a loud voice: “Nita, Juanita, ask thy soul if we should part—”

The smell of coffee was coming from the far side of the van. Travis took the guitar out of the case and walked around the back of the van slapping the back of the guitar in passing. “Rise and shine, lovebirds!” he shouted. “The honeymoon is over!” On the far side of the van he found the girl, Nita, still dressed in the bright pink blouse and skirt she had worn to the wedding, bending over the beach fire tending the coffee pot and a skillet in which were frying two yellow-faced eggs. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

“You!” she gasped.

“No hard feelings,” Travis said. “Besides, we can’t fight. We’re not married yet.”

Nature had been generous with Nita. Long black hair hung loosely on her shoulders. Her eyes were large and sable brown and her dark skin had no need of cosmetics. She tossed her head angrily. “Yet!” she scoffed.

“It’s in the air,” Travis said. “Romance! Can’t you feel it?” He grabbed for her waist but she quickly stepped aside. Shrugging, Travis dropped to one knee and placed the guitar on the sand. He poured coffee into one of the ceramic mugs Nita had taken out of the picnic basket and was dousing the cup with a stream of condensed milk when Bob, hair tousled and eyes blurred with sleep, stepped out of the van.

“Hail the happy bridegroom!” Travis cried. “How was it, man? Any better with a piece of paper?”

“Romance!” Nita scoffed. “I know all you ever think of!”

“All you ever think of!” Travis retorted. “Girls don’t fool me. I’ve seen those magazines you read.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.