Blood on the Desert by Peter Rabe

Author:Peter Rabe [Rabe, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781440540035
Publisher: Prologue Books
Published: 1986-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Wheeler drove back to the Pink Light and thought about how much time he had left. He had two days until the meeting between the chiefs, or officially, two days until Mohammed Hassan would come to town in order to mourn his dead son. Maybe the meeting would not be on the day of Mohammed’s arrival; maybe the chiefs would talk first among themselves and the man who was to sleep in the European bed would not come until later. Maybe the bed and the toilet and the bidet were all a fluke and meant nothing; he would soon have to know.

When Wheeler pulled up at the café he saw Fairchild still at the same table, eating this time. He looked up and when he saw Wheeler he laughed.

“No luck, huh?” He waited till Wheeler sat down and then, “You ran into his secretary, am I right?”

“You’re right.”

“The secretary said submit it in writing, huh?”

“It took him longer, but that’s what he said.”

Fairchild grinned and finished eating. “Pass me the wine, Tony. I’ve got to wash down that stew Stew for breakfast!” and he sighed. “Tony,” he said, “five years ago maybe I would have gone on the way you are. Today, I’d say I’d quit.”

“You want me to?”

“No. I just envy you.”

“Are you in trouble, Fairchild? Something I can do?”

“A little trouble,” he said. “But it’s not in your line.”

Wheeler took out his cigarettes, held one in his hand. “I’m sorry to see you like this,” he said. “Almost fatalistic.”

“It’s age, Tony. I’m older,” and with that he took a deep breath and said, “Want to go in the oil business, Tony?”

“Me? Are you serious?”

“I’m just asking. We could leave here together.”

“That’s the third time you’ve said that, Fairchild.”

“Not the same way. I’d like to see more of you, Tony.”

“Christ,” said Wheeler. “I’ve never heard you make a fuss about saying good bye.”

“It’s age,” and Fairchild laughed again.

“It’s hard for me to say this, Fairchild. I was going to ask you to give me a hand before going. With El Habed.”

Fairchild nodded his head but kept looking at Wheeler. “That’s right. I did offer, didn’t I?” Then he smiled a very brief smile. “And in your business, I remember, we use everybody and anybody.”

• • •

There was no monkey business with the man at the door this time because Fairchild started cursing first and then explained that he must see the secretary. Wheeler had asked for El Habed, which had been his mistake. They got into the house almost immediately, there was the briefest exchange with the secretary who remembered Fairchild quite well, and then Wheeler waited in the hall while Fairchild and the secretary disappeared into the house.

The wait took the length of time that an elaborately cordial greeting would take, plus the time to exchange some words to explain this unexpected visit. Wheeler figured it that way and was not impatient. He looked toward the hall to the back of the house when he heard the footsteps, but out of polite reserve did not move to see better.

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