and Ginter watched him disappear back into the trees, his feet crunching the leaves and twigs.
“You think he heard anything?” deVere asked nervously as Nigel moved out of earshot.
“I’m more concerned with why we didn’t hear him approach,” Lewis replied. “Let’s get back to the party.”
At the top of the path Lewis Ginter spotted Christine Worbly speaking with Dr. Fletcher. Dr. Fletcher headed into the house, Lewis following close behind.
The mosquitoes were arriving, harrying guests inside. In the kitchen people hovered around the granite island inhaling chip and dip. In their midst Valerie deVere stood replenishing food trays. Next to the refrigerator, Judith Wolfe was embroiled in an animated discussion with Dr. Arnold.
Arnold was scoffing. “You and your silly boycott. Who is going to be hurt by not going to the library? The grade school students, that’s who .”
The kitchen door slammed and Lewis turned to see Natasha and Nigel standing just inside. Natasha looked grim and stared straight ahead as Nigel tried to whisper to her. Lovers first fight, Lewis thought.
“Finished feeding the mosquitoes?” Ginter asked mischievously.
“We heard there was more food inside,” Natasha answered without looking at her companion. She moved past Ginter and reached for a ridged chip. In front of her, Arnold and Wolfe’s discussion became more heated.
“What loss is there in not going to a library that is filled with lies?” Wolfe sputtered.
“You’re naive!” Arnold boomed loud enough that several guests paused at the island. Nearby, Valerie deVere stood quietly, a look of concern spreading across her pale features.
“Naive?” Judith challenged, her speech more slurred than it had been earlier. “What’s naive about wanting this country to be the way it was, strong and independent?”
“Country? There is no country! If your so-called country was so strong why did it collapse in the face of the superior Soviet system? You are living in the past, Dr. Wolfe, in a nostalgia-laden past that has no foundation in reality. And you and your pathetic bumper stickers can’t change reality. There is no U.S.A. And pining for the past will not restore it.”
“My past is a past where this country, this nation, stood up for itself. Where it wasn’t exploited to perpetrate and support a tottering Soviet system that’s rotting from within. You Soviets survive by taking what isn’t yours, our oil, our coal, our wheat.” She shot a quick look at Valerie deVere. “And you’re apparently no different, Dr. Arnold.”
Arnold stood up and for a moment Natasha thought that he was going to punch Judith Wolfe. Next to him Valerie deVere flushed deeply, turned and strode from the room. Arnold turned to say something to her but she was already through the doorway. He turned back to Judith Wolfe and spluttered as she stood swaying, hands on hips.
Arnold flashed a look of hatred at the astronomy professor before hurrying from the kitchen after Valerie.
The room was silent for a moment until Dr. Worbly burst into the kitchen and announced, “Hey everyone, the burgers are ready!”
Natasha scanned the room and gratefully noted that neither Paul deVere nor his daughter were present. Even Lewis Ginter had somehow disappeared from the kitchen.
The poor man, she thought. I wonder if he knows?
Chapter 5
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Paul stood back in the alley as Lewis fished a key from his pocket, manipulated the padlock, and rolled the garage door aside.
“Lenin’s tomb is open,” Ginter said.
Paul ignored the sarcasm. After glancing up and down the alley he followed Lewis inside. Together they rolled the garage door closed and Paul watched as Lewis drop bolted it in place.
“If there’s a raid that door won’t stop anyone,” Paul offered.
Lewis switched on an overhead fluorescent light and moved to a small refrigerator as the bulb flickered to life. He pulled two beers from the Wal-Mart mini-fridge and flipped one
“You think he heard anything?” deVere asked nervously as Nigel moved out of earshot.
“I’m more concerned with why we didn’t hear him approach,” Lewis replied. “Let’s get back to the party.”
At the top of the path Lewis Ginter spotted Christine Worbly speaking with Dr. Fletcher. Dr. Fletcher headed into the house, Lewis following close behind.
The mosquitoes were arriving, harrying guests inside. In the kitchen people hovered around the granite island inhaling chip and dip. In their midst Valerie deVere stood replenishing food trays. Next to the refrigerator, Judith Wolfe was embroiled in an animated discussion with Dr. Arnold.
Arnold was scoffing. “You and your silly boycott. Who is going to be hurt by not going to the library? The grade school students, that’s who .”
The kitchen door slammed and Lewis turned to see Natasha and Nigel standing just inside. Natasha looked grim and stared straight ahead as Nigel tried to whisper to her. Lovers first fight, Lewis thought.
“Finished feeding the mosquitoes?” Ginter asked mischievously.
“We heard there was more food inside,” Natasha answered without looking at her companion. She moved past Ginter and reached for a ridged chip. In front of her, Arnold and Wolfe’s discussion became more heated.
“What loss is there in not going to a library that is filled with lies?” Wolfe sputtered.
“You’re naive!” Arnold boomed loud enough that several guests paused at the island. Nearby, Valerie deVere stood quietly, a look of concern spreading across her pale features.
“Naive?” Judith challenged, her speech more slurred than it had been earlier. “What’s naive about wanting this country to be the way it was, strong and independent?”
“Country? There is no country! If your so-called country was so strong why did it collapse in the face of the superior Soviet system? You are living in the past, Dr. Wolfe, in a nostalgia-laden past that has no foundation in reality. And you and your pathetic bumper stickers can’t change reality. There is no U.S.A. And pining for the past will not restore it.”
“My past is a past where this country, this nation, stood up for itself. Where it wasn’t exploited to perpetrate and support a tottering Soviet system that’s rotting from within. You Soviets survive by taking what isn’t yours, our oil, our coal, our wheat.” She shot a quick look at Valerie deVere. “And you’re apparently no different, Dr. Arnold.”
Arnold stood up and for a moment Natasha thought that he was going to punch Judith Wolfe. Next to him Valerie deVere flushed deeply, turned and strode from the room. Arnold turned to say something to her but she was already through the doorway. He turned back to Judith Wolfe and spluttered as she stood swaying, hands on hips.
Arnold flashed a look of hatred at the astronomy professor before hurrying from the kitchen after Valerie.
The room was silent for a moment until Dr. Worbly burst into the kitchen and announced, “Hey everyone, the burgers are ready!”
Natasha scanned the room and gratefully noted that neither Paul deVere nor his daughter were present. Even Lewis Ginter had somehow disappeared from the kitchen.
The poor man, she thought. I wonder if he knows?
Chapter 5
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Paul stood back in the alley as Lewis fished a key from his pocket, manipulated the padlock, and rolled the garage door aside.
“Lenin’s tomb is open,” Ginter said.
Paul ignored the sarcasm. After glancing up and down the alley he followed Lewis inside. Together they rolled the garage door closed and Paul watched as Lewis drop bolted it in place.
“If there’s a raid that door won’t stop anyone,” Paul offered.
Lewis switched on an overhead fluorescent light and moved to a small refrigerator as the bulb flickered to life. He pulled two beers from the Wal-Mart mini-fridge and flipped one
Similar Books
