"What do you do that you've got an office," Ken asked Brady.
"I'm a private investigator."
"No kidding? Like Mike Hammer or Lew Archer?"
"Not quite that exciting," Brady replied. "Most of the time it's pretty boring."
"How about you?" Ken asked Rand.
"I'm a reporter for the Weekly Register."
"Good paper. A bit opinionated, but there's nothing wrong with that. You have a regular column?"
"I do. 'City Beat'."
"Damn, that's you? I should have recognized your name."
"Not really," Rand replied. "My byline is Randolph Turner, since that's what it was before Brady and I got married."
"Ah. Okay." Ken glanced out the kitchen window and said, "I think your drywall is here."
"That was fast." Rand hurried out to open the garage door again so the delivery men could put it inside.
"If you two want, I've got some cold beer," Ken told Brady.
"Sounds good, but we don't want to impose. You've done enough for us already."
"No imposition. Carol and I usually sit out in back about this time of day to have one."
"Then, sure. Thank you."
They picked up Rand, who was locking the garage door as the delivery truck pulled away, and went into Ken's yard.
"This is nice," Rand commented, looking at the flagstone patio.
"Don't get any ideas," Brady cautioned with a smile. "We've got enough on our plate as it is."
"Well, damn." Rand feigned a pout just as a woman came out of the house.
"Carol, these are our new neighbors," Ken told her. "Or they will be once they finish fixing up their place." He introduced them before going inside, returning moments later with four bottles of beer.
By then, Carol had told Rand and Brady to "sit and relax", which they did. Ken handed the beers around then joined his wife on the glider.
Having good neighbors are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteMost definitely.
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