Below is another section of The Return.

     About that time their dinners came and Colin poured a glass of wine for both of them.  “To roots, if we can ever find them,” he toasted.  Sadie clinked her glass lightly with his. 

     Sadie cocked her head and looked at Colin.  “Are you looking for roots, or are you looking for yourself?” she asked.

     Colin looked a little surprised,  “I never thought about that.  Maybe it is a little of both.  I’ve been too busy writing and making money.  Neither now mean as much as they used to.” 

     As they ate, Sadie gave him a little rundown of the town, as she knew it.  She told Colin she was sure she would look at the town quite differently from the way he would see it.

     “Why?” Colin asked her, looking intently at Sadie.

     “Because you and I don’t live in the same world.  This is your world.  Expensive restaurants, the best room in a hotel, travel whenever and wherever you wish.  This is not my world except in my dreams.”

     “That is not true.  Maybe I should say that need not be true,” Colin said rather emphatically,  “You do not belong as a clerk in the hotel.  You went to college.  Even from the short time I have spent talking to you, I know that you are intelligent.  You can’t continue hiding.  You did nothing wrong.  It was a mistake many people have made, trusting some person you never should have trusted.  Quit running.”  Then he added lightly with a smile,  “That’s the end of lecture.  Let’s enjoy this dinner together.”

     Sadie gave him a bright smile,  “I intend to, but why were we analyzing me?  You were the one looking for your roots.”  Then she thought for a moment,  “Of course, what you were saying is that my problem is that I am clinging to tightly to them.”  Before Colin could reply, Sadie went on,  “you are right.”

     “Which brings up the question, why then am I searching for mine?” Colin said.  Then they both started to laugh.  People seated around them looked at them wondering what was so funny.

     As they were sitting enjoying a glass of wine after dinner, Colin looked over at Sadie,  “I know I promised you I would be a perfect gentleman and take you home right after dinner.  Would it be possible to abridge that slightly?  Oh I intend to continue to be a perfect gentleman,” he hastened to add,  “but I wondered if there was a place we could go dancing for a short time before I have to take you home?  I haven’t been dancing for quite a while and I used to love to dance.  It just sounded like a good idea.”

     Sadie looked at Colin for a moment.  Then she lifted her eyebrows and asked,  “You are sure you aren’t trying to wiggle out of your promise?”  But she had a smile on her face.  For some reason, Sadie felt she could trust him.

     “Scout’s honor,” Colin said.

     “Well there is a place on the far end of the lake.  It’s a kind of nightclub with dancing.  Actually it is quite nice and has nice music.  I suppose we could stretch this out a little while longer,” Sadie told him.  Sadie really didn’t mind stretching it out.  She was really enjoying the evening so far.  Sadie noticed he left a very substantial tip.  She put that down as a plus in his favor, although she knew he could afford it.  She was sure he didn’t do it to impress her.  He had no reason to try to impress her.

     Colin went and got the car and picked Sadie up at the door of the restaurant.  Sadie gave him directions to the nightclub.  It proved to be, a nice looking, well lighted place.  There were a fair amount of cars there already.  They went in and were ushered to a table not too far from the dance floor.  Colin ordered a drink for himself.  Sadie said she would prefer a soft drink.  Colin put that down as another mark in her favor.

     They got up and went onto the dance floor.  Colin found he was not too rusty, but he put that down to the fact Sadie was a very good dancer.  It was easy to fall into the rhythm, with her as a partner.  The evening was proving to be a pleasant one.  As Colin implied, they only stayed a little over an hour and then he took her home.  Colin walked her to her door.  Sadie thanked him for a very lovely evening.  She opened her door and went inside closing it behind her.  Colin waited until she was inside.  When he heard her lock click, he returned to his car and went back to the hotel.  He sat down and started writing on his laptop.  He wrote for quite a while.  Then he saved it to a disc, closed up the computer and went to bed.

     Colin was up early.  After a shower, he headed for the lobby.  Sadie had just come on duty.  She gave him a bright smile. 

     “Good morning Dr. Mattins.  I hope you had a good night’s sleep,” she said.

     “I slept like the proverbial baby,” Colin answered.  “You look bright and cheerful.”

     “Oh I feel wonderful.”  Sadie would have loved to add, she had a wonderful evening, but she dared not with the manager within earshot.

     “Then could you recommend a good place to have breakfast.  Your recommendations, so far, have proven excellent.”  Colin sensed that Sadie dared not say too much.  Apparently some one was in the office and the door was open.

     Sadie recommended a place on the edge of town, and gave Colin directions.  He thanked her nicely and wished her a good day.  After Colin left, the manager came out of the office and praised Sadie for being so helpful to such an important guest.   

     The manager found out who it was that was staying in the hotel.  He noted Colin would be staying for over a week.  He made a mental note to see the room was kept exceptionally clean and was taken care of first.  Sadie smiled.  She knew just what was going through the manager’s mind.  What he didn’t know was she had been in Colin Mattins’ arms for a while last night.  She was sure Colin enjoyed that although probably not quite as much as she did.  Of course, she didn’t really know.  She was assuming he had enjoyed having dinner and dancing with her.  He seemed to have enjoyed it last night.  He was the one who suggested going out dancing.  She would know if he asked her out again.

     Actually, Colin enjoyed that very much, which he would have readily admitted.  In fact, at the moment he was plotting how he could bring that about again in the near future.  Sadie Turin intrigued him.  She was unlike most of the other women he had known and dated.  She was honest, almost bluntly so.  She was not trying to impress him.  She was personable and pleasant and she was very intelligent.  She was not putting on a front.  It was just her nature.   

     Sadie’s directions were excellent.  He found the breakfast place easily and found her recommendation was right on target.  He knew she couldn’t be eating out that much herself.  He had a hunch her budget would not allow that.  She must be very good at digging this information out.  She seemed to be able to separate the good information from the questionable, and retain that which was of value.  He had a hunch she did this for other things beside restaurants.

     As he was enjoying his breakfast and kind of wishing, Sadie was sitting there beside him, a brilliant thought hit him.  He had thought of buying those woods and making it into a park.  Sadie had mentioned it was still there, the way it always had been.  Sadie seemed to be good at digging things out.  Perhaps he could hire her to find a way to buy that woods, make it into a park and present it to the city along with a yearly gift to maintain it.  Sadie could be his person in charge of accomplishing this, if it could be done.  That was a sneaky way of keeping in touch with Sadie, but he thought it would work.  She was too smart not to be suspicious, but it was a legitimate project, and she might be willing to do it.  It might just intrigue her.  He would probably have a fight with her about how much he should be paying her.  Not because he wouldn’t be willing to pay her enough, but because she would probably protest it was too much.  He was sure he could figure out some way to pay her what he thought she should be paid.  He should be able to find a way to justify it, to which she would agree.

     Sadie, he found, was very pleasant to be with.  She was open and honest with him and it was intentional on her part.  She was not deliberately trying to create an impression.  She was just naturally that way.  He had a hunch the hotel clerk job was not full-time.  He wondered what other jobs she was working at to make ends meet.  She probably rented the house.  It looked like a small, one-bedroom house.  It looked in fairly good shape.  Of course, he had only seen it briefly. 

     He would have to tread with care, if he were to try to find out more about her.  Just because she wasn’t wearing any rings, and had agreed to have dinner with him, did not necessarily mean anything.  He laughed to himself.  What had started out to be a nostalgic visit to his childhood home, was now becoming an investigation into the life of a young woman he just met.  He really didn’t know, why he was so interested in her.  For some reason, she intrigued him from the time he met her.  He was used to developing characters for his stories.  She was one he never met before.  She was intelligent and worldly wise.  She was also almost bluntly honest and open.  She was not cynical although she might have ample reason.  She was pleasant and cheerful and, as he had found out, fun to be with. 

     He put this line of thought out of his mind temporarily as he began to explore the town and the area around.  He found his way to the woods he remembered and even did a little exploring of it.  He drove to the river he remembered fishing.  A lot of things had changed, but there were a few familiar things left.  He began thinking back to his childhood, as he ran across those familiar things.  He drove past the house where he lived.  It had been changed.  The house next door, a much older house, had been torn down. A new house had been built in its place.  He drove past where his elementary school had been.  It was no longer there.  Apartment buildings stood in its place.  So much for nostalgia. 

     When he returned to the hotel, Sadie had gone off duty.  He was told she did not work the next day.  He went up to his room and looked her up in the telephone directory.  He dialed her number, not really knowing who would answer.  It was Sadie who answered. 

     “This is Colin Mattins,” Colin said as soon as she answered.  “I know you aren’t working here at the hotel tomorrow, but I had a hunch you were working more than one job.  Would that job allow you to have breakfast with me tomorrow?  I have an idea I would like to bounce off you.”  He hadn’t let her interrupt him.

     There was a slight moment of silence at the other end of the line.  “How did you know I had another job?” Sadie asked.  She wondered why he found out she didn’t work tomorrow.  Why he came to the conclusion she had another job.  Why this, was important to him.

     “I didn’t.  That was a wild guess.  I had the feeling the hotel job was not full-time,” Colin answered.

     “And you figured I would have to have another job to make it?” Sadie inquired.  Colin wasn’t quite sure what kind of mood he had found her in this evening.  He had to handle this carefully.

     “I figured that might be a good possibility,” Colin said, somewhat hesitantly.  “But you haven’t answered my question,” he reminded her.  He hoped to divert her attention and thinking, to answer his question.  He was in luck. 

     Sadie laughed,  “I’ve been thinking.  I suppose breakfast would be safe enough.”  Colin started to laugh at the way she said it.

     “I’m really not in the habit of abducting young women before breakfast.  I never work on an empty stomach if I can help it,” He told her lightly.  Sadie laughed, then it was obvious she was thinking for a moment. 

     “I don’t have to be to work until ten.  Can you make it an early breakfast?” she asked.

     “I’ll make it as early as you wish,” was Colin’s immediate reply.

     “You are trying to be accommodating, aren’t you, Dr. Mattins?”  There was an obvious smile in her voice.  Then she added,  “How about picking me up at seven.”

     “I’ll be there at seven sharp,” Colin told her.  He hadn’t asked her what her other job was.  He would let her tell him if she wanted.  Actually, it was none of his business and it wasn’t that important.  He wasn’t about to push his luck just to find out. 

     When he picked her up she was wearing jeans and a blouse with a light jacket.  When she got in the car, Colin said, 

     “Could we drop the Dr. Mattins thing except at the hotel?  The name is Colin, a very easy name to remember.”  Sadie smiled brightly at him. 

     “You’re sure you want me on a first name basis with you?”

     “Absolutely, and don’t make that out to be more than it is,” Colin replied with a smile.  Sadie laughed rather delightedly.  For some one who was at least somewhat famous and obviously rich, he was very easy to talk to and be with.  However, Sadie was street-wise enough to continue to be wary.

     “I’m having a hard time relating your official persona, with how you have been since you walked into the hotel,” Sadie observed.

     “You can’t believe that promotional propaganda,” Colin answered.  “Besides, you intrigue me.  You don’t fit my list of characters.  Your character, as I have been reading it, doesn’t fit the part you seem to be playing.”

     “Are you saying I’m a very strange character?” asked Sadie with an engaging smile.

     “No, not at all,” Colin quickly answered.  “You are intriguing because you don’t fit a character pattern.  That makes you very interesting.”

     “Perhaps, I will be a character in one of your future novels?” she questioned.

     “That might be interesting,” Colin admitted.  “Although at the moment, I have no idea what kind of story I would weave around you.”

     “Oh I wasn’t implying that I would be the main character,” Sadie quickly protested.

     “Why not?” asked Colin, looking intently at her.  “I think you would make a wonderful main character.  Don’t sell yourself short.”

     “But you said you had no idea what kind of story you would weave around my character,” Sadie remarked looking intently back at Colin.

     “That is what makes writing so interesting.  Sometimes the character dictates the story,” replied Colin.  Sadie looked at him questioningly.

     They arrived at the restaurant and went inside to find a booth in back of the restaurant.  They looked over the menu and ordered their breakfasts. 

     “Why did you invite me for breakfast?” Sadie asked.

     “There is something I think you can do for me.”  Colin held up his hand to keep Sadie from breaking in with any questions yet,  “I have had it in my mind I would like to buy those woods, I used to like to roam, and turn them into a park.  Preserve some part of my memories.  I would like to have you look into that possibility for me.  You seem to be able to get good information about a lot of things in this town.  You could quietly gather information on the possibility of my doing this, without arousing any interest on the part of others.  If I could buy it?  Have it dedicated as a park.  Then turn it over to the town, with a yearly contribution dedicated to its upkeep.  I would pay you a consultant’s fee plus all expenses.  We could set up a dummy consulting company you could work out of.”

     “Consultants make a lot of money, I’m told,” Sadie commented with a smile, looking intently at Colin.

     “Are you afraid of making a lot of money?” asked Colin smiling back at her.

     “You’re not playing fair.  You’re turning my questions back at me,” Sadie protested.  Colin laughed, then he watched her to try to gage her reaction to his proposal.

     “Will you do it?” Colin asked.  Then he quickly added,  “At least will you consider it, seriously?”

     Sadie looked at him, not knowing really what to think,  “Why are you offering me this?”

     “You mean what are my motives?” said Colin.  “At the moment, I haven’t the slightest idea myself, except they are strictly honorable.  This really is something I want to do.  By having you do it, I could keep myself out of it.”  Then he added, “It also would give me a reason to keep in touch with you.  To that I plead guilty.”

     “How do you know I can accomplish what you want accomplished?” Sadie asked.  “Why keep in touch with me?”

     “I don’t really know if it can actually be accomplished, but I am sure you would give it a very good try.  That is all I’m asking.  No one could do more,” Colin said emphatically.  He was saved from answering her second question because at that time their breakfasts came. 

     Sadie was obviously turning this idea over in her mind.  It would mean good money for her for a while.  She knew he intended to pay her well for her efforts.  One of her jobs was coming to an end.  She did not doubt his statement it really was something he wanted to do.  He had honestly told her he wanted to keep in touch with her.  She did not know why, but she saw no reason to object to that.  At least, not at the moment.

     “I’d like to think about it for a day,” Sadie finally said after they had finished their meal.

     “Fine,” Colin remarked.  “Is there a possibility we could have dinner together again.  I would leave the day up to you.”

     Sadie thought for a moment.  It was obvious to Sadie that Colin was actually happy to have an excuse to suggest having dinner together again. 

     “Tomorrow night, at seven.  I should have my answer by then.”  Then Sadie started to laugh.  “I wonder what someone who only heard that part of the conversation would think that meant,” she added.  Colin looked at her and then started to laugh. 

     “That could have an awful lot of connotations couldn’t it,” he observed.  “Especially as I am a stranger in town.”

     Colin paid the bill, then drove Sadie home.  She told him she was working at the hotel tomorrow.  She didn’t tell him where she was working today.  He headed back to the hotel and picked up his laptop.  Then he headed for the lake.  He wanted to look around that area. 

     It was promising to be a very nice day.  He knew there was a park on the lake.  After he finished exploring that area, he thought he would go to the park and try to do some writing.  He was keeping a journal of what he was seeing and learning and his reaction to all of it.  He thought he might turn it into a story or an article eventually.  Sadie, however, did not appear in that journal he was keeping. 

     The day was pleasant.  He found a reasonable place for lunch, and at night tried another one of Sadie’s recommende

     About that time their dinners came and Colin poured a glass of wine for both of them.  “To roots, if we can ever find them,” he toasted.  Sadie clinked her glass lightly with his. 

     Sadie cocked her head and looked at Colin.  “Are you looking for roots, or are you looking for yourself?” she asked.

     Colin looked a little surprised,  “I never thought about that.  Maybe it is a little of both.  I’ve been too busy writing and making money.  Neither now mean as much as they used to.” 

     As they ate, Sadie gave him a little rundown of the town, as she knew it.  She told Colin she was sure she would look at the town quite differently from the way he would see it.

     “Why?” Colin asked her, looking intently at Sadie.

     “Because you and I don’t live in the same world.  This is your world.  Expensive restaurants, the best room in a hotel, travel whenever and wherever you wish.  This is not my world except in my dreams.”

     “That is not true.  Maybe I should say that need not be true,” Colin said rather emphatically,  “You do not belong as a clerk in the hotel.  You went to college.  Even from the short time I have spent talking to you, I know that you are intelligent.  You can’t continue hiding.  You did nothing wrong.  It was a mistake many people have made, trusting some person you never should have trusted.  Quit running.”  Then he added lightly with a smile,  “That’s the end of lecture.  Let’s enjoy this dinner together.”

     Sadie gave him a bright smile,  “I intend to, but why were we analyzing me?  You were the one looking for your roots.”  Then she thought for a moment,  “Of course, what you were saying is that my problem is that I am clinging to tightly to them.”  Before Colin could reply, Sadie went on,  “you are right.”

     “Which brings up the question, why then am I searching for mine?” Colin said.  Then they both started to laugh.  People seated around them looked at them wondering what was so funny.

     As they were sitting enjoying a glass of wine after dinner, Colin looked over at Sadie,  “I know I promised you I would be a perfect gentleman and take you home right after dinner.  Would it be possible to abridge that slightly?  Oh I intend to continue to be a perfect gentleman,” he hastened to add,  “but I wondered if there was a place we could go dancing for a short time before I have to take you home?  I haven’t been dancing for quite a while and I used to love to dance.  It just sounded like a good idea.”

     Sadie looked at Colin for a moment.  Then she lifted her eyebrows and asked,  “You are sure you aren’t trying to wiggle out of your promise?”  But she had a smile on her face.  For some reason, Sadie felt she could trust him.

     “Scout’s honor,” Colin said.

     “Well there is a place on the far end of the lake.  It’s a kind of nightclub with dancing.  Actually it is quite nice and has nice music.  I suppose we could stretch this out a little while longer,” Sadie told him.  Sadie really didn’t mind stretching it out.  She was really enjoying the evening so far.  Sadie noticed he left a very substantial tip.  She put that down as a plus in his favor, although she knew he could afford it.  She was sure he didn’t do it to impress her.  He had no reason to try to impress her.

     Colin went and got the car and picked Sadie up at the door of the restaurant.  Sadie gave him directions to the nightclub.  It proved to be, a nice looking, well lighted place.  There were a fair amount of cars there already.  They went in and were ushered to a table not too far from the dance floor.  Colin ordered a drink for himself.  Sadie said she would prefer a soft drink.  Colin put that down as another mark in her favor.

     They got up and went onto the dance floor.  Colin found he was not too rusty, but he put that down to the fact Sadie was a very good dancer.  It was easy to fall into the rhythm, with her as a partner.  The evening was proving to be a pleasant one.  As Colin implied, they only stayed a little over an hour and then he took her home.  Colin walked her to her door.  Sadie thanked him for a very lovely evening.  She opened her door and went inside closing it behind her.  Colin waited until she was inside.  When he heard her lock click, he returned to his car and went back to the hotel.  He sat down and started writing on his laptop.  He wrote for quite a while.  Then he saved it to a disc, closed up the computer and went to bed.

     Colin was up early.  After a shower, he headed for the lobby.  Sadie had just come on duty.  She gave him a bright smile. 

     “Good morning Dr. Mattins.  I hope you had a good night’s sleep,” she said.

     “I slept like the proverbial baby,” Colin answered.  “You look bright and cheerful.”

     “Oh I feel wonderful.”  Sadie would have loved to add, she had a wonderful evening, but she dared not with the manager within earshot.

     “Then could you recommend a good place to have breakfast.  Your recommendations, so far, have proven excellent.”  Colin sensed that Sadie dared not say too much.  Apparently some one was in the office and the door was open.

     Sadie recommended a place on the edge of town, and gave Colin directions.  He thanked her nicely and wished her a good day.  After Colin left, the manager came out of the office and praised Sadie for being so helpful to such an important guest.   

     The manager found out who it was that was staying in the hotel.  He noted Colin would be staying for over a week.  He made a mental note to see the room was kept exceptionally clean and was taken care of first.  Sadie smiled.  She knew just what was going through the manager’s mind.  What he didn’t know was she had been in Colin Mattins’ arms for a while last night.  She was sure Colin enjoyed that although probably not quite as much as she did.  Of course, she didn’t really know.  She was assuming he had enjoyed having dinner and dancing with her.  He seemed to have enjoyed it last night.  He was the one who suggested going out dancing.  She would know if he asked her out again.

     Actually, Colin enjoyed that very much, which he would have readily admitted.  In fact, at the moment he was plotting how he could bring that about again in the near future.  Sadie Turin intrigued him.  She was unlike most of the other women he had known and dated.  She was honest, almost bluntly so.  She was not trying to impress him.  She was personable and pleasant and she was very intelligent.  She was not putting on a front.  It was just her nature.   

     Sadie’s directions were excellent.  He found the breakfast place easily and found her recommendation was right on target.  He knew she couldn’t be eating out that much herself.  He had a hunch her budget would not allow that.  She must be very good at digging this information out.  She seemed to be able to separate the good information from the questionable, and retain that which was of value.  He had a hunch she did this for other things beside restaurants.

     As he was enjoying his breakfast and kind of wishing, Sadie was sitting there beside him, a brilliant thought hit him.  He had thought of buying those woods and making it into a park.  Sadie had mentioned it was still there, the way it always had been.  Sadie seemed to be good at digging things out.  Perhaps he could hire her to find a way to buy that woods, make it into a park and present it to the city along with a yearly gift to maintain it.  Sadie could be his person in charge of accomplishing this, if it could be done.  That was a sneaky way of keeping in touch with Sadie, but he thought it would work.  She was too smart not to be suspicious, but it was a legitimate project, and she might be willing to do it.  It might just intrigue her.  He would probably have a fight with her about how much he should be paying her.  Not because he wouldn’t be willing to pay her enough, but because she would probably protest it was too much.  He was sure he could figure out some way to pay her what he thought she should be paid.  He should be able to find a way to justify it, to which she would agree.

     Sadie, he found, was very pleasant to be with.  She was open and honest with him and it was intentional on her part.  She was not deliberately trying to create an impression.  She was just naturally that way.  He had a hunch the hotel clerk job was not full-time.  He wondered what other jobs she was working at to make ends meet.  She probably rented the house.  It looked like a small, one-bedroom house.  It looked in fairly good shape.  Of course, he had only seen it briefly. 

     He would have to tread with care, if he were to try to find out more about her.  Just because she wasn’t wearing any rings, and had agreed to have dinner with him, did not necessarily mean anything.  He laughed to himself.  What had started out to be a nostalgic visit to his childhood home, was now becoming an investigation into the life of a young woman he just met.  He really didn’t know, why he was so interested in her.  For some reason, she intrigued him from the time he met her.  He was used to developing characters for his stories.  She was one he never met before.  She was intelligent and worldly wise.  She was also almost bluntly honest and open.  She was not cynical although she might have ample reason.  She was pleasant and cheerful and, as he had found out, fun to be with. 

     He put this line of thought out of his mind temporarily as he began to explore the town and the area around.  He found his way to the woods he remembered and even did a little exploring of it.  He drove to the river he remembered fishing.  A lot of things had changed, but there were a few familiar things left.  He began thinking back to his childhood, as he ran across those familiar things.  He drove past the house where he lived.  It had been changed.  The house next door, a much older house, had been torn down. A new house had been built in its place.  He drove past where his elementary school had been.  It was no longer there.  Apartment buildings stood in its place.  So much for nostalgia. 

     When he returned to the hotel, Sadie had gone off duty.  He was told she did not work the next day.  He went up to his room and looked her up in the telephone directory.  He dialed her number, not really knowing who would answer.  It was Sadie who answered. 

     “This is Colin Mattins,” Colin said as soon as she answered.  “I know you aren’t working here at the hotel tomorrow, but I had a hunch you were working more than one job.  Would that job allow you to have breakfast with me tomorrow?  I have an idea I would like to bounce off you.”  He hadn’t let her interrupt him.

     There was a slight moment of silence at the other end of the line.  “How did you know I had another job?” Sadie asked.  She wondered why he found out she didn’t work tomorrow.  Why he came to the conclusion she had another job.  Why this, was important to him.

     “I didn’t.  That was a wild guess.  I had the feeling the hotel job was not full-time,” Colin answered.

     “And you figured I would have to have another job to make it?” Sadie inquired.  Colin wasn’t quite sure what kind of mood he had found her in this evening.  He had to handle this carefully.

     “I figured that might be a good possibility,” Colin said, somewhat hesitantly.  “But you haven’t answered my question,” he reminded her.  He hoped to divert her attention and thinking, to answer his question.  He was in luck. 

     Sadie laughed,  “I’ve been thinking.  I suppose breakfast would be safe enough.”  Colin started to laugh at the way she said it.

     “I’m really not in the habit of abducting young women before breakfast.  I never work on an empty stomach if I can help it,” He told her lightly.  Sadie laughed, then it was obvious she was thinking for a moment. 

     “I don’t have to be to work until ten.  Can you make it an early breakfast?” she asked.

     “I’ll make it as early as you wish,” was Colin’s immediate reply.

     “You are trying to be accommodating, aren’t you, Dr. Mattins?”  There was an obvious smile in her voice.  Then she added,  “How about picking me up at seven.”

     “I’ll be there at seven sharp,” Colin told her.  He hadn’t asked her what her other job was.  He would let her tell him if she wanted.  Actually, it was none of his business and it wasn’t that important.  He wasn’t about to push his luck just to find out. 

     When he picked her up she was wearing jeans and a blouse with a light jacket.  When she got in the car, Colin said, 

     “Could we drop the Dr. Mattins thing except at the hotel?  The name is Colin, a very easy name to remember.”  Sadie smiled brightly at him. 

     “You’re sure you want me on a first name basis with you?”

     “Absolutely, and don’t make that out to be more than it is,” Colin replied with a smile.  Sadie laughed rather delightedly.  For some one who was at least somewhat famous and obviously rich, he was very easy to talk to and be with.  However, Sadie was street-wise enough to continue to be wary.

     “I’m having a hard time relating your official persona, with how you have been since you walked into the hotel,” Sadie observed.

     “You can’t believe that promotional propaganda,” Colin answered.  “Besides, you intrigue me.  You don’t fit my list of characters.  Your character, as I have been reading it, doesn’t fit the part you seem to be playing.”

     “Are you saying I’m a very strange character?” asked Sadie with an engaging smile.

     “No, not at all,” Colin quickly answered.  “You are intriguing because you don’t fit a character pattern.  That makes you very interesting.”

     “Perhaps, I will be a character in one of your future novels?” she questioned.

     “That might be interesting,” Colin admitted.  “Although at the moment, I have no idea what kind of story I would weave around you.”

     “Oh I wasn’t implying that I would be the main character,” Sadie quickly protested.

     “Why not?” asked Colin, looking intently at her.  “I think you would make a wonderful main character.  Don’t sell yourself short.”

     “But you said you had no idea what kind of story you would weave around my character,” Sadie remarked looking intently back at Colin.

     “That is what makes writing so interesting.  Sometimes the character dictates the story,” replied Colin.  Sadie looked at him questioningly.

     They arrived at the restaurant and went inside to find a booth in back of the restaurant.  They looked over the menu and ordered their breakfasts. 

     “Why did you invite me for breakfast?” Sadie asked.

     “There is something I think you can do for me.”  Colin held up his hand to keep Sadie from breaking in with any questions yet,  “I have had it in my mind I would like to buy those woods, I used to like to roam, and turn them into a park.  Preserve some part of my memories.  I would like to have you look into that possibility for me.  You seem to be able to get good information about a lot of things in this town.  You could quietly gather information on the possibility of my doing this, without arousing any interest on the part of others.  If I could buy it?  Have it dedicated as a park.  Then turn it over to the town, with a yearly contribution dedicated to its upkeep.  I would pay you a consultant’s fee plus all expenses.  We could set up a dummy consulting company you could work out of.”

     “Consultants make a lot of money, I’m told,” Sadie commented with a smile, looking intently at Colin.

     “Are you afraid of making a lot of money?” asked Colin smiling back at her.

     “You’re not playing fair.  You’re turning my questions back at me,” Sadie protested.  Colin laughed, then he watched her to try to gage her reaction to his proposal.

     “Will you do it?” Colin asked.  Then he quickly added,  “At least will you consider it, seriously?”

     Sadie looked at him, not knowing really what to think,  “Why are you offering me this?”

     “You mean what are my motives?” said Colin.  “At the moment, I haven’t the slightest idea myself, except they are strictly honorable.  This really is something I want to do.  By having you do it, I could keep myself out of it.”  Then he added, “It also would give me a reason to keep in touch with you.  To that I plead guilty.”

     “How do you know I can accomplish what you want accomplished?” Sadie asked.  “Why keep in touch with me?”

     “I don’t really know if it can actually be accomplished, but I am sure you would give it a very good try.  That is all I’m asking.  No one could do more,” Colin said emphatically.  He was saved from answering her second question because at that time their breakfasts came. 

     Sadie was obviously turning this idea over in her mind.  It would mean good money for her for a while.  She knew he intended to pay her well for her efforts.  One of her jobs was coming to an end.  She did not doubt his statement it really was something he wanted to do.  He had honestly told her he wanted to keep in touch with her.  She did not know why, but she saw no reason to object to that.  At least, not at the moment.

     “I’d like to think about it for a day,” Sadie finally said after they had finished their meal.

     “Fine,” Colin remarked.  “Is there a possibility we could have dinner together again.  I would leave the day up to you.”

     Sadie thought for a moment.  It was obvious to Sadie that Colin was actually happy to have an excuse to suggest having dinner together again. 

     “Tomorrow night, at seven.  I should have my answer by then.”  Then Sadie started to laugh.  “I wonder what someone who only heard that part of the conversation would think that meant,” she added.  Colin looked at her and then started to laugh. 

     “That could have an awful lot of connotations couldn’t it,” he observed.  “Especially as I am a stranger in town.”

     Colin paid the bill, then drove Sadie home.  She told him she was working at the hotel tomorrow.  She didn’t tell him where she was working today.  He headed back to the hotel and picked up his laptop.  Then he headed for the lake.  He wanted to look around that area. 

     It was promising to be a very nice day.  He knew there was a park on the lake.  After he finished exploring that area, he thought he would go to the park and try to do some writing.  He was keeping a journal of what he was seeing and learning and his reaction to all of it.  He thought he might turn it into a story or an article eventually.  Sadie, however, did not appear in that journal he was keeping. 

     The day was pleasant.  He found a reasonable place for lunch, and at night tried another one of Sadie’s recommende