Рита Браун - Out Of Hounds

“Mercer showed me that.” He got up and fixed her another muffin. “Let’s split it. I’ve been a little too generous myself.”

“No. You’ve been perfect,” Rooster mumbled.

“How can you two eat muffins? Boring.” Golly, prancing on the kitchen counter, criticized them.

The two dogs ignored her but Gray scratched her ears. She was a beautiful cat and persistent.

The phone rang. Sister rose to answer it as Gray buttered another muffin then reached for the orange marmalade jar. She nodded that she would love some orange marmalade.

“Hello.”

“Sister. I don’t know if you saw the news, but the governor is reinforcing six feet apart, and closing nonessential business. The state liquor stores are considered essential, by the way,” Carter’s voice informed her.

“What?”

“The virus really exploded in New York…New Jersey, too. So this is a preemptive strike. I know we are to hunt Heron’s Plume tomorrow, but it might be unwise.”

“I’d call the Ingrams to see how they feel about it. Apart from wearing a mask, a new fashion accessory,” she paused, “this might be the right thing to do but it will cause panic.

“I’ll give the Ingrams another hour. Late risers. And I’ll have Betty send out an email once Walter and I figure out what to do.”

“I’m thinking about going to the boat and living there until this passes. Have to think it through.”

“You should be far enough away from everyone.”

He agreed. “Unless the Covid-19 knows how to swim. I’ve got two bedrooms, a big kitchen, a living room. It’s quite nice, really.”

“Sounds sumptuous.”

“You only go round once. My goal is not to leave anything behind.” He laughed. “You might want to consider how this looks to people who don’t hunt. If you’re out there, you look arrogant and disobedient. I know and you know we’re in the open and far apart. And we could stay apart at the trailers. Non-hunting people don’t know that.”

“Carter, you have thought about this.”

“I have. I’m not in an endangered group, people with preexisting conditions or over sixty, but I like my life right now and have no desire to upend it.”

“Yes.”

“Bet the art thefts stop.” He added, “One less thing to worry about, I suppose. Not that I was worried, just curious. Has been a bit of time since the last one. No, I’m wrong. A sidesaddle painting was stolen from the Headley-Whitney Museum in Lexington. Not a Munnings, though, so that’s a new wrinkle. By the way, their governor has put out restrictions, too.” He heard a beep on his other line. “Have to take this call. I’ll look for the email. Take care.”

“You, too.” She hung up the phone then repeated the news to Gray.

“Better call Walter.”

She ate her muffin then did just that.

“It is that serious. We should end the season. We’ll lose two weeks, but we really must.”

“How long will this rage?”

“No one knows. We can’t trust the numbers we get from China. Italy is getting hit hard. Then again, it has an aging population, but the virus is also in Germany. We are woefully unprepared. My suspicion is, unless real leadership appears, it will run rampant.”

“The president did halt flights from China, as I recall.”

“Too late, plus he was roundly criticized for it. His denial of the seriousness looks suspicious,” Walter replied. “I’m a doctor. I look at something like this as a doctor. A politician will look at it otherwise. When Congress wakes up, the administration wakes up, we’ll be far behind. All they think about is their job security.”

“Well, Walter, how long does the bug last?”

“If you show symptoms, and many people don’t, so whether you show or not you should be quarantined for two weeks. A month is better until we know how long this bug actually lives, plus what it can live on, say shoes.”

“All right. I’ll have Betty send out an email canceling the rest of the season. Signed by both of us.”

“Difficult as that is, we must do it. The other thing is, we’ll have to cancel our fundraisers until this is over, or at least until people are safer.”

Sister sat down, worried. “I guess everyone will be canceling their season. Even out west.”

Gray placed his fork across his plate. “If this lockdown eventually gets worse, small businesses will go under. Very few businesses have enough cash to shut down for even a month.”

“Well, we don’t know that yet.”

“Honey, if this gets worse, no one will be able to go to a lecture, a restaurant, get a haircut. This is only the beginning. Our governor will have to be clear about essential and nonessential and that will change. This really is only the beginning.”

“I hope you’re wrong.”

“So do I,” he agreed.

“Oh, forgot, Carter said another painting was stolen in Lexington but it wasn’t a Munnings.”

“Ah. Bet it is still worth a lot.” He rose, took his dish to the sink and hers as well. “What was that James Cagney movie? Never Steal Anything Small ?”

“Anything James Cagney was in was terrific. Did you know he started as a dancer?”

“Didn’t. He did move with a kind of grace, though, didn’t he? Well, honey, you’d better call Betty. The sooner this goes out, the better.”

“You’re right.” Sister walked to the library, as it was easier to use the landline in there.

Betty, who had heard the governor’s address, agreed this was the right thing to do and she’d get on it.

No sooner had Sister hung up the phone than it rang again.

“Mrs. Arnold.”

“Yes.”

“This is Jordan Standish. I didn’t have a cell number for you so I called this number. I hope that’s okay.”

“It is. I’m not much for using my cell. It’s a surprise to hear your voice.”

“Uh, well, I called to thank you for talking to Mr. Barbhaiya. He has dropped the charges and he said you suggested that.”

“He gives me too much credit, but I do hope this works out. I am happy to show you hunting, but as it turns out we’ve all been grounded.”

“Yes. Me, too. I’ve dropped my campaign until this is over. Well, I haven’t dropped it, but no rallies or meetings. The other reason I called you is you asked me about those crimes.”

“I did.”

“I don’t have an answer but I had a thought. Now that people will be wearing masks, at least some of them, it will be easier to steal, I think.”

“I would never have thought of that. Thank you for considering my question. I hope we meet in better circumstances when this ends.”

“Yes, Ma’am. A lot will change.”

“You’re right. Keep well.”

“You, too. Goodbye.”

She hung up the phone and thought, “Will wonders never cease?”

“Done?” Gray called from the kitchen.

“Yes. You’ll never guess who I just spoke with.” She walked back into the kitchen to tell him about Jordan Standish.

“He’s right. Our state law forbids wearing a mask at a rally, gatherings. They can’t enforce it now, can they?”

“I guess not. This is all overwhelming.”

“It is. Will there be an increase in crime?” Gray breathed out. “Well, if we have to keep away from one another, if businesses are closed, I doubt it, but a well-thought-out crime, maybe.”

“What about mass violence?”

“Whenever people are frightened or angry or both, that is always a possibility.”

“Animals are smarter than people that way.” Sister believed that.

“Of course.” Golly preened.

CHAPTER 32

March 11, 2020 Wednesday

Late afternoon.

How quickly the day flew by. After Carter’s call then her calling Walter and the unexpected call from Jordan Standish, Sister walked down to the kennels to give Weevil and Tootie the news. Although young, neither one protested. For one thing, no one knew enough about the virus itself and the media had to stir the pot. Never pass up the opportunity to make money off a crisis. The political version of that was never let a crisis go to waste. The finger-pointing was in full swing.