“Jell-O,” Maggie said firmly.
“Okay, but she’ll need other stuff, too.” He was thinking in terms of liquids. Or was that for a cold? His first-aid training ran more in the direction of gunshot wounds or emergency amputations.
He backed out of the driveway, then touched a button. A mechanical voice asked, “What name?”
“Brenda,” he replied.
Maggie stared at him. “The car is talking!”
He felt himself smile as the sound of a phone ringing came over the built-in speakers. It was nearly five-thirty. Brenda might have gone home.
But his assistant was still at the office. When she answered, he explained that he was taking care of a friend with the flu and needed her advice on what to buy at the grocery store. Also, what would be appropriate to serve a four-year-old for dinner.
With that he glanced at the girl. “Say hi, Maggie.”
Still wide-eyed and clutching her stuffed, white cat, Maggie licked her lips. “Hi,” she whispered tentatively.
“That was Maggie,” he said helpfully.
“Uh, hi, Maggie. Nice to talk to you.” His assistant’s tone of voice warned him that he would be getting a major third degree when he saw her in the morning.
“Do you even know where the grocery store is?” Brenda asked when she’d recovered from her shock.
“I have a fair idea. I was thinking of soup and juice. Liquids for the flu, right?”
“Uh, yeah, that’s right. As for dinner for the little one, there are lots of options. Rule number one is the less sugar the better. Are you cooking or heating?”
Ten minutes later he had a list along with instructions. Brenda cleared her throat. “Are they going to be staying with you for a few days?”
“Yes. Why?”
“If the mother isn’t feeling well, then she won’t be up to watching her child. Maggie, do you have a preschool you go to?”
The little girl beamed at being included in the conversation. “Uh-huh. Right by Mommy’s school. I stay there until two.”
“Ashley is a student at the University of Washington,” he clarified.
“Which means she’ll be missing class while she’s sick.”
He heard Brenda writing on a pad of paper. “Can we send someone to sit in for her?” he asked.
“Sure, but I need her schedule of classes first. Some lecture notes are available online. Also, Maggie will need a sitter for the afternoon. I can arrange that. What’s your student friend’s name?”
“Ashley Churchill. She works for us.”
There was a moment of silence. Jeff could practically see Brenda’s surprise. She knew everyone who worked for Ritter/Rankin Security.
“The cleaner?”
“Yes.”
“How did you meet her?” She coughed. “Sorry. It’s not any of my business, of course. I’ll get on all of this and call you later tonight.”
“Thanks, Brenda. I appreciate the effort.”
His assistant laughed. “No problem. You know I’m desperate to break into the spy business. There has to be a market for fifty-something operatives. Finding this information will be good practice.”
“I’d be lost without you in the office. I can’t afford to let you go into the field.”
