Chapter 7

Chapter VII

First thing Monday morning Wilson was in Wells’s office pressing the receptionist for entry.  

When she buzzed him in, Wells’s secretary almost laughed aloud at his eagerness.

Wilson burst through the door and was in conversation before he said ‘good-morning.’

“How did you happen to be on the trail with Peterson?  What did you find out?”

Wells couldn’t hide the smile that crossed his lips.  He was a step ahead of Wilson on this one.

“I was caught in town and decided to have a late lunch at the Crescent Gardens.  I ran into the kids there.  We were talking about their ride and they offered me an off-schedule trip.  They’re unwavering in their running time; didn’t want to cut into that.”

“How was it?  Anything like they said?”

“Exactly!” Wells used his hands pounding his excitement.  “Very exciting! I can see why they have stuck to their schedule and developed such a close relationship.”

“On the monitor last night, Peterson said something about buying a house.”

“Really?  I knew he liked it.  He took me to see it before he we went on the trail.  It’s on the trail.  I wonder if Johnson did it for advertising, or for laughs.”

“He put it on the trail?”

“Off the trail, but the address was clear.  If they hadn’t shown it to me before, I would have gone looking to see if there was a real place – as they did.”

“That real?”

“No!  Computer image – but detailed.” Wells hoped he wasn’t saying too much.

When Wilson left Wells office, Wells went to the files and wrote down Pete’s and Ruby’s work phone numbers. 

Wells took an early lunch and went to the bank.  While appearing to do business he asked one of the bank officers to allow him the use of a phone.  He called Pete and told him of his meeting with Wilson.

Pete called Ruby.

When Ruby hung up the phone she found Jeanne standing by her desk.

 “Was that the cute guy from the treadmill?” Jeanne teased.

“Yes!  And yes it is getting serious.”

“I can see the glow.  Gets any brighter we’ll start saving on the light bill,” Jeanne laughed, returning to her desk.

Yeah, it’s really serious – in a deadly sort of way, Ruby’s thoughts were not matching the smile on her face.

Ruby saw Pete coming as she reached the restaurant.  He greeted her with quick hug.

“That was good timing.  You did just get here?” Pete asked.

“Yes and I was glad to see you because I didn’t know if I was meeting you inside or outside.”

“Outside, unless it’s raining,” Pete set the rule for future meetings as they entered the café and took a seat at a table.

“I like to feel I’m taking you to lunch, not just picking up on you,” he said.

“That’s nice.  I’d hate to get a reputation.”

“Were you serious when you said you were saving for a house.”

“ ‘course!”

“How much do you have saved up?”

“Around ten thousand,” she was rounding way down, because she didn’t know where he was going with that question.   Her eyebrows pulled together with a puzzled frown.

Her expression made him realize he had been making plans that he hadn’t shared.  Plans she might not want to share.

“I’m thinking, if we’re going to get Al back, we will have to go to where he started,” Pete stated.  “I thought if we bought the place, there’s no questions when we turn on the power – move in the treadmills.”

She nodded hesitantly.  “Are you asking for a loan?”

“I think I can make the down payment, but it needs repairs.  If we buy it together … well, we won’t lose anything on it; even if we decide we don’t want to live together when this is over,” he said.  “For now we need the treadmills together.  I’ll feel better if you’re close enough so I know you’re all right, while this is going on.”

“Are you saying you want us to move in together while we work this out?”

“I’m hoping, when we get Al back and figure out what’s going on with Fitness Opts, we might get married.  I know, that’s a big decision, we don’t need to make in a hurry.   We need to get Al out of his dilemma first.”

Ruby started laughing.  She couldn’t help it.  She asked, “How much is this romantic interlude going to cost?”

“What?  You want an ‘I love you’?”  He realized how business like his proposal had been.  “I’m sorry, I just felt we had discussed this whole thing.  I’ve gone over it so often.  I called the realtor and the place is not just reasonable it’s cheap.  Been empty for half a year and vandals have taken advantage.”

Ruby nodded.  One had just to look to know the problem.

“Realtor said Al gave him power of attorney to make the sale and has set up an account for the payment.  So there is no problem with the sale,” Pete said.

“How did he know he was going to be gone?”

“He was planning a trip to Europe when he put it up for sale,” Pete said, “He went and returned and never changed the agreement.”

“Sounds like he was planning to disappear.”

“He might have figured he’d be moving.  He wasn’t really needed where he was.  The Treadmill Project was off and running.”

Ruby snickered.  Pete’s glance asked, ‘What’s funny?’  He realized what he had said and smiled with her.  Their lunch was served.

“Do you have an hour for lunch?” Ruby asked.

“Sometimes.  I’m out of the office a lot.  I have to check on job sites.  Since I’m the main buyer, if I don’t know what’s going on, I might leave the men standing around waiting for material.  Sometimes I grab a sandwich; sometimes I take a lunch break.  Today is with you.  Do you have an hour?”

“Like you, sometimes.  I grab a sandwich at my desk often enough, I can take an hour here and there.”

“Good I didn’t want to rush you into any hasty decisions.  I know I didn’t say anything right,” Pete said, “But you’re my dream girl.  I stepped on a treadmill and dreamed you up.  I found a house I liked and put you in it.  I’m sorry I didn’t ask you, but I thought you were in my head and knew what I was thinking.”

“You’re right, I should have known, but I didn’t want to presume and be disappointed.  It would be better at the moment to have the Treadmills together.  Best for getting Al back and more convenient than getting up to go home for a run.”  Ruby had a seductively teasing tone to her reply.

“I’m glad you added that last part.  I didn’t want to feel used as a one night stand,.”  Pete paid her back, but added, “Well, if it’s the only way to have another night, I’d let you use me.”

“What do we have to do to get the house?”

“You drive to work?”

“Yes!”

“Can you pick me up after work?  We could go to the realtor from there.”

“Why do you take a bus to work?”

“I gave up trying to park a car.  I know there’s only five long blocks difference but where I work is all high priced parking.  Give me a call when your leaving and I’ll be on the corner.”

Ruby wondered if she was making a rash decision.  Am I getting old and desperate?  She asked herself.

Pete reached a reassuring hand across the table, taking her hand with a comforting squeeze.  “You’re my girl, Rumble.  For me that’s not a temporary commitment.”

“That’s good.  I may hold you to it.  Jeanne might hold you to it.”

“How is she?”

“Curious.”

“You can tell her I’m in the boat.  You just have to decide if I’m a keeper.”

“You’re virtually kept, but we do need some off the trail time.  Can you get off a little early so we don’t miss our run?”

“You call, I’ll be there.”

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