Booktree.ng_Forgotten-Witness

husband. “You don’t want to lose too many friends with a dark
horse, Ambrose.”
“In Washington friends are easily lost. It’s alliances that are
important. I’m confident in those,” Ambrose reminded her.
“You, my dear, are my only true friend.”
“Honestly, Ambrose, if I could package you I’d be a rich
woman.”
“You are already a rich woman.” He switched off the table
lamp. His hand had just gone around her waist and they were
headed upstairs to find out about her lingerie or lack thereof
when the doorbell rang.
“A bit late,” Ambrose groused and sent her up without him.
“I’ll take care of it.”
The bell rang again, annoying Ambrose even more that
whoever it was at this hour didn’t have the decency to be
patient. When he opened the door his irritation grew two-fold.
“Eugene?”
***
“My dad taught college, but then he got offered the research
job at Ha Kuna House so my parents moved here before I was
born. My mom was a piece of work, so I just took off after
high school. I finally came home and found my mom gone and
dad pretty much living at Ha Kuna House. He was like the
others, just wacko. My dad didn’t deserve to be alone. He was
always good to me so I stayed.”
“Who paid for his placement?” Stephen asked.
“Mr. Reynolds told me it was part of his insurance and I
should just leave him as long as he was happy. I didn’t think
he was, though. The whole place didn’t seem happy. It seemed
kind of – I don’t know how to explain it – like I was always in
some alternate reality.”