Glen Earns His Stripes: Many The Miles audiobook. New to Audible? Download code within!
“Ok, I’m off the highway, outside the gates. They’re open.”
“So, go in.”
“What? What if there’s someone there? What do I say? ‘Oh, hi, you don’t happen to have any hookers in your basement, do ya?’”
“Glen – Lead Reporter? The whole ‘cut-above’ conversation? Remember it?”
“Yes,” said Glen, tersely.
“Right. Leave all evidence of your identity in the car – cellphone, wallet – and get in there! It could be empty – “
“Or there could be a whole bunch of crooks waiting for me!”
“How? They don’t know you’re coming.”
Glen sighed heavily, and Mal relented, softening the scathing note of challenge in his tone, “You don’t have to do this, son. Not if you don’t want to. This isn’t your battle to fight – “
“Yes, I do.”
“You don’t – “
“I do! If I don’t go in there, I’ll always know I’m not up to being Lead Reporter – that I’m just a gopher and a features writer, but not a credible investigative journalist! My pride can’t handle accepting my career’s over before it’s even properly started.”
“Glen – “
“No, Mal, you don’t understand. I’ve never done anything like this. I have to test myself or I won’t know if I can.”
“Your decision, son.”
“I’ll call you back in a bit.”
“Be careful.”
“Sure thing.”
Glen cut the call, pushed his cellphone, wallet, and notebook into the glove box, locked the car, buried the keys in a pile of dust behind the rear wheel, and strolled as casually as he was able down the wide and shady drive, doing his T’ai Chi breathing exercises and resisting the temptation to turn and run.
The land sloped gently down from highway to house. At first, all Glen could see were recently mowed lawns, with stands of self-seeded palms dotted across the wide expanse. As he turned a corner, the full panorama opened before him. He paused to absorb the majesty of the view. Beneath him, nestled against the shore, the turquoise roof of a huge property. To one side, sunlight sparkled on an uncovered pool surrounded by a large deck. To the other, grass terraces formed wide natural steps down onto a half-moon of pristine white sand, the whole property framed by a horseshoe of woodland shielding it from the noise and notice of the highway behind. To one extremity of the curved bay, a rock and sand promontory, covered by an attractive grove of swaying palm trees, effectively shielded the house from the worst of any wind and weather. At the farthest end of the large private beach, Glen could just see another spit of rock jutting out into the ocean, forming a second natural boundary. And this was but one address within the Governor’s extensive portfolio! No wonder Mal was convinced the guy had designs on the White House. He was every bit rich enough to finance his bid all the way to the best-known office in the modern world.
The place looked deserted. Although the pool was uncovered, Glen couldn’t see any figures moving about on the terrace or the beach, and no parked cars were visible.
He crunched onward down the stone-chipped drive. The rustling canopy of palm leaves protected him from the worst of the sun’s intensity, dappling the ground with attractive geometric patterns. Bougainvillea provided vibrant bursts of scarlet and pink amongst the watery palette of blues and greens.
As the drive levelled out, Glen took in the imposing plantation-style property. White weatherboarding and turquoise shutters. French doors opening to verandas. Terraces overlooking garden, beach, and pool. Balconies encircling second and third floors. All the windows at the front of the house were firmly closed, and there was no obvious evidence of occupation. He would attempt a circuit of the whole building. If unchallenged, he’d begin a thorough search for a basement access.
Glen walked cautiously around the side of the house, stepping lightly, trying not to allow his sneakers to crunch on the gravel path. If he spotted anyone, he’d just creep away again, disappearing up the driveway as fast as he was able.
As he tiptoed down the side of the house and prepared to turn onto the flagstones ringing the pool, a huge man in a suit and tie rounded the corner at speed and bowled straight into him, bulldozing him to the ground!
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