The Web by Jonathan Kellerman Read Free Book Online

tomorrow? If you’re up to it, you might try
snorkeling down on South Beach. The reefs are beautiful and
the fish come right into the shallows, so you don’t need
tanks. I have an extra Jeep for you to use.”
    Fishing in his pocket, he pulled out some keys and gave
them to me.
    “Thanks,” I said. “When do you want to start working?”
    He smiled. “We already have.”

Chapter
    6
    We walked back through the silk-papered gallery,
Moreland moving stiffly despite long strides, Robin and I
slowing down for him.
    “I like your paintings,” I said.
    He gave a puzzled look. “Oh, those. They were done by
my late wife.”
    He made no further comment till we reached the entry hall
and a door slammed upstairs from the vicinity of the Pickers’
suite.
    “I heard about Lyman’s behavior at dinner,” he said,
stopping. “I apologize.”
    “No big deal.”
    “They’ll only be here another week or so. She’s just
about completed whatever it is she came here to do. He has
nothing
to do, which is part of the problem. He’s unhappy
about the lack of exotic molds.”
    “He may still be hoping to find some,” I said. “They’re
flying over the banyan forest tomorrow morning.”
    Thin arms folded across his chest.
“Tomorrow?”
    “That’s what he said.”
    “Flying in what?”
    “A plane owned by a man named Harry Amalfi.”
    “Good lord. Those are junk heaps. Harry bought them
from surplus years ago, expecting me to hire him to dust
crops. I decided to use only organic pest control, tried to
explain it to him. Even after I compensated him, he convinced
himself I ruined him.”
    “You paid him, anyway?” said Robin.
    “I gave him something because he’d taken initiative. I
suggested he use the money to open a car repair business. He
and his son know how to do that. Instead, he spent every
penny and hasn’t taken any initiative since. There’s no
reason to go up in one of those rattletraps. What do they
expect to see?”
    “The forest.”
    “There’s nothing down there. The area is mostly Navy
land, the rest public domain that would have been cleared
long ago except that it’s not safe. Land mines left by the Japanese.
And who’s going to fly them? Harry hasn’t been up in years.
And
he drinks.”
    “Picker has a pilot’s license.”
    He shook his head. “I must have a talk with them.
Those land mines are a real danger if he tries to land. I had barbed
wire put up along the eastern wall of my property to make sure no one
climbed over. I’d better go up there right now.”
    “He may not be receptive,” I said.
    “Oh .   .   . yes, you’re probably right.
Tomorrow morning, then. .   .   . Now, in terms of your
recreation here at the house, we don’t get television reception but
the radio in your room should be working. There’s also a small
library on the other side of the dining room.” He gave a little wave.
“Converted silver room. You may not find much of interest there.
Mostly condensed books and biographies. There are many more books
in your office, and mine. Periodicals come in with the
provisions. If there’s something specific you’re interested
in reading, I’ll do my best to find it for you.”
    He bent slowly and petted Spike. “Well, I’ll let you
go now. Is there anything you need?”
    Robin said, “It’s so pleasant out I thought we might
walk some more.”
    Moreland nodded happily. “Have you noticed the sweetness
in the air? I’ve planted for aroma.
Frangipani, night-blooming jasmine, old roses, all sorts of
things.”
    “Picker said the soil isn’t good,” I said.
    “He’s right about that. Any residues of volcanic ash
have drifted into the jungle, and the rest of the island is
too high in salt and silica. In some places, the dirt only
goes down a couple of feet before you hit coral. With the
exception of a few pines planted by the Japanese, this place
was scrub when I bought it. I brought in boatloads of
topsoil and amendments. It took years. It’s