HOME OF THE RED FOX - Segment Four

Chapter 16

         There was to be a wedding. This did not surprise Walker when he heard, since he and everyone else within the mansion had seen it coming. The petite bride-to-be practically glowed while standing in front of him. She nervously clutched the hand of her fiancé, who towered over her by at least six inches. Walker leaned down to give a congratulatory kiss on her cheek and heard a loud “harrumph” from next to her.

          “Abe, you’re a lucky man,” he said, turning to shake the man’s hand. “Okay, what can I do to help you two have a spectacular wedding? Here, of course, if you want.” That morning, Walker had been waiting in the entrance room for his newest guest when Abe Goldman and his sweetheart, Sylvia Fisher, came up to him with their news. “Since the papers you filled out on arrival mentioned you were Jewish, we may need help with some of the religious details. Other than that, I’m sure Sam will know exactly what to do. She always does.” The elderly couple left, all smiles, after promising to get with Samantha later to start planning the wedding.

         At the mention of Sam’s name, the memory of how she looked the previous night for her date with Colin came unbidden into Walker’s mind. He did not understand how the woman he had known for years, his valuable right hand assistant, could have changed so much in such a short time. He also did not understand why it had upset him to see her leave with the Englishman for an innocent evening of dining and dancing. She was still a young woman and entitled to have a life away from the responsibilities of her job. Walker returned his attention to the imminent arrival of the limousine, determined to push the image of Sam in her blue dress from his mind.

         Unfortunately, Samantha arrived in the room just then, also ready to meet the new guest, as was her habit. Again, she wore her prim tailored suit. The red hair Walker remembered from last night no longer was in a mass of curls on top of her head. This morning, as usual, a neat French twist held every hair in place.

          “Good morning, Walker,” Samantha said cheerfully, “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Surprised, Walker just looked at her, speechless. He had never known her to be a morning person. She often figuratively bounced off walls for the first hour or two of the day. Before she had her morning fuel of large cups of hot coffee, her friends had learned to avoid her. The normally even-tempered woman often snarled when spoken to before then.

          “Was that Abe and Sylvia I just saw leaving?” she asked. At Walker’s nod, she continued, “Is there a problem?”

         “Only if you consider marriage a problem!” His curt reply made her look at him more closely.

         Were there dark circles under his eyes? she thought. Hadn’t he slept at all last night? Wasn’t he feeling well? The new worry about his health dampened her good spirits. “I don’t understand. Who’s getting married?” After asking this, she frowned when she noticed Walker, who usually wore immaculate outfits, had on a shirt with a set-in stain on the collar. She would have to talk with the laundry staff about their sloppiness. She was also a bit surprised it did not bother Walker. He must be feeling ill not to have changed into another shirt when he saw the stain. Should I have one of the doctors at the hospital come over to check him out?

          “Do you know anything about the Jewish wedding ceremony?” His question interrupted Samantha’s worried thoughts. “Sylvia and Abe want a simple wedding, probably in about a month, and I said you might be able to help plan it with them.” As an afterthought, he added, “You don’t mind, do you?”

         “Mind?” she laughed, “I’d be delighted. If they don’t know all the traditions involved, I’m sure I can find it on the Internet.” With the pleasure of planning a wedding uppermost in her mind, all thoughts of Walker possibly being sick fled, and she left to find either Abe or Sylvia.

         Walker watched her leave, suddenly feeling tired. Since he had fallen into bed late the night before and did not get a full night’s sleep, he decided to return to his suite and try to catch a couple hours’ nap before lunch. His new guest would just have to wait for his greeting later in the day. He decided to leave the job today to the front desk clerk, a pleasant woman named Jane, who would be perfect at making someone feel welcome.

         Before Samantha could find the older couple, however, she got a cell call from Beatrice Walsh, the grandmother of the day for Sue Beth and Joshua. Various male and female guests had created a list of who wanted to watch over Walker’s two young wards during the day. Afterwards, they held a lottery to choose the winners. Today was Bea’s day, and she sounded worried.

          “Samantha, I think the kids might be coming down with something,” Bea’s upset voice came over the phone. “I’ve called Dr. Robinson from the hospital, but I think either you or Walker should be with the kids when he gets here.”

         “I’ll be right up. If it’s serious, I’ll get Walker. For now, though, he’s waiting for our new guest, so we’d better not bother him yet.” Samantha made a quick turn and headed for the elevator. As she ascended to the third floor and the children’s rooms, she hoped it was nothing serious with them.

         Half an hour later, Dr. Robinson gave her the news she had not wanted to hear. “They have chicken pox.” He looked at the two waiting women. “Has anyone besides you two been in contact with them recently?”

          “Doctor,” replied Samantha, “many of the older people here take turns with the children every day, and Walker and I spend a few hours with them every evening. It’s good that Jack is away on personal business, because he enjoys their company in the evenings, too.”

         “Well, Samantha,” Dr. Robertson cautioned, as he packed up his medical bag, “you’ll have to check to eliminate those who had chicken pox as a child and have the others watched to see if they contracted the disease.” Before leaving, the doctor handed her instructions on the care of the children and any adult who came down with the disease.

         “Let’s not tell Walker yet. No need to worry him until we know how bad it has spread among the others.” Samantha looked towards Bea to see if she agreed, which she did. “Can you stay with the kids while I go check in my office? Everyone’s incoming papers, thank goodness, list their childhood illnesses. I’d better check the staff’s papers, too.” After Bea promised to let her know if there was any change in how the children were, Samantha left for the little office in her suite next door.

Chapter 17

         With Sue Beth and Joshua tucked into their beds next door and a solicitous Bea there to watch over them, Samantha compiled the list of guests and staff who had not reported having chicken pox as a child. Leaving her suite of rooms with the list, she thought about how today was turning out so badly compared with last night’s pleasures.

         Colin had been a perfect gentleman throughout the evening with one lapse she easily was able to fend off. When she was about to get into the cab he had called to take her back to the mansion, the Englishman’s impeccable manners slipped. His friendly goodnight kiss quickly accelerated into wandering hands. She was glad the cabdriver was there to keep Colin from getting too physical. Although she enjoyed being with Colin, she felt no chemistry between them. His goodnight kiss might as well have been from Jack, who had become like a brother to her.

         Checking the list of people she had to see, Samantha managed to phone almost all the adults not exposed to chicken pox as children. After arranging for a doctor to come from the hospital to examine and possibly give them the vaccine for the illness, she spent another few hours tracking down the handful of people still on her list. In this way, her morning flew by, and she gratefully entered the dining room for her previously arranged working lunch with Walker. Even though she realized he would not be happy about his wards being ill, she knew it was time to bring him in on the scope of this crisis.

         He had not arrived yet, and Samantha decided he was just running late. She ordered her meal immediately since she was quite hungry. When her tuna salad and ice tea arrived, Walker still had not. Knowing he was meticulous about being on time for appointments, Samantha started to worry. She decided to finish her meal, although she occasionally looked towards the dining room door. Half an hour later, after finishing her slowly eaten meal, Samantha used her cell phone to call up to his rooms, but there was no answer. A slight frown crossed her face as she considered other places where Walker might be. It disappeared when she remembered one of his favorite places within the mansion, the guest kitchen.

         The fragrances from the kitchen floated out of the large room, tempting those passing by to enter for a taste of the treats inside. Today, a famous chef from New York was there giving a demonstration on making petit fours and other specialty items. Since petit fours were among Walker’s favorite treats around the December holidays, she knew what he would be getting as a gift in a few months from all his adoring amateur cooks. Right now, he was probably in the kitchen taking full advantage of these delicious baked goods coming out of the ovens.

         Cooks and others there strictly as food tasters crowded the large kitchen, but Walker was not in sight. Samantha once more pulled out her cell phone to call his rooms, and again there was no answer. Instead of wasting any more time, since she did have many other duties to attend to, she took the elevator up to the fourth floor to leave a note on his door. On arriving there, she noted the door was slightly ajar and pushed it wide open to see if everything was all right inside.

         She could see no apparent problem in Walker’s office or the spare room next to it, and the large living room was empty as well. When Samantha peeked into Walker’s bedroom, it stunned her to see him stretched out, lying half on the bed and half on the floor, barely conscious. Sweat soaked Walker’s slacks and shirt while there was a pool of dried vomit on the bed near his head. She could hear him muttering incoherently and caught the words “blue” and “kill him” as she ran to his side.

         Within minutes, after her hysterical call to Dr. Robinson, she had cleaned away the vomit. She struggled to pull Walker’s long and heavy body up onto his bed. While waiting for Dr. Robinson’s arrival, Samantha soaked one of Walker’s bathroom towels in cold water and started trying to bring his fever down with it. She noticed a rash starting on his arms and knew he had caught the chicken pox. Strangely, his seemed more advanced than that of his two wards.

         A knock on the front door had her leaving her sick boss for the moment to let the doctor into the suite. She was nearly ready to kill the physician when he would tell her nothing about Walker’s condition, but just kept shaking his head as he examined the sick man on the bed.

         “Well, Doctor, is it chicken pox?” To her question, all Samantha received was a quick irritated nod, as the doctor pulled off Walker’s shirt to check the rash covering his chest.

         Finally, after Samantha had about given up on getting a straight answer from him, Dr. Robinson motioned her out of the bedroom and back into the living room. “Samantha, I’ll be arranging for nurses to be with him around the clock. Walker has chicken pox much worse than the kids do, and I’m worried about it progressing to pneumonia. The congestion in his lungs is already severe.” He closely watched the woman to see if she understood the seriousness of his comments. She did, and his words sent a chill through Samantha. When she was a young child, her favorite aunt had died of pneumonia, and she could not imagine losing her boss and, more importantly, her dear friend to it.

          “I don’t understand it. Shouldn’t Walker have received the vaccine as a child? Why is he getting this disease now?” She knew the man in the other room came from a wealthy family. They would have seen he received the best in medical care as a child.

         The doctor tried to explain to the bewildered woman. “Samantha, Walker was an adult when the vaccine came into general use, back in the early 1980s. Evidently, he just never received it.”

          His explanation satisfied her, although she still was upset. “What can I do, Doctor?” Samantha asked, trying to appear strong and competent and failing miserably. “I don’t want to leave him alone in the hands of strangers.”

         Taking pity on the distraught woman, someone who he knew was usually calm in a crisis, he gave her a few little tasks she could do. His nurses probably would be able to handle them in half the time, but the kind man knew she needed to feel useful. Within an hour after he left for the hospital, one of those nurses arrived to start her shift. When Samantha saw her walking into the suite, she wondered if the woman was even old enough to be a nurse and decided to stay near Walker.

         Sara Henley was old enough to be a registered nurse and had the skills that went with the title. It was not her fault she looked younger than her age. Maybe it was, though, since she did use many products available to the modern woman to stay appearing youthful. Samantha looked with slight disapproval at the nurse’s short uniform, but knew if Walker had not been ill, he would have enjoyed the sight of the woman’s shapely legs.

         After watching the woman closely, Samantha finally saw the nurse knew what she was doing and left Walker in her care to return to her own many delayed duties. If she had known what was waiting for her downstairs, she might have stayed with Walker instead.

Chapter 18

         The woman was pacing back and forth near the front desk, angrily glaring at Jane, who was still working behind the desk. Jane gave a sigh of relief when she saw Samantha leaving the elevator and heading her way.

         Before Jane could say a word, however, Monica Van Buren turned angrily towards Samantha. “Well, it’s about time someone came to help me, Sam. You are Sam, aren’t you?”

         “Yes, I’m Samantha,” she replied, stressing the last word. She allowed few people to use her nickname, and this woman was not one of them. Looking towards the desk clerk, she asked, “Is there a problem here, Jane?”

         “Yes, Mrs. Van…,” she got out before the irate woman rudely interrupted her.

         “I have a date to see William, and she,” glaring once more at the hapless clerk, “won’t tell me where he is.” Monica did not like having her wishes ignored or waiting for anyone. Finding Walker was not there did not set well with her, and Jane had felt the full force of her anger.

         Trying to save her further unpleasantness, Samantha continued talking to Jane, ignoring Monica for the moment. “Jane, why don’t you take a short break? I’ll watch the desk while you go get some coffee.” With a smile of thanks, the woman quickly left before Samantha changed her mind.

         “Ma’am,” said Samantha, finally turning to Monica, “I’m sorry to inconvenience you, but Walker is indisposed. Would you like me to find your parents instead?” She reached for the phone to call the Cochrans’ suite but stopped at the woman’s next words.

         “What do you mean by indisposed? We had plans for him to show me around the grounds. I demand you find him and tell him I’m here.” Monica sneered, then continued, “William won’t like that you interfered this way. You’re just his employee, and I plan to let him know how rudely you and the other one treated me. Now, get on the phone immediately and call him!”

         It is said of redheads they have a temper, and it was true of Samantha. Her day had started out so well. With the children and Walker being sick, plus the worry some of the guests also could come down with the illness, her patience and strength were wearing thin. Resisting the urge to scratch the eyes out of the woman standing next to her, Samantha smiled. She also wondered what it would feel like to hit the mouth she had once seen passionately kissing Walker.

         “As I said before, he is indisposed and will not be seeing anyone today. If you want to leave him a message, I’ll be happy to deliver it. Other than that, there is nothing further I can do for you, unless you want to visit with your parents.” Again, Samantha picked up the phone and stood there waiting for a decision.

         Monica stood there fuming before ungraciously responding, “Yes, get them. It looks like I have some free time, thanks to your incompetence and rudeness, unfitting in a mere employee. William will hear of it, you can count on that!” Samantha simply smiled and tracked down the Cochrans, who were again in the game room playing canasta.

         When Monica saw her parents coming out of the first corridor on the opposite side of the room, she motioned for them to go ahead of her into the second corridor containing the small meeting rooms. Behind her, Samantha gave a sigh of relief. She just did not see what Walker saw in such a nasty person.

         When Jane returned a few minutes later, Samantha stayed behind to let the clerk know she did not have to put up with rudeness from anyone. She outlined the procedure for what to do if it happened again. For another half hour or so, the two women relaxed and simply enjoyed each other’s company.

         Samantha was about to leave when she saw Monica and her parents returning to the entrance room. Without saying a word to them, Monica strode by the two women standing near the desk and out to her Lexus. The smile on her face made Samantha hope the visit with her parents had calmed her down enough to leave Walker alone for now. Even better, it would be perfect if she left him alone forever.

         Thinking the pleasant thought of never having to deal with the difficult person again, she nearly missed seeing Dan and Rose go slowly towards the elevator. Something about the way he walked made her look more closely at them. From across the room, it looked like he was in pain. Samantha quickly walked over to them before they got onto the elevator.

         “Dan,” she called out while still a distance away, “may I talk with you two for a minute?” The elderly couple stopped walking and waited for her to reach them.

         “Hello, Samantha. You look lovely today.” This compliment came from Dan when she reached them. “What can I do for you?” Samantha notice his wife held on to his arm as if for balance. She just was not sure who was holding up whom.

         “Is everything all right with you two?” Her question caused Rose to glance up at her husband, an expression of fright on her face. Samantha knew then something was wrong with them. Gently guiding them into the waiting elevator, she brought them to the third floor and her apartment where they could have some privacy.

         With some quiet prompting, Samantha was able to get the full story from the elderly couple. It horrified her it had been happening without anyone else knowing. Dan sat there with his head down in shame, relieved Samantha finally knew the truth.

         Even while putting her arms around Rose to comfort the woman, she realized it would be up to her to solve the problem. Walker would be counting on her, as were Dan and Rose.

Chapter 19

         Finally releasing Rose, Samantha stood and started automatically reaching for her phone to call Walker. Just in time, she remembered his bedridden condition one flight up. “Why didn’t you tell one of us what was going on?” She looked towards the elderly couple. “You must have known Walker would have handled any problem for you.”

         Dan still stayed silent with his head turned away, but Rose replied in a voice so soft Samantha could hardly hear her. “We were ashamed to let anyone know our own daughter was abusing us.” She reached over and took her husband’s hand in hers. “She’s been high-strung all her life, with temper tantrums so out of control when she was younger. Schools suspended her for violence against the other children as she got older.”

         For the first time since they had arrived in the apartment, Dan looked up to face Samantha. “We thought it was our fault and took her to doctor after doctor while she was growing up to see if they could control her temper in some way.” Rose nodded as Dan continued, “It’s horrible to say about your own child, but it relieved us when she finally left home to marry Doug Van Buren.”

         “Doug is such a sweet man,” added Rose, “but he was not strong enough to handle her. She just ran roughshod over him in every way, and even he finally just gave up on her. Their divorce was ugly since he refused to pay alimony, claiming spousal abuse as the reason for the divorce.”

         Dan laughed bitterly. “She did end with a small settlement from him she’s already gone through. That’s why she’s here so often, forcing us to give her money. I also gather she has her eye on Walker for her next husband.”

         Samantha shuddered at the thought of Monica getting her hooks into Walker. Knowing how her friend enjoyed the company of women, she had no doubt Monica already was working her wiles on him. The result could be marriage before Walker was aware of the true nature of the woman. For now, though, he was safely out of Monica’s clutches, and the first task needed doing was to see the Cochrans’ daughter never entered the mansion again.

         Excusing herself to Dan and Rose, Samantha went to her office laptop, typed out a memo, and networked it to the entire staff. In it, she simply wrote that Monica Van Buren, daughter of Dan and Rose Cochran, not be allowed entrance to the mansion. If necessary, they should phone the police to escort her off the grounds. Samantha gave no reason, as the staff understood the comfort and safety of the guests came before those of a visitor. After that, she made a quick phone call, followed by a longer second one.

         Returning to the living room, she saw the elderly couple standing by her front door, ready to leave. “Please stay for a little while longer,” Samantha said, easing them back to the sofa. “I’m getting the doctor here to check you out for injuries.” She did not tell them she had also called Jack, who was currently in Los Angeles. After hearing what had happened, he agreed to fly back immediately to help until Walker recovered his health.

         When Dr. Robinson arrived half an hour later, she decided to give the Cochrans some privacy and walked upstairs to check on Walker. His nurse, Sara, let her in and cautioned her to keep her voice down. Walker had finally slipped into a fitful sleep after being delirious for hours. His fever was still high, however. Samantha discovered sweat soaked through the blanket on which he was lying. He also was still wearing his clothes, stained in sweat and vomit.

         She turned furiously on the nurse for leaving him in such a deplorable condition. “Get out, you’re no longer taking care of him.” After she shoved the protesting woman out the front door, she phoned down to her own apartment to have Dr. Robinson come up after he had checked out the Cochrans.

         Not waiting, she went to the bedroom’s bureau and took out a pair of pajamas, then to the linen closet for fresh sheets and blankets. “Oh, Walker,” she whispered to the sleeping man, as she pulled up a chair next to his bed, “I’m so sorry I left you alone with that person. It won’t happen again.”

         Sitting there listening to his labored breathing, her thoughts went back to the first meeting she had with Walker.

Chapter 20

         Since it started raining heavily while she was walking between her car and the office building, Samantha felt like a drowned rat and probably looked like one, too. It was hardly the best way to come to a job interview with an eccentric multibillionaire. She had read all the articles about the man in Forbes and other financial sources, but this would be her first meeting with him. He was almost a recluse, a private man. The bachelor, avidly chased by many single women, had so far avoided the state of matrimony. The last nugget of information Samantha had learned from reading the society pages of the city’s newspaper.

         Samantha nervously waited in the ante-room of his office, trying to force her damp red hair back into the neat state it had been in when she left home. Finally giving it up as a lost cause, she took several deep breaths to calm her nerves. Just as she was getting them under control, the door to the main office opened, and out stepped William Walker.

         The first impression she had of him was his eyes, medium blue. Long dark lashes matching the color of his slightly curly hair surrounded them. The kindness shining out of his eyes made her suddenly feel at ease. She knew she wanted to work for him, no matter what the job entailed. All she knew was Mr. Walker needed an assistant for a major project he was about to undertake. Her background in communication and management had come to his attention, and he had requested the interview.

         “Please come in, Miss Ward. I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, but I didn’t realize you had arrived already.” The second impression she had of the man was his voice. His words, spoken in a deep baritone voice, gently flowed over her and made her wish he would keep speaking forever. Giving herself a mental shake for such fanciful thoughts, Samantha followed him into his office. She did finally notice he was tall with a lean muscular body that filled out his casual shirt and slacks nicely. Again, she tried to contain her wandering thoughts and gratefully sat down when he motioned her to a comfortable chair.

         “I imagine you’re curious about what work I’m offering you, aren’t you?” He smiled, as he asked the question.

          It’s not fair, she thought, while trying to get a grip on her imagination, one man can be both rich and so good looking. As if reading her thoughts, Walker started laughing, bringing a flush to Samantha’s face.

         “I’m sorry, Miss Ward, to laugh, but you remind me of a kitten I had as a child that fell in the tub while I was taking a bath.” He got up, walking to his private bathroom, and returning with a large towel. Before she could object, Samantha was having her face wiped and her hair toweled to remove all the rainwater. She just sat there, stunned, while the strange man continued until her hair was dry.

         Sitting beside Walker, critically ill two years later, Samantha smiled at the memory of their first meeting. She reached over to brush his damp sweaty hair back off his face, once again remembering his gentle touch as he had dried her hair so long ago.

         She also remembered his words when he had finished. “There, you look better. Just let me get you some hot coffee to thaw you out. I could use one, too. It’s been a long day.” When he returned with a tray containing two mugs of coffee plus cream and sugar, they settled back in their chairs to discuss what her duties would be, if she accepted the job.

         He was planning on purchasing as large a building as he could find to provide a home for elderly people. What he needed was someone to act as his assistant. She would run his home and maintain order with the staff and guests. The elderly would be guests, as he would be providing a home at no cost to them.

         Walker, as he insisted she call him instead of the more formal Mr. Walker, kept his reasons private about why he was looking for the building. He did not tell her that, for years, he had been searching for his birth mother, a woman who had given him up for adoption the day he was born. He hoped when he did eventually find her he could somehow anonymously bring her to live in the safe haven he was creating. Although he had loved and been loved by his adoptive parents, there was an empty place in him only his birth mother could fill.

         Brought back to the present by a knock on the front door, Samantha left Walker’s side to let Dr. Robinson into the suite. The doctors took one look at her tired face, insisted she stay out and relax in the living room, and finally went in to examine his patient. One or two minutes passed before Samantha, once again, was standing beside Walker’s bed.

         “Doctor, he can’t stay on that blanket and in that filthy shirt.” The doctor looked up from checking the rash on Walker’s chest and across the bed into her pleading eyes. Tears of frustration ran down her face as she continued, “Will you help get him out of those disgusting clothes?”

         The doctor would never admit it to Samantha, but the unsanitary condition the nurse left Walker in appalled him. Between the two of them, they managed to get Walker from the bed to an armchair nearby without waking him. Samantha swiftly stripped the bed of the dirty blanket and linen, ready to replace them with the items she had previously taken from the closet.

         Meanwhile, Dr. Robinson removed Walker’s stained shirt, which allowed him a closer view of the spreading rash on his chest. Off next came the shoes and socks. Dr. Robinson removed the sleeping man’s slacks, leaving Walker wearing only his boxer shorts. The doctor decided to leave these on to protect the modesty of Walker and the woman currently making up the bed. Putting on the pajamas Samantha had handed him could wait until Walker was feeling better.

         When Samantha finished, she returned to help Dr. Robinson take Walker back to his freshly made bed, wincing as she saw the rash covering his chest. His body felt red-hot to the touch from his fever. Even though he continued sleeping, his breathing sounded much worse.

         “We have to get his temperature down,” said the doctor, frowning as he felt Walker’s forehead with the back of his hand. “He’s boiling in his own body.”

         “How do we do that?”

         In answer to Samantha’s question, Dr. Robinson said one word. “Ice!”

         Understanding, Samantha phoned down to the main kitchen. Within ten minutes, there was a line of waiters outside Walker’s front door, each carrying a bag of ice from the kitchen. The doctor led them into the bedroom and had them place each bag of ice around Walker’s body. The waiters never said a word, but Samantha could see the worry on their faces. Everyone within the mansion, whether staff or guest, cared for Walker.

         Soon after the waiters had returned to their normal duties, there was another knock on the front door. Dr. Robinson let in an orderly from the hospital whom he had asked to bring over an oxygen tank and mask. Finally, with Walker’s body packed deep in ice bags and a mask leading to the oxygen tank over his face, Samantha and Dr. Robinson sat down in chairs near the bed with nothing else to do but wait.

         While sitting there in the quiet darkened room, Samantha's thoughts returned to the first year she had spent with Walker as his assistant and then as a friend.

         After accepting his job offer, she found her days filled with variety and excitement. Every evening while in the city, she returned to her small apartment, exhausted from trying to keep up with the endless energy of her boss.

         First on his agenda was to find a building suitable for his outlined needs. "It’s too small. There’s not enough land around it. Can't you show me anything better?” Samantha and various real estate agents around the country became familiar with these softly spoken complaints from an always patient Walker. He knew what he wanted was out there somewhere, and he just needed to find it.

         Samantha had been back in the city looking into recruiting a staff for when he found his future home, if he ever did. Months had passed with no success, but while she became discouraged, Walker's optimism had not faltered. Finally, one momentous day, she received a phone call from him. His excitement came over the phone line as he described the old mansion.

         Samantha laughed as she looked around Walker's bedroom, remembering how it at looked on her first trip to visit the mansion. The years of dirt and cobwebs were now gone, but she remembered with fondness the unexpected meeting she and Walker had one day with a mother opossum walking across the empty room, babies draped over her body.

         When Dr. Robinson returned to the hospital, Samantha drifted into an exhausted sleep as she sat in a chair beside Walker's bed. Slowly but inevitably, the ice worked its magic, with Walker's fever breaking just as the sun was coming up.

Continued in next segment.

HOME OF THE RED FOX - Segment Five  (18+) Chapters 21 thru 25 #1082911 by J. A. Buxton