Duxford Airfield (the band) Pt. 06

"I love you," I said.

"I know" she answered quietly.

"...Observant how?" I asked slightly confused, by her earlier statement.

My wife reached over and picked up the large skeleton key for Prominent House and then elaborated "Just one example, was when we went to Prominent House, you instantly figured out that Danny's key was for the place itself. Helen and I would have figured that out, eventually, but it was almost like you already knew what Danny's safe deposit box riddle meant and that this key was for the front door of Prominent House."

Andrea now waved the key in front of me to emphasize her point, before she continued.

"You also picked up on Jimmy's phrase of 'Countess' today, Diane and Kelly were exactly nowhere with her identity, but because of you, we now know who she is - her name and actual title, at least. You're a lot smarter than you think, Tim"

"Thank you, Andrea," I said, relief flooding over me at my wife's admiration for me.

"Hang with us, just a little longer, OK, baby?" she asked, setting the key down again and pulling me closer to her.

"Andrea, let me think on it for a little while, OK?" I asked quietly, closing my eyes and nodding.

"I understand, babe" she replied.

...Andrea and I took a long sensual bubble bath together and then crawled into bed to watch a movie. After some channel surfing, Andrea selected a movie made in nineteen seventy-eight, with Ryan O'Neil and Bruce Dern, entitled "The Driver." I had seen The Driver before, and in my opinion, it was one of the most underrated movies of all time. The movie featured an extremely stoic and aloof, yet talented getaway driver, for hire, played by Ryan O'Neil. His nemesis was Bruce Dern, a dogged and hard-charging cop that never slept and didn't always play by the rules.

The movie had several epic car chases that were so realistic that it boggled the mind, with numerous vehicles being destroyed in the process. The film eventually focused on a mental game of chess between cop and crook when a major bank robbery took place, employing the driver, Ryan O'Neil. In the end, however, neither cop nor crook came out ahead, with the stolen money, - being stolen, yet again by a third party.

I enjoyed the movie and it was refreshing to take my mind away from the current mental challenges ahead of us with the upcoming meeting with Earl Billingsly and a decision needing to be made regarding Prominent House. After switching off the television set, Andrea and I lay in each other's arms without speaking for a long while.

"Tim, I need to know what you're plans are for the upcoming week. Are you going to fly home or play Danny's game with Helen and me? Whatever you decide will be fine, but I need to know" my wife abruptly said.

"Andrea, how much longer do you think we'll be here, realistically?" I asked.

"Probably another ten days to two weeks, but I'm not really sure" Andrea answered honestly.

"You really value my input on this deal?" I asked, uncertain.

Andrea leaned up on her elbow and looked at me within the darkened room. "Yes, you're a very intelligent man, and Helen and I both value your thoughts on all this! Tim, you need to put some miles on that bicycle, your self-esteem is completely shot right now, baby, and it shouldn't be" she said, kissing me.

"I'm here for you, wife. Deal me in, I want to play Danny's game, with you and Helen" I said quietly.

Andrea responded by pulling me closer to her.

There was a long silence between us.

"Are you still awake?" I asked, after several minutes.

"Yes," she answered.

"What was the name of the Countess?" I asked quietly.

"She was the Countess of Knoff" Andrea answered as she switched on the light beside our bed now and looked at her phone.

I shielded my eyes from the electric light.

"...Her name was Ovia Veerle Knoff," Andrea said as she turned out the light again and drew herself close to me once more.

"I wonder what her story is?" I asked.

"We'll find out, I'm sure. She was twenty-six years old in that tintype, Tim, it was taken in nineteen sixteen, just months, after she was married. The photo was taken right before her twenty-seventh birthday" Andrea said.

"My God, she looked like she was close to forty in that photo, Andrea," I said in complete exasperation.

"Life was harder then, Tim, and it wasn't a flattering photograph of her, to begin with," Andrea said.

"...If she's a countess, then who the hell's the duchess that Danny mentions in his safe deposit box note?" I suddenly asked.

"I don't know" Andrea answered.

"...What does Prominent House and the Countess of Knoff have to do with Danny Wickersham?" I asked.

"Probably nothing at all, Tim. It's all part of playing the game, Danny's game" Andrea answered sleepily.

"... The Countess wasn't as pretty as you are, wife," I said.

"I love you, Tim" Andrea replied.

"I love you too, Andrea Millhouse," I said on the verge of sleep.

"My name isn't Andrea Millhouse, Tim, it's Andrea Donavan now" she answered...

I was already asleep, within the arms of the most beautiful woman of all time, I was at peace...

____________(7)____________

...more to follow