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I came in the next morning with Hugo and Lefty in a box, so there would be no inopportune comments by the boys. Mindy was at the reception desk, pettin' Mrs Slocum.
"Hi Boss."
"Any disasters since I left?"
"I got a check from the DEA for a parking ticket. Something about "would you please only work where we hire you to" in the letter."
" 'Bout time they paid my expenses. Mindy, I got a couple of people I want you to meet."
I took off the box cover.
"Mindy, this is Hugo and Lefty. Boys, this is Mindy."
"Are you a real fairy?"
"With slippers?"
"No Lefty, that's wings."
"Like a butterfly?"
"Uh-huh."
"But where are they?"
"She's wearin' them under her dress, boys, so as not to bother people who come in needin' help."
Mrs Slocum was watchin' this with great concern. She apparently decided she wanted nothing to do with talking socks, so she went and hid behind the file cabinet. Meanwhile, Mindy's eyes were gettin' bigger and bigger.
"Mindy, I need for you to book a trip for me to Pinwheel. I need to take the boys home to the Queen. make it for a week."
"Uh. Ok, Boss. How soon?"
"When's the next flight?"
"This afternoon, I think."
"Book it if it's available."
"Right, Boss."
"Let's go back to my office boys. I've got somebody I want you to meet."
"Great, Red."
Back in the office, I got out the box that Lilac Jive had sent me.
"Boys. I've got you a companion for the trip back. Her name is Lola."
I pulled out a beautiful cream-colored scarf.
"Hi, boys." She said, in a throaty contralto.
"I'm certain ya'll enjoy the company on the way back to see the Queen."
Hugo and Lefty were both lookin' kinda nervous.
"Tell you what, boys. I need to do some readin' on a case. I'm gonna put you together and put the box on the shelf, while you get acquainted. See ya later."
I read the stack of papers I retrieved from the Lazy Lizard. I asked Mindy to check out a couple of items in the papers, and they checked out. I'd settle it when I got back from Pinwheel.
A few hours later I rolled out to the flight to Pinwheel, carry the box with the boys. When I got off the plane, Monseur Claude Vutton personally greeted me and escorted me to an offical limosine. It went straight to the palace.
VR met me as I got off and escorted me directly to the Queen.
I knelt.
"Rise, Sir Sir Red. Have you returned with Hugo and Lefty."
"I have, Your Majesty."
I opened the box.
A tired "Hi, Zelda." came from Hugo and a even more tired "Hi." came from Lefty.
"I'd also like to introduce a new scarf to go with the set. Her name is Lola.
"Hello, Your Majesty."
Queen Zelda took a look in the box and then a real hard look at me. "Sir Sir Red, we wish to talk to you later, privately.
Maybe introducing Lola to the boys wasn't such a hot idea. I was just tryin' to make certain they didn't want to go walkabout again....
"At your command, Your Majesty."
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