Roger and Steve had evidently just introduced the twins and their friends to Mrs. Barnett, and they were getting to know her. I watched with amused interest as Mrs. Barnett skillfully extracted four life stories in less time than I would have thought possible. She particularly managed to make Josh feel at ease. Damn, she was good—and had certainly missed her calling.
Finally, Steve said, “We’ve got a sprinkler job to do, and we thought you might want to come with us and see what it’s all about.”
“Won’t I just be in the way?” Josh said.
“That won’t happen as long as I’m around,” Zeke said.
The six young men left, and we spent the next hour talking with Philip and Mrs. Barnett until Lydia came downstairs and told us that Robbie and both of the dogs were in the playroom with the tribe.
“
