Delilah’s DILEMMAS by
DIANE BROWN
Karon had had her fill of covert operations, the exchange of surreptitious glances, and the exclusion from information and plans. She stood in the living room of the Royal Flush Ranch, hands on hips, demanding an explanation from her audience which consisted of Dooby and Eli (the primary culprits), and Delilah, Buford, and Joel. On the occasions when Delilah exercised the same insistence, she was seldom taken seriously. She came across as being whiney and temperamental, perhaps because she didn’t exhibit enough tension in her body. Or it could be her tone wasn’t severe enough. Or possibly, she didn’t possess the same bone chilling, murderous, redeyed fury that Karon now displayed in massive quantity. Eli and Dooby swapped a quick, furtive glance. “Either one of you do that again, I will slap you silly!” Karon commanded. “Now, spill.” “Nothin’ really to tell,” Dooby said with feigned nonchalance. “Abigail set fire to the trailer and escaped,” Eli said. “Really nothin’ more to . . .” “Oh, no you don’t!” Delilah interrupted, wagging a finger at Eli. “One minute you were complaining about her “playing you” and the next minute you’re planning a trip to Montana.” “Wyoming,” Dooby interrupted. Delilah glared at Dooby. “As though none of this happened,” she continued. “And let’s not forget that Daddy, suddenly, out of the blue, decides to go home. Everything changed just after Dooby talked to his buddies at what36 THE THECORRIDOR CORRIDORMAGAZINE MAGAZINE//MARCH JANUARY 2021 36 2021
DELILAH’S PLACE ever agency he has connections with.” “What are you talking about?” Dooby asked. “Don’t try pulling that trick on me, Dooby,” Delilah said. “We were all in the kitchen. You stepped out, went to the living room, and when you came back to the kitchen everything had changed. One look from you, and Eli had lost all interest in Abigail’s escape.” “Boys,” Buford said on a sigh, as he sank onto the sofa. “It’s time. You better confess.” “Alright,” Eli said after a slight hesitation. “She’s in government custody.” “And you got this from your contacts?” Delilah asked Dooby. “Yes,” Dooby said. “Evidently that had been the plan all along,” Eli offered. “And you didn’t know the plan?” Karon asked with a tone that suggested she wasn’t exactly picking up what the guys were laying down. “Well . . . no,” Dooby said. “Uh huh,” Karon said with tongue in cheek, eyes narrowed, and head tilted to one side. She was not having it. “Honest, Karon,” Eli declared. “It just makes sense. The fewer people who knew the better. The less likely Abigail would be intercepted by the Mrs. Wrigley organization. I mean, there were only a hand full of people that knew we were going in to retrieve her in D. C. We were worried initially last night because we didn’t know if she had escaped to go with the bad guys or the good guys.” “Our guys had to get her out of here,” Dooby said.
