“Good—get on it right away.”
“I’m starting tomorrow.”
“Fine—I thought you’d be the right man. Kara! Fix the doctor a drink. We might as well have a nightcap—then I’ll go back to the house and listen to Henry and Anne’s screams about poor mistreated Douglas, and then back to Albertsville tomorrow. Duty and the credits call.”
With mild surprise, Kennon realized that Alexander was drunk. Not obnoxiously, but enough to change his character. Intoxicated, he was a friendlier person. If there was any truth in the ancient cliche about alcohol bringing out a man’s true character, then Alexander was basically a very nice person indeed.
“Well—here’s your home for the next five years,” Alexander said. “Eight rooms, two baths, a freshener, and three Lani to keep the place running. You’ve got it made.”
“Perhaps—we’ll see when we tackle this fluke infestation. Personally, I don’t think I’m going to have an easy time. Tomorrow I’m going to be up to my neck in trouble trying to save your profits.”
“You’ll do it. I have confidence in you.”
“I still think you should have hired a medic.”
“This isn’t all of your job,” Alexander said. “And besides I can’t afford to do it. Oh—not the money, but it might be admitting that the Lani might be human. And we’ve gone to a great deal of trouble to prove they’re not.” He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “There’s a story behind this.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”