The Assignment (Elvis presley story)

Chapter 5

After driving for about half an hour, Ava turned off on a nearly invisible, unpaved side road that lead up one of the mountains. "My grandmother is expecting us. I spoke to her this morning about this," She explained while easily negotiating the twisting path with its overhanging branches and low visibility.

"Take me back to the hotel, will you? I really need to go over these prints-"

"No problem. You can go over them at my grandma's place. They love company. Also, today is barbecue day. And trust me you don't want to miss it."

Elvis's apprehension grew. Primitive accommodations and food cooked over an outdoor fire didn't bother him in the least, so he didn't quite understand this niggling sense of unease in his gut.

"Don't worry. I promise you won't get the third degree. Now you might if they got the idea i was bringing you home to get their approval. But I'll explain you're only here on business. I'll make that very clear."

"Why aren't you married?" Elvis observed.

"Never really had the urge to go looking for a husband."

"Why not?" And why did he insist on prying into her life as if it were any of his business?

She shot him a saucy look. "Ambition outweighed lust. Simple as that."

That raised his eyebrows. "A virgin, at your age?" God, he hadn't meant to say that out loud. He bit his tongue. "Sorry."

She laughed, a low, seductive sound that sent a ripple of desire straight to his groin. "I never claimed that," She quipped as she wheeled around a curve and pulled up in front of a two-story log house. "Let's end that topic before we get out of the car." She smiled. She beeped the horn, and opened the door all in what seemed one motion, exiting before Elvis could pry further.

Not that he would. What business was it of his if she had a lover? He didn't even want her to tell him. He'd known this woman such a short time and had already violated every rule he'd ever made. He couldn't get over how different she was from every woman he had ever known, how off balance he felt around her. This was not good, and still he knew he would seek her out again, even if something separated them right this minute. If Red was to order him to leave and  never come back here, Elvis knew he would disobey orders just to see her, to explore this weird, unsettling connection or whatever it was. It made no sense at all.

"Hey, Du-da, my man! What's cooking?" Elvis heard her cry as she took the Stone steps two at a time. He watched as she embraced a gray-haired man who was frowning at Elvis over her shoulder.

This wasn't what Elvis had expected. The house impressed him with its charm, slate roof and sturdy construction. The walkers weren't poor, that was for sure.

Wind chimes tinkled in the breeze. Oak rocking chairs and a swing graced the porch. The view up here was fantastic, the air sweet, the landscape lush even this late in the year. The old man didn't fit Elvis's preconceived image, either. Though probably pushing seventy, he looked like an aging adventurer who kept in excellent shape.

Ava turned and beckoned Elvis up the porch. "A-gi-du-da, this is Elvis Presley, an agent from Memphis who has come to help me out on one of my cases." Her manner was polite now, bordering on formal. "Elvis presley, meet my grandfather, Martin Walker."

Elvis extended his hand. "Mr. Walker, my pleasure."

"Welcome," the man said simply. No questions, just as Ava had promised. Well, none yet, anyway.

"Where's E-ni-si, in the kitchen?" Ava asked, linking her arm with her grandfather's. The man grunted and nodded, gesturing for them to accompany him inside. Elvis held the door open for them and entered last. Ava threw him a reassuring smile over her shoulder. "Smell that? Du-da's been cooking up a storm in here."

The grandmother stood in the doorway of the kitchen regarding Elvis with mild curiosity. She was a beautiful woman, probably around sixty-five, though her face was virtually unlined and her hair barely striped with strands of silver. He offered the woman his best smile.

"Elvis presley, my grandmother, Rebecca Walker," Ava said. "E-ni-si, Elvis and I will be working at Cherokee for a week or two, at least until the festival."

"Then you both must stay here," the woman said with a decisive nod. "Please make yourself at home, Mr. Presley. We will feed you first, then my granddaughter will show you where you will sleep."

A sharp tug on the back hem of his jacket distracted him. Elvis turned slowly, seeing a child. Bright brown eyes peered up at him, disappeared behind impossibly long black lashes for a blink, then reappeared. "What's your name?" She asked shyly.

Elvis's heart melted. He squatted to her level to answer. "My name is Elvis."

She frowned "E-l-v-i-s?" She said, sounding the name out.

He smiled. "That's right."

She poked her pink-clad chest. "I'm Dilly."

He nodded. "Delinda. Like beautiful?"

She smiled back. That's right."

Ava scooped her up in a big hug and swung her around. "Hey squirt. What you been doin'?"

"Bitsy had puppies. You wanna see?" She twisted in Ava's arms and craned her neck at an impossible angle to include Elvis. "Mr Elvis, you can come, too, but we can't touch 'em right now."

"I promise," Elvis assured her. He followed Ava to one of the outbuildings with her little cousin in her arms, listening as they sang a silly little song about dogs.

"Shes charming," he commented to Ava as the little girl squatted to run her fingers over the dogs head. "So she lives with your grandparents?"

"Not all the time. She stays weekends with my cousin and his wife, Jan. When I take a few days off, Dilly stays with me."

"Who has custody of her?" Elvis asked.

Ava frowned. "We do. All of us." Then she shrugged. "Oh, if you mean legally, on the books, my cousin and his wife, but they both work. I guess when she starts school, she'll stay with them most of the time since they live closer. For now, though, this is a good place for her to spend most of her time."

Elvis could not imagine the child not having a permanent home. Strange that he should feel such an affinity for this child, only having just met her.

Maybe it was because they had something in common-mothers who had died too soon.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks so much for reading! xoxo