The Ghost in the Doll (Fox Meridian Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

in. A path opened before her as she was preceded by one man and flanked by the other two. It was amusing, to say the least, given that she had just been told to ‘back off or else,’ but then her relationship with the Fukui-kai was far from being a normal one.
    There was more bowing and formal goodbyes before Yuriko turned and walked off toward the local station. She was going to have to consider the words the men had delivered from Taro, certainly. She knew exactly what he was doing and exactly what it meant. Continuing would be an insult. On the other hand, he had not told her she had to keep her mouth shut about it…
    Topeka.
    ‘I should warn you,’ Jonathan said, ‘that I’m not really used to talking while I’m out here.’
    Fox was walking beside him, down to the block of fields he had bought between the house and a nearby river. ‘Suits me. I’ve had my ass just about talked off in the last few weeks. I mean, Jenner’s got lots of cool stuff in it. Seriously, you would love some of the weapons they develop given your desire to hunt gophers with a railgun.’
    ‘I was mostly joking about that.’
    ‘Mostly. Uh-huh. But there’s not a lot to do there if you’re not a scientist, except talk. It’s not like exercise does me any good. I might still go running when I get back to New York. It’s good for thinking, but…’
    ‘Not much else. And eating doesn’t have the air of necessity it once had. Your lifestyle is going to change, that’s for sure.’
    ‘Uh-huh. Bi-weekly check-ups at the robot doctor, nightly recharge instead of eating three times a day, being able to see ultraviolet light… Believe me, that last one’s not as much fun as it sounds, especially in hotel rooms.’
    ‘I’ll take your word for that.’
    ‘I should also probably point out that I don’t know much about irrigation systems.’
    ‘I can help with that,’ Kit said, appearing beside Fox and happily keeping pace with her, on rough ground, in high heels. ‘I checked with the house computer regarding the make of the system and downloaded appropriate maintenance guides. We should be able to handle a basic check without difficulty.’
    ‘And there I had to learn to do it,’ Jonathan said, grinning.
    ‘The wonders of modern technology,’ Fox replied.
    ‘Uh-huh, putting the little guy out of business since they invented the spinning jenny.’
    ‘James Hargreaves of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, England,’ Kit put in. ‘That was in seventeen sixty-four, and one could argue that the invention of the flying shuttle by John Kay some thirty years earlier began the deskilling processes.’
    Fox glanced at her. ‘And you just felt you had to mention that there?’
    ‘Well, I just love the word “Oswaldtwistle.” I mean, what a great name for a place. The people who live there must think it’s awesome.’
    ‘I imagine they’d find “Topeka” kind of exotic,’ Jonathan said. ‘If they’ve ever heard of us. I mean, I can’t imagine Topeka is one of those places that springs to mind when people in England think of America. What are we famous for?’
    ‘Brown versus Board of Education,’ Fox replied.
    ‘That’s more American history. What does some Brit care about the end of segregation in schools?’
    ‘Probably not a lot. They don’t always like being called Brits, by the way.’
    ‘Huh, like I care. They’ve never heard of my home town.’
    New York Metro.
    ‘Good morning, Helen,’ Kit said as Helen Dillan stepped out of the shower.
    Helen paused to grab a towel and wipe water out of her eyes. ‘Morning, Kit. You know, when Fox actually comes back to work, I’m going to miss this.’
    ‘I’m sure you can get your own PA when I’m back full-time with Fox. I have Yuriko Fukui waiting on a conference line.’
    ‘Uh… Mask the video, please, and put her through.’
    Yuriko appeared beside them, bowing toward them both. ‘Helen-san, Kit-san, I hope I have not called too early.’
    ‘No,’ Helen replied.