“Fantastic!” said Gopher, and he began to say something else but I cut him off.
“We’ll go to Edinburgh on one condition,” I said.
“And that is that you call ahead to find out where that puppy is and if he’s okay.”
“Er . . .” said Gopher.
“Further, that you let that tour guide know that I want a meeting with him specifically.”
“Ummm,” said Gopher. “M.J.?”
“What?” I snapped, reading his tone.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“Positive,” I said. “Get me that meeting, Gopher.”
“Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll do that, but watch the rest of the footage, okay? There was some really amazing and creepy stuff happening belowground that I know Kim and John are still really freaked-out about. It’ll help prepare you for the shoot.”
“When was the footage taken?” I asked, still worried over the trauma the puppy had experienced.
“This past weekend,” said Gopher.
I didn’t reply, and Gilley took the lead. “Sure thing, Gopher. See you tomorrow at the airport.”
After Gilley had hung up I hit the Eject button on my computer and handed him the CD. “Burn this,” I ordered.
“To another CD?” he asked.
I smiled. Only to a computer geek would the words “burn this,” not include the thought of fire. “No, honey,” I said. “Destroy it. Make it into barbecued brisket or chop up it into a million pieces. I never want to see it again.”
“But Gopher said to watch the footage,” Gil whined, refusing to take the CD from me.
I scowled at him and walked around to my shredding machine, where I fed it into the grinder. It made the most satisfying noise as it was gobbled up. “I guess we’ll have to go in blind.”
Gilley looked at me skeptically. “I never like it when you say that.”
I smiled. “Come on, honey. Let’s go pack.”