“Do you think we will ever catch them, Cupid?”
“I don’t know. George has connections, wealth, and the cunning to elude us. But Dr. Quintland? The doctor is not as wily as George. He may show up, somewhere, when we least expect him.”
“This house is spectacular. It’s a shame the place is will be locked up and abandoned.”
“So, you see, my friend, old Cupid’s method of gaining access to the greenhouses was suspect, but I was right about the urgency of seeing the gardens before they became inaccessible to me.”
“Do you really think the whole place will go to seed?” Phalen asked.
“That is a good possibility. The world is changing. Tastes are changing. There are tides in this country, and around the world, that frown upon such ostentatious displays. The little men are restless. Look at Russia.”
“You are right, but, at least, tonight, you can sleep like the richest man on earth beneath the decorated ceilings of a titan’s palace. I’ve got to get back to the city. Evil never sleeps.”
“Be careful. And let me hear from you, Phalen.”
“I’ll keep in touch. I promise,” Phalen said, getting in his car.
He waved good-bye to Flix.
“Sweet dreams, Cupid,” Phalen yelled, as he drove away.
“Easy for you to say, my friend. Easy for you to say,” Flix muttered, watching the car exit through the elaborate gate and disappear over the rim of the gently rolling crest of the far hill.