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| The Call of Duty |
| Summary: First in the series. Clayton Webb recieves a telegram from his superiors demanding that he relocate to the New Mexico Territory. How will his wife react when she learns the news? |
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| Clayton Webb glanced both ways before hurrying across the street toward the �North Star.� For the last six years, since marrying Miss Felicity Porter, Clay had operated the small restaurant. Although her father owned it, Mr. Porter trusted his son-in-law to take care of the family business. What Mr. Porter didn�t realize was that there were things he did not know about Clay � things only a select few were allowed to know. �Hey, Mr. Webb,� said a young voice. Clay turned around and smiled slightly. �Good afternoon, Jeffrey,� he said. �Can I help you?� The young man shrugged and held out an envelope. �This came for you on the noon stage,� he stated. �My pa asked me to bring it to you.� Clay nodded and took the letter. �Thank you,� he said absently, as he glanced at the envelope. It bore no return address, but Clay knew exactly who had sent it. Heaving a deep sigh, Webb opened the missive and quickly read it. As he�d expected they were orders from the home office. He read the letter again to make sure he understood them completely. Clayton Webb, In furtherance of your mission, the Treasury Department has decided that there is a necessity for your immediate transfer from your current station. You have two weeks in which to arrive at your new station in the New Mexico territory. In that time you will need to work out a new cover story and develop a believable excuse for the sudden departure from your current station. Once you have settled in your new location, send a message to this office in the usual way. Also, be sure to make your presence known to the local law enforcement as well as the District�s Circuit Judge. With regards, Isaac Watts Clay sighed deeply again and stuffed the letter into his pocket. Felicity was not going to be happy, he decided, shaking his head. �When am I going to learn not to push my superiors so much?� he muttered, turning to head into the modest restaurant that had served as both his business and cover story for the past six years. �Hello, Clayton,� Felicity said, coming over to him as he entered the foyer. Clay forced a smile. �Hello, sweetheart,� he said. �How would you feel about moving?� Felicity frowned. �What happened?� she asked softly. Webb sighed deeply. Shrugging helplessly, he said, �Watts decided he needed an agent in the New Mexico territory. He wants us to be settled out there in two weeks.� �Clayton,� Felicity gasped. �It�ll take almost that time to get out there and we have a lot of preparations to make before we can leave town! We�d have to pack all our things and find a new place to live and � who�ll run the restaurant?� Clay smiled slightly. Because the restaurant belonged to Felicity�s parents, Webb had spent the last six years trying to keep personal matters in the relationship away from his nosy in-laws. If they moved that far away, her parents wouldn�t be able to bother them anymore. �You father can find someone, �he assured her. �I�ll look in the paper and send out some queries. It�ll all work out.� Blushing slightly, he added, �Besides, we�ll be able to have a place all our own now.� Felicity finally smiled. �Clarity hasn�t started school yet, so it isn�t as though we�d be interrupting her education.� Clay nodded and asked, �So, you�re okay with this?� �As long as we�re together,� she replied. �We can deal with whatever arises.� End |
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