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56. Phone Calls
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219 Phone Calls 56 In her office at the supper club, Marilyn Jones looked up the phone number for the editorial desk of the Los Angeles Journal and gave it to Lucas Drake. “Are you sure you want to make this call, Lucas?” Marilyn asked. “Can you imagine what’s going to happen when the country finds out that Stony Field lives right in the Link Lake community?” “Marilyn, you’re going soft on us,” Drake replied. “People need to know who Stony Field really is so they can put a stop to his liberal nonsense. Let the chips fall where they may. Ambrose Adler deserves all that he’s going to get, the old bastard. To think he’s fooled us all this time. Unbelievable . We gotta stop him. We gotta figure out a way to do it before he does any more damage to this country. One way to do it is to cut off the snake’s head right in his nest. And that nest would be that damnable Los Angeles Journal that’s been sending his columns all over the country.” The next morning, Drake fussed and fumed and waited for ten o’clock to roll around before he punched in the numbers for the Los Angeles Journal. “Los Angeles Journal,” said a pleasant voice upon answering the phone. “How can I be of help?” “This is Lucas Drake calling from Link Lake, Wisconsin,” Drake said, trying to keep his fury under control. “I would like to speak to Stony Field’s editor.” “Sorry, but she is not available just now. May I take a message?” “Are you sure she can’t come to the phone? What I have is pretty darn important for her to hear.” “Yes, I am quite sure. Please give me your message and I’ll pass it on to her.” 220 Phone Calls “Well, you tell her that this Stony Field guy who’s been a mystery all these years—well, some of us in Link Lake know who he is.” Drake paused for a moment. “You got all of that down?” “Yes, sir, I do.” “Well, here’s the kicker. Stony Field is really an old dirt farmer who lives on a little farm just outside of Link Lake, Wisconsin. His name is Ambrose Adler and he stutters so bad you can hardly make out what he says.” Another pause. “You got that? Stony Field is really Ambrose Adler who lives near Link Lake, Wisconsin.” “Yes, sir. I’ve got it down. But are you sure you have it right?” “Miss, you’re damn right I got it right,” said Drake, unable to control his anger anymore. “You folks have gotta stop those Stony Field columns, and I mean right now. You got all that?” “Yes, I’ve got it all.” “Well, I hope so. I never did trust big city newspapers, not one bit. Most of them are in cahoots with those damn Democrats. A bunch of damn liberals. Ruining this great country of ours, sending it right down the tubes. Dirty shame too.” “Sir, thank you for the information. And thank you for calling the Los Angeles Journal.” The line went dead. “Well, I’ll be damned,” said Drake. He thought, That newspaperwoman just hung up on me. I had more to say if she’d have listened. But those damn liberals never did know how to listen. Especially to somebody who makes sense. Wonder if she’ll do anything about what I told her or just make sure that nobody sees the message. That’s the way those liberals work. When they hear about something they don’t agree with, they hide it. After he cooled down a bit, Lucas Drake punched in the numbers for the Ames County Argus. “Connect me to Billy Baxter,” he said. “And who shall I say is calling?” “Lucas Drake.” Brief pause. “Lucas, it’s Billy Baxter,” said the editor. “You know who I am, don’t you?” said Drake. “Sure, you’ve got that big farm out by Link Lake, and you are chairman of the Ames County Eagle Party,” said Baxter. “How’s the corn doing this year? Price looks pretty fair?” [3.89.116.152] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 20:31 GMT) 221 Phone Calls “The corn is doing just fine. But I’m calling because I’ve got some news for you and a request from the Eagle Party.” “Okay, shoot,” said Baxter. “We’ve figured...