Morning-Noon-and-Night - By Sidney Sheldon Page 0,26
-'No. It's about you, Woody.' Woody looked at him in surprise. '?
What's my problemt ' think you know what your problem is." are you talking abouff ' you go on like this, you're going to destroy your life and Peggy's life. What are you taking, Woodyt '." heard me.' There was a long silence. ' want to help you.' Woody sat there, staring at the floor. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse.
"You're right. I've ... I've tried to kid myself, but I can't any longer." are you ont '." Goff ' me, I've tried to stop, but I ... I can't." need help, and there are places where you can get it.' Woody said wearily, ' hope to God you're right." want you to go to the Harbor'Group Clinic in Jupiter. Will you try iff There was a brief hesitation. '."'s supplying you with the heroint Dr. Tichner asked. 101 Woody shook his head. ' can't tell you that." well. I'll make arrangements for you at the clinic.' -- The following morning, Dr. Tichner was seated in the office of the chief of police. ' is supplying him with heroin,' Dr. Tichner said, ' he won't tell me who.' Chief of Police Murphy looked at Dr. Tichner and nodded. ' think I know who.' There were several possible suspects. Hobe Sound was a small enclave, and everyone knew everyone else's business. A liquor store had opened recently on Bridge Road that made deliveries to their Hobe Sound customers at all hours of the day and night. A doctor at a local clinic had been fined for overprescribing drugs. A gymnasium had opened a year earlier, on the other side of the waterway, and it was rumored that the trainer took steroids and had other drugs available for his good customers. But Chief of Police Murphy had another suspect in mind. Tony Benedotti had served as a gardener for many of the homes in Hobe Sound for years. He had studied horticulture and loved spending his days creating beautiful gardens. The gardens and lawns he tended 102 were the loveliest in Hobe Sound. He was a quiet man who kept to himself, and the people he worked for. knew very little about him. He seemed to be too well educated to be a gardener, and people were curious about his past. Murphy sent for him. ' this is about my driver's license, I renewed it,' Benedotti said. ' down,' Murphy ordered. ' there some kind of problemt '. You're an educated man, rightt SY es.
The chief of police leaned back in his chair. ' how come you're a gardenert ' happen to love nature." else do you happen to love?"
"I don't understand." long have you been gardening?' Benedotti looked at him, puzzled. ' any of my customers been complaining?"
"Just answer the question." fifteen years." have a nice house and a boatt '." can you afford all that on what you make as a gardenert Benedotti said, ''s not that big a house, and it's not that big a boat." you make a little money on the side.' 103 @What do you ... T ' work for some people in Miami, don't yout '.1 "There's a lot of Italians there. Do you ever do them some little favorst ' kind of favorst ' pushing drugs.' Benedotti looked at him, horrified. ' God! Of course not.' Murphy leaned forward. ' me tell you something, Benedotti. I've been keeping an eye on you. I've had a talk with a few of the people you work for. They don't want you or your mafia friends here anymore. Is that cleart Benedotti squeezed his eyes shut for a second, then opened them. ' clear.". I'll expect you out of here by tomorrow. I don't want to see your face again.' Woody Stanford went into the Harbor Group Clinic for three weeks, and when he came out, he was the old Woody - charming, gracious, and delightful to be with. He went back to playing polo, riding Mimi Carson's ponies. Sunday was the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club's eighteenth anniversary, and South Shore Boulevard was heavy with traffic as three thousand fans converged on the polo grounds. They rushed to fill the 104 box seats on the west side of the field and the bleachers at the opposite end. Some of the finest players in the world were going to be in the day's game. Peggy was in a box seat next to Mimi