The events in this story take place after the last episode of the Green Hornet TV series and a few months before the events mentioned in the prologue of Seeds of Destiny.





A Regular Joe

I



Joe Brown critically examined his reflection in the men's room mirror after washing his hands. Sucking in his gut, he buttoned his dark-blue suit jacket to better hide the result of too many apple pies and hot fudge sundaes. He tightened and straightened his navy blue tie. The tie was pencil-thin, too thin according to current fashion which favored wide tie-dyed monstrosities. That is when a tie was worn at all instead of a scarf that was worn cowboy fashion with an open-necked shirt. He removed his hat and ran a hand through his dark brown hair, smoothing down a cowlick that, as usual, refused to lay flat. Although cut far too short, again according to current fashion, he had once been told that his hair was one of his best features, along with soft brown eyes that seemed to inspire the mothering instinct in every woman he had ever met. Someone, perhaps it had been the hennaed redhead at the A & P grocery store, had called them puppy dog eyes.

Mother had not approved of the brassy checkout girl and so Joe had quickly discouraged any interest on her part. Still, he thought with a sigh, she had not seemed such a bad sort. Still, Mother's disapproval had been quite clear . . .

He shook his head clear of the idle memories. They were part of the past. Now that Mother had departed this vale of tears he was entirely on his own. It would be up to him to make decisions about whom he would and would not court, how he would dress and how he would cut his hair. A whole new life was spreading out before him.

Replacing his hat, he drew himself up straighter, throwing back his shoulders and his chest forward. Again he critically examined his reflection. Don't look too bad after all, he thought. Except the hat. It was all wrong. Its narrow brim made him look like a pinhead. Glowering at the hat, he took it off and mashed it into a nearby trash can with a satisfying clang of the swinging lid. To hell with catching a head cold. Nobody wore hats these days anyway. If JFK hadn't worn one, why should I?

Finally feeling ready, he left the men's room, crossed the lobby, passing a large metal globe and entered a door marked Britt Reid, Publisher. Inside the anteroom the desk bearing the nameplate with Lenore Case's name was empty. Joe had not expected that. He checked his watch, six o'clock. She had said she would be ready by 5:30. He rocked back on his heels in indecision about entering the inner office unannounced. Usually he would have found a magazine, a chair and settled in to wait for however long was necessary. That was the old Joe Brown, but he was turning over a new leaf. He was no longer going to be a Milquetoast, a doormat that everyone felt free to step on.

Summoning all of his courage, he took a deep breath. It was better to be thought too pushy than to be thought a wimp. He turned the door knob and boldly stepped inside. Immediately he regretted his rashness.

The man resting his hip on the odd oval desk stopped talking and shot a look at Joe that withered him right down into his shoes. He was as tall as Joe, perhaps even a few inches taller, but where Joe was soft and slightly overweight, the man was broad shouldered and narrow hipped. A pale blue well-tailored suit showed off his athletic build and complimented his dark tan.

Obviously this was Lenore's boss, Britt Reid. What disturbed him most about the publisher was not so much his stereotypical tall, dark and handsome looks, but the pale blue-green eyes. Those eyes seemed to bore into Joe's very soul, stripping him down to nothing and finding him totally wanting. Joe swallowed a few times. His mouth had gone dry. Even if his frozen brain had managed to think of something to say, he wouldn't be able to squeak out even a word.

"May I help you?" the publisher said as he moved off the desk with the grace of a tiger. Joe felt the hot flush of embarrassment creep over his face as he opened his mouth and nothing came out.

He was seriously considering beating a hasty retreat when an angelic voice cut through his mental fog.

"Oh, Mr. Reid, this is my date, Joe Brown. He was to pick me up at 5:30," Lenore Case said as she fluidly rose from the chair where she had been taking dictation. The pale pink suit fitted her slender figure perfectly, showing off her shapely legs with a skirt that was several inches above her knees. Her red-gold hair was piled high in a french twist.

"5:30?" Reid echoed, shooting a quick glance at his watch. "I'm sorry I kept you so late. I should've remembered you telling me you had a date tonight." He strode across the room to Joe, offering his hand, "Please accept my apologies, Mr. Brown."

"It's okay, Mr. Reid," Joe said accepting the publishers hand. He tried not to flinch from the strength of the man's grip. "I understand that Lenore has an obligation to her job, even if it does sometimes require her to stay late."

Reid smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Unfortunately the newspaper business doesn't always run on an eight-hour day. But," he added, "I do realize people have lives outside of the Sentinel, so don't worry about a thing. Miss Case, we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow morning. You two go ahead and have a good time."

"I'm sure we will," Joe said, "Lenore suggested we try a place near here called 'Sammy's'. After that we're going to see 'Mary Poppins'."

"Sounds like you're going to have great time," Reid said charitably, even though it was obvious to Joe that 'Mary Poppins' was not exactly the publisher's idea of a movie to take a date to.

"I hope you take good care of Miss Case. I consider her a very valuable employee. I'd take it very personal if you happened to make her unhappy." Even though Reid was smiling as he spoke, the hard glitter in his pale eyes told Joe just how personally he would take it.

"Don't worry, Mr. Reid," Casey said taking Joe's hand into her own. She squeezed it reassuringly. "We always have a good time together." She laughed lightly, the heady scent of her perfume making Joe's head swim. "I'll make sure he gets me home early enough so that I'll be in bright and early tomorrow."





Joe whispered to Lenore once they were out of the office, "I hope I didn't make any trouble for you."

She shook her head. "Don't worry,"she said, patting his arm. "Mr. Reid's a real sweetheart. Sometimes he likes to come on strong. He was just teasing you."

"I don't think he was kidding. He was dead serious. He looks like the type of man who doesn't take being crossed lightly."

Joe caught a trace of something flash across her face. Was it fear, worry or something else? What was it about the publisher that made a chill run down his spine?

Tossing her head, Lenore laughed off Joe's concern. The red-gold of her hair flashed in the scarlet rays of the vivid sunset. "Britt Reid is a very good man. You don't have anything to worry about."

"You mean his bark is worse than his bite?" Joe suggested as he carefully watched for her reaction.

Lenore smiled at his comment. Again he could see the shadow pass over her face. "I wouldn't say that exactly. It's just that Mr. Reid is not a petty or small man. He doesn't get angry at people for no reason. When he does get angry at somebody, it's for a good reason, and then well . . . He's not the type of man to take lightly."

"Lenore, if he has threatened you, or if you feel afraid of him . . . "

"Don't worry about me and Mr. Reid. If there's anyone I don't have to fear, it's Mr. Reid. Just like you noticed today, he's very protective of me." She laughed lightly, "If anything, I think he's a little afraid of me, or at least of making me unhappy."

"Oh," Joe replied wondering just how close Lenore really was to her boss.

Lenore shook her head, "Let's just have a good time, okay? No more talk about work or bosses. Tonight it's just the two of us."

Suddenly her eyes widened, "What a lovely little car!" she exclaimed, noticing Joe's new, bright red Triumph. What did you do with your Rambler station wagon?" she asked.

"I used it as a trade-in. I didn't get much for it, but with my inheritance, I was able to swing the down payment with no trouble at all. I figure the Triumph will be an excellent investment. If I take good care of it, it'll probably be worth something in the future."

He opened the car door and watched appreciatively as she gracefully slid onto the passenger seat. He thanked God and miniskirts for the view of her marvelously long legs. How could I have gotten so lucky?

"I always wanted one of these," he explained as he climbed behind the steering wheel. "But Mother always said that a convertible was unsafe and impractical. She said a station wagon fitted our needs better."

"But not half so much fun," Casey said with an understanding smile.

It took him a few minutes to coordinate the clutch, gas pedal and gear shift. "I'm sorry," he said in embarrassment as they lurched out of the parking space. "This is my first standard shift."

"Don't worry about it. I know you'll get the hang of it. You know, Joe, you better watch it," Lenore teased sweetly as she ran a finger across the back of his neck, "You might become a real rebel and start growing your hair down to the edge of your collar."

Lenore's touch sent a shiver through Joe that was powerful enough to make him swerve into the next lane. For all the loud honking and curses, Joe would have challenged Heaven and Hell to feel her touch again.



Kato found Britt standing outside his office on the balcony moodily watching a red sports car drive away. Even from the eighth floor he could hear the irritating grinding of gears.

"Who's the square?" he asked

"What?" Britt said, slowly rousing from the gloomy thoughts running through his mind.

"The guy Miss Case was leaving with. I saw them getting off the elevator downstairs."

"The guy's name is Brown. Joe Brown. Casey met him two weeks ago at a flower show. He was showing some miniature roses he had grown," Britt answered. "She says he's an accountant. He moved here a few months ago from up North."

"You think they're serious?"

Britt grimaced with distaste. "Of course not. There's no way Casey could be interested in a guy like that. He's not her type."

"Right," Kato said, his dark eyes glittering with amusement.

"Kato, Casey can date anybody she wants to . . . " Britt started to say.

"Just like you do," Kato interjected.

"Exactly," Britt agreed. "Casey and I are just friends. I'm only interested in her happiness. Nothing more."

Shaking his head, Kato snorted his disbelief.

"I'm not jealous," Britt denied with more force than he had intended.

Kato shot him a look that told the publisher that he didn't believe him for one minute, but knew better than to say so.

Britt sighed in exasperation and dropped the subject. "Did you find anything on Wrightman?" he asked, noticing that Kato had not yet changed out of the peacoat and wool knit cap he had worn to work undercover on the docks, nor had he shaven.

"Your informant was right. Wrightman's in town with a lot of muscle. Word's out he's after some guy who double-crossed him and took off with some important papers of his."

"Papers that might interest the Green Hornet?"

"Sounds like it."

"Wrightman's a tough cookie. He might not be easy to impress," Britt said thoughtfully.

"That's what I've been hearing," Kato agreed.

"Any weak links?"

"Maybe. One of his men, a guy named Lucky Duncan, is a gambling freak. He'll bet on anything, even on whether the next day is going to be cloudy or sunny. I heard he's looking for a poker game. Nothing high stakes, just penny ante. Just something to blow some time and a few bucks on. He could also be putting out some feelers for this guy they're looking for."

"How sharp is he?"

"More muscle than brains. He'd be a pushover."

"Interesting," Britt said thoughtfully. "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

"'Fraid I do."

Britt's eyebrows rose, "A hot date?"

"Very hot. Mei Ling's father is finally letting me take her out. Alone. No family tagging along this time. There's a ten o'clock curfew, but at least it'll be just her and me. No kid sister to bug us."

Britt gave a short laugh. "I hope you'll have time to shower and shave before you see her. I don't think her father will approve of the way you're looking right now."

Kato ran a hand across the thin growth on his chin. "I don't know about the shaving part. At least not until I finish the undercover work. You might be able to grow a full beard overnight, but it took me a week to get this much. Of course I might decide to keep it anyway. I think it makes me look groovy."

Britt shook his head. "We'll see if you keep it after Mei Ling takes a look at it. I'd be careful about her father though. He doesn't have any sons and he might make you an heir to his grocery store."

"No way. I like things just as they are. There's not much call for Gung Fu when you're trying to sell melons to some old lady."

Britt laughed at the idea of Kato trying to mix Gung Fu with the selling of vegetables. "I guess there wouldn't be much call for it, would there?" He suddenly became serious. "Uh, Kato, if you ever do become serious about getting married, I'd understand if you wanted to get out of this Green Hornet business."

"And where would that leave the Green Hornet, and you?"

Britt shrugged. "I have no idea," he admitted reluctantly.

"So what are you planning for tonight?" Kato asked.

"I was planning on taking Casey out to a late dinner after we had finished. I had forgotten about her date with this Brown fellow." He grinned crookedly. "I was planning on taking her to Sammy's, but now it looks like she'll be going with Brown instead."

"Look, Mr. Reid, whys don't I cancel this date with Mei Ling. We could follow up on Wrightman tonight instead."

"No, not yet. I want to check up more on Wrightman and how he operates. Tomorrow I do want you to go back undercover and spread the word about a poker game. I think it'd be a good idea if the Green Hornet asks this Lucky Duncan guy a few questions."

"Sounds good. So why don't you come along with Mei Ling and me tonight? We could make it a threesome. She likes you and it'd be a lot of fun."

"After all the time you've been waiting to be alone with her? No way. I'll be fine. I'll pull something out of the freezer for supper and hit the sack early. It's probably a good idea if I get to bed early once in a while."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Britt said firmly even though he was not really sure if he was looking forward to a night alone or not.