Chapter 44

“I still get a payment,but it’s paid in the local currency,and we’ve agreed to reduce the percentage.”

“That was generous of you.”

“Not all that generous,”Josh said.“When the local government disappeared,I stopped having to pay real estate taxes on that land.Truth be told,what with agricultural exemptions,the taxes weren’t all that much,but—”

“And when the local government gets going again,will they try to assess taxes retroactively?”

“They can try,but I doubt they’ll succeed.Anyhow,I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.

“Yeah,”Jake said.“Something just occurred to me.”

“And that would be?”

“We’re all alone in the house.”

“We’d be fools not to take advantage of that.”

The two men had a long and leisurely interlude in bed,then stepped into the shower.As they were toweling themselves dry,they heard the clatter of boots,and the boys yelling.

“Josh,Jake,where are you guys?”Caleb said in an almost scream.