“Like Watergate,” I said. Hauck frowned for an instant, and then his smile returned, brighter than before.
“And knowing this,” he continued, “I hope you’ll forget about talking to the press- or whoever- and move on with me from here.” His eyes were wide behind his glasses.
“Move on?”
Hauck nodded. “I’d like to hire you, Mr. March, to find Gregory for me.”
I looked at him and he kept nodding. I looked over at Pflug, who was utterly indifferent. I looked back at Hauck. “You want to hire me?”
“To find Gregory, yes.”
I sat back and sighed. Hauck looked at me eagerly. “What about him?” I asked, and flicked a thumb at Pflug.
“Mr. Pflug and I have discussed methods and tactics, and we’ve come to an understanding. Mr. Pflug will continue his work, but there will be no further incidents like the ones that brought you here.”
“What do you want with Danes?”
Hauck’s smile turned quizzical but never faltered. “I thought I explained, Mr. March- Greg is my friend. I just want you to locate him.”
“And if I do, then what?”
“Then you call me, and let me know that he’s well and where I can find him.”
“What if he doesn’t want to be found?”
“You have a dark turn of mind, I can tell. I simply want to talk to Greg. I simply want to know that he’s well.” I was quiet for a while, looking at Hauck. When his smile began to fray, he cleared his throat. “I realize the money may not be important to you, Mr. March, but this could be a quite lucrative engagement- and no different from what you’re already working on.”
I nodded and tossed the crystal in the air a few inches and caught it again. Hauck fought to keep his eyes on mine. “When’s the last time you heard from him?” I asked.
He seemed relieved by the question. “We spoke on the phone several weeks ago- almost six weeks by now. I can get you an exact date.”
“But it was after he left work?” Hauck nodded. “What did you talk about?”
He smiled. “It was just a chat between friends.”
“Did you have an argument?”
“It was a chat, Mr. March, nothing more.”
“He called you?” Another nod. “On his cell?” Nod. “Any idea where from?”
“None at all,” Hauck said.
“You asked him?”
“He didn’t care to say.”
Pflug made a snorting sound and I turned to look at him. His face was still without expression and his eyes were still on me.
“Why not?”
“Greg could be… stubborn. I can’t claim to know his thoughts.”
“He say anything to you about his plans before he left?” Hauck shook his head. “What was his mood like?” Again the quizzical smile. “Was it stable? Did he sound depressed, elated, detached?”
Hauck hesitated, choosing his words. “It was stable- yes, and not depressed. Angry, perhaps, but not depressed.”
“Angry at what?” Hauck smiled and shook his head and said nothing.
“What are you into with Danes?” I asked. “What’s going on with you two?”
Hauck sat back and sighed, the picture of patience wearing thin. He folded his fat hands in his lap. “Really, Mr. March, I don’t know how else to say it: I am Greg’s friend. There just isn’t anything I can add to that.”
“No, of course not,” I said, and rose from my seat. Hauck leaned forward and Pflug pushed off the door and moved his feet apart and balanced himself.
“You’re leaving us?” Hauck asked. I nodded. “We haven’t worked out the details of my offer yet.” His eyes got smaller and his voice lost some of its softness.
“I don’t think I can accept your offer,” I said, and Hauck changed again. There was nothing subtle about it this time. His eyes narrowed to slits and his features took on a nasty, porcine look. His voice was flat and cold.
“I assumed from your questions that you already had accepted,” he said. I still held the crystal baseball. I tossed it from my left hand to my right and said nothing. Despite himself, Hauck watched it travel.
“I feel that I’ve been misled, Mr. March,” he said, and his face reddened to the collar line. “I really don’t think you appreciate the gravity of this. Perhaps it would be best- for all concerned- if you would reconsider.” He glanced behind me at Pflug.
“Which all is that?” I asked. “Are we talking about my family again?” I tossed the sphere from my right hand to my left. It was Hauck’s turn to keep silent, and he did. His gaze was icy. I moved toward the door and Pflug shifted, blocking my way. He smiled at me and unbuttoned his jacket and shook his head. I looked at Hauck.
“I’ve answered your questions, Mr. March, and it’s only fair that you answer some of mine.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I pursed my lips and nodded. And then I pivoted and lobbed the crystal sphere at Pflug, who was game but never had a chance.
I tossed it up above his head, and against his will his eyes flicked upward and his hands moved to follow and I kicked him in the balls. The breath came out of him in a sickening bellow and he folded up around his pain, but even as he did, Pflug lunged at me. He groped in his jacket for his gun and pointed his shoulder into my gut and I turned and took the hit on my left arm. There wasn’t much behind it and Pflug clawed at me with his left hand and snapped his head up, trying to connect. But his grip was loose and his timing was way off and I stepped away and hammered twice, hard, on the side of his neck with the side of my fist. Pflug went heavily to his knees. His eyes were rolling in his head, but still he flailed at me and dug for his gun. I threw my elbow into the center of his face, and his nose exploded and he went over backwards. He lay still, with his long legs bent beneath him.
I knelt over him and pulled a semiautomatic from under his arm. It was a shiny cannon, a Desert Eagle, and it weighed about fifty pounds. I turned to Hauck. He was standing behind his desk. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes darted from me to his black telephone and back.
I went to the desk and unplugged the phone and put it on the floor. I slid the clip out of the Eagle and put it in my pocket. My hands were shaking and I took some deep breaths and concentrated on keeping them steady. I checked the chamber. The shithead had a round up there, and I jacked it out and put it in my pocket with the clip. I sat again in the Windsor chair and put the gun on the desk.
“Sit down,” I said. Hauck sat. Pflug groaned and rolled on his side. Hauck and I looked at him. Hauck shook his head and swallowed hard.
“Wasteful,” he said. “You’ve damaged a valuable asset, and for nothing.” His voice was soft again, but not yet steady.
“Not for nothing, Marcus, but to make a point.”
Hauck’s eyes narrowed. “And that is…?”
“That you should keep your dog on a leash, Marcus. Because if he gets loose again, I’m holding you responsible.”
“Is that a-”
“Your little story about how he got out of hand is a pile of crap, and we both know it. He does what you tell him to do. For all I know, you even tell him how to do it.”
Hauck took another breath and started to speak but I cut him off again.
“But be clear on one thing: If I see him again- or anybody who works for him- around me or anyone I know, I’m talking to you, Marcus. Whether you sent him or not, I’m talking to you. You understand that?” Hauck was still and silent for a moment and then he nodded once. “And you’ll make sure that he understands?” Another nod. I stood.
“What about my offer?” Hauck said. I looked at him and didn’t know whether to laugh or spit. I settled on a bitter chuckle and headed for the door.
As I went past him, Pflug pushed himself to kneeling and launched himself at me. His movements were surprisingly fluid for someone whose nose was spread all over his face, but they were also slow and I had about a week to react. I twisted his wrist and kneed him in the jaw and sent him back down to Hauck’s geometric rug. He landed with a grunt and rolled slowly on his back.