“He’s gotten in too fast,” Ruger said. “What is it, three or four months? We haven’t had time to check him out thoroughly.”
Casey spoke up. “Checking him out is my job, Kurt, and he has been very thoroughly checked.”
“It’s happened too fast, Pat,” Ruger said. “You’re getting sloppy.”
“There was nothing sloppy in my investigation of Jesse,” Casey said. “I think you know that, Jack Gene.”
Coldwater turned to Ruger again. “All right, Kurt, tell me specifically what you know that Pat doesn’t.”
Ruger sat very still and didn’t speak for a moment. “I don’t have any hard evidence; it’s just a suspicion.”
“Have you confided this suspicion to Pat before now?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Kurt, you know how we work here; if you had a problem with security on Jesse, you should have gone to Pat with it, or at least come to me.”
“I didn’t have anything definite,” Kurt said. “Not until now.”
“And what do you have now?” Coldwater asked.
“He killed George, that’s what.”
Jesse spoke up. “Pastor, this is ridiculous. I didn’t know the man, had never laid eyes on him. Why would I kill him?”
“Because he caught you at something,” Ruger said.
“Caught me at what?”
“I don’t know, do I? What were you doing up that mountain?”
“Eating my lunch; I already told you that.”
Coldwater spoke up again. “Jesse, please wait outside for a moment, would you?”
“Yes, sir,” Jesse replied. He got up and went into the hall, closing the door behind him, and sat on a bench. He could hear nothing from inside the study. This could not have happened at a worse time, he thought; a few more hours and he would have been on his way. Why the hell hadn’t he watched his back more carefully? The door to the study opened, and Casey waved him inside. Jesse resumed his seat and waited.
Coldwater looked at Ruger. “Kurt, I believe you have something to say to Jesse.”
Ruger turned toward him. “Jesse, I’m sorry; my suspicions were unfounded, and I now believe the death of George Little to have been an accident.”
“Thank you, Kurt,” Jesse said. He turned to Coldwater. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful in this, but I honestly had never seen the man before.”
“I know that, Jesse,” Coldwater said. “You go on to San Francisco; you deserve a good honeymoon. This matter is closed.” He rose, and the others stood with him.
Jesse eyed the bookcase that concealed the safe. If he’d just had more time, he thought, he might have gotten inside it.
Back at the plant he told his story to Herman Muller. “I’m sorry to have been away all afternoon, Herman, but—”
Muller held up a hand. “Of course, I understand, Jesse.” He glanced at his watch. “If you’re going to make your plane to San Francisco, you’d better get going. You and Jenny have yourselves a nice honeymoon.”
Jesse couldn’t leave yet. “Herman, you’ve been very kind to me, and I want you to know I’m grateful.”
“Don’t mention it; you’re doing a fine job for me.”
“Herman, I’ve gotten the impression that Kurt Ruger has been trying to buy the business from you. I know it’s none of my affair, but I’m concerned about it.”
“Don’t you worry; I’m going to die running this business,” Muller said.
“I hope you do, sir. I just think you ought to be real careful with Ruger. It would be better to sell than to get into a fight with him, I think.”
Muller regarded him through half-lidded eyes. “Jesse, I believe you’ve been listening to rumors around here about my grandson.”
“It’s been mentioned,” Jesse said. “I’m just worried that if Ruger wants the business bad enough, well—”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” Muller said, “and I’ve taken precautions. Don’t you worry about it. You go to San Francisco and have a wonderful time, then you come back here raring to go. We’ve got a big year ahead of us.”
Jesse shook his hand and turned to go.
“And while you’re there, you be sure to have dinner at Ernie’s. I haven’t been to San Francisco in years, but I remember that restaurant fondly.”
“I’ll do that, Herman,” Jesse said, then left the office.
When he got home, Jenny and Carey were standing on the front porch, shivering, talking to another woman. He climbed the front stairs.
“Jesse, have you met Margery Twomy?” Jenny asked.
Jesse smiled and shook the woman’s hand. “I’ve seen you at church, Margery. I believe Carey is staying with you while we’re on our honeymoon.”
“That’s right,” she replied. “I’ve just come to get Carey now.”
“But she’s coming to San Francisco with us for the weekend,” Jesse said. “She’ll be back Sunday night.”
Jenny spoke up. “Jesse, I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible. The school is having a special science workshop for Carey’s class this weekend and next, and attendance is mandatory.”
Jesse’s heart was pounding against his ribs. “Well, surely a weekend away wouldn’t hurt,” he said.
“It’s all right, Jesse,” Carey said. “I have to stay and go to the workshop. Maybe we can go to San Francisco another time.”
He looked down at the little girl. She didn’t seem in the least upset about the sudden change in plans. “Whatever you say, honey.”
When Margery Twomy had left with Carey, Jesse took Jenny inside and put his arms around her. “I’m sorry,” he said, holding her away from him, pointing at the ceiling and tapping his ear. “I know you were looking forward to showing her San Francisco.”
“It’s all right,” she said. “We’ll have a family vacation next year and take her there.” She laid her head against his shoulder and sobbed silently.
“Well,” he said, “If we’re going to make that plane, we’d better get our luggage in the car and get going.”
All the way to Spokane, he kept glancing in the rearview mirror. Sometimes a car was there, sometimes it wasn’t.
Chapter 42
Jesse spent half an hour going through the suite at the Ritz-Carlton, looking for bugs, and he didn’t find a thing. Apparently, Jack Gene Coldwater’s arm was not long enough to reach inside a San Francisco hotel suite. He came back into the sitting room, where Jenny was curled up on a sofa, watching CNN on television.
“It’s clean,” he said, and sat down next to her. “We can talk.”
“You understand that I can’t leave without Carey,” she said quietly.
“Of course I do.”
“I was so excited about going abroad, but I’m excited about being in San Francisco, too. Can we see everything?”
“We sure can.” He picked up a phone, called the concierge and asked him to book a table at Ernie’s for the following evening. “Herman Muller recommended it,” he told Jenny.
“I never thought of Herman as a restaurant critic,” she said, laughing. “What are you getting me into?”
“It’s a famous restaurant, an old San Francisco favorite.” He found a room service menu, and they ordered a late dinner.
“Have you ever been to San Francisco before?” she asked.
“Once, for a conference six or seven years ago. Mostly, it consisted of getting drunk with a lot of other agents.”
Her eyes widened. “You were some kind of agent?”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. You’ll be a lot safer if you don’t know any more than you do.”
“Jesse, we’re married now,” she said firmly, “and I’m entitled to know everything. I’ve certainly told you everything about me.”