“Something happened while you were out,” he said, “and you’ve got to know about it, but I hope to heaven you won’t blame it on me.”
I waited.
“I took my lunch break,” he said, “and someone from the mailroom watched the desk while I was gone. Supposedly watched, I should say. Well, you know how careless those boys can be.”
Since Geoff was liable to refer to any other male as a boy, I did not assume that some youngster had been left to guard the foyer of the Express. “I suppose you checked the tape?”
I wasn’t sticking my neck out there. Geoff was famous for reviewing security tapes made during his breaks. He was seldom satisfied with the work done by those sent to relieve him.
“Yes, I sure did,” he said. “And I saw something that made me ask that boy a few questions. Look here.”
He pointed to one of his video screens, one that was dark. He pressed a button, and the screen lit up as a tape played. A grainy black-and-white image of the lobby appeared, with the security desk near the bottom of the frame. I smiled to notice that the “boy” from the mailroom staff was in his forties. Today’s date appeared in small white letters in the lower left corner; the time marker showed that this segment had been taped at just after one o’clock.
“What’s he reading?” I asked Geoff.
“He claimed it was something called a manga” Geoff said, with an expression of disdain. “But it was really some Japanese comic book. Now watch here-see that?”
On the screen, a tall, well-built man wearing jeans and a windbreaker entered. His dark baseball cap was pulled down low, but he also kept his head down and turned slightly to one side. I could see why Geoff found this worth noting.
“Doesn’t want his face to be seen by the camera,” I said.
“Sure doesn’t. Look where he stands.”
At the security desk, the man turned his back to the camera, standing slightly to the side of the desk, not approaching it at the front as most would do. He did not slouch or lean against it; the man’s posture was- although not rigid-somehow reminiscent of those who were more used to giving than receiving orders.
Another person came gliding into the frame. I recognized this one. Our society columnist. “Margot Martin,” I said.
Geoff nodded.
The camera saw Margot clearly assessing the man while he apparently spoke to the temporary guard-who barely glanced up from his comic book. Although there was no soundtrack on the tape, actions spoke as plainly as words-if not more so. Margot said something and the man turned his attention to her, still keeping his face from the camera. Margot moved closer and the guard seemed to enter the conversation.
“Now watch,” Geoff said, narrating. “Margot gives the mailroom boy a sour look. And there-see? She takes the other fellow’s arm and walks outta here practically licking her whiskers.”
I smiled. “Geoff, if Margot is meeting men in the lobby, that’s her business.”
“Oh, no. Not this time. I asked my comic-book-reading friend who this fellow was, especially since the fellow was acting a little suspicious. He says he don’t know, he didn’t even get the fellow’s name.” Geoff sighed, then went on. “The boy says the fellow in the cap came in here asking if you were in.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Were you expecting anybody?”
“No.” I looked at the monitor again.
“It didn’t look like Frank to me,” Geoff said. “Besides, he wouldn’t have gone off with Margot.”
“Frank’s in Idaho,” I said absently. I couldn’t identify the man who appeared on the tape.
“Oh, well, I knew it wasn’t Frank. I asked this old boy what had happened. He said the fellow come in asking for you, and before he can even ask the fellow for his name, Margot Martin lays her peepers on him and says, ”Miss Kelly is gone for the day, is there something I can help you with?“”
“What?!”
He nodded. “Flabbergasting, ain’t it?”
Maybe not, I thought. “I suppose he was good-looking?”
Geoff rubbed his hand over his face and said, “Well-I didn’t get much of a description out of my so-called helper, but I suppose the fellow probably was, because Margot is durned man-hungry, but she’s not without refinement. She wouldn’t just walk out of here with anybody.”
“The man seemed perfectly willing to go with her.”
“Yes, my replacement said that the fellow was smiling, seemed happy to make her acquaintance. I guess Mr. Funny Papers finally figured out that your guests ought to be directed to you and he tried to stop Margot, but old Margot just gave him that sour look and then told the gent she’d take him to you personal.”
“Take him to me?” Once again, it was, as Geoff had said, flabbergasting.
“The mail clerk said he figured if she could take him to you, you and Margot were friends. I told him you weren’t enemies, but you weren’t great pals, either.”
“I hardly give her a daily schedule. But almost everyone knows where I’ll be on a Tuesday evening.” I shrugged. “So Margot’s probably going to be at the city council meeting.”
“That’s what I figured. No other way she’d know where you’d be. I don’t imagine she even knows where you live.”
“No, we haven’t thrown any debutante balls lately, so there’s been no need to invite her over.”
“Count your blessings. But the fellow worries me more than Margot. There’s no real harm in Margot, but I tell you, the fellow’s up to something sneaky.”
“Hmm. You said the mail clerk gave you a description?”
“Sort of. He said he’s tall, maybe in his fifties, maybe older. Close-cropped gray hair. Thought his eyes were blue or green, some light color.” He paused, pointing at a frozen frame on the tape. “See the design on the door? From where he hits it, I’d guess he stands over six-foot, maybe six-two or more. Big build.”
“Could I look at the tape again, Geoff?”
He replayed the segment for me. As we watched the man first approach the desk, I noted again how straight his back and shoulders were. Except for keeping his head down, his posture was perfect. “Carries himself like an athlete or a military man.”
“Hmm, yes. So he does,” Geoff said. “But I can’t like him hiding his face like that.” He looked up and said, “Watch yourself tonight, Irene.”
“Thanks for letting me know about him, Geoff, but I wonder if he’ll be able to escape from Margot long enough to show up?”
“You’ve got a point there,” he said.
I glanced at my watch, saw that I didn’t have much time left before the meeting, and hurried up to the newsroom. I logged onto the computer, went to the mail program and got as far as the subject line before I stalled. Subject? I settled for “Urgent family matter.”
I moved the cursor to the message section and stalled again. What to say? “Dear Travis, how are you after all these decades? And by the way…” No. All I could do was ask him to make a phone call.
To:
Subject: Urgent family matter
Dear Travis,
Urgent that you contact me. Please call as soon as possible.
Your cousin,
Irene Kelly
I added my home and work numbers and, although not perfectly satisfied with it, sent the message off into cyberspace.
Since I was already logged on, I decided to look for Gerald Spanning among the Spannings I had seen the last time I had checked phone numbers. I found a “G. Spanning” in our area code, but no address listed. I dialed the number on the screen.
After two rings, a male voice answered.
“Gerald Spanning?” I asked.