«Not long, sir. He lives about eight miles out and the roads are rotten. But the way he sounded he’ll be here faster than anyone else could.»
«I’ve stationed a dozen deputies around the grounds and two men in the house. One will stay downstairs, the other in the upper hallway. I don’t know what else I can do.» MacAuliff was in the basement with Tanner. The others were upstairs. Tanner wanted the police captain to himself.
«Listen to me! Someone, one of your men, passed this house and refused to stop! I know damned well he saw the flashlight! He saw it and drove away!»
«I don’t believe that. I checked. Nobody in the cars spotted anything around here. You saw the route sheet. This place is marked for extra concentration.»
«I saw the patrol car leave!… Where’s Jenkins? McDermott?»
«It’s their day off. I’m thinking of calling them back on duty.»
«It’s funny they’re off on weekends, isn’t it?»
«I alternate my men on weekends. The weekends are very well covered. Just like the council ordered.»
Tanner caught the tone of self-justification in MacAuliff’s voice.
«You’ve got to do one other thing.»
MacAuliff wasn’t paying attention. He was inspecting the walls of the cinderblock cage. He stooped his immense frame down and picked up several lead slugs from the floor.
«I want every piece of evidence picked up here and sent down for analysis. I’ll use the F.B.I. if Newark can’t do it… What did you say?»
«I said you’ve got to do one more thing. It’s imperative, but you’ve got to do it with me alone. Nobody else.»
«What’s that?»
«You and I are going to find a phone, and you’re going to get on it and make two calls.»
«Who to?» MacAuliff asked the question because Tanner had taken several steps toward the cellar staircase to make sure no one was there.
«The Cardones and the Tremaynes. I want to know where they are. Where they were.»
«What the hell …»
«Just do as I say!»
«You think …»
«I don’t think anything! I just want to know where they are… Let’s say I’m still worried about them.» Tanner started for the stairs, but MacAuliff stood motionless in the center of the room.
«Wait a minute! You want me to make the calls and then follow up with verification. Okay, I’ll do it… Now, it’s my turn. You give me a pain. You aggravate my ulcer. What the hell’s going on? There’s too much crap here to suit me! If you and your friends are in some kind of trouble, come clean and tell me. I can’t do a thing if I don’t know who to go after. And I’ll tell you this,» MacAuliff lowered his voice and pointed his finger at the news director, his other hand on his ulcerated stomach, «I’m not going to have my record loused up because you play games. I’m not going to have mass homicide on my beat because you don’t tell me what I should know so I can prevent it!»
Tanner stood where he was, one foot on the bottom step. He looked and wondered. He could tell in a minute, he thought.
«All right … Omega… You’ve heard of Omega?» Tanner stared into MacAuliff’s eyes, watching for the slightest betrayal.
«I forgot. You’re not cleared for Omega, are you?»
«What the hell are you talking about?»
«Ask Jenkins. Maybe he’ll tell you… Come on, let’s go.»
Three telephone calls were made from MacAuliff’s police car. The information received was clear, precise. The Tremaynes and the Cardones were neither at home nor in the vicinity.
The Cardones were in Rockland County, across the New York line. Dining out, the maid said; and if the police officer reached them would he be so kind as to ask them to call home. There was an urgent message from Philadelphia.
The Tremaynes, Virginia sick again, had returned to their doctor in Ridge Park.
The doctor confirmed the Tremaynes’ visit to his office. He was quite sure they’d gone into New York City. As a matter of fact, he had prescribed dinner and a show. Mrs. Tremayne’s relapse was primarily psychological. She had to get her mind on things other than the Lassiter depot.
It was all so specific, thought Tanner. So well established through second and third parties.
Yet neither couple was really accounted for.
For as Tanner reconstructed the events in the basement, he realized that one of the figures intent on killing them could have been a woman.
Fassett had said Omega was killers and fanatics. Men and women.
«There’s your answer.» MacAuliff’s words intruded on Tanner’s thoughts. «We’ll check them out when they return. Easy enough to verify whatever they tell us … as you know.»
«Yes… Yes, of course. You’ll call me after you talk to them.»
«I won’t promise that. I will if I think you should know.»
The mechanic arrived to repair the automobiles. Tanner took him through the kitchen into the garage and watched the expression on his face as he inspected the severed wires.
«You were right, Mr. Tanner. Every lead. I’ll splice in temporary connections and we’ll make them permanent down at the shop. Somebody played you a rotten joke.»
Back in the kitchen Tanner rejoined his wife and the Ostermans. The children were upstairs in Raymond’s room where one of MacAuliff’s policemen had volunteered to stay with them, play whatever games they liked, try to keep them calm while the adults talked.
Osterman was adamant. They had to get out of Saddle Valley, they had to get to Washington. Once the station wagon was repaired they’d leave, but instead of driving they’d go to Kennedy Airport and take a plane. They’d trust no taxis, no limousines. They’d give MacAuliff no explanations; they’d simply get in the car and go. MacAuliff had no legal right to hold them.
Tanner sat next to Ali, across from the Ostermans, and held her hand. Twice Bernie and Leila had tried to force him to explain everything to his wife and both times Tanner had said he would do so privately.
The Ostermans thought they understood.
Ali didn’t and so he held her hand.
And each time Leila spoke Tanner remembered her shining brooch in the darkness of the basement—and the unmarked wall behind her.
The front door chimed and Tanner went to answer it. He came back smiling.
«Sounds from reality. The telephone repair crew.» Tanner did not return to his seat. The blurred outlines of a plan were slowly coming in focus. He’d need Ali.
His wife turned and looked at him, reading his thoughts. «I’m going up to see the children.»
She left and Tanner walked to the table. He reached down for his pack of cigarettes and put them in his shirt pocket.
«You’re going to tell her now?» asked Leila.
«Yes.»
«Tell her everything. Maybe she’ll make some sense out of this … Omega.» Bernie still looked unbelieving. «Christ knows, I can’t.»
«You saw the mark on the wall.»
Bernie looked strangely at Tanner. «I saw a mark on the wall.»
«Excuse me, Mr. Tanner.» It was the downstairs policeman at the kitchen door. «The telephone men want to see you. They’re in your study.»
«Okay. Be right out.» He turned back to Bernie Osterman. «To refresh your memory, the mark you saw was the Greek letter Omega.»
He walked rapidly out the kitchen door and went to the study. Outside the windows, the storm clouds hovered, the rain, though letting up, was still strong. It was dark in the room; only the desk lamp was on.
«Mr. Tanner.» The voice came from behind and he swung around. There was the man named Cole, dressed in the blue jacket of the telephone company, looking at him intently. Another man stood next to him. «Please don’t raise your voice.»
Tanner’s shock was such that he lost control of himself. He lunged at the agent. «You son of a bitch …»