“Perhaps she didn’t smoke. Perhaps she simply didn’t want the housekeeper to know she’d been there. Perhaps Aaron disposed of them after she was gone. If she was ever there.”
“You needn’t restate the condition every time, Miss Buchanan. It’s thoroughly understood. All the points you make are possible, of course, and you are clever to think of them so quickly. It took me a while longer. Now all I have is a bed which appears to have been slept in by two people.” He took a package of cigarettes from his pocket and, leaning forward, extended it toward her. “Do you smoke?”
“Yes, thank you.”
She took a cigarette and accepted his light and drew smoke deeply into her lungs. He thought, watching her, that she was a very attractive and clever young woman, to say nothing of being an extremely self-possessed one. She was, in fact, the very kind of young woman that he himself would like to have. When she held out the cigarette so that he could see clearly the vivid stain on the end that had been between her lips, he looked at it and up at her and smiled again his thin smile.
“I have nothing to compare it with, Miss Buchanan. Besides, even if I did, it would prove nothing definitely.”
“Do you really wish to prove something definitely? Couldn’t you prove it by fingerprints or something like that?”
“I might prove that someone had been there. I couldn’t prove when. Anyhow, there was definitely nothing extraordinary in Mr. Burns’ death, and I am not particularly anxious to flay a straw man.”
“Why are you doing it, then?”
“Am I? Perhaps I am. It’s only that I always feel a strong compulsion to gather up a loose end.”
“How do you intend to gather it?”
“When I came here, I had a couple of devious tactics in mind. Now that I have met you and talked with you, I prefer to ask directly if you were with Mr. Burns when he died, or in the house the night before.”
“I’ll not answer that, of course. Your loose end, I think, must remain ungathered.”
“Do you think so? As for me, I think I’ll just consider it safely tucked in.” He stood up and extended a hand which, after a moment, she accepted. “It’s been a pleasure, Miss Buchanan. You’re a most attractive woman.”
“Thank you.”
“I’d enjoy very much seeing you again, but I suppose that’s impossible.”
“I suppose it is.”
“Goodby, then.”
“Goodby.”
In the evening after the shop closed Gussie stopped in before going home. “How did it go with the copper?” she asked. “He was only trying to gather up a loose end.”
“What kind of loose end?”
“He thinks someone may have spent Saturday night with Aaron.”
“A woman?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Does he think she may have had something to do with his death?”
“Oh, no. Nothing like that. It’s definite that he died naturally of a heart attack.”
“Then why the hell does he care who may have slept there? I don’t get it.”
“Well, I suppose it’s some kind of offense of omission if you know about a death and don’t report it. He didn’t seem inclined to make much of an issue of it, however.”
Gussie leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes.
“Was a woman there with Aaron, darling?”
“How would I know?”
“You’d know if you were the woman, wouldn’t you?”
“Do you think I was having an affair with Aaron?”
“Affair? That’s a fancy word that I wouldn’t know about. I know damn well you were sleeping with him.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Darling, darling, this is old Gussie speaking. You don’t have to play cat and mouse with me. I’ve slept with enough men myself to be able to tell when one’s being slept with. Especially one like Aaron, who simply exuded gratitude and devotion. Don’t you think I’ve seen him looking at you?”
“I didn’t dream that it was so apparent.”
“To no one but Gussie, darling.”
“Do you blame me, Gussie?”
“God, no! Don’t be absurd, darling.” Gussie laughed softly. “He was a starved and lonely guy with a thousand vague oppressions, married to a bitch and living from habit. He needed you and had you, and I’m glad. I truly loved the sad bastard in my own way, and I’d have slept with him myself if he’d ever asked me.”
Watching Gussie’s face, like a death mask with its closed eyes, Donna had for the first time an intimation of just what burden of grief might now be carried in Gussie’s heart, silently in the bony body. It had not once occurred to her that Gussie might feel for Aaron any emotion beyond the ordinary. And she was ashamed that Gussie had been so sentient, while she had been so dull. She was also ashamed she had lied to Gussie about Saturday night. She would have liked now to renounce the lie, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. So she decided, as a compromise, to tell still another lie that would at least embrace part of the truth.
“The truth is,” she said, “I went to Aaron’s, but I didn’t stay all night. We went there after dinner, and later he took me out to Mother’s.”
“Did you tell the copper that?”
“No. I didn’t think it was necessary. I refused to answer his questions about it.”
“Well, under the circumstances, that’s merely a way of telling him everything without committing yourself to anything. I shouldn’t worry about it if I were you, darling, and if you need any expert lying done, don’t fail to call on Gussie. I’ve had a lot of experience, and I’m one of the most convincing liars on earth.”
“Thanks, Gussie.”
Donna stood up and walked around the room, stretching the muscles of her back and legs. She felt exhausted by the tensions of the day, and she was thankful it was over. Her head throbbed, and she pressed her hand against her forehead.
“Is everyone gone?” she said.
“Yes. I assumed the authority to tell them not to come in tomorrow. Was I right?”
“Of course. We must certainly remain closed at least until after Aaron is buried.”
“What will be done about the shop, I wonder.”
“I don’t know. It will be up to Aaron’s wife, I suppose. His widow. It’s a fine shop, and it’s getting better all the time, and if she’s wise she will let it continue to make money for her.”
“She’s not wise. She’s a stupid, lazy slut who likes to lie on her tail and play sick, and it’s my opinion that she’ll convert her responsibilities into cash as quickly as possible.”
“I hope not.”
“So do I, but I shouldn’t count on it. It will be a damn, shame if she does, especially for you, darling, now that you’ve got started so beautifully with your originals.”
“I’ve been thinking about it — about the shop, I mean, and what will happen to it — and perhaps I’ll go and talk to Mrs. Burns about it.”
“To try to sell her on keeping it open?”
“Yes. I could manage it for her, Gussie. With your help I know I could do it. I did it while Aaron was in the hospital the last time, and I could do it permanently if she would only let me.”
“Of course you could, darling. Your judgment is as good as Aaron’s was, and you have other assets that he lacked. Actually, given a free hand, you would certainly make a bigger thing of the shop than he could have.”