‘You’re right there,’ said Kathy. ‘Oh the poor little guy,’ she said, her voice breaking.
I touched her arm gently, smiled and left the Mansion House Hotel.
The Reliance Insurance Company had Offices in the Graas Building, three small rooms that looked like nothing at all. The manager was named Lutin-a middle-aged bald man with quiet eyes and small thin fingers.
‘Carmady, eh? I’ve heard of you.’ He touched my business card with his little finger. ‘What’s your problem?’
I took out a cigarette and spoke quietly. ‘Remember the Leander pearls?’
His smile was slow, a little bored. ‘Remember them? They cost this company one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Sure I remember them.’
I said, ‘I’ve got an idea. Maybe it’ a bit crazy-in fact it probably is. But I’d like to try it. Is your twenty-five grand reward still good?’
He laughed. ‘Twenty grand, Carmady. But it’s not worth your time.’
‘It’s my time. Twenty it is. Then. How much help can I get?’
‘What kind of help?’
‘Can I have a letter that L can take to your other offices? Or show to the police if I need to?’
‘Which office? Which police?’
I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Neither of our smiles was honest.
‘No letter, ‘he said. ‘We can’t put anything on paper. The New York office wouldn’t like it. But we’ll give you all the help that you want. And the twenty grand, if you find the pearls. But you won’t, of course, Not after twenty years.’
I lit my cigarette and blew smoke at the ceiling.
‘It’s still my own time,’ I said.
He looked at me for a moment. ‘Suppose I send somebody to follow you? What then?
‘I’ll know if that happens. I’ve done this job for too long. I’ll tell the police what I know, and go home.’
‘The police? Why?’
I put my hands on the desk. ‘Because.’ I said slowly, ‘the guy that had the lead got bumped off today.’
‘Oh-oh,’
‘I didn’t bump him off,’ I said.
We were both silent for a while. Then Lutin said, ‘You don’t want a letter. And now you’ve told me that, you know I won’t give you one.’
I stood up, smiled, and started walking towards the door. He ran around the dask and put his hand on my arm.
‘Listen, Carmady, I know you’re crazy, but if you do get anything bring it to us. It’ll look good for the business.’