Dead Money by Grant McCrea

Author:Grant McCrea [McCrea, Grant]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 0679313990
Publisher: Vintage Canada
Published: 2006-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

59.

I WENT TO WORK. I knew I didn’t have to. The firm always gave you two weeks, no questions asked, when a family member died. But Kelly had gone to school. She didn’t want to stay inside and brood. The thought of being home alone, picking scabs, didn’t appeal to me either. Action. Activity. It was the only thing. To keep the seconds from turning into hours. To keep from thinking about things. Things that didn’t bear thinking about.

On the way to the office I took a detour to the alley. Maybe it had some secrets it would be willing to give up. To a widower.

The Dumpster was gone. The fire escapes were still there. The metal doors closed tight. Not telling me anything.

No surprise, really. The police surely had already combed every square inch. No secrets left for me to find.

I went over to the metal door on the left side. I stared at it. It wanted to tell me something. I sat down on the broken asphalt. I waited for the door to speak.

The weeds had grown a bit. The rust perhaps had spread a millimeter more. I couldn’t tell.

I lit a cigarette.

I felt like crying.

I held it back.

The door wasn’t talking. I upbraided it.

Talk to me, I said.

It sat in Buddha-like indifference in its rusted frame.

Talk to me, I said. I know you’re hiding something. Sure, you don’t care. You’ll be here long after the rest of us are dust motes in this alley. If we’re lucky. But I care. Come on. Throw me a bone.

The steel door spoke.

Patience, it said.

Patience, I repeated. Okay. I’ll see what I can do.

I sat another minute.

It wasn’t going to give me anything more.

I went around the corner. I walked the three blocks. I rang Jules’s bell. No answer. Nobody home.

I rang again.

No answer.

I waited five minutes.

My cell phone rang. ‘Private number.’ I ignored it.

Patience.

I rang again.

I waited another five minutes. Nothing.

Mission accomplished. Don’t quit your day job.

I went to the office.

I endured the gauntlet of sympathy-wishers. They were surprised to see me. I didn’t feel like explaining. I felt badly that I found no solace in their stilted efforts to help. I knew they meant well.

Dorita came by. She declined to make the usual noises. She just gave me a hug. A good long hug.

We didn’t say a word.

It was enough.

I sat and stared at the wall. No thoughts intruded.

There was a knock on the door. I turned my head. Warwick. It startled me. I couldn’t recall another time he’d come by my office. Normally, you got a call from Cherise, summoning you to His Chambers for an audience.

I’m sorry, he said.

He actually seemed to mean it.

Thanks, I said.

If there’s anything we can do.

No, no. I’m dealing.

You don’t have to be here. Take as much time as you like. We can cover for you.

Thank you, Charles. I appreciate that. But I’d rather be here. Passes the time, you know.

I understand. Well, like I said, anything we can do.

All right, I said.

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