The Hammer of Eden

it from me and gave it to Marvin.”

Milt sighed. “I could intervene, I guess. I’m still SAC, technically. But Kincaid is an experienced office politician, and he knows I’m never coming back. He’d fight me. And I’m not sure I have the energy for that.”

Judy shook her head. “I wouldn’t want you to. I can handle this.”

“What’s the assignment he gave Marvin?”

“The Hammer of Eden, the people who cause earthquakes.”

“The people who say they cause earthquakes.”

“That’s what Marvin thinks. But he’s wrong.”

Milt frowned. “Are you serious?”

“Totally.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Work the case behind Brian’s back.”

Milt looked troubled. “That’s dangerous.”

“Yeah,” Judy said. “But not as dangerous as a goddamn earthquake.”

* * *

Michael wore a navy blue cotton suit over a plain white shirt, open at the neck, and no tie. Had he thrown on this ensemble without a moment’s thought, Judy wondered, or did he realize it made him look good enough to eat? She had changed into a white silk dress with red polka dots. It was about right for a May evening, and she always turned heads when she was wearing it.

Michael took her to a small downtown restaurant that served vegetarian Indian dishes. She had never tasted Indian food, so she let him order for her. She put her mobile phone on the table. “I know it’s bad manners, but Bo promised to call me if he got any information about stolen seismic vibrators.”

“Okay by me,” Michael said. “Did you call the manufacturers?”

“Yeah. I got a sales director at home watching baseball. He promised me a list of purchasers tomorrow. I tried for tonight but he said it was impossible.” She frowned in annoyance. We don’t have much time left — five days, now. “However, he faxed me a picture.” She took a folded sheet of paper from her purse and showed it to him.

He shrugged. “It’s just a big truck with a piece of machinery on the back.”

“But after Bo puts this picture out on CLETS, every cop in California will be watching for one. And if the newspapers and TV carry the picture tomorrow, half the population will be on the lookout, too.”

The food came. It was spicier than she was used to but delicious. Judy ate with gusto. After a few minutes she caught Michael looking at her with a faint smile. She raised an eyebrow. “Did I say something witty?”

“I’m pleased you’re enjoying the cuisine.”

She grinned. “Does it show?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll try to be more dainty.”

“Please don’t. It’s a pleasure to watch you. Besides …”

“What?”

“I like your go-for-it attitude. It’s one of the things that attracts me to you. You seem to have a big appetite for life. You like Dusty, and you have a good time hanging out with your dad, and you’re proud of the FBI, and you obviously love beautiful clothes … you even enjoy Cap’n Crunch.”

Judy felt herself flush, but she was pleased. She liked the picture he painted of her. She asked herself what it was about him that had attracted her. It was his strength, she decided. He could be irritatingly stubborn, but in a crisis he would be a rock. This afternoon, when his wife had been so heartless, most men would have quarreled, but he had been concerned only for Dusty.

Plus, I’d really love to get my hands inside his jockey shorts.

Judith, behave.

She took a sip of wine and changed the subject. “We’re assuming that the Hammer of Eden have data similar to yours about pressure points along the San Andreas fault.”

“They must have, to pick the locations where the seismic vibrator could trigger an earthquake.”

“Could you go through the same exercise? Study the data and figure out the best place?”

“I guess I could. Probably there would be a cluster of five or six possible sites.” He saw the direction her thoughts were taking. “Then, I suppose, the FBI could stake out the sites and watch for a seismic vibrator.”

“Yes — if I were in charge.”

“I’ll make the list anyway. Maybe I’ll fax it to Governor Robson.”

“Don’t let too many people see it. You might cause a panic.”

“But if my forecast turned out to be right, it could give my business a shot in the arm.”

“Does it need one?”

“It sure does. I have one big contract that just about pays the rent and the bill for my ex-wife’s mobile phone. I borrowed money from my parents to start the business, and I haven’t begun to pay it back. I was hoping to land another major client, Mutual American Insurance.”

“I used to work for them, years ago. But go on.”

“I thought the deal was in the bag, but they’re delaying the contract. I guess they’re having second thoughts. If they back out, I’m in trouble. But if I predicted an earthquake and turned out to be right, I think they’d sign. Then I’d be comfortable.”

“All the same, I hope you’ll be discreet. If everyone tries to leave San Francisco at the same time, there’ll be riots.”

He gave a devil-may-care grin that was infuriatingly attractive. “Got you rattled, haven’t I?”

She shrugged. “I’ll admit it. My position at the Bureau is vulnerable. If I’m associated with an outbreak of mass hysteria, I don’t think I could survive there.”

“Is that important to you?”

“Yes and no. Sooner or later I plan to get out and have children. But I want to quit by my timetable, not someone else’s.”

“Do you have anyone in mind to have the children with?”

“No.” She gave him a candid look. “A good man is hard to find.”

“I imagine there’d be a waiting list.”

“What a nice compliment.” I wonder if you’d join the line. I wonder if I’d want you to.

He offered her more wine.

“No thanks. I’d like a cup of coffee.”

He waved at a waiter. “Being a parent can be painful, but you never regret it.”

“Tell me about Dusty.”

He sighed. “I have no pets, no flowers in the apartment, very little dust because of my computers. All the windows are closed tight, and the place is air-conditioned. But we walked down to the bookstore, and on the way home he petted a cat. An hour later he was the way you saw him.”

“It’s too bad. The poor kid.”

“His mother recently moved to a place in the mountains, up near the Oregon border, and since then he’s been okay — until today. If he can’t visit me without having an attack, I don’t know what we’ll do. I can’t go and live in fucking Oregon; there aren’t enough earthquakes there.”

He looked so troubled that she reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “You’ll work something out. You love him, that’s obvious.”

He smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

They drank their coffee, and he paid. He walked her to her car. “This evening has gone so fast,” he said.

I think the guy likes me.

Good.

“Do you want to go to a movie sometime?”

The dating game. It never changes. “Yes, I’d like that.”

“Maybe one night this week?”