Oath of Office

and finally, Mr. Kozak here?”

Lou noted how smoothly Chester demonstrated that he knew their names after just a single introduction. Another well-mastered display of control.

Lou began with the retelling of Joey Alderson’s injury and the subsequent drive home with him from Eisenhower Memorial.

“I don’t know when these two thugs started following me,” he said. “It could have been several days before that. But this past afternoon, George and his cousin Anthony Brite noticed them checking out my building, and we followed them back out here.”

“Anthony Brite is the man whom you say was gunned down?” Chester asked.

“That’s right, man!” George exclaimed. “He was my cousin, and those dudes of yours burned him! Bastards!”

For several moments, there was absolute silence.

Then Chester nodded minutely at George. His expression was placid, but his narrow eyes were ice, and fixed on George like an infrared sight. “Young man,” he said finally, “you are a guest in my house. And as long as I treat you with civility and respect, you will honor me with the same courtesy. Is that clear?… I said, is that clear?”

Lou felt the man’s power. He also sensed strongly that the word boy had barely gone unsaid.

George seemed unable to respond. “Got it,” he finally managed, eyes to the floor, his usual bravado gone.

“Chief Stone,” Chester said, “my orchids are a source of calm and balance for me. I think I would prefer to continue this discussion in my greenhouse, or if you prefer, sometime tomorrow-perhaps out where these gentlemen say they were attacked. I can ask my field manager to meet us there, and perhaps one or two of my attorneys as well.”

Stone silently polled the others. “It’s your house, Bill,” he said. “Let’s take this meeting outside.”

The group stood and parted like the Red Sea as Chester strode past them, through a set of French doors, then down a long corridor to a rear door that opened on one end of a magnificent, fragrant greenhouse, perhaps the size of a hockey rink. With the touch of a button, the subdued lighting brightened, and soft classical music- Beethoven, Lou guessed-flowed through speakers that seemed to be everywhere.

The entourage followed Chester into densely humid air that was rich with the aromas of flowers and ripe fruit. Lou picked up the scent of chocolate, raspberry, and citrus the most strongly. The flowering plants, he realized, might all be orchids.

Chester paused, perhaps to appreciate his visitors’ collective awe. He then lifted a specialized gauge and began testing a nearby flower bed, which seemed to consist of an earthy mix of moss and bark.

“It is a common misconception that orchids are difficult to grow,” Chester said while sprinkling water here and there. “But the truth is, you just have to be aware of their needs. I think of orchids not as plants, but as a civilization-a culture whose customs I have come to know intimately. Do you enjoy gardening, Dr. Welcome?”

“Mr. Chester, forgive my impatience, but we have a very serious situation here,” Lou said. “Men have been killed in a field that you own, our friend among them.”

Chester stopped taking measurements, settled himself with a breath, and gave Lou a curious stare. “Dr. Welcome, I did not become a person of influence, possession, and power by not knowing precisely what was going on around me. As I told Chief Stone when he called, I have received no reports of any disturbances in any of my fields.”

Lou began to bristle. “I don’t care what reports you received or did not receive, Mr. Chester,” he said. “Our injuries can tell you what happened out there. Our stories coincide. We were ambushed and attacked with fists, with guns, and with a combine harvester. The area where it took place has been mown clear, and the bodies, including Anthony Brite’s, have been removed.”

Stone positioned himself between Lou and Chester, perhaps sensing the simmering exchange might boil over. “Bill,” Stone said, clearly wishing he were anyplace but there, “Dr. Welcome believes he has evidence that the spotlights they claim to have shot out were replaced.”

“I can’t believe it,” Chester snapped. “If such a thing transpired, I can assure you, none of my employees was involved.”

“Funny that these nonemployees knew how to drive your combine harvester,” Cap said.

Chester’s eyes flashed.

Lou almost cracked a smile, imagining what the man was thinking, being spoken to in such a way by someone he probably considered so far beneath his status.

Chester brushed the comment aside with a wave of his hand. “Believe me,” he said, “operating farming machinery is not nearly as difficult as growing these orchids, especially when the keys are left in the ignition slot, as is often the case here. I’ve warned my people against such practices, but alas, they don’t always listen.”

“Show him the glass,” Cap said to Lou.

Lou handed the jagged piece of broken glass to Chester, who inspected the heavy shard like a gemologist.

“And what do we think this is?” Chester asked.

“Floodlight glass,” Lou said. “As you know, the lights are on poles twenty feet above the ground. I found this at the base of one of the poles. Who besides one of your employees would and could repair the floodlight that George shot out?”

George broke in, “And why would your field be threshed after we left it? I’ll tell you why-” He pointed his finger at Chester. “-a cover-up, that’s why.”

Stone gripped George by the wrist and forcefully lowered his arm. “Son,” he said, “you’d best watch how you speak to Mr. Chester-especially in his home. He’s agreed to help us, and your accusations aren’t helping anybody. Got it?”

George nodded glumly.

“It’s all right, Gilbert,” Chester said. “Obviously these men have experienced some sort of trauma, and quite possibly on my land.”

“Any idea who might have been involved?” Stone asked.

“No, but I can assure you it was no one in my employ. I’ll be happy to make my employee records available to you.”

“I appreciate that.”

Chester turned his attention back to Lou. “Is it possible that in all the confusion you’ve described, Dr. Welcome, you merely thought a floodlight that had shattered some time ago had been shot out? Floodlights do break from time to time, kids and rocks and thermal changes, you know. Perhaps the piece you’ve found is an old one.”

“That’s not possible,” Lou said coolly. “I know what I saw. A man died next to me. I saw him get shot.”

“Then are you sure you were in the right spot? The fields can become quite disorienting, especially at night.”

“We strongly believe that was the spot,” Lou said.

“My, my,” Chester said. “This is certainly quite distressing. Gilbert, I’ll phone Stewart right away.”

“Who is Stewart?” Lou asked, his patience walking the edge.

“He manages all my fields,” Chester said. “I’m not denying some version of what you have said actually occurred, but I will strongly contest that any of my people were involved. I assure you, Gilbert, you’ll have my full cooperation.”

“Thank you,” Stone said, looking satisfied. “We’re going to bring a K-9 unit out to the fields later this morning and start searching for their friend.”

“That sounds like a fine idea,” Chester replied. “Is there anything else you think we should be doing?”

“Well,” Lou said, “I do have a question about your corn.”

“Go on.”

“Your plants seem quite high for this time of year.”

“And one other thing,” Cap said.

“Go ahead, Mr. Duncan.”