“I should apologize for eavesdropping at the bedroom door,” she said. “But I had a hunch those questions might come up. It never hurts to have an impartial witness to what was said.”
This got grateful looks from the Ralstons. Then, in the best tradition of a real wake, we ate an incredible omelet.
“Damn, you really are a gourmet cook,” I said. “You oughta do this for a living.”
“I do, when I can find work. I should say, when I can keep it.”
“Michael has a problem with arrogant authority,” Denise said.
“Isn’t that amazing, so do I,” I said. “We seem to be more alike all the time.”
“Except you don’t have to worry about getting fired. That’s what happened to me this week. Been thinking of changing jobs anyway, but I’d rather have done it on my own hook, after some bills have been paid.“
“Well,” I said casually, “now you’ll have the money to pay your bills.”
I motioned to the Burton, still on the table where I had put it hours ago.
“When you sell it, you mean,” Ralston said.
“I may never sell it. But I’m willing to pay you half of what I think its retail value might be. We can do that tonight if you want to. Like I told your friend the doctor, I think it’s a twenty, twenty-five-thousand-dollar piece. Say twelve-five to you.”
“Holy mackerel, Batman,” Ralston said, but Denise gave a tiny head shake.
“I just bought the
They looked at each other.
“Listen,” I said, “there’s no pressure on this. You do what’s right for you. Bring in another bookseller, get his opinion, I’ll pay half of whatever he says. If and when I do sell it, if it goes over thirty, we’ll split that difference as well. Whenever that might be.”
“Couldn’t be fairer than that,” Ralston said, looking hopefully at his wife.
Denise was looking at me. “I trust you. That’s not what’s bothering me.”
I knew what was bothering her. The deathbed promise I had made lingered in the air. “Nobody expects you to find those books,” Ralston said.
Denise shook her head. “Oh, honey, that’s where you’re wrong.”
A long quiet moment later, I said, “I didn’t give that promise lightly. If those books are there to be found, I will find them. I’m just thinking how much easier it might be if this book is in my hands alone. We can let it ride, if that’s what you want. But I get the final word on where the hunt goes and how I want to conduct it.”
“He used to be a cop,” Ralston told his wife.
“Really? That surprises me. You seem like such a gentle soul, Mr. Janeway…it’s hard to believe you were ever part of any violent world.”
“I’ve been called lots of things, but a gentle soul isn’t even close to the list. Maybe I’m making some headway.”
“Why did you leave the police?”
“Long story. Goes to my attitude, which isn’t always so gentle. Let’s just say I like the book world better.”
“You should’ve seen him wheeling and dealing those two cats from Texas,” Ralston said. “Two fat cats came into his store and he pulled eight bills out of their pockets slicker than hell.”
“They knew what they wanted,” I said. “They got what they paid for.”
I asked if either of them knew who or what Koko was.
“I can’t imagine,” Denise said. “Probably some childhood friend.”
“Who’s been dead forever,” Ralston said.
Denise touched the book, opened it carefully. “This is all so far from my own life, from any kind of experience I’ve ever had. Until now I couldn’t have imagined such a book.” A moment later, she said, “Would it bother you if I kept it overnight? Maybe for a couple of days? I’d just like to…I don’t know…get a feel of it…if that wouldn’t bother you.”
It bothered me a lot, but what could I say? What I said was, “You’d have to be very careful.”
“I know that.”
“I mean
