Make No Bones

'And one of us who is here again now.'

'I guess,” John said carefully. “Nellie, anything you could tell me about that first meeting that might throw some light—'

'Such as?'

'Well, anything that—'

Nellie suddenly thrust himself up from his seat, took the couple of steps that the small room allowed, and stood with his back turned and his arms crossed, facing the Pepsi machine. “You actually think one of us killed poor Salish, don't you?'

This time John wanted to wait him out if he could, but Nellie wouldn't go along. “So? Do you? Say what you think, dammit!'

'At this point I wouldn't even want to guess about that, sir.” At the word sir, Nellie emitted a peculiar growl. John was uneasily aware that he was being cagey with a man the director of the FBI had called the dean of American forensic scientists, a man of spotless reputation who'd already assisted the Bureau on more homicides than John would handle in his entire career.

But, yes, there was something in the air, as Gideon had said last night. He could feel it too. Holding something back, those were the words for it, all right. He took a deep breath. “Dr. Hobert, I think you're keeping something to yourself and—'

Nellie spun around, stubby and contentious in his baggy shorts. “I am, am I?'

'—and I think the best thing would be for you to just tell me about it.'

'You do, do you?'

Dean of forensic scientists or not, it wasn't the best way to get on John's good side. “Yeah, I do,” he said angrily. “And you goddamn well ought to know it too.'

Nellie bristled. For a moment it looked as if he were going to stalk out and leave him there. John had unhappy visions of indignant telephone calls to Charlie Applewhite. But then the blue eyes closed. Nellie squeezed the bridge of his nose, rubbing hard. When he opened his eyes the heat had gone. He came back and sat down next to John.

'I seem to be barking at people these days,” he said mildly. “Really, I'm very sorry. This miserable business with Salish...'

'That's okay, I understand.'

'There's no reason at all why you shouldn't ask me whatever you like. May as well come straight to the horse's mouth. The horse's something, anyway.” His smile was tired. “But I assure you I'm keeping nothing under my hat.'

John nodded at him. “Okay.” He was a long way from convinced. “Let me ask you about something else, then.

You heard about Jasper's remains being dumped in the creek?'

'Yes,” Nellie said. “Horrible. Bizarre.'

John came close to laughing. Here was the guy who'd cheerfully worked out the plan to keep Jasper's bones in a glass case for everybody in the world to gawk at for the next umpteen years, and now he was talking about bizarre because someone had taken them and put them into that nice, clean, peaceful river. These were weird people.

'Do you have any idea why anybody would do that?'

Nellie spread his hands helplessly. “It's absolutely beyond me. That kind of thoughtless—'

'The idea's come up that maybe Jasper was injured or already dead when he was put on that bus, and that someone wants to make sure no one takes a close look at him now.” At least he thought that was what Julie had been driving at.

Nellie laughed shortly. “Well, now, that's a peculiar idea, I must say.'

'Did you actually see him get on the bus?'

'Well, no, it left at—I think it was 5:00 A.M.'

'When did you last see him alive?'

'The night before. We had dinner together. That is, all of us did.'

'What time did it break up?'

'I don't know. Early. Eight o'clock, nine o'clock.” “You're sure?'

'No, I'm not in the least sure. It was ten years ago. John, why all this hypothecating about Albert? I should think you'd have your hands full with Salish.'

'You don't think there's some connection?'

Nellie's eyebrows went up. “Connection?” He seemed genuinely surprised. “Between—? Forgive me, but I seem to have missed something in translation here.'

'That's okay. We can talk about it later if we need to.” They would need to, he thought.

'Fine.” Nellie smacked his hands on his thighs and got up again, taking the file. “Quarter to four. I want to go back and check a few things before seeing what Gideon's come up with. Unless you have anything else?'

John shook his head. “I'll see you in there.'

Nellie had been gone no more than thirty seconds when Leland appeared.