'On the other hand, if you were to bribe me by paying for breakfast, simple courtesy would mandate some sort of response.'
'Breakfast is on me,' I said.
'Agent's name is Evan Malone.'
'He still around?'
'He's retired,' Epstein said.
'You know where he is?'
'Of course.'
'What do I do for his address.'
'I may need a second bagel,' Epstein said.
'Jesus, you're hard,' I said. 'No wonder you got to be SAC.'
'Do I get the bagel?' Epstein said.
'Yes.'
'Malone's on a lake in New Hampshire. I took the liberty of writing it out for you.'
'You knew I'd cave on the second bagel, didn't you?'
Epstein smiled. I took the address and put it in my shirt pocket.
'I'm willing to go as high as a dozen bagels,' I said. 'But I need to ask you a question.'
Epstein nodded gravely and spread his hands in a welcoming gesture.
'You send a couple of employees around to talk with me last night?'
Epstein frowned.
'Employees?'
'Geeky-looking guy with big, round glasses and a lot of teeth,' I said. 'Blond guy, heavyset, big mustache.'
'Employees,' Epstein said.
'That's what they told me.'
'They said they were with the Bureau?'
'Government,' I said. 'I inferred Bureau.'
'Inferred? What kind of talk is that for a guy your size?'
'Large, but literate,' I said. 'They yours?'
Epstein shook his head. 'Not mine,' he said. 'What did they want?'
'For me to leave Emily Gordon alone.'
'The thirty-year-old murder.'
'Twenty-eight.'
Epstein nodded and looked around for the waitress. When he caught her eye, he gestured for more coffee. She came and poured some for both of us.
'Could I have another bagel?' Epstein said to her. 'Toasted, with a shmeer?'
'You want that with cream cheese?' she said.
Epstein smiled. 'Yes.'
The waitress hurried off.
Epstein said, 'They show you any ID?'
'No.'
'So you don't know they were government?'
'No.'
'But we know they were somebody, and somebody doesn't want you investigating the death of Emily Gordon.'
'Or the whole case,' I said. 'It may not be Emily Gordon per se.'
'Could be,' Epstein said. 'Could be the fear that if you investigate Emily Gordon, you'll find out something else.'
'Or expose the cover-up.'
'Or both,' Epstein said. 'Remember Watergate?'
'It wasn't the crime, it was the cover-up?' I said.
'Per se,' Epstein said.
