him.'
'That's right,' Maddox said and put the policy down on his desk, 'So long as you make a sale, you don't have to worry, do you?'
'It's my job to make a sale,' Anson said quietly. 'That's what / get paid for.' He stood up. 'Is there anything else?'
'No, I guess that's about it,' Maddox said, without looking at Anson.
'Then I'll get back. Will see you.'
Maddox nodded absently. He still didn't look at Anson. He was staring at the Barlowe policy. He was still staring at it, lost in thought, several minutes after Anson had gone. Then, suddenly coming to life, he flicked down a key on the intercom and said, 'Harmas around?'
'Yes, Mr. Maddox,' Patty said. 'I'll call him.'
Three minutes later, Steve Harmas, Maddox's chief investigator, wandered in. He was a tall broad-shouldered man; dark around thirty-three with a deeply tanned ugly but humorous face. He had married Maddox's favourite secretary, something that Maddox had never got over, but as Harmas was by far his best investigator, Maddox had been forced to accept the fact.
'You wanted me?' Harmas asked as he folded his long lean body into the client's chair.
Maddox tossed him the Barlowe policy.
'Look at that,' he said, then spilling ash over his papers he selected yet another policy and began to examine it suspiciously.
Harmas looked through the policy handed to him, then he put it on the desk.
'Nice work,' he said. 'Anson is a smart cookie.'
Maddox bent his chair back until it creaked under the weight of his massive shoulders.
'I'm not so sure he is so smart,' he said. 'Take this policy. Barlowe is a ten-a-dime salesman at Framley's stores, Pru Town. What's he doing taking out a life policy for fifty thousand dollars?'
Harmas shrugged.
'I don't know .... you tell me.'
'I'd like to,' Maddox said. 'If Barlowe suddenly drops dead, we're in the hole for fifty thousand bucks. The story is he has taken out this policy so he can raise enough capital to set up as a gardener. What would he want fifty thousand for to set up as a gardener?'
Harmas scratched the back of his neck. He knew Maddox. He knew Maddox wasn't asking for information. He was talking to himself.
'Go ahead ... I'm here to listen,' he said.
'That's about all you're good for,' Maddox said bitterly. 'I have hunches. I don't like this policy. I have a hunch about it.
It gives off a smell.'
Harmas grinned.
'Is there any policy that comes to you that doesn't give off a smell?'
'A few do ... but not many. Here's what you do. I want to know everything there is to know about Barlowe and his wife: repeat his wife. Get a Tracing Agency on to them and have them send everything they can dig up direct to me.
Understand?'
'Okay,' Harmas said, getting to his feet. 'If that's what you want, that's what you'll get.'
'Why didn't this guy take out a five thousand dollar insurance?' Maddox asked. 'Why fifty thousand? Why did he pay the first premium in cash?'
'I wouldn't know,' Harmas said, 'but if you're all that interested, I guess, I'll have to find out.'
Maddox nodded.
'That's it... find out,' and reaching for another policy, he settled down to examine it.
Late back from his trip to San Francisco, Anson was thinking about going to bed when his door bell rang. Wondering who could be calling at this hour, he went to the door.
A woman, wearing a black coat and a green and yellow scarf over her head, hiding her face, moved quickly past him into the room.
'Shut the door!' she said sharply.
'Meg!'
Anson hurriedly shut and locked the door as Meg Barlowe took off the scarf.
'What are you doing here?' Anson asked, alarmed.
'I had to come.' She took off her coat and tossed it on a chair. 'I've been trying to contact you all day.'
'Did anyone see you come in?' Anson asked. 'Don't you realize if we are seen together...'
'I was careful. No one saw me. Anyway, even if they did see me they wouldn't recognize me.' She came over to him and slid her arms around him. 'Aren't you pleased to see me?'
The feel of her body as she pressed herself against him lessened Anson's alarm. He kissed her with mounting passion until she broke away.
'Where have you been?' she asked, moving away and sitting on the arm of an armchair. 'I tried to telephone you.'
'I've just got back from 'Frisco,' Anson said. 'Look, Meg, I warned you we have to be careful. You must never telephone me. Our plan stands or falls on the fact that we are practically strangers. You must understand that!'
She made an impatient movement.
'What's been happening?'
He told her about his interview with Maddox. She listened, her cobalt blue eyes worried.
'There's nothing to be worried about,' he said. 'Maddox won't take it further. He's satisfied.'
She looked down at her hands as she asked, 'When do you ... get rid of Phil?'
'Not yet. We must wait. Four or five months at least.'
She stiffened.
'Four or five monthsl'
'Yes. If we don't wait, we'll be in trouble. Imagine how Maddox would react if your husband died within a few weeks of insuring himself. It'll be bad enough if he dies to four or five months' time, but sooner than that would be out of the question.'
'How will you do it?'
The intensity of her stare began to irritate him.
'I don't know. I haven't even thought about it yet. This idea I had of him falling and drowning in the pond won't work. I couldn't be sure someone might come up the road while I was fixing it. It'll have to happen in the house.'
Meg shivered.
'But how?'
'I don't know. I have to think about it. When I get the right idea, I'll tell you.'
'But must we really wait all that time?'
'If we rush this, we could ruin everything. Isn't fifty thousand dollars worth waiting for?'
She hesitated, then nodded.
'Yes, of course,' she paused, then went on, 'so you have no idea how you'll do it?'
'Don't keep on and on,' Anson said impatiently. 'At least I have him now insured for fifty thousand dollars and that's something you didn't think I could fix.'
'Yes ... you were clever about that.' She stood up. 'I must go,' and she picked up her coat.
'Go?' Anson's face became tense, 'but why? Now you're here ... he's not going home tonight, is he? Of course you must stay...'
'I can't.' She slipped on her coat and began to put the scarf on her head. 'I promised I would go to his class tonight. That's why I'm here. He drove me down this morning. I've been trying to get you all day.'
He made to take her in his arms, but she avoided him.
'No, John, I must go.'
