O'Farrell's Law

FOURTEEN

BARNEY SHEPHERD wore a baseball cap backward, with the rim covering his neck, an apron declaring “Ole King o’ the Coals” over his bermuda shorts and sweatshirt, Docksiders without socks on his large feet, and a grin of complete contentment on his smooth, round face. He stood in the expansive barbecue area to the left of the pool, surrounded by marinated ribs, ground beef patties, and more dissecting tools than an average surgeon in an average operating room, waiting for the cue from the magic man that the act had just ten more minutes to run. That would be the time to start cooking. Janie was in front of the performer, jumping up and down with the demands of a birthday girl, whooping with delight when she got the candy stick for winning whatever the game had been. Shepherd smiled and waved, but she was too absorbed in the party to notice him. Beautiful, he thought; genuinely beautiful. Blond, like Sheree, and blue eyes like her mother’s, too. Beautiful mother, beautiful daughter. He looked beyond the screaming kids, over the landscaped garden and the shrubs and trees to the silver glitter of the Pacific, and then back to encompass the sprawling California ranchhouse that he’d had built to his detailed specifications, including the Jacuzzi and the sauna and the tennis court and the four-car garage. Everything beautiful. Shepherd knew—guessed, at least—that some people thought it ostentatious but he didn’t give a damn. It was a symbol—his symbol—of achievement, and he deserved it. It was good, not having to give a damn, ever again.

The problem was keeping things that way, now mat the slump had hit Silicon Valley. Shepherd’s firm had so far ridden out the recession better than most other hi-tech companies in Santa Clara county. But he’d had to cut some corners and not ask as many questions about some orders as he should have asked. Shepherd wished he could have avoided that, because he didn’t want to risk those all-important Defense Department contracts. The shortcuts were necessary, to maintain cash flow, but it was the long-term defense stuff that mattered for the prestige of the company. And guaranteed the real heavy profits. The sort of profits that enabled him to have a house overlooking Monterey Bay, with a live-in maid and a Rolls as well as a Mercedes in the garage (Sheree had a 928 Porsche and a Golf GTI runaround) and to take time off for the cookout for Janie’s tenth birthday.

Shepherd was still looking expectantly toward the magic man, so he wasn’t immediately aware of Sheree emerging through the patio doors, salad bowl before her. He turned at the movement. So very beautiful. Except for her ass, maybe. Not as tight as it used to be; the definite suggestion of a sag, in fact. He’d have to suggest she get it lifted. Use Dr. Willick again. He’d done her tits and her eyes and her chin and made a good job of all of them.

“Good party, eh?” he said when she reached him.

“I thought I’d leave the Jell-O and the ice cream in the kitchen refrigerator rather than bring it out here yet,” she said, nodding to the cabinet set apart from the barbecue pit. An outside refrigerator had been one of Shepherd’s specifications: it meant the wine was always chilled.

“Good idea.” Definitely a sag; he’d talk to her tonight about getting it fixed.

“There’s some men to see you.”

“What?”

“Two guys.” Sheree jerked her head back toward the house. “From the government.”

“I do business at the office!” Shepherd erupted, annoyed. “Didn’t you tell them that? It’s Janie’s birthday party, for Christ’s sake!”

“I asked them if you expected them … whether they had an appointment … and they said no, but they thought you’d see them—” The woman broke off, looking toward the magician. “You see that! Janie got the dove out of the guy’s hat and it’s sitting on her arm!”

“They say who they were?” Shepherd felt a vague stir of unease.

“Uh-huh. Customs and FBI.”

For a moment Shepherd made no response, his mind refusing to function. He said, “They say what they want?”

“Look at that!” Sheree said, ignoring her husband. “The bird’s actually eating corn out of her hand now! This is going to be Janie’s best party yet!”

Shepherd forced the patience. “Did they say what they wanted?” he repeated.

She turned back to him, smiling, innocent-faced. “Just to see you. They said they didn’t think you’d mind.”

Something that he couldn’t immediately identify registered with Shepherd, and then he remembered the arranged signal in the act to tell him to start the barbecue. “Shit!” he said, “I gotta put the food on.”

“They said it was important.”

Briefly Shepherd looked between the house and the concluding magic show. “You’ll have to take over; hamburgers to the right, ribs to the left. Coals are cooler on the left, for when things cook through. Don’t forget to keep brushing the sauce on.”

He hurried across the expansive patio, threading his way between the umbrellaed furniture. He’d been careful; bloody careful. They couldn’t hang anything on him.

Two men were standing in the panoramic room, the one that extended practically the rear width of the house and looked out over the pool and the ocean beyond. They turned as he entered, one young, full-haired, the other older, balding but trying to disguise it by combing what was left forward. Both wore Californian lightweight suits and ties, and Shepherd looked down at his King Coal apron and felt foolish. Self-consciously he took it off and threw it over the nearest chair and said, “What’s this all about?”

The elder man moved, coming forward and offering his shield. “Hoover,” he said. “U.S. Customs. My colleague here is Morrison, Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

The younger man offered his identification and Shepherd glanced briefly at the wallet, not knowing what he was expected to confirm. Mother of Christ! he thought, looking up again.

“We’ve been admiring your house while we waited,” said Morrison. “It’s fantastic, absolutely fantastic.”

Shepherd realized that the younger man had an eye defect, the left one skewed outward. Don’t panic, Shepherd thought; nothing to panic about. Hear them out first. He said. “Thank you. I designed most of it myself.”

“You’re a lucky man,” said the Customs investigator.

“You come here to admire my house?” Shepherd demanded. It was important to strike the balance, stay calm but not take any shit, not yet. He supposed he should suggest they sit, offer them a drink, but he did neither.

“You carry a few government contracts?” Hoover said. “High-security electronic stuff?”

“Yes,” Shepherd said cautiously.

“Your corporation is highly regarded,” Morrison said.

“I like to think so,” Shepherd replied.

“You know the reason for the COCOM regulations, Mr. Shepherd?” asked Hoover.

“To prevent restricted, dual-use hi-tech material and development going to proscribed countries, usually communist,” replied Shepherd. What the fuck was it? He kept a personal handle on orders that might be questionable and was sure there hadn’t been one.

Hoover smiled and nodded, patronizing. “And you observe the Export Controls List?”

“I keep right up to date with it,” Shepherd said.

“You know anyone named Pierre Belac?”

“No, I don’t know anyone named Pierre Belac. Should I?” They were serving shit. Who the fuck was Pierre Belac?

“No, Mr. Shepherd, you definitely shouldn’t know him,” Hoover said.

The floor-to-ceiling windows were double-glazed, so there was no sound, but Shepherd could see the kids clamoring around Sheree for food. She was looking anxiously toward the house, seeking assistance. He yelled out toward the kitchen, “Maria! Go out and help Mrs. Shepherd, will you?”

Morrison smiled in the direction of the patio. “Looks like a great party. My boy was eight, two weeks ago. Took them all to Disneyland.”

“Why don’t we sit down?” Shepherd suggested. “You guys like a drink? Anything?”

Speaking for both of them, Morrison said, “Nothing.”