I hid my surprise and my fear. 'Lou's not involved in this.'
Huenengarth half-smiled. 'Unfortunately, he is, Doctor. A man in his position, all those links to the financial world-he could have turned out to be a knotty problem for me. Fortunately, he's being cooperative. At this very moment. Conferring with one of my colleagues up in Oregon. My colleague says Mr. Cestare's estate is quite lovely.'
Full smile. 'Don't worry, Doctor, we only bring out the thumbscrews as a last resort.'
Milo put down his coffee. 'Why don't you just cut to the chase, bucko?'
Huenengarth's smile vanished. He sat up straighter and looked atMilo.
Silent stare.
Milo gave a disgusted look and drank coffee.
Huenengarth waited a while before turning back to me. 'Is there anyone else you've spoken to in addition to Mr. Cestare? Not counting your girlfriend, Ms.-uh-Castagna. Don't worry, Doctor. From what I know about her, she isn't likely to leak a story to The Wall StreetJournal.'
'What the hell do you want?' I said.
'The names of anyone you've included in your fantasy. Specifically,
people with business connections or a reason to harbor a grudge against Jones or Plumb.'
I glanced at Milo. He nodded, though he didn't look happy.
'Just one other person,' I said. A doctor who used to work at Western Peds. Now he lives in Florida. But I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know and we didn't go into any details-' 'Dr. Lynch,' said Huenengarth.
I swore. 'What'd you do, tap my phone?'
'No, that wasn't necessary. Dr. Lynch and I talk once in a while Have been talking for a while.'
'He tipped you off?'
'let's not get sidetracked, Dr. Delaware. The main thing is you told me about speaking to him. That's good. Admirably frank. I also like the way you wrestled with it. Moral dilemmas mean something to you-I don't get to see that too often. So now I trust you more than when I walked into this room, and that's good for both ofu 'Gee, I'm touched,' I said. 'What's my reward? Learning your real name?'
'Cooperation. Maybe we can be mutually helpful. To Cassie Jones.'
'How can you help her?'
He folded his arms across his barrel chest. 'Your theory-the entire staffs' theory-is appealing. For a one-hour TV episode. Greedy capitalists sucking the lifeblood out of a beloved institution; the good guys come in and clean it up; cut to commercial.'
'Who're the good guys here?'
He put a hand to his chest. 'I'm hurt, Doctor.'
'What are you, FBI?'
A different collection of letters-it wouldn't mean anything to you.
let's get back to your theory: appealing, but wrong. Do you remember Cestare's first reaction when you floated it by him?'
'He said it was unlikely.'
'Why?'
'Because Chuck Jones was a builder, not a destroyer.
Ah.'
