“You’re the daughter-in-law-to-be. Wouldn’t Doctor Radliegh, Professor Radliegh be more appropriate?”
“I knew Chester before I met Chet.”
“Oh?”
“I worked as translator, interpreter for his interests in Europe.”
“You traveled with him?”
“With his retinue. Acting as his interpreter at social functions, I was told to call him Chester. He said calling him Doctor, Professor was offputting for his other guests.”
“I see.”
“I came here to Vindemia in the spring to back up his home team while he was negotiating around the clock with some German and Scandinavian industrialists, members of governments. It was then I met Chet.”
“Love at first sight?”
“I saw you were making a name for yourself as an investigative reporter, so I thought I’d give you a call. I didn’t know what else to do. I’m worried.” She paused. “Sorry to take advantage of such a short acquaintance, however intense.”
Jack said, “I don’t see what I can do. I can’t walk around in front of him checking his horse’s pulse and plugging in his coffeepot for him.”
“Don’t investigative reporters investigate?”
“Now I’m sorry I didn’t come here as a guest. I’m too far removed from him, the family.”
“Too late now.”
“Doctor Radliegh was a professor of physics. He must have studied the Laws of Probability. What does he think of all these coincidences?”
“I think he’s in some kind of denial. Is that the right expression? I’ve been abroad since I graduated. He is growing quieter.”
“He seems a man of most regular habits.”
“He lives by the clock. He has his own schedule and keeps to it, minute by minute. It’s a part of his perfect self-discipline.”
“That’s dangerous. Seeing you talk to him, you might suggest he begin varying his schedule, become a little less predictable.”
“That would be like asking a zebra to take off those silly looking pajamas.”
“Or you might suggest he go away for a while, leave Vindemia altogether.”
“His home is here. His laboratory. His home office. All his toys. Getting him to leave here is like taking a chocolate chip out of a cookie.”
“He must know something is wrong. He’s got to do something about it. He needs someone more than me.”
“He is very protective of his family.”
“I see that.”
“I don’t think he would accuse them of anything, have them suspected by anybody.”
“But you, being the outsider, are alarmed.”
Shana said, “Obviously, I’m just here to let the family get to know me, let me know them, test life here at Vindemia—”
“Do you like it here?”
“Who wouldn’t?” She paused at length. “My own family is a mess. My father has been married four times, my mother, three. He’s a lawyer in Albany. He gets away with anything he wants, drunken driving, fiddling documents, putting bought and paid for people on a jury. My mother has taken to sitting on a couch and eating a handkerchief a day. My sister is scarfing up all the drugs in South America, however she can get them. My brother is in prison. For rape. There’s never been any discipline in my family at all. Except for me. I’m the rebel, I guess.”
“And you admire discipline.”
“Oh, yes.”
“And you admire Doctor Radliegh.”
“Who wouldn’t? He’s everything a man should be.”
“And you love Chet?”
“Just by watching, listening, can’t you figure out who is doing these things, why, put a stop to it?”
“I doubt it. Everyone here knows this place better than I. Everyone knows him, and his disciplined routine better than I.” Jack looked up at what he could see of the huge house. “This place is a lot bigger than I ever could have imagined. I heard it was big, but this is ridiculous. I have an appointment with Doctor Radliegh’s secretary in a few minutes, and I don’t even know how to begin to find her. There doesn’t even seem to be anyone around to ask.”
“She’s over in the office building, by the airport. Take a bike.”
“Is there a map?”
“They didn’t give you one?”
“I think they don’t want me exploring.”
“Will you try?”
“I’ll watch,” Jack said. “I’ll listen. I’ll think.”
A man in his mid-twenties dressed only in tank trunks entered the pool area. He was heavily muscled. He waved at Shana.
Jack said, “I doubt I’ll accomplish anything.”
The young man climbed to the highest diving platform. Without hesitation, he dove, did a double back flip and entered the water hardly rippling the surface.
“Is that Chet?” Jack asked.
“Yes. Class valedictorian and All-American quarterback.”
“Not what I was expecting.”
“The National Football League made him an offer to play. He could buy his own team, of course. Oxford offered him a full fellowship.”
“Can he buy Oxford?”
“If his Daddy cosigned the note.”
In one smooth movement as if continuing his swimming stroke, Chet popped out of the pool and landed on his feet on the deck. Dripping, he stood on the pool deck arms akimbo. He said to Shana, “Time to go.”
He did not appear to realize she and Jack had been talking to each other.
“Where?” she asked.
“You’ve had enough sun.”
“Just resting after doing my laps. I’ve only been here a few minutes.”
Although Chet put his hand out to Shana, he was looking at Jack.
Slowly he looked Jack up and down as if wondering how much he cost.
“All right.” Lazily, Shana got up from the long chair.
When they left the pool area, Shana and Chet were walking a meter apart. He was chattering about some dance step. Twirling on the flagstone, he showed her how it was done.
At the gate, Chet looked back at Jack.
Frowning, Jack continued vacuuming the pool. The way Chet had looked at him made Jack uneasy.
6
Instead of answering the phone in the front seat of the van with a simple “hello” when it buzzed, Fletch sang to it, “‘Hello, America, how’s by you …?’”
“Mister Fletcher? This is Andy Cyst.”
“How’re you doin’, Andy?”
“I’m fine, Mister Fletcher. How’re you doin’?”
“Just gettin’ by,” Fletch sang, “Dancin’ side by side …”
“You sound pretty relaxed, Mister Fletcher.”
“Is modern man ever more relaxed than when whizzing along a highway at the speed of a hurricane?”
