Jeffrey said, 'Ev, you should know that-'
'I am talking to your companion.'
The abyss between this man's experience and hers momentarily silenced Nora. She would never be able to convince Everett Tidy that someone wanted to kill him.
Tidy conspicuously looked at his watch, and Nora at last registered why he had to sort through his books. 'How long ago did you move into your apartment?'
He lowered his arm with exaggerated slowness, as if he thought sudden movement might startle her. 'Six weeks. Is there some point to your question?'
'If someone came looking for you at your old house, would the new people tell him where you are? Do they know your new address?'
He turned to Jeffrey. 'Are we to go on in this fashion?'
'Please answer her question, Ev.'
'Fine.' He swung back to Nora. 'Does Professor Hackett know the street address of my apartment building? No, he does not. In any case, the Hacketts are spending the month in the upper valley of the Arno - the Casentino. Who are you, and what are you after?'
'Her name is Nora Chancel,' Jeffrey said.
Tidy blinked rapidly several times. 'I know that name.'
'Have you been watching the news the past few days?'
'I don't own a television set. I listen to the radio.' He was talking to Jeffrey but keeping his eyes on Nora. His entire body seemed to lose its stiffness. 'My God. Nora Chancel. The woman who was… Heavens. Until now I didn't connect the name to… Good Lord, and to think… So that's you.'
'That's me.'
Sabina Mann backed through the door carrying a tray and stopped moving as soon as she turned around. 'I seem to be interrupting you.' She looked at each of them in turn. 'It must be an extraordinary conversation.' She put the tray on the end table and fled.
Tidy had not taken his eyes from Nora. 'Are you all right? You don't appear to have been injured, but I can't even begin to imagine the psychic trauma of such a thing. How are you doing?'
'I can't really answer that.'
'No, of course not. What a thoughtless question. At any rate, you escaped that fellow and had the good sense to summon Jeffrey. If I were in trouble, I'd want Jeffrey's help, too. Please, let's sit down.'
He patted the sofa, and Nora sat on the worn plush. He added milk to a cup of tea and gave it to her. She felt slightly dizzied by the reversal of his manner. Jeffrey slid into an overstuffed chair on the other side of the fireplace. Tidy remained on his feet, fingering his beard. There was no trace of the arctic wind.
'I apologize for blustering. I got in the habit when I discovered that it was useful for intimidating my students.'
Nora said, 'I'm glad that you're willing to hear me out.'
He perched on the edge of the sofa. 'I can only suppose that what you want to say to me concerns the man who abducted you. Please remind me of his name.'
'Dart,' she said. 'Dick Dart. You wouldn't ever have heard of him.'
He considered the notion for a few seconds. 'No. On the other hand, I gather that he has heard of me. I'm right in saying he is a murderer, aren't I? There is no doubt about that?'
'And he wishes me ill.'
'Dick Dart wants to kill you.'
He straightened his back and gave her the benefit of his fine blue eyes. 'What an extraordinary thing, to hear such a sentence. I find myself at a loss.'
'Everett,' Jeffrey said, 'would you please shut up and let her talk?'
'Let me ask one more question, and then you can fill in the details, if there are any. Is there a motive, or did this man pick my name out of a hat?'
Nora looked at Everett Tidy, visibly restraining himself, all but biting his tongue. 'He wants to kill you because you're Bill Tidy's son.'
Tidy brought his hand to his cheek as if he had been slapped. Making a monumental effort to remain silent, he nodded for her to continue.
When she had finished, Tidy said, 'So Dart assumes my father kept journals, which he did, that they deal with his stay at Shorelands, which they do, and that I am in possession of these journals, which I am. Tell me, do I have the honor of being first on Dart's list? I suppose I must'
'You're the second. This afternoon he started in Springfield with a doctor named Mark Foil. Foil was the longtime companion of Creeley Monk, and now he's his literary executor. I saw Foil just before he went out of town. Dart got there a little while later.'
'Dart set the fire in Springfield?'
'He isn't very subtle,' Nora said.
Tidy sat perfectly still for a moment. 'Might I ask why you and Jeffrey did not go to the police before arranging to see me?'
'I can't talk to the police.'
Tidy faced Jeffrey. 'Is that so? She cannot?'
'Leave it alone, Ev,' Jeffrey said.
'I don't imagine this fellow will have any luck finding my apartment, but I cannot allow him to destroy Professor Hackett's house under the impression that I still live there. I do not have to give my name or mention you in any way. All I have to say is that I saw a man resembling Mr Dart in the area, and they will do the rest. Then I have some things to tell you, if you have the time.'
'Good,' she said.
Tidy stood up and gazed at her for a moment, biting his lower lip. 'I won't let Sabina overhear my call.' He bustled out of the room.
'Oh, I brought you some money.' Jeffrey stood up, digging his wallet from his back pocket as he came toward her. Three hundred dollars. Pay me back anytime, but take it. You're going to need money.' He offered her what seemed a large number of bills.
Here she was, Nora Chancel, about to accept the offer of Jeffrey's money. She did not want to take it, but she supposed she had to. She was the object of other people's whims, some of them kindly, others malign. 'Thank you,' she said, a little stiffly, and accepted the money. 'I'm grateful.' She bent down for her bag and snapped it open. 'I'll pay you back as soon as I can.'
'There's no rush.' He glanced at the door. 'I hope Ev isn't saying too much.'
The door opened just as he finished speaking, and Tidy walked in, frowned at him, and closed the door with theatrical care. 'I had to persuade Sabina to go upstairs before I placed the call. She isn't very happy with us, I'm afraid.' He watched Nora fasten her bag, then looked back up at her face. 'Would you mind going somewhere with me? You too, of course, Jeffrey.'
'Another trip,' Nora said. 'Where this time?'
'Amherst College Library, where I deposited my father's papers. It's closed, but I have all the keys we'll need. Jeffrey, it might help if you picked up that tray.'
Sabina Mann was stationed on her bottom stair as the three of them came out of the living room. Everett Tidy did not see her until he was almost directly in front of her, and then he stopped short. Nora, right behind, almost bumped into him. Jeffrey fell into place beside her, and an awkward moment passed.
'Sabina,' Tidy began, but she interrupted him.
'They come, they confer, they make clandestine telephone calls, and then, en masse, they depart. It's like a play.'
Jeffrey held out the tray, and she reluctantly stepped down to accept it. 'I promise to explain everything as soon as I can.'
'The Lord knows what that means. Everett, may I ask where you are going, unless that is another state secret?'
'Sabina,' he said, 'I understand that all of this must be very puzzling to you, and I regret the necessity of
