“Well … uh …”
“See if we have any cookies,” Halloway said.
“Yes, sir,” she said, and went out.
Ollie was already pouring.
“How do you take this?” he asked.
“Black for me,” Halloway said.
“A little milk, one sugar,” Carella said.
He was watching Halloway. A good three or four minutes had passed since he’d asked about the sales rep in Texas, more than enough time for Halloway to frame an answer. Halloway seemed to be engrossed in Ollie’s short order technique. Ollie was opening a packet of sugar now, pouring it into Carella’s cup. He handed it to him, and then carried Halloway’s black coffee to the desk. Charmaine came in with a platter of Fig Newtons, just as Ollie sat on the couch beside Carella again.
“Thank you, Charmaine,” he said.
Charmaine smiled at him and went out.
“Your rep in Texas,” Carella said.
“Yes.”
“He lives in Eagle Branch, is that right?”
“Yes, Eagle Branch.”
“You listed his name as Randolph Biggs …”
“Yes, that’s his name.”
“Would this be a side job for him?”
“A side job?”
“A second job. He wouldn’t have another job, would he?”
“Not that I know of. Another job? No. Why would he have another job? Working for us keeps him busy enough, I’m sure.”
“He wouldn’t be a Texas Ranger, would he?”
Halloway burst out laughing.
“Forgive me,” he said, “a TexasRanger? I hardly think so.”
“Have you ever met him?”
“Of course I’ve met him.”
“Did Jerry Hoskins know him?” Ollie asked.
“Yes, I’m sure they knew each other. I’m sure they were at sales conferences together.”
“Twice a year, is that right?” Carella asked.
“Yes. In the spring and the fall.”
“Would they have seen each other this year?”
“I feel certain.”
“This spring? This fall?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Where, Mr. Halloway?”
“Why, here. We had both conferences at the Century Hotel.”
“You didn’t have your conferences in Texas, did you?”
“No.”
“Eagle Branch, Texas?”
“No.”
“So they couldn’t have met down there, could they?”
“Hardly.”
“When’s the last time you yourself saw Mr. Biggs?”
“When he was up here in September. For our last sales conference.”
“Do you talk to him often?”
“Every now and then.”
“Will you be talking to him anytime soon?”
“I would imagine.”
