'Or smart,' he said with a twisty grin. 'Well, Red, I guess you've been doing a lot of heavy thinking about this, and that's kind of a compliment to me. But did you also think about how you might feel tomorrow, next week, next year, ten years from now? No regrets?'
She leaned across the table to stroke his cheek. 'You shaved for me,' she said. 'How nice! Let me tell you something, John. It's like you're driving along a highway. You know where you're going. Then you see a side road leading away. It looks great. All leafy. Beautiful. You're tempted to turn off and explore it. Find out where it goes. But you don't. And maybe you think of that side road a lot in the years to come. Regret is too strong a word, but the curiosity is there. You may never stop wondering where that road led.'
He reached for the champagne bottle and poured what was left into their glasses.
'That's what will happen to me,' Dora said. 'What will happen to you?'
'Nothing,' he said. 'Which is what usually happens to me. Oh, I'll survive. I've been unhappy before, and I'll be unhappy again. You've been unhappy, haven't you?'
'Yeah,' Dora said. 'Like right now. Listen, John, why don't you come up to Hartford and visit with us for a weekend-or as long as you like. We've got an extra bedroom.'
He stared at her. 'I don't think that would be so smart, Red-do you?'
'No,' Dora said miserably, 'I don't.'
John lifted the champagne bottle and tried to pour. It was empty, and he shoved it, neck down, into the melted ice.
'The bubbles are gone,' he said.
Chapter 46
She returned to Hartford the following morning and went directly to the office. She composed her final report on her word processor. Then Dora filled out the forms all claims adjusters were required to submit. She dumped all her papers on the desk of Mike Trevalyan's secretary and went back to her cubicle. She put her feet up on her desk, drank a diet cola, and smoked too many cigarettes.
The summons didn't come until late in the afternoon, and when she walked into Trevalyan's cluttered office, she knew the shit was going to hit the fan; he had two cigars going at once.
'You're approving the claim?' he shouted at her. 'You're actually approving it?'
'Of course,' she said calmly. 'None of the beneficiaries had a thing to do with the murder of Lewis Starrett. You want to fight it? You want a lawsuit? Be my guest.'
'And look at this!' he howled, waving a fistful of her expense account vouchers. 'What the hell were you doing-buying food and booze for every cop in New York?'
'If you read my report,' Dora said, 'you know what I was doing: helping to break up a fraud for laundering drug money and helping to solve four homicides. Aren't you happy to see a little justice done?'
'Screw justice!' Mike said wrathfully. 'All I know is that this is going to cost the Company three million smackers. And what do you think the Accounting Department is going to say when I submit those humongous bills from your so-called computer expert, that Gregor Pinchik. They'll have my balls for hiring that guy.'
'Oh Mike, don't be so cheap. Gregor provided the key to the whole case. Look, you want to come out of this smelling like a rose?'
He looked at her suspiciously. 'What the hell are you talking about?'
'Pinchik didn't bill for his long-distance calls or modem time because he used our telephone access codes. They were on an electronic bulletin board he subscribes to. But he admitted he's been into our computers and rummaged around. If he can do it, then any smart hacker can do it. Persuade the Company to hire Pinchik as a consultant, to upgrade our computer security with state-of-the-art safeguards. If we don't do it, it's just a matter of time before we start paying out claims to some larcenous hacker who's invaded our records.'
Trevalyan thought about that a moment. 'Yeah,' he said finally, 'you got a point there, kiddo. Listen, how about us going out for some food and talking about what I should put in my memo to the brass.'
'No, thanks,' she said. 'I want to get home to Mario.'
'You just want one of his gourmet dinners,' Mike said grumpily.
Dora smiled serenely. 'There's a lot to be said for home cooking.'
