Aces and Knaves

Besides, I wanted to find out more about James Buchanan. "I'll fly up tomorrow morning. I can meet you at 10."
    Detective Washington gave me the address of the station she worked out of. I hung up and thought for a minute. Then I called my father's office number. Arrow had undoubtedly already told him about the cocaine, but I wanted to keep him informed about my connection with the police investigation.
    John answered the phone. When I identified myself he said, "Karl, it's great to hear your voice. Richard has someone in his office, but I'll tell him you're on the line. Hold, please."
    My father answered in less than a minute. I said, "Dad, I'm sorry about the car thing yesterday. I was...upset about what happened to Ned and I lost track of the time."
    "That's okay," my father said. "Jacie picked me up. At least she wasn't out playing tennis."
    He sounded distant and preoccupied; he was undoubtedly thinking about the cocaine. I quickly filled him in on my conversation with Detective Washington.
    "I want an attorney to go with you," he said when I had finished. "Our corporate attorney is going to be present when Elma's house is searched this afternoon, but he should be free tomorrow..."
    "Dad, I'm not a suspect. I'm just a witness. An attorney isn't necessary. In fact, there's nothing for an attorney to do in this situation."
    He wasn't convinced. We argued about it.
    Finally, he said, "All right, no attorney. But I want Arrow to go with you."
    "Arrow? Why?"
    "To protect the company's interests. I think Ned was set up."
    "I'll protect the company's interests."
    "You're not an employee; she is."
    I had to concede him that point. Arrow was an acceptable compromise. My father already had his attorney protecting Elma's rights and I felt that she was a lot more vulnerable than I was. We left it that John would make our reservations. He switched me back to John and I managed to convey my requests to him and keep him to a minimum of provocative chitchat. I assumed he didn't talk to my father the way he talked to me.
    I worked on my baseball card business until noon. Then I took the cards I was shipping and drove to the post office. From there I went to the main library of the Palos Verdes Library District and looked up information on James Buchanan. Between the online databases and the back issues of magazines, there was a wealth of material.
    I realized I had heard about James Buchanan before, but until a couple of years ago I wouldn't have considered him part of my universe. That was when I had started taking investing seriously.
    I found out that he was 47 years old and had started his investing career right out of college. He and a partner had managed to gain control of a faltering printing business and turned it around. The partner's name was Ned Mackay. With the cash flow generated they had acquired other companies. Eventually, Buchanan had bought Ned out, renamed his company Tartan Enterprises and continued to invest very successfully in corporations large and small.
    Buchanan had been married and had two children, but his wife had divorced him 12 years ago. Irreconcilable differences. Of course, that was the only cause for divorce in California.

    Chapter 10 SAN FRANCISCO
    It was still dark when I drove the Toyota to the airport Friday morning. I picked up Arrow at her condominium in Redondo Beach. I parked on the street and wondered how she had been able to raise the down payment to buy into a new development. It was undoubtedly a good investment, especially since the tax laws greatly favored homeowners over renters.
    It was too bad Esther couldn't buy a house or a condo. Unfortunately, I knew she lived from month to month and had almost no money saved at all.
    Arrow came along the sidewalk of the complex, wearing a tailored pantsuit some shade of dark green and carrying a new-looking overnight bag. I got out of the car and opened the trunk. We said hello, stashed the bag and I opened the passenger-side door for her.
    As I drove north toward the airport I could feel Arrow glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. I realized I hadn't spoken much so I said, "Thank you for calling me about the cocaine. It helped to level the playing field between me and Detective Washington. And I was relieved to get your second message." Arrow had left another message while I was at the library saying that the search by the police had not turned up anything.
    "Elma was magnificent," Arrow said. "When I met her I wondered whether