Aces and Knaves

she would be able to cope with Ned's death, but the way she acted yesterday dispelled my doubts. She handled the police as if she was born to rule. She did more than the attorney to keep them from completely ransacking the house. But they did check it thoroughly."
    "And they came up empty."
    "Completely. They had a sniffer dog and everything."
    "Of course, they could take the position that if Ned had anything hidden Elma might have been able to get rid of it."
    "From my own point of view, I know that Elma has been struggling just to keep herself going, and dealing with the overwhelming reality of Ned's death, and hasn't had time to do anything else. In addition, that point of view assumes that if Ned were into drugs that Elma was part of it."
    "Yeah, you're right."
    "Karl?"
    "Yes, ma'am."
    "You didn't want me to go on this trip, did you?"
    "I know I've been a little quiet, but you have to understand that I missed my run this morning for the second time this week. That run is for me what coffee is to some people."
    "No...it's more than that." Arrow seemed to be searching for words for the first time since I'd met her. "When I talked to John, for example, he told me that you wanted me to fly back this afternoon after your meeting with the police and not to stay overnight."
    "I want to try to talk to James Buchanan again, but I don't know how successful I'll be. It might just be a waste of your time."
    "You didn't bother to tell Richard that, did you? I don't think he wants you messing around in company business."
    "Only if an employee is getting murdered."
    "I'm sorry...that came out wrong. But still, we...you shouldn't be negotiating without his knowledge."
    "No negotiating. This is strictly fact-finding."
    "My charter from Richard is to be involved with anything you do that affects Dionysus. And if Buchanan is really trying to take over Dionysus, that certainly qualifies."
    "Yes," I admitted. I hadn't previously seen a role for Arrow in the Buchanan situation, but there might be one. "But if we do get to see him we can't introduce you as an employee of Dionysus."
    "All right, then, I'll just be a girl. Do you think I can pass for a girl?"
    "Are you fishing for a compliment?"
    "Yes."
    "Don't you get enough adoration from John?"
    We both laughed, which broke the tension that had been in the air.
    Arrow continued, "If I'm going to play the part of a girl, I want to do it right. What do the women wear at Buchanan's?"
    "Dresses."
    "Party dresses?"
    "Yes, I would say so."
    "Okay, that's probably all I'm going to get out of you since you're a man. Incidentally, if you were really gay, you would be a lot more descriptive. But I brought a little number with me that might work."
    Why was I not surprised? We were on Sepulveda Boulevard, heading into the tunnel that goes under one of the Los Angeles airport runways, so I closed the car windows to keep the noise level down. I had walked through that tunnel several times and had learned two things: the decibel level is extreme and always walk on the side of the tunnel in which traffic is moving in the same direction as you are because the cars generate a strong wind stream that moves with them. However, the tunnel was now closed to pedestrians.
    I maneuvered into the airport exit lane and my attention was taken up with getting into the airport and finding a spot in the overnight lot. We took a parking shuttle to the United terminal and after passing through security, checked in at the gate.
    Once we were on the plane we were able to resume our conversation. I spent some of the flight telling Arrow what I had learned about James Buchanan. She already knew that Ned had been his partner at one time. Of course my father knew it too, but hadn't bothered to tell me. Arrow and I agreed that Buchanan was a wily and sometimes ruthless businessman, and if he wanted something he usually got it.
    ***
    "I represent Dionysus Corporation," Arrow told Detective Washington, "and I would like to be present when you question Karl."
    "Are you an attorney, Ms.…Andrews?" Detective Washington asked, glancing at the business card Arrow had given her.
    "No, I am executive assistant to the chief executive officer of Dionysus Corporation."
    "Well, that's a mighty high-falutin' title, but it won't buy you anything. And even if you were an attorney, the answer would be no. Mr. Patterson is not a suspect; we are merely asking him some questions. There is no need for him to have anybody else present."