Right to Die

position on the right to die. It cannot look as though I can be bullied by crank notes into playing turtle. I will not dilute one aspect of my approach to the cause, including tonight’s debate.”
    “Debate?”
    “At the Boston Public Library. Three of us extremists will go hand to hand in front of a slavering crowd.”
    “I’d like to see it.”
    “Fine.” She softened a little. “Because of what happened to me with Enrique’s death, I will not be stopped until what should happen morally is what can happen legally. However, I think that having you investigate is not inconsistent with that goal. I believe we understand each other, even if we don’t agree.”
    “As long as you understand that if I do my job right, the sender of these notes is going to realize you’ve hired me to go after him.”
    “That’s fine. Let him think about being the target for a while. And, if you catch him, so much the better.”
    “I’ll want a retainer of twelve hundred against four hundred a day fee, plus expenses.”
    “Only three days’ worth up front? You think you’re that good?”
    “No, but I think you’re that rich you’re good for it.”
    “Inés has the checkbook.”
    “I’d also like to see some of your other hate mail.”
    “Inés keeps an alphabetized file. Steel yourself.”
    As I opened the door back into the anteroom, Manolo was already on his feet, but this time facing a man about five feet ten in a three-piece suit with lapels an inch out of fashion. Fortyish, he had brown hair with a very narrow widow’s peak and a brown mustache, both hair and sideburns a little too long.
    The man held a fat manila folder near Inés Roja’s nose as he dripped sarcasm. “With all the world’s problems preying on her mind, no doubt Professor Andrus merely forgot that she’s a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee.”
    “As I said, sir, I left a message for you that the professor could not attend the meeting because of an emergency.” The man acknowledged me with a scowl. “A pressing issue no doubt. ‘Should we pull the plug on Grandmama now or wait till after she’s stood treat for lunch?’ ”
    Roja said, “I will ask the professor to call you as soon as possible.”
    “Yes, yes, you do that, Inés. I’ll no doubt be in the dean’s office, discussing nonteaching faculty responsibilities and how to assure them.”
    He turned and walked away, his toes splayed outward like a duck’s.
    Manolo sat down.
    Roja turned to me and said, “I am sorry.”
    “Who was that?”
    “Professor Walter Strock.”
    “He usually come on that way?”
    “He and the professor do not get along well.” More seriously, Roja said, “Is there anything I can do?”
    “Write me a check for twelve hundred dollars so I can start looking into the notes.”
    Her eyes lit up. “I will do it.”
    “I’d also like to see the other hate mail the professor’s gotten. You have a file?”
    Roja nodded and moved to a tall metal cabinet. Taking a key from the pocket of her suit jacket, she unlocked the top before sliding out a drawer. “All these, alphabetic by the name of the person or organization writing. Except the last folder, for the unsigned ones.”
    I whistled through my bottom teeth. “You have a box I could carry those in?”
    “I can get a carton from the Xerox room.”
    “One other thing. This debate tonight?”
    “You will attend?”
    “What time is it?”
    “Eight o’clock. At the Rabb Lecture Hall of the Boston Public Library.”
    Time for dinner first with Nancy . “I can make it.”
    “Good. Alec will be there too.” She smiled and blushed. “I am really glad now that we asked you to help.”
    “Don’t be too sure, Inés. Your boss seems to put her faith in the law.”
    “I would rather put my faith in people, John. Meaning no disrespect to the professor.”
    As Roja said it, I realized that I couldn’t seem to call Andrus by her first name either.

= 6 =

    “Yes, well, Nina, I’m sure you understand.”
    “No, Professor Strock, frankly I don’t.”
    I had told Inés Roja I’d be back for the files. Searching for Walter Strock, I’d found him outside his office, confronted by a pudgy, determined woman with a lumpy knapsack on her back.
    “Nina, there were many students interested in being my research assistant, and well, there was only one slot open.”
    “But you announced in class that you’d be weighing our exam grades heavily, and I got the highest grade on the