Scam

tough.”
    “You were talkin’ theory.”
    “Right. Cranston Pritchert claimed he was being set up to make him lose the proxy fight. It seems far-fetched to me, but I got nothing else to play with. So I had my wife buy a share of stock.”
    “Why?”
    “So I could attend the stockholders meeting.”‘
    “When’s the meeting?”
    “Last night.”
    “You didn’t go?”
    “I was in court. Bein’ arraigned on my third homicide.”
    “Oh. Right. So, what happened?”
    “I don’t know. I was gonna go down, check it out. Only the last time I went by there I got arrested.”
    “Yeah. So?”
    “I figured if I did it again, you’d tell me I was a total moron.”
    “You are a total moron.”
    “See what I mean.”
    “I assume you’re going to do this whether I advise you to or not?”
    “Unless you got a better idea.”
    “Oh, great,” MacAullif said. “I either solve the case for you, or endorse your line of action.”
    “Hey. That sounds pretty good. I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
    “At least you’re in a better mood.”
    “I’m not in a better mood. I’m losing it and getting giddy. If I should start laughing hysterically, it would not mean I was happy.”
    “I’ll bear that in mind. On the other hand, if I should tell you to get the fuck out of my office, it would not mean I was angry. It would just mean I was through with the conversation, and had business back on planet earth.”
    I got up. “You want me to let you know how this goes?”
    “Don’t bother.” MacAullif winced. “I got a feeling I’ll hear.”

41.
    “T HE FIRST TIME I TALKED TO YOU, I got arrested.”
    “That was not my fault.”
    “Oh, really?”
    Jack Jenkins put up his hands. “It wasn’t me. I mean, come on. You were here. Did I call anyone? Or leave the room at any time while you were here?”
    “No.”
    “There you are.”
    “But you knew I was in the office. Calling on the other two.”
    “How would I know that?”
    “How would you know anything? It’s not that large a suite of offices. Are you telling me you didn’t know?”
    “I really don’t recall.”
    “Oh, come on. A precise guy like you. I bet you recall perfectly well.”
    Jenkins smiled, put his hands on the desk. “This is silly. Did you really come in here with a chip on your shoulder trying to find out if I turned you in? Is that why you’re here?”
    “Actually, it isn’t.”
    “I didn’t think so.” Jenkins took a manila folder off his desk, flipped it open. Took out a piece of paper. “This came in yesterday. Certificate of stock. In the name of Stanley Hastings. I’m wondering if that might be you.”
    “My name is Stanley Hastings.”
    “I’m aware that it is. Are you the Stanley Hastings who purchased this stock?”
    “Actually, it was my wife who purchased the stock. I believe she did it through a broker.”
    “I’m sure she did. So, this stock is yours. I thought it was. I rather expected to see you at the stockholders meeting.”
    “Something came up.”
    “So I understand. You got arrested again. Without the slightest help from me.”
    “Now, there’s a thought.”
    Jenkins frowned. “What?”
    “I hadn’t really considered you a suspect until you said that. I guess it’s just my nature. You tell me you had nothing to do with it, so I immediately think you did. It’s the self-serving declaration—it always sets me off.”
    Jenkins frowned, cocked his head. “Are you all right? You’re not making a lot of sense.”
    “I found another body yesterday, got charged with my third homicide. All in all, it’s been a rather bad week.”
    “The girl you found—was she the one?”
    “The one?”
    “You know. The one Cranston was looking for. Was it her?”
    “It was her, all right. What do you know about it?”
    He shrugged. “Only what I’ve heard. From you and from the cops. Cranston himself never let on. Secretive type. Pain in the ass. Well, I guess you know.”
    “Yeah. So, you wanna tell me about it?”
    “What?”
    “The stockholders meeting. The one I couldn’t go to.”
    “Oh. So you don’t know.”
    “What?”
    “What happened.”
    “I don’t know a damn thing. So, who won? Rothstein or Dunbar?”
    “Neither one.”
    “What?”
    “That’s right.”
    “So who’s the new chairman of the board?”
    “Amy Greenberg.”
    I looked at him. Blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
    “Amy Greenberg is the chairman of the board.”
    “Whoa. Time out. Flag on the play. You