Swan Dive

nails, to Hanna, who shook, both figuratively and literally. Arnold turned to me and said, ”I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure?”
    I stood and said, ”John Cuddy. I’m—”
    ”He’s my new associate,” Chris blurted.
    I tried to keep the anger off my face as Arnold took my hand, then drew a nail along my palm as she released it, saying, ”I’ll have to follow your recruitment technique more closely, Chris. I hadn’t realized you were expanding.”
    He said, ”It was kinda sudden.”
    Before I could think of an acceptable way to tell the truth, Arnold swung her head around to bring everyone into the conversation. ”I’m afraid I’ve just had a call from Mr. Marsh. He’s been delayed and won’t be here for approximately forty-five minutes.”
    Chris said, ”Jeez, Felicia, I told you when we set this up that I’d be pressed if we ran late. I got this closing up in Lowell ...”
    Arnold acted heartbroken. ”Yes, Chris, I know. And I reminded Mr. Marsh of that and he promised to be just as quick as he could be. But I really am reluctant to start anything substantive without his being present. So...” She opened the door and backed through it. ”... I’m going to try to get some other work done. Please feel free to use the library. Just buzz five on the intraoffice phone if you’d like coffee.”
    After the door closed, Hanna said, very quietly, ”I told you this would happen.”
    ”Now, Hanna, I’m sure...”
    I said, ”What do you mean?”
    Hanna looked up at me, her gray eyes hard and sad at the same time. ”This is Roy ’s way. To hold everybody up so he can be the center, the control of everything.”
    ”Well, at least this way you and Chris have more time to prepare. I’ll be in the library so you two can talk confidentially.”
    I was scanning the library shelves for anything remotely interesting to read when I heard Arnold ’s voice behind me. ”John, could I have a word with you? In my office?”
    By the time I had turned around, she was already walking away from me with that long, vibrating strut of a leggy woman in high heels. I felt like a fourth-grader being summoned by the principal.
    Arnold ’s office was a little larger than the conference room and even more tastefully appointed in Orientals and leathers. On the corner of the building, one large window captured the harbor while the other offered a more specific view of a couple of magnificent homes across the water on Marblehead Neck. ”Please, sit down.”
    I sat and watched her ease into the large swivel desk chair. She had a dancer’s body and a ballerina’s absolute control of it. I decided to wait her out. ”Well?” she finally said.
    I just watched her.
    She dissolved to disgust. Picking up the telephone, she pushed one button and said, ”Paul? Now, please.” She hung up and seconds later a door on a side wall opened. The bearded man I’d seen earlier came through it, pad in hand.
    Arnold said, ”Mr. Cuddy, this is my associate, Paul Troller. Paul?”
    Troller spoke without reading from his pad. ”The Board of Bar Overseers lists no ‘John Cuddy’ or variation thereof licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The Board of Bar Examiners shows no such name or variation sitting for any of the last three bar exams.” He regarded me in a superior way. ”I haven’t had time to research the penalty for impersonating an attorney.”
    I said to Arnold , ”His batteries expensive?”
    She toyed with a grin as he clenched his free fist and bent the pad lengthwise in the other. ”I wouldn’t upset Paul if I were you. He was a finalist in the Golden Gloves before enrolling in law school.”
    I reached for my identification as Paul took a step toward me. ”I’m a private investigator. There was some concern about Mr. Marsh’s good behavior here today. If Chris had seen a copy of Paulie’s résumé, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been necessary.”
    Troller’s next step was cut short by her saying ”Paul,” stretching out the syllable with an authoritative lilt at the end. She leaned forward and took my identification, seeming somehow relieved as she read it.
    ”You were the one involved in the shooting at Middlesex last month.”
    ”Correct.”
    She glanced down at the ID again as she returned it to me. ”That still your address?” She was leering at me and peripherally checking for Paul’s reaction. Lovely woman.
    I stood up. ”Just call us when Marsh arrives.”

    He didn’t look like an