Who's sorry now?

instead of being a brewer like your father?”
    ”I didn’t really like being a brewer, so I apprenticed myself to a tailor when I was a young man in Germany. He taught me well. He had many customers as the economy faltered and I gained a lot of experience. I put away everything I earned working for him, and when my apprenticeship was done I acquired the best tools I could find. I must admit that Germany makes the best tailoring tools in the world. I knew I’d want to eventually return home and wanted to have the best shears and needles.”
    ”Is your business going well so far?”
    ”I suppose you could say so. I’ve been here a short time and have had four customers already. Including my granddaughter,” he said, smiling at Mrs. Smithson. ”She’s a good girl to come and save me from the Nazis.”
    Jack asked, ”Is there anything else you’d like our citizens to know?”
    ”Just make sure they know I was born in this country. I’m a full American and love this country.”
    When Jack had put his notebook back in his pocket, he thanked both of them and departed. Mrs. Smithson said, ”Grandpa, you said exactly the right things. I’m so proud of you.”
    ”And I’m proud—and grateful to you, sweeting.”
     

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
     
    JACK SUMMER’S next visit was to Howard Walker’s office. ”Chief, do you know anything more on McBride’s death that I can report in the Voorburg Times?”
    ”Nothing I can report about yet.”
    ”Anything about the person harassing Mr. Kurtz? I just interviewed him. He’s a nice old guy.”
    ”Nothing to report yet,” Walker repeated. ”Any other questions?”
    ”Two more questions. First, I’d like to talk to your new deputy. It’s not often we get two new reputable people living in Voorburg.”
    ”If you don’t mind, he had a long night guarding that trash can. I sent him home to sleep. How about tomorrow?”
    ”All right. He’ll be in the next week’s first issue instead of this week’s last.”
    ”What’s the other question?” Walker asked.
    ”Do you know anyone who has a car they’d like to sell me?”
    ”What’s wrong with the motorcycle with the side car?”
    ”Well—” Jack looked a bit embarrassed. ”It’s this—” Jack was actually blushing. ”Mrs. Towerton invites me to dinner about every two weeks.”
    ”That’s nice. Does it include anything more than dinner?” Howard asked with a smile.
    ”Not yet. Her children eat with us, and then she puts them to bed, and we sit out on the front porch in good weather and drink lemonade. Winters, we sit in the kitchen and drink hot chocolate. But I’d like to pay her back. A really good dinner at a good restaurant. She could get a neighbor to take the children for an evening. But I couldn’t possibly take her in the sidecar of the cycle. It would blow her hair and clothing to smithereens. I need a car. Know anybody who’d like the motorcycle? Maybe in kind for a car?”
    ”The only one I know who needs a motorcycle is my new deputy. But he has no car to trade.”
    ”Would the police budget allow you to buy it?”
    ”Nope. But maybe Deputy Parker could pay you in installments and I could kick in a buck or two when it’s available.”
    That afternoon, Robert found Lily reading a book in the library. The French doors were open and there was a nice warm breeze. She looked up from her book. ”It’s spring, Robert. I thought it would never come again.”
    ”What are you reading? One of the books I bought you?”
    ”No. I’m spacing them out. I don’t want to gobble them all up at once. This is one of the books Dr. Toller lent me. First-year anthropology. It’s interesting. Just the basics.”
    She set the book aside and asked, ”How is the petition going? Have lots of people signed it?”
    ”Thirty-nine so far. I hope to find another twenty before submitting it to the town council.”
    ”I haven’t signed it yet. Find me a pen. Is Mr. McBride willing to be the unofficial postman?”
    Robert was temporarily speechless. ”Didn’t you know? He’s been murdered.”
    Lily gasped. ”Why has nobody told me this? I don’t know him well. I’ve only seen him when I take Mr. Kessler’s little carved animals to New York to refresh Jimmy Anderson’s supply and collect my royalty on the sales.”
    ”You’re still doing that? I never noticed you being gone for a day,” Robert admitted.
    ”That’s because I don’t mention it much. I only go to the city every six months. Mr.