Part 64 (1/2)
”And I know you don't talk on telephones” ”I've told you everything I know.”
”Impossible. Who was Vincent De Septio?”
Thomas could see the reaction immediately, though Zenger did his best to mask it. It was a moment's hesitation, an infinitesimal jump on the part of Zenger. The old man replied by merely saying, ”What?” Thomas knew he'd struck close to something.
”Vincent De Septio. I'm sure you heard me the first time' ”He was a client of ours, your father's and mine, once upon a time many years ago The old man sipped his brandy calmly and shrugged, leaning back to relax under questioning. ”Nothing important about De Septio. Why?”
”I suspect he's very important.”
The old man shrugged again and gave Thomas an innocent smile.
”Suspect anything you like. It's a free country.”
You old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, thought Thomas, knowing he was being lured into the usual verbal chess game. If Zenger had ever given an immediate straight answer in his life, Thomas had never heard it.
”Let's talk about money,” said Thomas.
”All right. Let's' ”Counterfeit money.”
Zenger was silent.
”Ever defend a counterfeiter?” pressed Thomas.
”Not to my recollection.”
”You're perjuring yourself, counselor!” snapped Thomas caustically.
”You know G.o.d-d.a.m.ned well what I'm talking about. De Septio and Sandler were in the same business! Weren't they?”
The old man shrugged complacently.
”If you say so”, he intoned calmly And he sipped his brandy as if bored.
Thomas bolted upward from his chair and leaped at the older man, charging with fury across the small room. He smashed the end table away from Zenger's chair and sent it cras.h.i.+ng against a wall.
The lamp upon it shattered, its bulb bursting with a flas.h.i.+ng pop.
Thomas grabbed the brandy snifter from Zenger's hand and furiously, with one motion of the hand, hurled it cras.h.i.+ng against the back of the fireplace.
The old man's eyes were wide with surprise and fright now. The brandy whooshed into flame.
Almost before Thomas knew what he was doing, he had picked up Zenger by the lapels and was shaking him.
”G.o.d d.a.m.n you G.o.d d.a.m.n you!”roared Thomas over and over.
”Are you going to talk to me or do I have to beat it to h.e.l.l out of you?”
He shook Zenger mercilessly, forgetting totally about Leslie, who sat calmly to the side and watched the scene as it transpired. She studied the two combatants as dispa.s.sionately as one might watch a dull movie.
The old man's voice could be heard screaming over the younger man's.