Part 7 (1/2)
”Not my job description,” the inspector said. Then paused, as if debating whether or not to say more. Kris held him hostage with her eyes. She'd learned at her father's knee that a good politician could often get confessions, concessions, or even extra campaign donations if they just didn't break eye contact.
And unlike other forms of hostage taking, holding someone's eyes against their will was not an indictable offense.
No surprise, it worked in the soft morning light.
”Some of my a.s.sociates in the police force, maybe other places, are wondering if maybe we shouldn't withhold the permit. Some think it might encourage you to go on your way.”
Staying in this shooting gallery with no weapon! She couldn't go on carrying without a permit; sooner or later folks would get tired of her and hers flaunting their gun control laws. If they started frisking her every time she left the emba.s.sy...
”I would have thought that whoever didn't drive by that roadside bomb we stumbled over yesterday would be oh so happy that I'd get a permit for my reward.” She tried batting her eyelashes along with the words. In the movies, it always worked. No doubt, it would work for Victoria Peterwald.
Kris also tried her ace in the hole. NELLY, DO WE KNOW THE NAME OF WHOEVER IT WAS WE SAVED?
NO, KRIS. I AM STILL WORKING ON THAT. IT IS FAR MORE COMPLICATED THAN YOU WOULD BELIEVE. CAN I BRIEF YOU NOW? IT WILL BE A LONG ONE.
LATER, Kris said. Nelly wasn't helping her, and clearly her experiment in feminine wiles hadn't worked, either.
The inspector shook his head. ”I'm sorry. I might officially be grateful, if that had officially happened. However, officially, it didn't. And, unofficially, we're not sure what to make of it. Did someone trying to get you almost get one of us? That's not something we'd like to have happen.”
And, what with so much of this planet's current events disappearing with no trace, she could hardly defend her honor. Kris scowled. ”So you're willing to s.h.i.+p my very expensive casket to King Ray, and Grampa Al and my father with a sincere diplomatic apology that my death happened on your watch?”
”Certainly as sincere as the diplomatic apology Wardhaven sent Greenfeld on the death of Henry Peterwald the Thirteenth,” the inspector said with a very straight face.
”There is no sincerity in diplomatic apologies,” Kris muttered. Okay, that didn't work, now what do we try? Kris noticed that it was now Inspector Johnson who was holding her eyes and not blinking.
What could he want?
”Why are you here?” he said softly.
Behind Kris, Jack snorted.
”Not that question again,” Penny whispered through a sigh.
Kris found her eyes raising to the heavens. No surprise, the early morning gray had no answer written on the low clouds. Now it was her turn to take in a deep breath and heave it out with enough dramatics to rival one of Tommy's best Irish sighs.
”Inspector,” she finally said, looking him straight in the eye. ”Would you believe that your planet, with its established ways, solid gun control laws, and law-abiding population was presented to me as a safe harbor where Wardhaven might send their wayward daughter and she'd stay alive while the Rim cooled down and forgot about her last, deadly escapade?”
”Believe it? Not likely.”
”Well, I'm having a harder and harder time believing it, too,” Kris muttered softly.
The inspector chuckled.
”It seemed believable before I got here and discovered that the same old, same old happens here. It just never makes it into the official record...or the late-night news.” Kris bit out those last two words. What a joke they were here.
The inspector swallowed his mirth. ”You're serious.”
”As serious as that bomb yesterday. I'm here to buy paper clips and spare parts. Arrange for computer sales and software licenses. Stay away from stray bullets until Henry Peterwald the Twelfth forgets I was involved in his son's demise.”
”That won't happen anytime soon.”
”Tell me about it. And certainly not with Vicky getting in my face.” Kris paused, frowning in thought. ”Any chance you could find out when the request went in for her visa? Was it before or after mine? If after, how soon after?”
The inspector raised an eyebrow. ”An interesting question. I may look into it. Maybe.”
”And you might share the results with me? Maybe?” Kris might be weak in femme fatale, but she'd learned to wheedle the cook at Nuu House shortly after learning to walk. Very shortly.
”I might,” the inspector said, eyeing her. ”I might if you could figure out why you're really here and share it with me.”
”It's hard to conclude a bargain with all those mights and maybes in it,” Kris said.
”And I'm certainly not interested in shaking on it. Haven't you heard? It's dangerous to shake a Longknife's hand.”
”Only since I was in my crib,” Kris grumbled.
”Well, I'll be seeing you. No doubt,” the inspector said, and departed.
”What was that about?” Jack asked.
”I. Have. No. Idea.” Kris slammed all the exasperation she felt into her words. ”Any of you have something better, I'd be glad to hear it.”
All she got were shaking heads. They headed in to shower, dress, and breakfast. After that, none of them were any the wiser. But there was no summons to the amba.s.sador's office, so, apparently, neither was anyone above them.
Kris was about to leave for exciting negotiations when Nelly broke in. ”Kris, I have a message from Great-grandmother Ruth. She wonders if you are interested in lunch today.”
”I could be,” Kris said, glancing Jack and Captain DeVar's way. They nodded, so she a.s.sumed a full escort was available.
”She is teaching today, and asks you to meet her in front of Garden City University Faculty Center shortly after noon.”
”Tell her I'll be there.”
No doubt, it would be fun talking to Gramma. And maybe she'd slip Kris a sealed envelope under the table. Orders sent by way of an innocent gray head.
Innocent? Ha! Kris's paranoid self wasn't buying.
But why was Kris here?
13.
Settled into her chair at the bargaining table, Kris put a smile on her lips, a bright look on her face...and told Nelly she was ready for a long, informative briefing.
It did turn out to be long. But informative? Maybe...if Kris could fit all the pieces together. And guess her way around a whole lot of blanks.