Part 7 (1/2)

”How much will it cost?” said Harve.

”Fifty dollars to start,” said Lemming.

”You mean right now?” said Harve.

”The cla.s.s of people I do business with,” said Lemming, ”I get paid right away, or I never get paid.”

”All I've got with me is twenty,” said Harve.

”That'll do nicely for the moment,” said Lemming. He held out his hand.

As Lemming was putting the money into his billfold, a policewoman with clacking heels brought Claire Elliot in.

Claire was snow-white. She wouldn't speak until the policewoman was gone. When she did speak, her voice was ragged, barely under control.

Harve embraced her, encouraged her. ”We've got a lawyer now,” he said. ”We'll be all right now. He knows what to do.”

”I don't trust him. I don't trust anybody anybody around here!” said Claire. She was wild-eyed. ”Harve! I've got to talk to you alone!” around here!” said Claire. She was wild-eyed. ”Harve! I've got to talk to you alone!”

”I'll be right outside,” said Lemming. ”Call me when you want me.” He left his briefcase where it was.

”Has anybody threatened you?” Claire said to Harve, when Lemming was gone.

”There's been some pretty rough talk,” said Harve.

”Has anybody threatened to kill you?” she said.

”No,” said Harve.

Claire whispered now. ”Somebody's threatened to kill me, and you-” Here she broke down. ”And the children,” she whispered brokenly.

Harve exploded. ”Who?” he said at the top of his lungs. ”Who threatened that?” he replied.

Claire put her hand over his mouth, begged him to be quiet.

Harve took her hand away. ”Who?” he said.

Claire didn't even whisper her answer. She just moved her lips. ”The captain,” her lips said. She clung to him. ”Please,” she whispered, ”keep your voice down. We've got to be calm. We've got to think. We've got to make up a new story.”

”About what?” said Harve.

”About what happened,” she said. She shook her head. ”We mustn't ever tell what really happened again.”

”My G.o.d,” said Harve, ”is this America?”

”I don't know what it is,” said Claire. ”I just know we've got to make up a new story-or-or something terrible will happen.”

”Something terrible already has happened,” said Harve.

”Worse things can still happen,” said Claire.

Harve thought hard, the heels of his hands in his eye sockets. ”If they're trying that hard to scare us,” he said, ”then they must be plenty scared, too. There must be plenty of harm we could do them.”

”How?” said Claire.

”By sticking to the truth,” said Harve. ”That's pretty plain, isn't it? That's what they want to make us stop doing.”

”I don't want to do anybody any harm,” said Claire. ”I just want to get out of here. I just want to go home.”

”All right,” said Harve. ”We've got a lawyer now. That's a start.”

Harve called to Lemming, who came in rubbing his hands. ”Secret conference over?” he said cheerfully. ”Yes,” said Harve.

”Well, secrets are all very fine in their place,” said Lemming, ”but I recommend strongly that you don't keep any from your lawyer.”

”Harve-” said Claire warningly.

”He's right,” said Harve. ”Don't you understand-he's right.”

”She's in favor of holding a little something back?” said Lemming.

”She's been threatened. That's the reason,” said Harve.

”By whom?” said Lemming.

”Don't tell him,” said Claire beseechingly.

”We'll save that for a little while,” said Harve. ”The thing is, Mr. Lemming, I didn't commit this murder they say I did. But my wife and I saw who really did it, and we've been threatened with all kinds of things, if we tell what we saw.”

”Don't tell,” said Claire. ”Harve-don't.”

”I give you my word of honor, Mrs. Elliot,” said Lemming, ”nothing you or your husband tells me will go any farther.” He was proud of his word of honor, was a very appealing person when he gave it. ”Now tell me who really did this killing.”

”Ed Luby,” said Harve.

”I beg your pardon?” said Lemming blankly. ”Ed Luby,” said Harve.

Lemming sat back, suddenly drained and old. ”I see,” he said. His voice wasn't deep now. It was like wind in the treetops.

”He's a powerful man around here,” said Harve, ”I hear.”

Lemming nodded. ”You heard that right,” he said.

Harve started to tell about how Luby had killed the girl. Lemming stopped him.

”What's-what's the matter?” said Harve.

Lemming gave him a wan smile. ”That's a very good question,” he said. ”That's-that's a very complicated complicated question.” question.”