“Well-”

“Anger. That’s where I’m at now. I’m the angriest I’ve ever been in my life. Wouldn’t you be?”

“I imagine I would.”

“Nineteen years of loyalty. Not one day out sick. Nineteen years of organizing that man’s life, putting up with his moods, serving him his morning coffee in a white china cup, addressing his Christmas cards for Godsakes! A desk set! Nineteen years, and his big damned favor to me is a desk set!” She drew in a deep breath and let it out on a long sigh, then laughed. “Well, Irene Kelly, after practically hanging up in your ear several times a month for the last ten years, let me ask-very sincerely-what can I do for you, my dear?”

“Perhaps you could tell me why he left?”

“Oh, he claims it’s because of his health.”

Those words made me think of Ben Watterson, and I felt a chill. “His health?”

“Oh, it’s not true. Not unless ‘skeletons in the closet’ can be called a bone disease.”

“What skeletons?”

“I’ll be honest. If I knew all the details, I’d be down there dictating them to you. All I know is that all hell broke loose after that man came in to see him.”

“Wait-what man?”

“I don’t know, but someone ought to give the guy a medal. I should have seen this coming when I saw how Allan treated his ex-wife.”

“Allan’s ex-wife has something to do with the man who came in to see him?”

“No, no, sorry. I meant, I should have seen how rotten Allan could be to women. But no, this man came in here yesterday, and I almost called security. He wouldn’t give his name, and he acted nervous.”

“Can you describe him to me?”

“He was a black man. Hard to guess his age. Late forties? Maybe early fifties? Not well dressed. His clothes didn’t fit him right-wore an inexpensive suit that was kind of loose on him. I tried to tell him that Mr. Moffett was very busy and couldn’t see anyone without an appointment. But this guy was determined. If you work as a secretary long enough, you can spot the ones you can get rid of easily and the ones that are going to be persistent-like you. You have nearly driven me crazy on more than one occasion, you know.”

“The admiration is mutual.”

“Oh, I hope you weren’t insulted by that remark?”

“Not at all. Tell me more about this man.”

“Well, I gave in. I don’t know, I guess it seemed to me that he wasn’t asking for much. He didn’t exactly ask to see Allan.”

“What did he want?”

“He had a letter with him, and he asked me to take it in to Allan.”

“Did you see what the letter said?”

“No. But I was very curious about it, because Allan went white as a sheet when he read it. Then he got kind of blustery and stood up and marched out into the waiting room. But the man just sat there calmly and looked Allan in the eye. Allan said, ‘Come into my office.’ The man nodded and went on in.”

“You hear any of their conversation?”

“Not a word. He talked to Allan for a long time. He didn’t seem especially happy when he left, so maybe Allan didn’t give him what he wanted.”

“If he left unhappy, what makes you think he had anything to do with Allan’s resignation?”

“It was what happened after he left. Allan sat alone in his office for a long time. He wasn’t using the phone-I would have seen a line light up on the phone. Then he buzzed me on the intercom and asked me to work late. I had to call all of his old buddies last night. He set up a dinner with them.”

“They met last night?”

“No. Allan was too busy packing up his office and shredding documents last night to go have dinner. I didn’t know that’s what he was up to, of course. I was making dinner arrangements.” She paused, then said, “Maybe that’s how you can supply me with my sweet revenge, Miss Kelly. The dinner is tonight at the Terrace. I’ll bet you’d like to be there.”

“The Terrace is usually a little out of my price range, but maybe I’ll splurge tonight. Mind if I ask who’s on the guest list?”

She gave me a list of six names, seven with Allan added on as host. I knew all of them. They were the names of men with high profiles in Las Piernas; mostly, they were involved in a mix of planning, banking, real estate, and construction. But as I typed the names into my computer notes, two of them gave me an uncomfortable feeling.

I had been hearing one of them too often lately: Andre Selman.

The other name led me to tell Charlotte to change the number in the reservation.

Ben Watterson wouldn’t make it to dinner.

CHARLOTTE HADN’T SEENor heard any of the news about Watterson’s suicide. Once she got over her initial shock, I asked her about her conversations with the men who were going to the meeting.

“What were you supposed to tell them to get them to this dinner?” I asked.

“Nothing special, really. Allan said I should just mention who would be at the dinner, and then to say, ‘Mr. Moffett is certain you already understand the importance of meeting as soon as possible.’ Ben Watterson. My God, I can’t believe it.”

“What time did you talk to Mr. Watterson?”

“Let me check my phone log,” she said. I heard paper rustling in the background, then she came on the line again. “At about seven o’clock.”

“Allan didn’t ask you to destroy your phone log?” I asked, temporarily distracted.

“No. Either he forgot about them or he figured my notes wouldn’t be very important.”

“Hang on to them, all right?”

“Sure. Now that I think of it, he called twice that day. The first time, it was to tell Allan that he was sending a fax.”

“Do you remember the fax?”

“No, I didn’t get it. Allan said it was some confidential information from the bank. He stood next to the fax and picked it up himself.”

“Wasn’t that unusual?”

“Well, it didn’t happen too often, but Allan would do that on occasion. He had his secrets, even from me. Obviously, or I wouldn’t be packing up my desk today.”

“Did Mr. Watterson seem upset when you spoke to him about the dinner?”

“No, he seemed very calm. Very quiet. Just said, ‘Thank you, Charlotte, I’ve been expecting a call.’”

“Nothing else?”

“No, not a word.”

“No indication that he wasn’t planning to show up?”

“None at all. I guess that’s why I’m shocked…”

“Any of the others say anything when you called?”

“No. I figured they all knew that Allan would be contacting them. They all just took down the information and said to tell Mr. Moffett that they would be there.”

“Do you know what, if anything, these men have in common?”

“No, not really. Allan had dealings with all of them from time to time.” She paused, and I waited while she thought it over. “Nothing too surprising as far as their connection to this office. When I look down the list, they’ve all worked on city redevelopment projects in one way or another. Roland Hill, of course, as a developer; Keene Dage has done a lot of big construction; and as you know, Corbin Tyler is an architect. Ben Watterson’s bank has financed some projects. The other two, Booter Hodges and Andre Selman, are from the college. Las Piernas College has supplied most of the research and planning studies for redevelopment. So all of these men have legitimate business with Allan.”

ITOLD JOHN ABOUTMoffett’s resignation and the connection between Ben Watterson and Moffett. Then I drove over to city hall and spent time that did little more than confirm my initial impression that Moffett’s resignation was as unexpected as a queen’s belch at a banquet. People were either trying to pretend that nothing happened or nervously hiding glee or horror, depending on how they felt about Moffett. Up on the sixth floor, where the city manager’s offices are housed, only the most minor officials were available to see me, and they had little to say. The most powerful had left for lunch appointments. Each of their secretaries quickly closed any appointment books that were open on their desks, then calmly lied to me, saying they had no idea where their bosses were eating lunch.