“Sure, I understand,” Jake said. If they were assistants, then what did they do for Huddy? It didn’t make sense. They just stood around and watched.
The noise of the neighborhood children playing out in the street occasionally reached the men in the house. Huddy had seen the kids on the way in. He didn’t want any trouble, not now. Such considerations were premature anyway.
“Really, Jake,” he began, trying another approach, “I don’t understand you. This exam is only for your benefit. I’ve never had anyone refuse a freebie before.”
“Well I’m real sorry, Benjamin, but I’d just rather not go into L.A. right now, and I’m getting a mite tired of arguing about it.”
“I don’t mean to upset you, Jake. I know you have to watch that because of your heart and all. Listen, will you do one thing for me? I’m going to look awfully silly when I tell them you’re not coming in for the exam. Will you at least think about taking it? I can push it back another couple of days.” He handed over a card. “If you change your mind before next Friday give me a call and I’ll have the exam rescheduled. This is my local number.”
Jake reached over and accepted the card, studied it briefly. “Consolidated Chemical and Mining?”
“Security is just one of our divisions. We’re one of those big conglomerates, Jake. We have interests all over the world, not just in L.A. and San Diego.” He stood. “Just think about it, Jake. That’s all I ask. We’ve got a couple of days and I’d really like to see you come in for the exam. I’m concerned about your health.”
“So are the boys down at the V.A.,” Jake told him. “Okay, Benjamin. I will think about it. I promise.”
“That’s little enough to ask, Jake.” Huddy glanced across to his pair of assistants and they responded by stepping out the front door. “So long, Jake.” Huddy was smiling easily. “You have a nice day.”
“You too, Benjamin.” Jake watched them go until the Cadillac had turned itself around and started down the road, trailing dust and laughing bright-eyed children in its wake.
That fella is sure concerned about my health, alright, Jake thought, though Jake wasn’t sure why. He hadn’t had anyone take this much interest in his welfare since he became eligible for Medicare.
Could Amanda Rae be right? Could this exam that this fella wanted Jake to take have nothing to do with his general health? Naw, that didn’t make no sense, he mused. Why else would he be offering Jake the free exam?
But he sure was being persistent.
Huddy extracted a bottle from the cabinet shelf that served as a bar and poured two fingers of the contents into a glass with ice. He added more liquid from another bottle, then filled another glass.
Somerset was sprawled decoratively across the curving couch, looking indifferently ravishing. Beyond her the floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto the lights of the megalopolis, the vast flat Christmas tree that was the Los Angeles basin at night. He handed her her drink.
“I just don’t understand why he should do a complete turnaround like that,” he muttered as he sat down close to her. “He seemed so enthusiastic when I made the proposal to him the first time. What could I have said to make him change his mind?”
“Take it easy, Benjy.” She sipped at the drink. “Probably you had nothing to do with it. He just changed his mind.You know how these old codgers can be.”
“No, I don’t know how they can be. I don’t have many dealings with ‘old codgers’ and neither do you.”
“Swell. So he changed his mind. He may change it again. You told me that you gave him two days to think it over and that he agreed to reconsider.”
“I know, I know.” Huddy rose and moved to replenish his drink. “But we can’t afford to give him too much time. Suppose,” he said earnestly, “suppose he’s a little sharper than we’re giving him credit for. Suppose he talks to somebody else about this. He noticed the CCM on my business card right away. Smart he may not be, but he’s damn observant. I got out of the slip easily enough, but I kicked myself all the way back to the office. It was just reflex, handing over a card like that.”
“Like you say,” she soothed him, “it doesn’t seem to have done any harm. He’d made up his mind before you showed him the card.”
“Yeah, but if he talks to somebody else…. What if he’s made the connection between his little magic demonstration and my sudden interest in his health?”
“That’s hardly likely. He doesn’t have the educational background that would enable him to make that kind of connection. If he did he probably wouldn’t have done his ‘tricks’ for you in the first place.”
“I know I’m worrying needlessly,” he said tiredly, “but I can’t help it. I’m a natural worrier. I wish he hadn’t changed his mind about going in for the exam that day. If we’d just gotten him into the car everything could’ve been managed from then on. But there were too many kids around to try ‘helping’ him into the Eldo.
“You know, I’ll bet I’m the first perceptive adult he’s ever done those tricks for. He thinks they’re just suitable for children.”
“Which may be the case, Benjy. Keep that in mind. We still don’t have any hard evidence for anything more than parlor magic.”
“I know what I saw,” said Huddy slowly, positively.
“Of course you do, Benjy. I’m not disputing that. I’m just saying there might be other explanations for what happened besides magic and the supernatural.”
“It’s not supernatural. It’s psionics and parapsychology.”
“Which most intelligent scientists regard as falling in the realm of the supernatural. I’ve done some reading, you see.”
“So have I, Ruth. You know me. I’m as much a realist as anyone you’re likely to run into.”
“I’m aware of that, Benjy,” she said sweetly, “and that’s the only reason I’m going along with you on this one.”
“You know something,” he said, suddenly excited, “his sudden refusal to take the exam, his abrupt turnaround, that tells us something in itself.”
“Like what?”
“Like maybe he’s aware of his own abilities and he suspects that I am, too. Otherwise why refuse to take a simple medical exam? Isn’t his abrupt refusal proof that he has something to hide from us?”
She considered that one as the liquor warmed her belly. “Now that,” she said evenly, “is an intriguing thought, Benjamin.” She mulled it over further. “Yes, a very intriguing thought. Why refuse the exam if he has nothing to hide? Unless maybe he’s talked to someone about this and gotten some advice.”
“Who could he have talked to? If he knows he can do more than simple tricks, who could he confide that knowledge to with any assurance it would stay secret? No one in that neighborhood, that’s for damn sure.”
“Maybe it would be better just to pick him up,” she suggested thoughtfully.
“That’s why I had two boys with me today, but the presence of all those kids checked me. Besides, when he said he’d think it over again, I thought it best to give him another couple of days. Naturally it’ll be easier if he comes in of his own free will. Hell, maybe he only refused because he was constipated or something. Old folks ailments. He may call tomorrow and ask to come in. If he does I’ll go get him right away, before he has time to change his mind again.
“If we do have to pick him up it’s the sort of thing that’ll be better done in the middle of the night. And I’d rather use something besides my own car. A van would be better. Something with a plumber’s or electrician’s insignia on the side. How did Navis react when we didn’t show today?”
