But, Im not forgetting what I owe you When Lisa was gone.
Thats not an owesie, I said.
It is to me. Ill help you when I can.
Mary Smith says she never hired this guy, I said.
Mary Smiths an idiot, Belson said.
Well, I said. Theres that.
CHAPTER FIVE
Larson Graf faxed me an invitation list with the names of Mary Smiths 227 closest friends, in alphabetical
order. I recognized enough of the names to assume that these werent people who hung out at bowling alleys.
The first one I was able to talk with was a guy named Loren Bannister, who was the CEO of an insurance company. He probably thought I was a prospect.
Mary Smith? he said.
Yes, sir. Your name was high on her list.
Maybe because the list was alphabetical, he said.
Bannister was square-jawed and silver-haired with a nice tan. He was in full uniform. Dark suit, white shirt, gold cuff links, red tie with tiny white dots.
Youre too modest, I said.
Um-him. I assume this is connected with Nathan Smiths death?
Yes.
She really kill him? Bannister said.
No.
And you work for Cone Oakes?
Yes.
Barry Cone called me, Bannister said. How can I help you?
Tell me about Mary Smith.
Well, I dont know her very well, Bannister said. I knew Nathan a little.
They seem happy to you?
Sure. I guess so. She was younger. As I said, Id see them now and then, at charity events, mostly.
Did you know them socially?
In the sense that we would go out to dinner with them? No.
Do you know Larson Graff?
Graff?
Yes.
I dont believe so. Who is he?
Hes Mary Smiths PR man.
Bannister smiled. Oh, he said. Him.
You know him?
I didnt know his name, Bannister said. Mary is at a lot of affairs without Nathan. Whatsisname escorts her.
Did your company insure the Smiths?
I dont really know, Bannister said. He smiled. I dont do much direct selling.
Could you find out? I said.
Does it say CEO on my door? he said. Of course I could find out.
Would you?
Bannister looked as if he might say no. But instead he picked up his phone.
Allison? Please find out if we have policies on Nathan Smith or Mary Smith. He looked at me. Address?
I gave him the address and he repeated it to Allison.
Get back to me promptly, he said and hung up. He seemed confident that he would be gotten back to promptly.
Aside from walker duties, I said, would you know why Mary Smith would need a public relations person?
No.
Who would know? I said.
Bannister leaned back in his swivel chair and clasped his hands behind his head.
Barry Cones a buddy of mine, Bannister said. He asked me to talk with you. Im happy to do so. But I dont get why youre talking to me. I dont really know Mary Smith. I dont know who would know about her. I say hello to her at cocktail parties that I go to because being prominent is part of my job.
And Nathan Smith?
See him at the Harvard Club once in a while, Bannister said. Knew him casually. He was a player.
A player?
Yes. In the money business.
What did he do? I said.
Bannister smiled. He fiddled with money.
How?
Like everybody else, Bannister said. He bought and he sold.
Stocks and bonds?
And real estate, and banks, and, for all I know, lottery tickets.
Who would know more about him? I said.
Bannister shrugged. His attorney. His broker. His doctor. His priest? I dont know how to make this clearer. I dont really know either one of them.
The phone rang and Bannister answered. He listened, made a couple of notes, said thank you, and hung up.
We have a whole-life policy on Nathan Smith, he said.
How much?
Bannister hesitated only a moment. Ten million dollars, he said.
Theres some premiums to pay, I said.
Not as much as you might think, Bannister said. It was taken out for him at birth, by his grandfather.
Beneficiary?
Mary Smith.
I didnt say anything. Bannister had tilted back in his chair again and reclasped his hands.
That doesnt help your cause, Bannister said.
Not much, I said. Can I get a copy of the policy?
Its confidential.
Yeah, but you and Barry Cone are buddies.
Bannister smiled. Ill have somebody run it off and FedEx it over, he said. May I ask a question?
Sure.
Why, if you are trying to clear Mary Smith, are you investigating Mary Smith?
I have nowhere else to investigate, I said. Think of it as cold-canvassing.
Bannister smiled. I never sold insurance, he said. My last job was at Pepsi-Cola.
Management is management, I said.
Bannister nodded and smiled. Good luck with the cold canvass, he said.
CHAPTER SIX
It was almost May. The azaleas were blooming. The swan boats were active
in the Public Gardens. The softball leagues had begun across Charles Street, on the Common. And, in the Charles River Basin, the little rental sailboats skidded and heeled in the faint evening wind.
Youre working for that hussy again, Susan said.
Rita?
Miss Predatory, Susan said.
I like Rita, I said.
I know.
Are you being jealous? I said.
Analytic, Susan said. Rita is sexually rapacious and perfectly amoral about it. Im merely acknowledging that.
But you dont disapprove.