Dietz circled the place without comment, automatically checking security, such as it was. I had latches on the windows, but not much else. He pulled the shutters closed, checked closets, peered into the downstairs bath. He snapped his fingers, idly popping them against his palms in a gesture that suggested some inner agitation. His manner was authoritative and Henry shot a look at me to see how I was taking it. I made one of those faces that said, Your guess is as good as mine, pal. It’s not like I enjoyed someone taking over like this, but I wasn’t fool enough to protest with my life on the line.
I turned my attention to the mail. Most of it looked like junk, but before I could sort it properly Dietz removed the stack from my hands and set it on the counter.
“Let it be till I can take a look at it,” he said. Henry couldn’t stand it. “What’s going on here? I don’t understand what this is about.”
“Someone’s been hired to kill her,” Dietz said unceremoniously. I don’t think I would have been so blunt, but Henry didn’t fall backward on the couch in a faint so maybe he’s not as easily upset as I assume. Dietz filled in the picture, laying out the circumstances by which the Carson City DA’s office had first gotten wind of Tyrone Patty’s assassination plot. “The police in Carson City are doing what they can to control the situation up there. Obviously, Kinsey’s position is a little bit more perilous …”
“Why’s she here at all?” Henry burst out. “Why not take her someplace out of town?”
“I was out of town,” I said, “and what good did it do? Three people knew where I was going and the guy was right there. Hell, he even managed to get there before I did at the first rest stop on the road.” I told him briefly about spotting my assailant at the rest area near Cabazon.
“There has to be someplace,” Henry said stubbornly.
“Frankly, I think we’re better off right here as long as we take a few elementary precautions,” Dietz said. “I’ve got a portable alarm system with me … receiver, siren, ‘panic button’ for her in case someone tries to break in and I’m not actually on the premises. If it seems useful, we can wire in pressure mats for selected doorways, both here and at your place. I want us all to keep an eye out for strangers. And that includes the mailman, gas man, delivery people, meter readers . . . anyone.” He turned to look at me. “We’ll vary your schedule as much as possible. Take a different route to and from the office every day. I’ll be with you for the most part, but I want you to understand the basic strategy. Stay away from public places and public events. By the same token, I don’t want you anyplace isolated or remote.”
“What about jogging, or going to the gym?”
“Stow that for now. Any guy with a canvas bag could probably walk into the gym.”
“Should I have a gun?” Henry asked, moving right into cops-and-robbers mode.
“Henry, you hate guns!”
“It may come to that, but I doubt it,” Dietz said to Henry, ignoring me completely. “We’re looking at prevention. With luck, we won’t have anybody to shoot at.”
“Hey. Excuse me. Do you guys mind if I voice an opinion?” Dietz turned to me. I said, “If the guy in the truck wants to kill me, he’ll kill me. I’m willing to be careful, but let’s don’t go nuts here.”
Dietz shook his head. “I disagree. He’ll do it if you’re foolish and give him the chance, but he’s not getting paid enough to stick his neck out.”
I turned to Henry, filling him in. “He’s a cut-rate killer. Fifteen hundred bucks.”
Dietz amplified. “For that kind of money, he’s not going to hang around for long. If he’s quick about it, it may be worth it to him. Otherwise forget it. It’s not cost-effective.”
“Yeah,” I said. “We don’t want him to get chewed out by his accountant.”
Dietz said, “Listen. The guy’s trying to make a buck. Every day he’s in Santa Teresa, it’s costing him something. Food, lodging, gasoline. If he has a kid with him, the expenses mount up.” He was rattling his car keys. “I’m going over to the police station and have a chat with the cops. You have any plans for tonight?”
I started to answer when I realized he was talking to Henry. I raised my hand like a schoolkid. “I don’t mean to be argumentative, but could I have a vote?” I hated being so obnoxious, but this was driving me nuts. These guys were riding right over me.
Dietz smiled at me briefly. “Sorry. You’re right. I have a tendency to overorganize.”
I murmured something, backing down of course. The truth was I didn’t have any idea what to do. I just didn’t want to be pushed around.
Dietz put his keys in his pocket. “What about groceries? Let me know what we need and I can stop by a supermarket on my way back.”
I didn’t even have to look. The refrigerator was empty and my cupboards were bare.
“Any requests?”
“Whatever you want. I don’t really cook.”
“Me neither. We’ll have to fake it. I want us eating in whenever possible. While I’m gone, please stay here and keep the door locked. We’ll set up the alarm in the morning first thing. I don’t want you going out. And no answering the telephone. You have a machine on it?”
I nodded.
“Let the machine pick up.”
“I can stay with her if you think it’s wise,” Henry said.
Dietz looked at me to check my reaction. The guy was a quick study. I’d have to give him that.
“I’d like to have some time by myself,” I said. Who knew when I’d ever get to be alone again?
Dietz was apparently willing to honor the request. Henry offered to cook for us, but I really didn’t feel up to it. I was tired. I was sore. I was irritable. I just wanted to grab a quick supper and go to bed. My culinary repertoire was limited to peanut-butter-and-pickle sandwiches and hot sliced hardboiled egg with lots of mayonnaise and salt. I’d have to quiz Dietz later on his specialties. Surely, he could do something.
I showered while Dietz was gone, remembering numerous items I wished I’d asked him to pick up. Wine for one. I gave my hair a quick shampooing, feeling antsy and distracted. The sound of running water masked other sounds in the apartment. Someone could be breaking one of my windows out and I wouldn’t hear it. I should have had Henry baby-sit. I cut the shower short, wrapped myself in a towel, and peered over the loft railing. Everything looked just as it had before-no broken window, no bloodied hand reaching through to turn the latch.
I put on jeans and a fresh shirt, found clean sheets in the linen closet and made up the sofa bed. It was odd to have a houseguest even in the guise of a bodyguard. I wasn’t used to living in the place by myself, let alone with a guy I’d only met that day.
I unpacked the duffel and tidied up the living room. Dietz had told me not to answer the telephone, but he hadn’t said anything about phoning out. It was only 6:15. I needed the comfort of business as usual.
I put a call through to Mrs. Gersh. “Irene? This is Kinsey Millhone. I just wanted to touch base and check on your mother. Is she up here yet?”
“How nice of you. Yes, she is. Mother arrived about three this afternoon,” she said. “We had an ambulance meet her at the airport and take her right to the nursing home. I just got back from seeing her, as a matter of fact, and she seems fine. Tired, of course.”
“The trip must have been hard on her.”
Irene’s voice dropped slightly. “They must have sedated her, though nobody said as much. I expected her to be raising Cain, but she was very subdued. At any rate, I can’t tell you how grateful I am you were able to locate her, and so quickly, too. Even Clyde seems relieved.”
“Good. I’m glad. I hope everything works out.”
“What about you, dear? I heard about your accident. Are you all right?”
I squinted at the phone with puzzlement. “You heard about that?”
“Well, yes. From your associate. He called here this afternoon, wondering when you’d be home.”
All of my internal processes came to a dead halt. “What associate?”
“I don’t know, Kinsey. I thought you’d know that.
He said he was a partner in your agency. I really didn’t catch the name.” A note of doubt had crept into her voice, probably in response to the chilly note in mine.