“Absolutely, John, absolutely. She’s looking forward to meeting you too. It’ll just take some time. She’s a very private person, you understand.”
“Of course, of course, this place is full of people like that. Movie stars, writers, people with more money than they know what to do with.”
An involuntary smile played across Pemberton’s lips. Charlie assumed the man was daydreaming about future dollars of commission when these wealthy folk moved in or out of the area.
“You’ll just have to live with my company for a little while longer.” A grin creased Charlie’s features.
“And very enjoyable company it is too,” Pemberton replied automatically.
Charlie put down his coffee cup and pushed his breakfast plate away. If he still smoked cigarettes he would’ve stopped to light one up. “We have Matt Riggs doing some work for us.”
“Putting in the security fence. Yes, I know. Undoubtedly his biggest job to date.”
Upon noting Charlie’s surprised look, Pemberton smiled in an embarrassed fashion. “Despite its cosmopolitan appearance, Charlottesville really is a small town. There is very little that happens that isn’t known by most people soon thereafter.”
At those words, Charlie’s spirits plummeted. Had Riggs already told someone? Had they made a mistake coming here? Should they have planted themselves amid the seven million residents of New York City instead?
With an effort, he shook off these numbing thoughts and plunged ahead. “Right. Well, the guy had some terrific references.”
“He does very good work, dependable and professional. He hasn’t been here all that long by the standards of most locals, about five years, but I’ve never heard a bad word said about him.”
“Where’d he come from?”
“Washington. D.C., not the state of.” Pemberton fingered his teacup.
“So he was a builder up there then?”
Pemberton shook his head. “No, he got his general contractor’s license after he got here.”
“Still, he could’ve apprenticed up there.”
“I think he had some natural talent for the trade. He’s a first-rate carpenter, but he apprenticed with Ralph Steed, one of our best local builders for two years. Ralph passed away about that time and that’s when Riggs went out on his own. He’s done very well. He’s a hard worker. And landing that fence job doesn’t hurt any.”
“True. Still, the guy just shows up in town one day and plunges into something new. That takes some balls. I mean I’ve met him, and it wasn’t like he would’ve been fresh out of college when he came here.”
“No, he wasn’t.” Pemberton looked around the small dining area. When he spoke next it was with a lowered voice. “You’re not the first person who has been curious about Riggs’s origins.”
Charlie leaned forward, adding to the conspiratorial image of the pair. “Is that right? What do we have here, a little local intrigue?” Charlie tried to make his tone appear light and unconcerned.
“Of course rumors come and go, and you know the questionable veracity of most of them. Still, I have heard from various sources that Riggs held some important position in Washington.” Pemberton paused for effect. “In the intelligence community.”
Behind the stone mask Charlie fought the urge to abruptly give back his breakfast. Although LuAnn had had the good luck to be one of the recipients of Jackson’s control of the lottery, she might have just matched that luck with a dose of incredibly bad fortune. “In intelligence, you say? Like a spy?”
Pemberton threw up his hands. “Who knows. Secrets are a way of life with people like that. Torture them and they won’t say a thing. Probably bite on their cyanide pill or whatever and go peacefully into the night.” Pemberton obviously enjoyed a touch of the dramatic mixed in with elements of danger and intrigue, particularly at a safe distance.
Charlie rubbed at his left knee. “I had heard he was a cop.”
“Who told you that?”
“I don’t recall. Just heard it in passing.”
“Well, if he was a policeman that’s something that can be checked. If he was a spy, there’d be no record of it, would there?”
“So he never talked to anyone here about his past?”
“Only in vague terms. That’s probably why you heard he was a policeman. People hear bits and pieces, they start to fill in the holes themselves.”