“It’s known only to the people in this car, plus, of course, Colonel Donovan and Miss Chenowith,” Captain Doug lass said, “How did you find out?” Whittaker asked Canidy. “I was afraid you’d ask that,” Canidy said.
“How did you?”
“I’ve had several run-ins with Cynthia,” Canidy said.
“It came out during one of them.”
“What kind of run-ins?” Whittaker asked. “Does it matter?” Canidy asked.
“You put the make on her?” Whittaker asked.
“You sonofabitch! “No,” Canidy said.
“I didn’t put the make on her.”
“Then what?” Whittaker asked angrily. “Your beloved, Jimmy, almost got me killed,” Canidy said. “How?”
“Stop right there, Canidy!” Doug lass said. “I want to know what the hell he’s talking about!” Whittaker said. “I’m sorry, that’s out of the question.”
“I was somewhere,” Canidy said.
“Doing something. And the end of the game was when they sent a submarine to pick us up.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“When we reached the submarine, the skipper said he was sorry as hell, but he had orders to keep us from coming aboard. “By force of arms if necessary’ is the way he put it.”
“Who are’we’and’us’?” Whittaker asked.
“No, Canidy!” Doug lass said.
“Don’t even start into that.” Canidy raised his hand in a gesture meant to assure Captain Doug lass that he wasn’t going to violate security, and then went on: “At the time, I thought somebody else was responsible for giving that order,” Canidy said.
“I was going to feed him his balls the next time I saw him. So Captain Doug lass decided he had better tell me who had really made the decision. It wasn’t who I thought it was, it was Cynthia.”
“Cynthia?
She’s involved in whatever it is you’re doing?”
“Donovan was so impressed with the way she handled herself-when Chesly died, I mean-that he gave her a job,” Canidy said. “Doing what?”
Whittaker asked. “No, Canidy,” Captain Doug lass said again.
“Be very careful.”
“I was so god damned mad, Jimmy, that I told Captain Doug lass that Cynthia wasn’t the sweet maiden he apparently thought she was.”
“That was a pretty shitty thing to do, Dick,” Whittaker said. “Under the circumstances, Captain, I think Dick’s reaction was understandable,” Doug lass said. “What circumstances?” Whittaker asked.
“Is she now fucking somebody else? Donovan, maybe?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Doug lass said. “Is she, or isn’t she?”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think so,” Canidy said. “Certainly not Donovan, and I don’t think anybody else. She’s too busy playing spy master.”
“That’s enough of that, Canidy!” Doug lass snapped. In a moment, he went on: “Under the circumstances, Captain Whittaker, I thought it necessary to fill Canidy in on the circumstances surrounding your uncle’s death.
“Jesus Christ!” Whittaker said. And then he laughed. “Well,” he said.
“At least Chesly went out happy. All’s well that ends well, they say.”
Canidy looked at him curiously. That was not the reaction he had expected “Tell me this, before the joyous reunion,” he said.
“Will Cynthia know that I know she was fucking my uncle?” No,” Canidy said.” And she doesn’t know that I know, either. “Then let’s keep it that way,” Whittaker said.
“Okay?”
“So far as I’m concerned,” Doug lass said, “there is no reason to bring up this subject ever again.”
THREE I When the Buick reached the house on Q Street, the driveway gate was open and Ellis drove right in, stopping the car on the cobblestone drive in front of the garages.
11 Who,s the guy on the gate?” Whittaker asked.
“He looks like a cop.”
“There’s a security arrangement here,” Doug lass said. “I feel like I’m in a Humphrey Bogart movie,” Whittaker said. “I’m going to have Ellis take me home,” Doug lass announced, “I think it would be a good idea to put Captain Whittaker’s letter in the safe.”
“I’ll put it in the safe, Captain,” Ellis said, “if it can wait until I get back.”
“No, you won’t,” Whittaker said.
“I’ve kept it this far, I’ll keep it the rest of the way.” Doug lass thought that over. “Whatever you wish, Captain,” he said.
“I’ll be back here around eight in the morning We can arrange for you to deliver it then,” “Okay,” Whittaker said. Doug lass got out of the car. He leaned in again and gave Whittaker his hand, but didn’t say anything more to him. Ellis tapped the Buick’s horn ring. The plainclothes security man started to open the gate again as Canidy and Whittaker got out of the car and walked toward the kitchen.