The Executor Part 15

"I don't know, man. Maybe. I do know that you're a s.h.i.+tty liar, though. So, really, you can consider this me giving you a second chance."

I said nothing.

"Up to you," he said. "Just remember, if I feel worried, I might have to go to the police myself, first. I don't want to have to do that, but look. It's one way or the other. Hey, here comes the bride."

"Good evening," Alma said. Her hair was damp. "Shall we eat?"

"For sure," Eric said. "I'm starved."

"HE EXHAUSTS ME."

Alma groaned as she sank into the sofa. I was standing near the entry hall, having just closed the door on Eric. He had winked at me again on the way out, and my mind was still spasming.

Tell her.

It would be so easy.

Speak up.

Use words.

"You have disobeyed me," she said.

I looked at her.

"Your shoes."

I looked down at my loafers, much the worse for wear.

"For shame, Mr. Geist. One thing I ask of you before I die. I gave you that money for a specific purpose; did you think I would forget?"

"I'm ..."

Tell her.

"I'm still looking for the right pair."

"Well, do find them, or else I shall think you ungrateful." She s.h.i.+fted with discomfort. "Forgive me for noting that you seem a tad anxious today."

Tell her.

I shrugged.

"I imagine that it has to do with your imminent return home."

I'd forgotten all about my trip.

"I don't have to go," I said. "I can cancel."

She raised her eyebrows.

Tell her.

"I don't want to go," I said. "It's going to be depressing."

"A little angst is good for the soul."

"But," I said. "But who's going to look after you?"

"As I have said, I managed very well without you for years, and I shall continue to do so in your temporary absence. Dr. Cargill is due Monday. I expect that I shall survive until then."

Tell her.

"But what if something happens to you?"

"What in the world would happen to me?"

Tell her now.

"Anything could happen," I said.

"You would s.h.i.+eld me from the Apocalypse, then?"

"I-"

"You are expecting a typhoon."

"I can't leave when you're ... like this."

She frowned. "I shall elect to let that pa.s.s without rejoinder."

"Don't. Let's be honest. Isn't that what you want from me? Honesty? Well, I'm being honest, and honestly, I'm worried about you. You're not well."

"Surely you do not believe this to be a new development."

"You know what, I'm going to call and cancel. It's far, and I'm not in the mood to get on a plane.... I'm going to call her right now."

"You will do no such thing."

"It's really fine."

"It may be fine with you," she said, "but it is not fine with me."

Tell her.

"But I don't want to go."

"Rubbish."

"Ms. Spielmann-"

"Mr. Geist. Whence this obstinacy?"

"I'm worried." worried."

"Unreasonably."

"You don't know that." This was not some logical exercise, a point of debate to be won or lost. This was real, with real consequences, and I felt myself beginning to lose my head, heard my voice beginning to rise. "You don't know what's reasonable or not."

"Until I am more convincingly dissuaded, I shall rely upon my own critical apparatus, thank you very much."

"But, no. Look. Look: you don't know."

"What, may I ask, is there to know?"

Tell her.

"I-I can't explain it."

"Try."

"I can't. " "

"Then I cannot see how you shall win this argument."

We volleyed a while longer, with me growing progressively more strident, until finally I spit it all out, everything Eric had said to me in the bar. I stammered throughout and was panting by the time I finished, waiting for her to react with appropriate horror. But all she said was, "Ah."

"That's it?"

"Mr. Geist, I am moved by your concern. And I can appreciate that you have been under a good deal of strain. However, I cannot see why any of this bears upon your travel plans. Were my nephew truly capable of such a thing-"

"I'm telling you what he said."

"You misunderstand me." She smiled. "Morally, he may be capable. But he is far too incompetent to bring it off."

"This isn't a joke."

"You needn't worry, Mr. Geist. I shall arm myself."

"This is serious." serious."

"Oh, quite."

The more agitated I got, the less seriously she seemed to take me. That I could seem to express myself only in the form of impotent anger frustrated me immensely, making me even more petulant and angry in turn. "For G.o.d's sake-"

"Suppose you are correct. What, then, do you propose I do?"

"Call the police."

"Ach, Mr. Geist, be reasonable."

"You be reasonable." be reasonable."

"Allow me to point out that if in fact Eric does mean to harm me, he would be unwise to do so now, having shown you his hand. Were I him, I would gnash my teeth and regret that I had mistakenly chosen an accomplice who turned out, against all odds, to have scruples." She smiled again. "One of my nephew's profoundest limitations is that he sees himself in everyone."

I couldn't understand why she was so calm. "I'm not leaving unless you call the police. Even then I might not."

"Then what do I stand to gain by complying?"

"You can't stop me from calling them."

"I can. It is my house, and my telephone."

"Then I'll call from somewhere else."

"You will not. My nephew needs no more bother from the police-"

"'No more more?"'

"-certainly not when-"

"What does that mean, 'no more'?"

"Merely that I have no desire to see him interrogated over a matter which shall inevitably prove to be so much sound and fury."

"This is your safety we're talking about."

"I a.s.sure you that your fears are ungrounded."

"You don't kn-"

"I do," she said, "and it shall offend me greatly if you disobey me. Eric can be difficult, but he poses no danger to me."

"I'm not going."

"You would stay inside for the remainder of your life?"

"If I have to."

"Mr. Geist."

"Ms. Spielmann."

"You shall go, Mr. Geist."