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〃Any way you could call this person at home and find out if Chuck bought anything from them？〃
〃I can try。〃
〃I'll be at the office for a while；〃 I said。
I brought up the menu on my puter and looked at the icon for AOL。 I logged on without a problem； meaning no one else had done so first。 I was tempted to sign on as Ruffin to see who he might be corresponding with and if it ；might tell me more about what he was up to； but I was afraid。 I was chilled by the thought of breaking into someone's mailbox。
I paged Marino； and when I got him on the phone； I explained the situation to him and asked his opinion about what I should do。
〃Hell；〃 he said without pause。 〃I'd do it。 I always told you I didn't trust that little shit。 And you know what else； Doc？ How do you know he hadn't gone into your mail and deleted things； or even sent things to people other than Rose？〃
〃You're right；〃 I said； infuriated by the idea。 〃I'll let you know what I find。〃
Ruth called back minutes later and sounded excited。
〃He bought a puter and printer last month；〃 she reported。 〃For about six hundred dollars。 And the puter came with a modem。〃
〃And we have AOL software here。〃
〃Tons of it。 If he didn't buy his own； he certainly could have gotten his hands on it：〃
〃We may have a very serious situation on our hands。 It's vital you don't say a word；〃 I reminded her again。
〃I've never liked Chuck。〃
〃And you can't say that to people either；〃 I said。
I hung up and put my coat on and felt bad about Rose。 I was certain she was upset。 It wouldn't have surprised me if she had cried all the way home。 She was stoical and rarely conveyed how she felt； and I knew if she thought she had hurt me； she would be undone。 I went out to my car。 I wanted to make her feel better and I needed her help。 Chuck's e…mail would have to wait。 ；〃
Rose had gotten weary of running a house and had moved into an apartment in the near West End； off Grove Avenue； several blocks from a café called Du Jour； where I now and then ate Sunday brunch。 Rose lived ir~ an old three…story dark red brick building shaded by big oaks。 It was a relatively safe area of town； but I always scanned my surroundings before I got out of my car。 As I parked next to Rose's Honda； I noticed what looked like a dark…colored Taurus several cars away。
Someone was sitting inside it； engine and lights off。 I knew that most unmarked Richmond police cars were Tauiuses these days； and I wondered if there was a reason a cop might be waiting out here in the dark； cold air。 It was also possible the person was waiting for someone to e down to go somewhere； but again； one generally didn't do that with headlights and engine off。
I felt I was being watched and got my seven…shot Smith & Wesson revolver out of my satchel and slipped it into my coat pocket。 I followed the sidewalk and caught the car's tag number on the front bumper。 I mitted it to memory。 I felt eyes on my back。
The only way to get to Rose's third…floor apartment was to take stairs illuminated wanly by a single light overhead at each landing。 I was anxious。 I paused every few steps to see if anyone might be ing up behind me。 No one was。 Rose had hung a fresh Christmas wreath on her door； and its fragrance stirred powerful feelings inside me。 I could hear Handel's music playing inside。 I dug into my satchel； pulled out a pen and writing pad and jotted the tag number on it。 Then I rang the bell。
〃Goodness！〃 Rose exclaimed。 〃What brings you here？ Do e in。 What a nice surprise。〃
〃Did you look through the peephole before you opened the door？〃 I quizzed her。 〃At least you could ask who it is。〃
She laughed。 She was always teasing me about my security worries； which were extreme in the minds of most people because they did not live my life。
〃Did you e here to test me？〃 she teased me once more。
〃Maybe I should start doing that。〃
Rose's furniture was warm and perfectly polished； and although I would not call her taste formal； it was very proper and exactly arranged。 Floors were the beautiful hardwood one didn't find anymore； and small Oriental rugs were spots of color on them。 A gas fire was burning； and electric candles glowed in windows overlooking a grassy area where people used their Hibachis and charcoal grills in warmer weather。
Rose sat in a wing chair and I settled on the couch。 I had been to her apartment only twice before； and it seemed so sad and strange to see no sign of her beloved animals。 The last two of her adopted greyhounds had gone to her daughter； and her cat had died。 All she had left was an aquarium with a modest number of guppies； goldflsh and mollies constantly moving around； because pets were not allowed in the building。
〃I know you miss your dogs；〃 I said； not mentioning the cat； because cats and I didn't get along。 〃One of these days I'm going to get a greyhound。 My problem is I would want to save all of them。〃
I remembered hers。 The poor dogs would not let you stroke their ears because they had been yanked by trainers； one of the many cruelties they suffered at dog tracks。 Rose's eyes got bright with tears； and she turned her face from me and rubbed her knees。
〃This cold is hard on my joints；〃 she mented； clearing her throat。 〃They were getting so old。 It's just as well Laurel has them now。 I couldn't bear another thing dying on me。 I wish you would get one。 If every nice person would just get one。〃
The dogs were put to death by the hundreds every year when they could no longer perform up to speed。 I shifted on the couch。 There was so much in life that angered me。
〃Can I get you hot ginseng tea that dear Simon gets for me？〃 She mentioned the hairstylist she adored。 〃Maybe something a little stronger？ I've been meaning to stop and pick up shortbread cookies。〃
〃I can't stay long；〃 I said。 〃But I just wanted to drop by and make certain you're all right。〃
〃Why； of course；〃 she replied as if there were no reason in the world she wouldn't be。
I paused； and Rose looked at me； waiting for me to explain why I really had dropped by。
〃I talked to Ruth；〃 I began。 〃We're following a couple of leads and have our suspicions 。 。 。〃
〃Which I'm sure lead right to Chuck；〃 she announced； nodding her head。 〃I've always thought he's。 a bad apple。 And he avoids me like the plague because he knows I see right through him。 It will be a cold day in hell before the likes of him will charm me。〃
〃No one could charm you；〃 I said。 Handel's Messiah began； and intense sadness tucked itself into my heart。
Her eyes searched my face。 She knew how hard last Christmas had been for me。 I had spent it in Miami； where I could avoid it as much as I could。 But it wasn't possible for me to get away from music and lights； not even if I fled to Cuba。
〃What are you going to do this year？〃 she asked。
〃Maybe go out west；〃 I replied。 〃If it would snow here； that would be easier； but I can't stand gray skies。 Rain and ice storms； Richmond weather。 You know； when I first moved here； we always got at least one or two good snows every winter。〃
I envisioned snow piled on tree branches and blowing against my windshield； the world whited out as I drove to work even though all state offices were closed。 Snow and tropical sunshine were antidepressants for me。
〃It was very nice of you to check on me；〃 my secretary said； getting up from the deep blue wing chair。 〃You've always worried too much about me； though。〃
She went into the kitchen and I heard her digging around in the freezer。 When she returned to the living room； she handed me a Tupperware container with something frozen inside it。
〃My vegetable soup；〃 she said。 〃Just what you need tonight：'
〃You can't know how much；〃 I told her with heartfelt appreciation。 〃I'll go home and warm it up now。〃
〃Now； what will you do about Chuck？〃 she asked with a very serious expression on her face。
I hesitated。 I didn't want to ask her this。
〃Rose； he says you're my office snitch：'
〃Well； I am。〃
〃I need you to be；〃 I went on。 〃I'd like you to do whatever it takes to find out what he's up to。〃
〃What the little son of a bitch is up to is sabotage；〃 said Rose； who almost never swore。
〃We've got to get the evidence；〃 I said。 〃You know how the state is。 It's harder to fire somebody than walk on water。 But he's not going to win。〃
She didn't respond right away。 Then she said； 〃To start with； we mustn't underestimate him。 He's not as smart as he thinks he is； but he's clever。 And he has too much time to think and move about unnoticed。 What's unfortunate is he knows your patterns better than anyone； better even than me； because I don't help you in the morgue…for which I'm grateful。 And that's your center stage。 That's where he could really ruin you。〃
She was right； although I couldn't bear to admit the power he had。 He could swap labels or toe tags or contaminate something。 He could leak lies to reporters who would forever protect his identity。 I could scarcely imagine the breadth of what he could do。
〃By the way；〃 I said； getting up from the couch； 〃I'm fairly sure he has a puter at home； so he lied about that。〃
She walked m