Free Bad Business by Robert B. Parker Page A

idiot, don’t you get it?”
    â€œThis might go better if you were more restrained,” I said.
    â€œRestrained? You’re lucky I don’t throw you out.”
    â€œOne of us is,” I said.
    â€œWhat the fuck does that mean?” Eisen said.
    I took a deep breath, but it was too late. I found myself standing.
    â€œIt means that if you don’t settle down I’m going to stick your foot in your ear,” I said.
    He took an involuntary step backward and realized he had, and tried to compensate.
    â€œYou want to try it,” he said in a commanding voice.
    â€œOh, you men,” Ellen said. “You’re just overgrown boys.”
    â€œTrue,” I said. “But it’s worth keeping in mind that I’m about thirty pounds more overgrown than your husband.”
    I looked at Bernie for a moment.
    â€œAnd, I would guess, four inches taller.”
    â€œYou think I can’t handle myself?” Bernie said.
    â€œYou’ve probably been handling yourself too much,” I said.
    Ellen giggled. I think we were both startled.
    Bernie said, “Ellen, for God’s sake.”
    Ellen said, “Well, it was kind of funny. And, Bernie, get real. Look at him. He’s much too big and strong.”
    â€œThank you,” I said.
    She smiled at me and said, “You’re welcome.”
    â€œOkay, okay,” Bernie said. “We’ll let it go for now.”
    â€œWhew,” I said.
    â€œBut I want to know your scam.”
    â€œSomebody spiked your open-marriage poster boy three times in the head.”
    â€œOpen marriage?” Bernie said.
    â€œDarrin and I explained our arrangement to Mr. Spenser,” Ellen said.
    â€œI would have thought it was none of his business,” Eisen said.
    I thought he had a point.
    â€œOh, aren’t you funny?” Ellen said. “Darrin felt it was the right thing to do. You know perfectly well that a relationship cannot be truly open if we are not truly open about it.”
    Eisen nodded.
    â€œI know, darling. I know.”
    He looked at me.
    â€œAll the more reason that your story doesn’t hold water. In a relationship like ours, there’s nothing to hide. Why would someone follow either one of us.”
    â€œMy question exactly,” I said.
    â€œWell, my man,” Eisen said to me. “If your story isanything but some sort of clumsy attempt to extort money, then I guess you’ll have to talk with Steve Gavin. I know nothing about any of this, and I’m sure Ellen doesn’t either.”
    â€œI don’t,” Ellen said, “really.”
    It was quite possible that they didn’t. But Bernie knew it had happened. It would have been forcefully explained to him by Gavin, the moment after I left Gavin’s office. It had almost certainly also been explained that his mouth should remain firmly shut on the matter. Which it would until I had something to pry it open with. I finished the last of my scotch and soda and put the glass down, centering it on the coaster. Tough guy like Eisen, you couldn’t be too careful.
    â€œThanks for your time,” I said.
    Eisen didn’t say anything.
    Ellen stood and said, “I’ll walk to the door with you.”
    After she closed the door behind me and while I was waiting for the elevator, I put my ear against the door. But I couldn’t hear anything. Maybe there was nothing to hear. Maybe in open marriage you didn’t get too attached to your non-spousal partner. Ellen had shown no sign that Trent Rowley’s death made any difference to her. I wondered if she’d mourn Bernie. Or Darrin O’Mara. Maybe in open marriage you didn’t get too attached to anybody. Easy come, easy go. Maybe open marriage was a crock. In the elevator, going down, I decided that it was.

21
    N o one was in the office at 9:15 in the morning when I showed up at the Templeton Group. No one arrived. I called them on my cell