Free The Shadow Box by John R. Maxim Page B

or other.
    The Jamaican is a parole violator who, even if he could talk through a jaw that still takes only liquids, is now back in custody. But wonder of wonders, whom did he list as his employer?
Parker Security Services, Inc.
And how many clients does Parker Security have? Only two of any size. The firm of Lehman-Stone and the firm of AdlerChemiker AG.
    Knowing this is one thing. Getting at the Jamaican to ask a few questions is another. Fat Julie Giordano was somewhat more hopeful of getting at the Pakistani who is an illegal alien and is currently in the custody of the Immi gration and Naturalization Service. Word is, however, that he is to be given a conditional release by this weekend because they're short of jail cells and because risk of flight is minimal. Michael did a good job on him. Word is he walks like a duck and still farts through his cheek when he talks.
    Fat Julie's plan is to intercept him between Riker's Is land and the welfare hotel where they got him a room. That done, Julie will ask him if he'd care to fill in a few gaps or is he ready to play make-a-wish again.
It had better work.
    Moon is hard enough to keep down as it is. This one clear connection, tying those two muggers to Lehman- Stone, would be all he needs to hear. Short of pumping him full of Thorazine, there would be no stopping him.
Michael's pen had been poised over the binder agree ment when Millie Jacobs said, “By the way . . .” These three words made him freeze.
According to Sheldon Greenberg's book, when people say, “By the way . . .” whatever follows is almost always the key issue at hand and, chances are, they're about to try to diddle you.
“ Not that this would bother you, Michael ... a worldly young man like yourself . . . educated . . . however . . . full disclosure and all that . . .”
Wouldn't bother you, my ass.
It was almost a deal-breaker. He had to take a long walk to think about it.
On the one hand, he didn't need this. He had enough ghosts of his own. On the other, it wasn't much of a haunting. No blood oozing up through the floorboards or anything like that. All it was, it seems that over the years quite a few guests have said they've heard the laughter of children coming from empty rooms.
” Hey, Dr. (JreenbergY ”
“ I told you so, Michael.''
“No, wait. This could even be good.”
    That, in fact, was Millie Jacobs's argument. For open ers, she said, everyone who lives here has heard the story and no one gives it much thought. The truth is, any num ber of Martha's Vineyard houses are said to be haunted. Try to find a town in all of Massachusetts that doesn't have at least one ghost.
“Watch out for ‘The truth is...'as well.”
“Will you listen for once?”
    Most of the guests who've stayed there, Millie went on, either didn't know, didn't care, or assumed that any chil dren they might hear were those of other guests. But here's the good news. Quite a few have come because the place is thought to be haunted. The Taylor House is listed in Haunted Houses of New England and a number of other such books. Those listings, she said, are as good as a four-star rating in the Mobil Guide. If the sort of clientele they attract are a bit eccentric, she asked, what's wrong with that as long as they keep coming and tell their friends?
“And they're very quiet, of course.”
“Quiet?”
“The better to listen.”
Ask a silly question, thought Fallon.
    “Are there any theories? Any legends about who these children are?”
“Several. But Polly Daggett invented them.”
“Why several?”
    “So her guests could have charm or horror depending on what turned them on.”
“Polly, I take it, was not a believer.”
“She knew a good thing when she saw it.”
Fallon bought the place.
    Or at least he signed the binder. The closing was three weeks off but he decided to move in. The Daggetts could not object as long as he paid the full off-season rate.
    For the first time in months, he needed nothing to help him sleep .