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exclude me from interviewing folks from our
list of suspects today.”
    “It’s not that,” he said.   “I just want to call Martha and see if you’re
right.   Not knowing is killing me.”
    “I’ll wait right here, then,” I
said with a smile.
    I watched as Moose paced around
in front of the truck, talking with great animation to my grandmother.   After two minutes, he hung up, and I took
that as a sign that I could get out of the truck, now.
    “What did she say?”
    “Where would you like to eat?” he
asked me.   “She was reluctant to admit it
at first, but there was a little resentment there, there’s no denying it.   Victoria, I still don’t understand how I could have been so wrong about this.”
    “Don’t beat yourself up about
it,” I said.   “Better men than you have
failed to understand the women they love.”
    “Better than me ?   I doubt that man’s ever
been born,” he answered with a grin, and I could feel his charm wash over
me.   My grandfather had a way about him
that appealed to just about everyone, me included.   Even when he was contrite, it still showed
through.   “Let’s go talk to Vern, shall
we?”
    “Lead the way,” I said, glad that
I had Moose with me, not only as a partner in my investigations, but as my
grandfather, too.
     
    Vern Jeffries had a generic
looking office that could have housed any one of a dozen different marginal
businesses.   Seeing him sitting behind
his desk, his paunch punishing the buttons of his dress shirt and his bald head
gleaming under the fluorescent fixtures, he could have just as easily been an
accountant or a child’s portrait photographer, for that matter.
    “Come in,” he said as we
approached him.   “Moose, I’m glad you
called.   After I ask you a few questions,
we can study our options for your new insurance policy.”   He glanced at me and added, “Victoria, to be
honest with you, I’m not quite sure why you’re here.   If you’d like to wait in the outer
office, we shouldn’t be more than half an hour.”
    “Thanks, but I’ll stay here,” I
said with a bright smile.   There was no
way that I was going to take one step away from that particular meeting.
    Vern looked at me oddly, and then
he turned back to Moose.   “Are you
certain that’s okay with you?”
    “She’s my granddaughter,” Moose
said as though it was the most natural thing in the world.   “Of course she can stay.”
    “Will Martha be joining us?” Vern
asked.
    “No, she’s tied up elsewhere at
the moment.”   My grandfather was starting
to show his impatience with the ruse, so I figured that it was time to start
asking our questions before he stormed out.  
    “Mr. Jeffries, before we get
started, we have a few questions for you about your company,” I said.
    “Go on,” Vern said as he sat back
in his seat.   “I’ve got nothing to hide.”
    I sincerely doubted that, but I
decided to keep that opinion to myself.   “Thank you.   We would both
appreciate that.   First of all, we know that
up until recently, you were closely associated with Benny Booth and his
firm.   Would you mind telling us why you
two split up?”
    Apparently Vern wasn’t as
interested in opening up as he’d just implied.   “I don’t see what that has to do with your grandfather’s policy.”   Vern frowned at me, and then the insurance
adjuster asked my grandfather, “Moose, in all the years we’ve known each other,
I’ve never known you to ever let someone else do the talking for you.”
    “Don’t underestimate Victoria,”
he said.   “There’s a reason I asked her
along.   Answer her question.   Why should I trust you with my premium
money?   What happened between you and
Benny?   I hate to tell you some of the
rumors flying around town, especially after what just happened to the man.”
    “I’m sure that I’m not the only
one folks are talking about,” Vern said.
    That was a direct dig at Moose, but
I couldn’t afford