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perhaps. We provide them with housing. We provide them with cars. We take very good care of them.”
    â€œHow long has it been since you talked to her?”
    His gaze shifted to Rod. “How long has it been since
you
talked to her?”
    Rod finally found his voice. “A week. Maybe more. She wasn’t available last weekend. Yesterday she was scheduled to see me, as you know. She failed to appear. She’s also scheduled for a dinner Monday night. It’s an important event. This is a big problem.”
    â€œIt certainly is. I take
personal
responsibility for our employees. Do you know what that means? Do you know how it tears me apart when I’m unsure about the well-being of a girl such asAlissa? She’s like a daughter to me, Rod. It’s going to go very hard for the man who’s hiding her. Unless, of course . . .”
    â€œI’m not hiding her,” Rod snapped.
    A darkness clouded Rupert’s face. “If some harm has come to her . . .” He shook his head, apparently at a loss for words.
    I said, “I take it you’ve been to her apartment. You must have a key.”
    â€œWe respect her privacy,” he replied with a slight huff.
    â€œWhat about her car? I imagine it’s registered to you. Maybe some credit cards, too?”
    Rupert ceased looking at me. I began to see how it was. No actual information would be forthcoming from him, only from us. His words were directed at Rod. “I’m sorry. This whole affair is extremely distressing. Naturally we look to you. We know how well you two got along. How much time you spent together.”
    I saw the fear building on Rod’s face, and cut in. “Alissa will officially be missing, from our point of view, early this afternoon. We’ll go to the police then.”
    â€œNo you won’t. The police stay out of it. It’s in your service contract, Rod.”
    â€œThat won’t apply if there’s been foul play,” I insisted.
    â€œAll the more reason. You’d be the first suspect, Rod. I’ll make sure of that. We’re far more efficient than the police, in any case. We have fewer limitations. I hope you understand what I’m saying.”
    â€œI genuinely don’t know where she is, Rupert.” Rod’s pleading tone was back. “I’ll do everything I can to find her. I told you, I would really like her to be there on Monday. Give me until then.”
    Rupert sat with his hands folded, his head down, considering whether Rod deserved his mercy. “We know about your unauthorized visits with Alissa,” he said at last. “That alone is a serious breach of contract. But we want to give you a chance, Rod. Wewant to think the best of you. I know you were a good man when you first began to see Alissa. I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but that benefit is growing slim.”
    I tried to catch Rod’s eye, to understand why he was knuckling under. He just stared at a pen set on the desk and nodded submissively. One of the pens pointed at Rod and one at me. I resisted, for the time being, the impulse to grab it and puncture Rupert’s pretensions.
    His tone turned hard. “Monday at the latest. You know the consequences.”
    â€œJust one request—please don’t send people over to my house.”
    Rupert sat back, simulating chagrin. “I do apologize for that. But you see, we were in a state of anxiety about Alissa.”
    He stood to show us out. Rod’s tail was fully between his legs. Until he fully explained why, I had to hold back on getting tougher with Rupert.
    I did reveal a bit of information when we reached the corridor. I wanted to catch Rupert off guard. “ [email protected] ,” I said. “Do you know that email address?”
    â€œNot our type of person,” he replied. His eyes still did not meet mine. They’d avoided me since halfway through the interview.
    A door at the