I wasn’t sure whether I was pleased or not.
“It makes sense to do all the groundwork now,” he explained.“The more I know at this point, the more effectively I can decide what has to be done to put together a good case.”
The problem was that we weren’t coming up with anything new.Granted, the townspeople were nearly as close-mouthed as I’d feared, still they talked.We spent time with nearly twodozen different people, and neither Peter’s gentle questioning nor my supporting presence succeeded in prying out information that would be a help to Cooper.We learned that he was well liked and respected, which I, for one, already knew.But no one could prove a plausible motive for diamond smuggling—for either Cooper or any of his crew.With the exception of Benjie, we spoke with each member of that crew, and though they were nearly as wary as their neighbors, we couldn’t find anything in what they told us to merit a second look.
By the end of Monday, we’d scoured most of the town.Sitting down with Cooper and me over dinner that night, Peter talked frankly about his plans.
“Barring a major attempt on our part to pin the blame on someone else, our best hope does lie with establishing reasonable doubt.We have plenty of character witnesses, including your police chief.I’ll go over my notes and decide which of the people I’ve met will be the strongest witnesses.I’m driving down to Portland tomorrow morning to meet with Hummel.Since he’s the U.S.Attorney who’ll prosecute the case, he has certain information I want—at least, he should have it.His is the burden of proof.One of the things he’ll try to suggest—” Peter eyed Cooper “—is that you’ve been involved in things like this before.That means he’ll be back-checking your bank records to tryto find evidence of past large, unexplained deposits.”
“There are none,” Cooper said.He swiveled Peter’s ever-present pad his way, took up a pencil and wrote down the names of the three banks at which he had accounts, plus the rough profit he made each week.“Deposits are always in this amount.Interest speaks for itself.”
Peter nodded.“Okay.When Hummel sees this, he’ll go looking farther.He’ll put an investigator on the computer looking for other accounts.Are there any?”
“No.”
“What about investments—stocks, bonds, real estate deals.Anything I should know about?”
“No.”
“No plane reservations for a trip to South America?”
Cooper’s look told him what he thought of that idea.
“So,” Peter concluded, “his case will consist solely of the discovery of those diamonds in your cabin in a laundry bag with your name stenciled on it.We’ve definitely got a set-up here.”
“By whom?”I asked.I’d wondered about that a lot.“Who would have put the diamonds there?Is there a ring of gem thieves that the authorities have been watching?Who were the diamonds originally stolen from?And who tipped off the Customs people to check out Cooper’s boat?”
Peter gave me one of those looks that was at the same time professional yet oddly intimate.“Those are just a few of the questions I intend to put to Hummel tomorrow.”
So Tuesday morning he drove to Portland.I offered to go with him, but when he told me it wasn’t necessary, I didn’t push.Clearly he felt there were some things he could do better without me, which was just fine by me.I was actually relieved.I needed a break from those devil eyes of his.And I needed to work.
I spent the day at it, and a productive one it was.The tall vase that I threw had a particularly interesting twist to its lines; the pieces I glazed and fired were similarly inspired.Moreover there was a normalcy to working in my attic studio.It was reassuringly familiar and right in ways that Peter wasn’t.I was pleased to be alone with my work and my thoughts.
Not that my heart didn’t do its little catch thing when the time approached for Peter’s return, or that the little catch thing didn’t magnify into a wallop when I heard him come in.But that was all physical, I told myself, and physical I could overcome.
It helped that we spent the evening with Cooper, though I doubt Cooper saw things that way.He was having a difficult time with Benjie, who had returned from New York and didn’t want any part of Peter, or me, or Cooper, for that matter.He said hello, then goodbye and headed for the back door.He wanted to be in Bangor visiting with his latest girl.
Cooper had other ideas for him.“It can wait,”he said finally.“I want you to have dinner with us.”
Peter and I were in the living room.Cooper and Benjie in the kitchen.The house was small enough so that we could hear every word.
“Come on, Coop,” Benjie complained.His voice was that of a man, though his whine was nowhere near.“She’s waited six days.If I ask her to wait any more, she’s goin’ to bolt.”
“You should’ve thought of that when you stayed longer in New York.I want you here, Benj.You can do what you want tomorrow, but I want you here tonight.”
“I don’t have anythin’ to say to that guy.”
“Then you can sit and listen to us talk.”
“Give me two hours.Two hours, and I’ll be back.”
“You’re staying here.”
“One hour.”
“You can see her tomorrow.”
“You can’t do this to me, Cooper.I’m old enough—”
