The Evening News (68 page)

"Most of the time, sure
.”

"In fact, isn't it true that before you made those two sales to the
terrorist Rodriguez, you had never, ever, sold caskets in that way before
?
”

Kettering was guessing, but reasoned Godoy wouldn't know he was, and in a
recorded exchange would not lie
.
“
I guess so
,”
Godoy muttered. The interview was already not going the way
he had expected. In the partial gloom he glared at Kettering, but the
newsman persisted
.”
In other words, the answer is no, you hadn't sold caskets that way
before
.”

The undertaker's voice rose
.”
I figured it was none of my business what he
wanted them for
.”

"Did you give any thought at all to communicating with authorities-the
police, for example-and saying something like, 'Look, I've been asked to
do something strange, something I've never been asked before, and I wonder
if you'd like to check this person out.' Did you consider that
?
”

"No, I didn't. There was no reason to
.”

"Because you weren't suspicious
?
”

"Right
.”

Kettering bored in
.”
Then if you were not suspicious, why is it that on the
second occasion Rodriguez visited you, you covertly wrote down the license
number of the hearse he was using to take away the casket and kept that
information hidden until today
?
”

Godoy roared angrily, "Now, look! Because I told you something
con
fidential, it don't mean .
“
Correction, Mr. Funeral Director! You did not say anything about that
being confidential
.”

"Well, I meant to
.”

"There's quite a difference. And incidentally, neither did you say it was
confidential when you revealed before this interview that the price you
charged for those three take-out caskets was almost ten thousand dollars
.
For the kind of caskets you described, wasn't that a high price
?
”

"The guy who bought them didn't complain. Why should you
?
”

"Perhaps he didn't complain for his own good reasons
.”

Kettering's voice
became icy and accusatory
.”
Didn't you ask that excessively high price
because you knew the man would pay it, knew all the time there was
something suspicious, and you could take advantage of the situation, get
yourself some extra money . .
.”

"Hey, I don't have to sit here and take that garbage! Forget all this! I'm
getting out
,”
Angrily, Godoy rose from his chair and walked away, the line
from a microphone separating as he did. The route brought him closer to the
Betacam, and Minh, swinging it as a reflex action, caught him full-face and
in light so, in effect, Godoy violated his own confidentiality. There would
be discussion late
r as to whether that closing sequence should be used or
not
.”
You bastard
!”

Godoy stormed at Kettering
.
The business correspondent told him, "I don't like you either
.”

“
Listen
,”
Godoy said to Partridge, "I cancel the arrangement
.”

He pointed
to the Betacam
.”
You're not to use that. Understand
?
”

"I understand what you're saying
,”
Partridge said
.”
But I can't guarantee
we won't use it. That will be up to the network
.”

"Get the hell out of here
!”

Alberto Godoy glowered as the recording
equipment was dismantled and the CBA News quartet departed from his
premises.

During the ride back from Queens, Don Kettering announced, "I'd like to
drop off as soon as we're in Manhattan. I want to start tracing that
marked money and there's an office on Lex where I can do some phoning
.”

"Is it possible
,”
Jonathan Mony said, "that I could come with you
?
”

He
glanced at Partridge
.”
I'd very much like to see how the other half of
what we did today works out
.”

"Okay with me
,”
Kettering assured him
.”
If Harry says yes, I'll show you
some nuts-and-bolts reporting
.”

Partridge agreed and they separated after crossing the Queensboro Bridge
.
While the Jeep Wagoneer continued on to CBA News, Kettering and Mony took
a taxi to a brokerage office off Lexington Avenue near the Summit Hotel
.
On entering, they were in a spacious room where about two dozen
people--some seated, others standing-faced an overhead screen displaying
swiftly moving stock market quotations. A dark green carpet contrasted
with light green walls; comfortable chairs, fixed to the floor in rows
,
were upholstered in green and orange tweed. Some of those intently
watching the market figures held notebooks with pencils poised; others
were less concerned. A young oriental man was studying sheets of music;
a few more were reading newspapers; several dozed
.
Off to one side was a row of computers and some extension phones, a sign
above them reading, LIFT RECEIVER FOR TRADING. Several phones were in
use; despite lowered voices, snatches of conversation could be heard
.”
You bought two thousand? Sell
.”

. .
.”
Can you get five hundred at
eighteen? Do it
.”

. .
.”
Okay, get out at fifteen and a quarter
.”

On the room's far side a receptionist saw the two newsmen come in and
with a smile of recognition at Kettering, picked up a telephone. Behind
her were several doors, some open, leading to interior offices
.”
Take a look around you
,”
Kettering told Mony
.”
This kind of stock shop
will be history soon; this is one of the last. Most others have
disappeared the way spea
keasies did after prohibition en
ded
.”

"Stock trading hasn't ended, though
.”

"True. But brokers looked at their costs and found places
like this don't pay. Too many people coming in to rest or just out of curiosity. Then the homeless began joining them-in winter, what better place to spend a warm, relaxing
day? Unfortunately, the homeles
s don't generate a lot of brokerage commissions
.”

"Maybe you should do a piece for the news
,”
Mony said
.”
Nostalgic, the way
you just said, before the last of these goes
.”

Kettering looked at him sharply
.”
That's a helluva good idea, young fella
.
Why didn't I think of it? I'll talk to the Horseshoe next week
.”

Behind the receptionist, a closed door opened and a beetle
browed, burly man
came forward, greeting Kettering warmly
.”
Don, it's good to see you. You
haven't been around lately, though we're your faithful followers on the
news. Is there something we can do
?
”

"Thanks, Kevin
.”

Kettering pointed to Mony
.”
My young colleague, Jonathan
,
would like the name of a stock he can buy today which will quadruple in
value by tomorrow. Apart from that, is there a desk and a phone I can use
for half an hour
?
”

"The desk and phone, no problem. Come through to the back and use mine;
you'll be more private. About the other thing-sorry, Jonathan, our crystal
ball's out being serviced. If it comes back while you're here, I'll let you
know
.”

They were shown into a small comfortable office with a mahogany desk, two
leather chairs, the inevitable computer and a phone. A name on the door
read: Kevin Fane
.”
Make yourself at home
,”
Fane said, "and I'll send in coffee and
sandwiches
.”

When they were alone, Kettering told Mony, "When Kevin and I were at
college, during summers we worked as runners on the floor of the New York
Stock Exchange and we've kept in touch since. Want some professional
advice
?
”

Mony nodded
.”
Sure do
.”

"As a correspondent, which it looks as if you may be, always keep lots of
contacts, not just at high levels but lower ones too, and drop in to keep
them green, the way we're doing now. It's a means of picking up
information, sometimes when you least expect. Also remember that people
like to help TV reporters; even just letting you use their phone makes them feel closer to you and, in a strange way, grateful
.”

While speaking, Kettering had withdrawn from an inside pocket the several
hundred-dollar bills borrowed from Alberto Godoy, and spread them on the
desk. He opened a drawer and found a sheet of paper to make notes
.”
First we'll try our luck with the bills that have names written on them
.
Later, if needed, we'll work on those with account numbers only
.”

Picking
up a bill, he read out, "James W. Mortell
”
and addcd, "this hundred
smackeroos passed through his hands at some time. See if you can find him
in the Manhattan phone book, Jonathan
.”

Within moments Mony announced, "He's here
.”

He read the number aloud while
Kettering tapped out digits on the phone. After two rings a pleasant
woman's voice answered, "Mortell Plumbing
.”

"Good morning. Is Mr. Mortell in, please
?
”

"He's out on a job. This is his wife. Can I help
?
”

Not only pleasant, but
young and charming, Kettering thought
.”
Thank you, Mrs. Mortell. My name is Don Kettering. I'm the business
correspondent of CBA News
.”

A pause, then a hesitant response
.”
Is this a joke
?
”

"No joke, ma'am
.”

Kettering was relaxed and affable
.”
At CBA we're making
some inquiries and think Mr. Mortell may be able to help us. In his
absence, perhaps you can
.”

"You are Don Kettering. I recognize the voice. How could we help you
?
”

A
soft laugh
.”
Unless you have a water leak over there
.”

“
Not that I know of, though if I hear about one I'll remember you
.
Actually, it's concerning a hundred-dollar bill which has your husband's
name written on it
.”

"We've done nothing wrong, I hope
.”

"Absolutely not, Mrs. Mortell. It simply looks as if the bill passed
through your husband's hands and I'm trying to discover where it went
.”

The woman on the phone said thoughtfully, "Well, we have customers who pay
cash, including hundred-dollar bills. But we never ask questions
.”