The Sandler Inquiry Part 17

"Be that way in a courtroom, boy, and you're dead ' Proud of his point, Zenger eased back in his chair and offered his hand to his visitor.

Thomas smiled and took it.

"I appreciate the lesson'" said Thomas.

"But nothing's changed.

I'm still not all that interested in courtrooms' ' "Rubbish," snorted Zenger.

"You came up here because you're working on a case. What do you think I am, senile? You're your fathers son. Bloodlines don't wash out in the bath. You're even starting to look a little like Bill." "Am I?" Thomas was genuinely surprised.

"Yes, yes" said Zenger, drawing out the words and looking the younger man up and down.

"Don't forget I knew Bill way back when he was your age. A hundred years ago or whatever it was.

Hungry?"

"I could eat something."

"You d.a.m.ned well better. I've had lunch fixed for both of us. If I don't drop going from this room to the next we're all set. If I drop, go ahead without me" Zenger climbed to 'his feet with the help of a st.u.r.dy cherry wood cane. Thomas put out his hand to help, but Zenger motioned the hand away. The older man's physical movements were slow, to a degree where Thomas was embarra.s.sed for him. But after a few moments of fumbling, Zenger was able to move to the adjoining dining room, a small cozy room with two dark beams across the ceiling and a bright window which looked out on a small garden area and the water beyond. A china cabinet stood before one wall and a s.h.i.+p's barometer dominated another.

Zenger spoke as they sat down.

"Ynow why I live up here now and not in New York?"

Thomas asked why.

"I figure that anything as slow-moving as I wouldn't live long in the city. I would have been hit by a bus or had a knife perforate my ribs.

What do you think of that?"

Thomas shrugged noncommittally.

Lunch was a seafood salad. A bottle of chablis appeared.

Zenger's mock belligerence was gone now. He and Thomas talked amiably.

Zenger dwelled on how sorry he had been to hear of the pa.s.sing of Daniels, Senior, a year earlier. But, of course he excused himself, he'd been unable to travel and attend the funeral. Then Zenger asked about the law firm, wanting to know with glee who was using whom and for what. Thomas gave him as much gossip as he could, but never mentioned the fire.

Gradually the old man's attention lagged. He gazed off away from Thomas and out the dining-room window. His eyes squinted.

"See that?" he asked.

Thomas looked.

"See what?"

"The ocean," Zenger answered softly and almost affectionately.

"Look as far as you can, across the waves, all you see is water." The eyes twinkled and the eyebrows were raised. He looked back to Thomas quickly Daniels was considering the old man carefully, as if Zenger had gone soft for a few seconds.

"Someday, Tommy," Zenger continued, 'someday soon, I'm going to take a long trip. Beneath the waves. And I won't be coming back."

"You look healthy to me," Daniels offered.

The old man scoffed,

"Got nothing to do with it'" he said.

"When it's your time to go, you go. Simple as that. For me, I'd like to go beneath the waves." Zenger looked old in the afternoon light.

The housekeeper appeared. She cleared the plates and served coffee. At length, a different Zenger spoke.

"Enough of the bulls.h.i.+t' His voice was upbeat now, a total change.

"You didn't come up here for the salt air. You said something on the telephone about Victoria Sandler."

"That's right, I wanted to know about her. And the family."

"Know what?"

Thomas shrugged.

"Everything. Whatever you know." Thomas saw a flicker of suspicion in Zenger's eyes.

"Why?" asked Zenger.

"The old woman just died."

"I know. We do have newspapers up here. But you didn't just come because you had a funny curiosity."

Thomas folded his hands together and remained silent while cream for the coffee was served. When they were alone-again, he spoke.

"The firm used to handle the family business. You know that. If there's any question about a will I'm going to need to know as much asI can ' "Uh huh," said Zenger without enthusiasm.

"What about your files?"

"Incomplete." If Thomas had learned one thing from his father, it was never to reveal a position of weakness to another attorney. Any other attorney "Incomplete?" Zenger's wrinkled forehead formed a frown.

"What the h.e.l.l does that mean?"

Thomas shrugged innocently." "The material in the Sandler folder is sketchy. Leaves a lot of questions unanswered" Zenger leaned back in his chair. He sipped the hot black coffee and looked Thomas in the eye. He let several seconds pa.s.s in silence.

"Sketchy, huh?" Zenger said.

"That's a pretty vague term. What does it mean?"

"It means what I said it means" said Thomas.

"It means-' "It means I just nailed you for perjury," chortled Zenger.

Thomas was perplexed.