The gate opened mechanically and Benny wound the car down a long drive with black woods on either side. When he swung up to the house and stopped under the pillared porte-cochere he still hadn’t seen a soul. No other cars, nobody. Benny opened the door for Pendleton and started back to his side of the car.

“You are coming along,” Pendleton said.

Benny rang the bell for him and then a light went on in the hall and the tall door opened.

“Hi,” the girl said. She was a redhead with a small pink face and eyes that looked like blue porcelain. She giggled and said, “Did you want to come in?”

“I have an appointment,” Pendleton said. He handed her his card, but she didn’t take it She looked at it, then at Pendleton, and giggled again.

“So come on in. I was just passing through the hall.”

“Will you tell Mr. Alverato that I am here?” Pendleton hadn’t moved.

“Whyn’t you come in? Look. See that door at the end, to the left? He’s in there, I think.” She raised her arm to point and Benny noticed how the dress stretched across her front. Then she turned and walked off with quick little steps. “Slam the door,” she called over her shoulder. “It sticks a little.”

The ugly lines had started to show around Pendleton’s mouth, but the hall was empty again.

“Well, Tapkow? Find someone!”

Benny moved. He knocked on the door in the back, and when it opened there was a small guy with a head like a bird’s. He took a look at the uniform and said, “Pendleton here already? You’re early.”

“Look, buster. Mr. Pendleton-”

“Bring him in. I’ll call Al.”

They waited in the room, Benny standing by the door and Pendleton stiff in a chair by the French doors. The mood in the room was like ice.