The Mercedes waited in front of the house. I put Mr. Theo’s suitcase into the trunk, which closed with the satisfying sound of heavy steel perfectly articulated.
Mr. Theo looked all around him, raised his face to the sun, breathed in deeply. “Well,” he announced. “This is it.” He descended to the sidewalk. “You’re sure I can’t persuade you? I know Allie has some bee in her bonnet about a couple, but you’re getting married too, aren’t you? So you’ll be a couple.”
“I’m sure, sir,” I answered. “It’s time for a change.”
“I won’t try to persuade you.” He held out his hand, and I shook it. “Wish me luck, Gregor.”
“It seems to me you already have the luck, sir.”
“I guess I do. Finding the right girl is the secret, isn’t it? Now, you’re clear about tomorrow?”
It was the third time he’d asked me, and the morning was young. I recited it again: “The two o’clock train and I’ll bring the car back into the city.”
“You have a set of keys?”
I nodded.
He moved around to the driver’s side and stood there, looking at the brownstones that lined the street, then up at the sky, breathing deeply. “At least I’ll be out of range for the fallout of whatever Mother gets up to. I’m not sorry to miss that.”
I waited.
“You’d think I was putting off leaving.”
I was thinking just that.
“Well, no man wants to get married. Good luck to you too, Gregor. Let me know if there’s ever anything I can do for you. You’ve got the recommendation?”
I did.
“And Mackey’s office will answer any further questions if anyone has any. I’ve told him, unconditional raves.”
“Thank you, sir.” I was ready to have him drive away.
“You have Mackey’s number?”
I did.
He got into the car and put on dark glasses. He looked across at me. “You did pack the marriage license?”
“It’s in the case with your passport, sir.”
“You’d think I was nervous. Oh well, marriage is probably like what they say about murder, the first one’s the hardest.”
“I wouldn’t know, sir,” I told him. “I’ve never murdered anyone.”
Mr. Theo laughed and turned on the motor. The street was temporarily untraveled, so he pulled out and was at last gone.