The Original Alibi

Chapter 33

I got up at first light, slowly, but up. With a cup of coffee in hand, I called Cliff Branch, the chauffeur.

“Cliff, I need you to do something critical to help me solve this case and it must stay between you and me. I promise you I can square your doing it with the general.”

“I’ve been told to cooperate with you fully, Matt. What do you want?”

*

Two hours later, I called Charles. “How’s the general doing? I’d like to see him as soon as it works for him.”

“Good morning, Mr. Kile. Let’s see, it’s eleven now, so he’s been awake about an hour reading the morning paper in his study. He should be ready to see you by noon. No. Make it half past. Is that okay for you?”

“I’ll make it okay. And, Charles, don’t bring me an Irish if it’s going to encourage the general to have one as well.”

“That’s no problem, sir. The general hasn’t had another drink since the last one he shared with you. He told me what you said and he agreed. I thank you for convincing him.”

“See you at twelve-thirty.”

*

I got there on time and Charles led me upstairs to the general’s small study off his bedroom. The noon sun filled the room, having invited itself in through the hexagon-shaped window high on the opposite wall. A wheelchair sat to the side of the room facing the wall, equipped with a portable oxygen tank and a line that would feed the hyped air to his nose. He wasn’t using it, choosing instead to struggle a bit when taking breaths.

“Good morning, General. Did you sleep well?”

“Hello, Matt. As good as could be expected. Look, I know you don’t need pressure from me, but the truth is I want you to earn the fee I agreed to. That means you don’t have much time.”

“I understand, sir. That’s why I’m here.”

“Do you know who killed Ileana and my great grandson?”

“I’m closing in, but, no, General. Not this morning, at least not as yet this morning.”

“So?”

The door opened after a light knock. As I expected, it was Charles bringing me an Irish on cracked ice with a lemon wedge. “It’s one o’clock, Mr. Kile, after lunch, so I thought you and the general would enjoy your having this.” He leaned down far enough for me to take it from the tray. He put a paper coaster on the side table.

“Before we talk about why you came, Matt, let me give you this, there are two originals. I have signed them both. You will need to do the same.” Noticing my confusion, the general explained further. “When I hired you and we agreed to your success fee, well, to say it plainly, I didn’t expect I would die as soon as it now appears I will. Thus the terms of our agreement were not reasonable.”

“General?”

“We agreed your fee would be earned when someone was arrested for killing Ileana. You have worked diligently in that effort. And, make no mistake, I still expect results, but the arrest requirement, well, it now seems inappropriate. This new agreement stipulates you are to be paid upon either that arrest or my statement that I consider your services satisfactorily completed and your fee earned.”

“Thank you, General. You are most generous.”

“I can’t take it with me, and there’s plenty left for the others. If you solve this to my satisfaction you will have done me a great service.”

I took a pen and signed both copies. The general then rang his bell and Charles came in to witness both copies of the document and to take one with him.

“Now, Matt, why did you wish to see me this morning?”

“General, did you mean what you said about my not holding back on what I do or how I do it because you might be listening?”

“I mean everything I say, Matt, or I wouldn’t say it. Time is my enemy and it is gaining fast. Forget nicely. Get it done.”

“Charles tells me Eddie is still at home and if he tries to leave, Charles will let him know I would like to meet with him in the study. You’ll want to keep listening until Charles tells you I’ve left.”

“I see.” The general’s face went pale, even paler than from his ever-weakening circulation. “Is there anything else, Matt?”

“Yes. Curiosity, I guess, but you told me that Charles was with you on your general staff. That was how you two first met. You also mentioned he left you for a few years to take another assignment with the army. Then he returned and was your adjutant, or whatever the correct title was during your years on the joint chiefs. What did he do during the years he left your staff?”

“He always wanted to do intelligence work. I arranged for him to do some cloak-and-dagger stuff for the Department of Defense. After a few years he’d had enough.” The general chuckled, and then coughed. “Like so many young men, he had imagined that to be romantic and adventurous. He found it quite different fighting an enemy you got to see up close, in unfamiliar terrain that often ended in assignments that turn most men’s stomachs. It is not as clean and detached as eyeing a man through a sight and pulling the trigger.”