"The StairMaster has paid off," I said.

"Thank you. What do you think about the connection between a banker and a real estate developer?"

"It might involve money," I said.

Rita turned slowly and looked at me over the rim of her coffee cup.

"Wow," she said.

"It's magic, isn't it, how I can read people?"

"Magic."

"The bank is a family business," I said.

"That's what I'm told," Rita said.

"Has it always been just Smiths running it?"

"I don't know."

"Can you find out?" I said.

"Isn't that what we're employing you to do?"

"It's a waste of my talent," I said. "The premier law firm in Boston must have a dozen people who can research that faster than I can. But I'll bet none of them can take a punch."

"I haven't punched all of them," Rita said. "But I get your point."

"So, can you find out how many partners the bank has had?"

"That weren't family?"

"Yes."

"And you want to know this why?"

"Because he's got a partner now, guy named Marvin Conroy."

"You're suspicious of him?"

"Not really. But over the years I've learned to look for pattern so I can see variation, if any. Marvin Conroy might be a variation. If he is, I want to know why."

"Makes sense," Rita said.

"So can you do that?"

"Sure."

CHAPTER TWENTY.

I leaned on the heavy bag and watched Hawk hit the speed. His face was expressionless, with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt, the way it always was. He hit the bag with one hand, and then with both. He used his elbows. He appeared to be entirely relaxed, pleasantly absorbed in the music and movement of the bag.

"I'm going to drop in on Felton Shawcross," I said. "At Soldiers Field Development."

"Good," Hawk said without shifting his focus.

"Want to go?"

"Sure. They still tailing you?"

"Not unless they've gotten better at it."

"Figure Brink Tyler was the one they was worried about?"

"Yes."

"So now that you seen him they don't see no reason to follow you?"

"Maybe. Or maybe they are going to try another approach now that I've confronted the followers."

"So you going to go straight over there and present yourself, case they do want to take other measures."

"Yes."

"Which be why you inviting me along."

"Yes."

"We doing it to get even?" Hawk said.

"We're doing it because, right at the moment, I don't know what else to do," I said.

"There's a surprise," Hawk said.

An hour later, showered and dressed and looking like two million dollars each, we walked into the reception area of Soldiers Field Development and gave my name and asked for Felton Shawcross.

"A moment, please," the receptionist said.

She looked at Hawk as if hoping for his name, too. Hawk didn't respond. She excused herself and went through a door behind her desk and in a few moments came back along with a tall guy in a blue suit. He eyed Hawk as he approached.

"My name's Hatfield," he said to me. "What did you wish to see Mr. Shawcross about?"

"Nathan Smith," I said.

Hatfield frowned. "Who?"

"Hard name," I said. "Nathan Smith."

"Does Mr. Shawcross know Mr. Smith?"

"Doesn't everybody," I said.

Hatfield frowned again, and stood for a minute. He appeared to be thinking.

"I'll check with Mr. Shawcross," he said.

I nodded at the receptionist.

"I thought she already did that," I said.

"She checked with me," Hatfield said.

He had a thin sharp face. He looked formidable when he frowned. Which is probably why he frowned.

"And you are?"

"I'm the director of internal security," he said.

I looked at Hawk. He grinned.

"Internal security," he said.

"Wait here," Hatfield said and went back through the door behind the reception desk. Hawk and I went through it right behind him. He turned and started to say something. Hawk hit him with his left fist and Hatfield fell over backward. We were in a corridor. There were offices along the corridor. At the end of the corridor was a gla.s.s door that said FELTON SHAWCAOSS in black letters. We went in. Shawcross was sort of a fleshy guy with his black hair slicked back. He was wearing a charcoal pin-striped suit and a black shirt with matching satin silk tie. His face was wide and his mouth was small under his big nose.

"What the f.u.c.k are you doing?" he said.

"I believe we are bursting into your office uninvited," I said.

He leaned back in his chair. "Where's Hatfield?" he said.

"My a.s.sociate persuaded him to let us in," I said.

Shawcross nodded.

"Well," he said. "You're in. What do you want?"

Hawk leaned against the wall next to the door. I stood in front of the desk.

"Why are you worried about me talking with Brinkman Tyler?" I said.

"Tyler?"

"Tyler. You had people following me for days until I talked with Tyler, then they made a move on me."

"I didn't have anyone follow you," Shawcross said.

Behind me I heard people come through Shawcross's door. I glanced back. Hatfield was one of them. The right side of his face was already starting to swell. With him were three other guys in blue suits.

"Internal security," Hawk said.

I said, "You think?"

Hawk grinned.

"You all right, Mr. Shawcross?" Hatfield said.

"I'm fine," Shawcross said. "Before you throw them out, let's hear what these gentlemen have to say."

Hawk stayed by the door. The Internal Security Squad ranged along the wall on the other side of the room. I took a seat in a green leather chair with little bra.s.s studs showing on the face of the arms. I crossed my legs and admired my ankle for a moment.

"Nathan Smith has been murdered," I said. "His wife has been accused of the crime. I've been employed by her law firm to clear her."

"If she didn't do it," Shawcross said.

"I'm not sure the law firm cares," I said. "But I do. We don't have to be silly here, right? Since Nathan Smith is listed on your board of directors, we'll agree that you know him and since you are on his wife's invitation list we'll agree that you know her."

"Agreed," Shawcross said.

He was not a nervous guy. From their respective walls Hawk and the security squad were looking at each other.

"So as soon as I get hired onto this thing, I pick up a tail. My a.s.sociate, Mr. Hawk, here, followed the tail back to this building. The tail was driving a car registered to this company."

Shawcross nodded, and said, "Um hm."

"I didn't do anything about the tail," I said. "Because I wanted to see if I could figure out why you were tailing me."

"It was not necessarily me," Shawcross said.

"Yesterday I talked with a guy named Brinkman Tyler, and after I finished, the tail made a pa.s.s at me."

"A pa.s.s?"

"They a.s.saulted me," I said. "Wanted to know what I had talked with Tyler about."

"Really?" Shawcross said. "Did you tell them?"

"No."

"If you're trying to clear Mary Smith of her husband's murder, why are you talking to his broker?"

"Gotta talk to someone," I said. "Did you do any business with Nathan Smith?" I said.