Bannerman's Law by John R. Maxim Read Free Book Online

rmi ne teach him to paint. Or kill him and be done with it. He had nearly done that himself after Bonnie . . . Barbara . . . finished with him. But Barbara had said no. Let it sink in, she said, that he's done this to himself.
    Weinberg doubted that allowing Henry time to reflect on his sins would lead to a spiritual awakening. Or to an insight for which he would thank her. It was really, truth be told, that Barbara tended to regard a quick death as a mercy rather than as retributive justice. And yet this is a woman, as he'd mused more than once, who will capture household moths and spiders alive and then release them out of doors. This is an unreconstructed romantic who thinks a woman should smell good and be sent flowers and have doors opened for her but should not be raped unless the rape was her idea.
    He had yielded to his wife, letting Henry live, because she asked him to and because it might not be a bad idea to let the other Dunvilles learn of his stupidity from his own lips. But a bit of insurance would not be a bad idea either.
    That in mind, he and Barbara proceeded through the second door and up to the main entrance hall, where they relieved two security guards of the pistols they wore under their blazers. They had the one who could still walk drag the other to a padded holding cell where they were invite d to quietly pass the remainder of their shift. They returned to the administrative section and the office of Ca r leton Dunville, the younger. Both Ca r letons were away, hence Henry's temporary stewardship. The father, sem i ret ir ed, was in Palm Springs, cultivating the rich and power f ul. The son, the smart one, was in Los Angeles participating in a fund-raiser for the Motion Picture Relief Association. He had long served on its board and had rotated, this year, into the chairmanship.
    Their purpose in going to the younger Dunville ’ s office was to get at his safe, which Barbara felt sure she could open given thirty minutes or so, and to get at the cabinet in which the heavier weapons were kept. Weinberg had seen them when, on arrival at Sur La Mer, he was required to surrender his own. A third purpose was to use the telephone.
    But, on entering the richly paneled room, they found the phone in use. Henry's little frien d—h e'd only heard her called Rui z—w as standing at the desk, her back to them. Weinberg waited, listening. She was recounting cer tain of the day's events to, he assumed, the younger Dun ville. Twice she used the word idiot in connection with Henry. She was clearly distressed. So, from her manner, was Carleton, though neither, as yet, knew the half of it.
    Weinberg cleared his throat. She turned , startled. He made a ”t i me-out” signal with his hands, using the guard's pistol to cross the tee. The woman with the bad skin blinked. Weinber g asked for the phone, but, upon realizing that it would not fit around his bandages, handed it to his wife.
    Barbara Weinberg identified herself. Then, making her self comfortable, she explained to Carleton Dunville, the younger, why his half-brother had no eyes.
    It was a comfortable office. The desk faced a couch and two chairs set around a low table in a conversational grouping. The door seemed sturdy enough. Two large win dows looked out on the front lawn and gave a clear view of the driveway. The office had its own washroom. While Carleton Dunville made up his mind, it would do nicely.
    As his wife busied herself with the safe, he had the woman, Ruiz, order a plate of sandwiches and two pots of coffee from th e kitchen. He told her exactly what to say. He listened on an extension, satisfying himself that no alarm had been given. Still, it was only a matter of time until Henry found his voice again, or managed to unlock the door and come groping his way up from the basement.
    We i nberg opened a narrow coat closet that was built into the paneling. Inside, hidden, was the cabinet that con tained the guns.
    “ Do you have a key, by chance