Page 23 of Mongrels United
“Okay.” Grady reached into her memory. If Rim was a dean of his institute, then the Captain would speak to him semi-regularly. “Red hair. Nervous.”
“That’s him.” Jackalyn sighed. “He’s even more nervous now. Says that someone gave him a bag full of Bellish last night and asked him to identify it. Which he could, because he worked on the analysis team that cleaned up after the Leroux Affair.”
Grady sat down. Suddenly. There was no thought in it. “Hell’s bells…” she breathed.
Jackalyn nodded.
“Who gave him the Bellish?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s why he’s so jumpy. Whoever it is, they scared the hell out of him. He won’t say. I left him to stew a bit before having another run at him. I thought you might want to be there for that.”
“He’s still here?” Grady sat up.
“Won’t go home. Says we have to pick up his partner and bring her in, too. Anny.”
“Anny Greenlaw,” Grady supplied.
“You’ve got the memory for names.”
“You’ve got the memory for faces,” Grady said, completing the ritual. “Let’s talk to Rim.”
Jackalyn dismissed the cone, picked up the little generator and followed Grady out the door.
Grady had sat in on interviews before and knew where the interview room was. It was a bland cube, with pale, featureless walls, all exactly the same width, hidden lighting, and an equally unmarked floor. The table and chairs sat in the precise middle. None of the monitoring lenses showed, and the walls and door were soundproof. The light never changed in the room no matter what time of day it was.
Djuro Rim sat at the table with his hands clenched together, making the knuckles white. He was staring at his hands when Grady opened the door, but looked up, blinking, as she entered.
Whenever Grady participated in interviews, usually the first reaction from the interviewee when they saw that she had become involved in the matter was a sinking expression in their eyes and faces. While Jackalyn was required to abide by the constitution rules of theEndurance, Grady had far more flexibility and discretion in how she applied the rules. Jackalyn often softened up her interviewees by pointing out that the laws and rights they were trying to hide behind would be little use if the Captain’s Chief of Staff became involved. So when Grady did finally step into the room, it usually dismayed the recipients.
That wasn’t the case with Djuro Rim. He instead looked relieved and half-rose from his chair. “Grady Read…thank you. Did you collect Anny and bring her here, as I asked?”
“I’ve only just learned of the situation,” Grady admitted truthfully, but also to disarm him and leave him flailing a little. “I’m far more interested in hearing the name of the person you got the Bellish from.”
“That’s why I want Anny here.”
“Did this person threaten her?”
“Not in so many words. But I know that’s what he meant. Iknowit.” And he wrung his hands.
“And where are the tablets, now? Did you give them to Lieutenant Westcott?”
Rim grimaced. “The man who gave them to me took them back.”
“So we’re supposed to take your word on this?”
“I can show you the test results.” Rim paused. “But you’d need someone like me to interpret them.”
So, they just had to trust that he really had come across Bellish. But why else would he be here? Grady couldn’t see an immediate payoff for making such a false claim, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. She shifted directions and said, “Who was it? Who gave you the Bellish?”
Rim shook his head. “I want Anny here, first.”
Grady didn’t hesitate. Bringing Anny in here would give Rim the impression that he had leverage, that he had some control over what was happening, which was a good thing, for he was plainly a very scared man. Bringing Anny here cost them nothing but a bit of time and two of Jackalyn’s Guards. And Gradyhadto learn what Rim knew about the origins of the Bellish.
She nodded at Jackalyn, who turned and left.
“The lieutenant will arrange for Anny to be brought here.” Grady paused. “I won’t be happy if you’re wasting my time.”
Rim was nervous and scared, but he was smart. “Nothing is a waste of your time, if it helps you find who is making Bellish.”
