"Did you get the notebook?"
"No. It was a pack of white papers and a note. Albert had been ahead of us.
-0-
"Dear Miss Benchley:
You are good, and I might have fallen for it if I could believe that it was a coincidence that a Benchley would contact me after I had a client tell me interesting things about another Benchley – trying to blackmail him in a legal way… And because of that, I was aware that you were "casing the joint".
I will make a deal with both of you. You, Miss Benchley are wasted trying to play dutiful daughter and lady of the manor. With your skills you should work for me. I can use an investigator with your smarts
Your cousin Amos should help out my client but in a way that draws no comment. I will have to explain to my client that he expects too much. We can make things easier for him but NOT get him off. I think that Mr. Benchley will find things quite reasonable. And who knows I might even have him do a few things for me – for pay."
Please let me know when you are ready to deal"
Albert Thatcher."
-0-
"And you talked to him?"
"Yes. We both did. And we found him quite reasonable. I would work for him as an investigator – because he was right. I was tired of playing dutiful daughter. The agreement I made with my mother did not stop me from seeking lawful employment after all."
"And Amos?"
"Amos also found Albert quite reasonable."
-0-
"You could put the D.A. under your power but if you ask too much of him, he will keep thinking that there is something wrong."
"You mean that Frank will have to go to jail even with my help."
"You can reduce his sentence. If he cooperates. But that is all. And I think that doing time will do him good."
"It certainly will. He almost got killed once and that did not stop from trying again."
"He cannot think that you will come to his rescue each time he screws up."
"That's reasonable."
"I am a very reasonable person."
"And one unafraid of me"
"From what Frank told me, you are a reasonable person too, and behave in sensible ways. Yes. I think that I can deal with you."
-0-
"Frank was not happy when Amos told him that he still had to do time."
-0-
"When that notebook comes out…"
"But it will not come out. Not until you ask Thatcher for it. And I will make sure you never ask."
"No!"
"Look into my eyes, Frank."
"No! You cannot make me!"
"But I can. Look into my eyes."
"It isn't right!"
"What isn't right is you bringing in drugs after you almost got yourself and Wendy killed. It is time you behaved responsibly. Look into my eyes. I can overpower you if you attempt to fight me. Just relax and let me feed."