desk. âKaren, itâs always a pleasure to see you,â he said, and from the way he said it, and the way his eyes swept over her body, I believed he was telling the truth. He took her hand and said, âYou look wonderful, as usual.â
Karen said, âThank you, Roger.â
Agnes smiled brightly, said âOkay, then,â and left the office.
âYouâve done something to your hair,â Roger said.
Karen glanced at me. âNo. I just let it blow around in the wind a bit.â
âVery becoming.â
âYouâre too kind.â
Roger led her to a chair without releasing her hand until she was safely seated. He went to his own chair and tucked himself behind his desk. His grin reminded me of one of those middle-aged guys who won something in high school and still display the trophy.
âYouâre not here on a social call, are you?â he said.
âIâm looking for Scottie Thomforde,â she said. âIs he here?â
Roger shouted, âAgnes.â Agnes poked her head into the office. âHas Scottie reported in yet?â
âNot yet,â she said. She smiled benignly as though she expected him at any moment.
âLet me know when he does.â
âYou betcha.â
âTight ship you run here, pal,â I said.
Roger looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time. âDo I know you?â he asked.
âHeâs with me,â Karen said.
âAre you going to violate Scottie?â he said. âWhy?â He was staring at me when he spoke, giving me the impression that he thought I was a cop serving a warrant. Neither Karen nor I corrected him.
âI donât know that Iâm going to do that,â Karen said.
âIâve had no problems with him,â Roger said. âHeâs gone to all the meetings. Heâs never missed a counseling session. He hasnât broken a rule.â
âI did a spot check this afternoon. He left his job around one and hasnât been seen since. Do you know where he is?â
Roger leaned back in his chair; his left hand beat a monotonous rhythm on the desktop.
âIs that a yes or a no?â I said.
âHeâs on Huber,â Roger said.
âWhatâs that mean?â
âWork release program. It allows offenders to leave the house to go to work as long as they return to the house immediately afterward. Scottieâs not supposed to leave his place of business, but you have to understandââhe was lecturing me nowââitâs our job to help prepare offenders for the outside world. We canât do that solely within these walls. You canât teach offenders how to behave in a free society unless you give them some freedom.â
Yeah, sure, my inner voice replied.
âI give Scottie thirty minutesâ travel time by bus,â Roger said, âplus an additional hourâs grace in case he has to work overtime and doesnât have a chance to call in, before I become unduly anxious.â
âWhen does Scottie get off work?â
âFive thirty.â
âAdd ninety minutes in case he wants to get his ashes hauled or score some blowââ
âThatâs unfair,â said Karen.
âAnd Scottie should be under your personal supervision no later than 7:00 P.M. Right?â
âThat is correct.â
âWhat time is it now?â
Roger glanced at the clock on the wall behind me. âSeven forty-five,â he said.
âAre you anxious yet?â
Roger slouched in his chair, disappointment etched across his face. He turned his head reluctantly and looked at Karen. âWhat do you want to do?â he asked.
âNothing, for now,â she said. âWe donât know that heâs in the wind. Maybe he was hit by a truck. You menââshe was looking at me nowâ âif you expect the worst, youâll usually find it.â
Roger shrugged. âHe could be at his
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