Nightwork

I nearly said the Hotel St Augustine, then gave him the address on East Eighty-first Street. It was as permanent as anything else and if Interpol, or whoever it might be, inquired, at least they couldn't accuse me of lying.

'Profession?' The police officer kept his head down as he laboriously wrote in his pad. 'Private investor,' I said briskly. 'Bank?'

From the expression on his face I knew that sooner or later I would have to explain this more fully.

The water was getting deep. 'Union Bank of Switzerland. Zurich.' I thanked Miles Fabian in my heart as I said this for having insisted on our opening separate accounts in each of our names there for what he called walking-around money. In America?'

'I've given up banking in America,' I said. 'I'm considering moving to Europe. The economy...'

'Have you ever been arrested before?' The police officer said. 'Now, see here,' I appealed to the assistant manager. 'I'm a guest in this hotel. It's supposed to be one of the best hotels in Europe. I don't have to answer insulting questions like that.'

'It is only standard police procedure.' The button on the assistant manager's coat was almost off by now. 'It is not personal. Others are being questioned, too.'

The policeman didn't look up from his pad, writing and talking at the same time.

'You know Mr Miles Fabian, don't you?' I said.

'Of course. Mr Fabian is an old and honored guest of ours,' said the assistant manager.

'Well, he's my good friend. Why don't you call him and ask him about me?'

The assistant manager spoke in swift German. The police officer nodded and said, 'Before haff you ever been arrested?'

'No, by God!'

'One thing more.' The police officer stood up. 'I would like your passport.'

'What do you need my passport for?'

'To make sure you remain in Switzerland, Hen" Grimes.'

'What if I don't give my passport?'

"Then other measures I would have to take. Like confining you. Swiss prisons are of a good reputation. But they are still prisons.'

'Please, Mr Grimes,' the assistant manager said.

I went over to my wallet and took out my passport. 'I am going to see a lawyer,' I said to Officer Brugelmann, as I gave him the passport.

'You are at liberty,' he said, stuffing the passport into an inside pocket of his black coat. 'Please, keep yourself free for other questions. I belieff that iss all for the moment.' He nodded, working the stiff hinge of his powerful cantonal neck, and went out.

The assistant manager wrung his hands. 'I offer you the sincere apologies of the management This is terribly embarrassing for all of us.'

'Us?' I said. I had no intention of making things easy for him.

'It is these careless rich women,' he said. 'They have no idea of the value of money. They leave eighty thousand dollars worth of jewelry in the train and then there is hysteria for days while we try to recover it. Luckily, we are in Switzerland ...'

'You have no idea how lucky I feel to be in Switzerland, brother,' I said. I now regretted bitterly the option we had taken on the land for the condominium the day before.

'Anything the management can do, Mr Grimes...' the assistant manager said piously. 'We will leave no stone unturned.'

'The management can get my passport back,' I said. 'That's what the management can do. I want to leave the country.

'Fast.'

'I understand.' He bowed. 'The foehn is blowing.'' He touched his forehead as though ascertaining the degree of fever he was running. 'The south wind. Everybody behaves curiously. Let me say something personal, Mr Grimes. I, myself, do not believe you are a criminal.'

'Thanks,' I said.

'Enjoy your day's skiing,' he said automatically.

'I'll do my best,' I said.

He backed out, twisting at his button.

* * *

Fabian was waiting for me in front of the bank in his dapper Tyrolean outfit. He was as healthy-looking as ever and no one could have suspected that he had sat up half the night losing thirty thousand dollars. He smiled charmingly as I walked up to him, then frowned at what must have been the expression on my face. I say, old man, is something wrong?' he said.

I didn't know where to begin, so I said, 'Everything is dandy.'

'I heard about Eunice. Leaving. I mean. I imagine that was a blow to you.' He was the essence of discreet sympathy,

'First things first.' I said. 'Let's do our banking.' I would discuss Eunice with him another time, when I had cooled down and there was no danger that I would hit him on the jaw.

'Sorry about, that,' he said, as he took me by the elbow and guided me into the bank. 'Sloane had a lifetime's worth of luck last night. I gave him an IOU. He wants it all in cash. I promised it by four this afternoon. I’ve already called Zurich to send it over, but there are certain formalities...' He shrugged. 'Swiss bankers.'