by Stan Jones
"Where'ditgethim?"
"In the Adam's apple." Active stared at the commander.
"In the Adam's apple. You mean, just like ..."
Active raised his eyebrows in the Inupiat yes. "Yep, they all three accidentally shot themselves in the same spot."
"So Jermain and GeoNord, they had nothing to do with it?"
Active shook his head and watched as the wheels turned in Carnaby's head. Case wrapped and ribboned like a Christmas present, GeoNord clear of any involvement with murder. And the federal grand jury finally crawling up Senator Howell's leg in Anchorage. Would even the Super Trooper find reason to rock this boat?
Finally, Carnaby spoke, very carefully. "Nathan, if you will give me your personal word that this string of . . . ah . . . accidents is over, I suppose the case can stay closed. And we can forget about the suspension."
"You have my word," Active said. "I owe you."
"Then we're even, I guess." Carnaby shook his head and leaned back in his big chair. "But what really ...," he started, then apparently thought better of it. "You want to hit the Dragon for some Szechuan? Alaska Airlines's peanuts didn't quite fill me up."
Active nodded and they started for the hall. Carnaby stopped suddenly, cocked an ear at Evelyn O'Brien's radio, then turned it up.
". . . has announced a seventy-five-million-dollar plan to clean up pollution problems at the Gray Wolf mine," Roger Kennelly was saying. "Michael Jermain, chief engineer for the mine, said the improvements will see the Gray Wolf into the next decade and also help reduce the natural mineral seeps that have been blamed for fish kills in the Nuliakuk River. In addition, Jermain said, this reflects GeoNord's continued commitment to the mine and the jobs it provides for residents of the Chukchi region. Jermain also announced the company is starting a college scholarship program in honor of Tom Werner, whose death two days ago has just been ruled accidental by the Alaska State Troopers. Jermain said the scholarships will go to..."
Carnaby stared at him. "Anything else I should know here, Nathan?"
"You're my boss and my friend, so I'll tell you if you want." Active spread his arms and turned up his palms. "But sometimes it's better not to know the details."
Carnaby stared into his eyes as if trying to decode the answer from his retinal patterns. Finally the Super Trooper shrugged and reached down to turn off the radio. "Ah, let's go get the Szechuan and I'll tell you what Bobbi Jean said after they picked her up in Vegas the other night."
