Storing Up Trouble, стр. 11
“We wouldn’t have experienced any of that if you’d only had the good sense to cooperate with the robber when he asked for your bag.”
“I wasn’t giving him my bag. It’s sentimental to me, and—”
Agent Mahoney held up his hand. “While I’m sure both of you have valid points, let’s return to the satchel for a moment. What did you have that these criminals wanted?”
Norman settled his attention on Agent Mahoney. “Research papers.”
“And these papers were pertaining to what?”
“Electrical currents, or more specifically, my theory on how to rotate an electric field within a motor using an alternating current instead of a single current. I’ve recently exchanged a brass ring for a steel one because brass is not magnetized, but I’m—”
Norman stopped talking when Beatrix took to clearing her throat loudly. He frowned. “I say, Miss Waterbury, should we ask one of these men to fetch you a cup of tea? You seem to be having difficulties with your throat, no doubt brought about by how much smog is in the air today in Chicago.”
Beatrix returned the frown. “I haven’t noticed an unusual amount of pollution in the air.”
“Which is why it probably snuck up on you.” He nodded. “Unfortunately, pollution is often found in and around Chicago, what with how many ironworks and the like are operating at all hours.”
“It wasn’t the smog that had me clearing my throat.”
“Perhaps you’re coming down with a cold?”
“I’m not coming down with a cold.” She turned to Agent Mahoney. “Was there any other information you needed?”
Agent Mahoney looked up from the notes he’d been taking and smiled at Beatrix, a smile that, oddly enough, seemed to hold a trace of relief in it. “You’ve been more than helpful with your accounting of the troubling events you experienced.” He shot a glance to Norman. “As have you, of course, Mr. Nesbit.”
Norman frowned. “But I didn’t finish explaining about my research papers.”
Agent Mahoney looked at his notes, then lifted his head. “From what I could gather, they have something to do with electrical currents.”
“That hardly does my research justice.” He drew in a breath and then launched into a detailed explanation regarding his theory but was forced to stop his explanation in midsentence when Beatrix began coughing in earnest, although it almost seemed as if her coughing had a rather theatrical ring to it.
“Maybe we really should get someone to bring you a cup of tea,” he said.
Beatrix waved that aside. “I’m fine, but before you return to explaining more about your research, which sounds downright titillating, I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that none of us have the least little idea what you’re going on about.”
“I’ve made my explanations as simple as possible.”
“Which would be lovely if any of us gathered here were fluent in electrical talk, which I’m confident with saying we’re not.”
Norman nodded to Agent Mahoney. “But he asked me about the research papers.”
“True,” Beatrix said. “However, I’m going to assume he only wanted a basic description of the contents of the research, something along the lines of—‘it’s electrical in nature.’”
“That’s an insult to my research.”
She released a breath. “Agent Mahoney doesn’t need all the details. He just needs to know the gist of your research so that if he happens to retrieve a leather satchel filled with papers on electrical currents, he’ll know it’s your satchel.”
Norman blinked. “Oh.”
“Exactly,” Beatrix said, returning her attention to Agent Mahoney. “And with that now settled, was there anything else you needed from us before we conclude this meeting?”
Agent Mahoney looked through his notes again, then nodded to Norman. “I would like to know if you have any idea who might be behind the train heist. Any enemies or business associates who might want access to your research?”
Norman nodded. “Quite a few names spring to mind.”
Agent Mahoney flipped to a fresh piece of paper. “Ready when you are.”
It took exactly nine and a half minutes to rattle off the list of men Norman thought could be considered suspects, although it would have only taken seven minutes and fifty-two seconds if Beatrix hadn’t distracted him when she’d accepted a cup of tea from one of the men who’d evidently decided her throat needed soothing, no matter her protest about that. She’d smiled so easily at the man that Norman had faltered in his recitation of names, until he’d realized that Agent Mahoney was about to tuck away his list of suspects, which had immediately brought Norman back to the situation at hand and had him continuing on.
“Mr. Stephen Millersburg, who is currently working with Mr. Westinghouse, is the last gentleman I can think of who should be listed as a suspect. He was very interested in trying to secure my agreement to allow him to work with me on my research, going so far as to imply he and Mr. Westinghouse wouldn’t be opposed to paying me for what I’ve accomplished so far,” Norman finished, which had Agent Mahoney lifting his head after he’d scribbled that name on to his second-to-last sheet of blank paper.
“You’ve given me almost a hundred names,” Agent Mahoney said.
Norman shrugged. “It’s important research.”
“Then here’s hoping we’ll be able to retrieve it for you,” Agent Mahoney said.
“There’s no urgency with that,” Norman said. “I’m afraid I neglected to mention this earlier, but the research that was stolen was not my true research, merely a decoy in case someone tried to rob me. The only benefit from you being able to recover the satchel would be that it may very well lead to the culprits behind the robbery, which will then allow you to close your case.”
“But this decoy research still had something to do with electricity?” Agent Mahoney asked.
“Have a care with your questions, Agent Mahoney,” Beatrix said before Norman could respond. “Unless you’re willing to sit through another detailed explanation of how he purposefully