Kerman grinned feebly.
‘Don’t drive it into the ground,’ he pleaded. ‘A guy’s got to live…’
‘Come right in, Tim,’ I said, taking my feet off the desk. ‘I was hoping you’d look us up. Sit down. Hey, Jack, quit lying. and get the Lieutenant a whisky.’
‘That’s about all he’s any good at,’ Paula said tartly.
‘Nice to hear I’ve even that to my credit,’ Kernian said bitterly.
He rolled off the couch and busied himself with glasses, while Mifflin lowered his bulk into a chair opposite my desk.
‘Thought you’d want to know how it worked out,’ he said. ‘It’s been some day. Brandon’s having fits.’ He blew out his cheeks. We had no trouble with Serena. She talked. It’s a funny thing: once a woman really lets herself go, can she talk!’
‘Men aren’t exactly backward in that line either,’ Paula reminded him gently.
He winked at me as he stretched out his hand for the whisky Kerman had poured him.
‘This is going to do me a lot of good,’ he said, sipped and sighed appreciatively. ‘Yeah, very nice, and I certainly need it. Francon has taken over Serena’s defence. He had a lucky break. He was with Perelli when I brought her in. The way he switched from Perelli to her made me dizzy. Perelli was released about an hour ago. Brandon hated letting him out, but there was nothing else he could do after he’d listened to Serena. Perelli tells me he’s coming round to see you as soon as he’s located his girl friend. He said something about a celebration.’