Chapter 30 Section Eleven

"Mr. Penny can see you now," said the receptionist. I put down the three-month-old Newsweek, which is probably the latest I have, showing how little attention I have paid to what's going on in the world.I walked through the small waiting area and into a relatively spacious office, which is pretty small for my company. The office is very plain: a wooden chair, a desk, a computer, another chair, and a fishbowl into which a fat man in glasses is lightly scattering grains.His white hair contrasted sharply with his ruddy cheeks.His blazer was off, yellow suspenders over a blue shirt.

"How's your afternoon, Mr. Denning?" "I'm afraid I'm not well. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here." Penny nodded, and his fat jaw moved slightly and quickly a few times. "Nobody ever comes to me with good news. I used to keep them to myself. By the end of the day, I was just exhausted. But then I remembered the fish tank in my dentist's office and I went to How it calms me down before drilling my teeth. These are just a common breed of goldfish. I don't know if they will help my customers, but they have worked wonders for me. You believe I used to Anxiety about carrying a hundred and forty pounds? But since I've had these fish, I've—" He stretched out his arms and gestured to his waist, "prosperous."

I had to laugh a bit. "That's spirit, Mr. Denning." Penny put down the fish food box, and sat relaxed in the chair behind the desk. "Would you like some coffee? Or a soft drink?" I shook my head saying no. He folded his arms over his fat belly and had the most sympathetic expression I've ever seen. "Then tell me how you want me to help you." I stuttered about Kate and Jason. Penny nodded. "I read it in the papers and saw it on TV, it was horrible." "My lawyer says you're the best private eye in Denver." "Maybe he doesn't know other private detectives."

"He said you worked with the FBI in the past. He said you tracked down a serial killer." "right." "He said you predicted where a gang of interstate bank robbers would next strike." "That's right." "And when did they do it. He also said you stopped a terrorist attempt in the area—" "But that's the only time it happened on the weekend." I was unprepared for the joke. "Please stop, all the flattery just makes me blush," Penney said. "I'm part of a team. We each share a piece of the job." "My lawyer said you always overdid your share."

"Did he tell you the price of all this was my first marriage, didn't he mention that a bullet in my knee forced me out of the bureau? I finally learned not to expect too much from myself. You too Expectations shouldn't be too high, Mr. Denning. I'm different only because I often see things that other people don't. You can't have false hopes in things like this, it's bad for your mental health Very important." At my wit's end, I swallowed my disappointment. "That's fair." "Then let me ask you again: How do you think I can help you?"

"Both the FBI and the police have given up." I tried to keep my voice composed. "It's been six months. I've heard of cases of disappearances, and the longer the delay, the harder it is to find the missing." All I can add is, "At least find them while they're alive." "That depends. Every case is different. Statistics are records of the past, not predictions of the future." "In other words, you have an open mind. You are exactly what I need. Make an offer. Money is no object." "Money is not an issue with me. I charge everyone the same," Penney said. "You expect me to do something that the police and the FBI can't."

"At the moment, they're not doing anything." "Probably because it was not possible to investigate further." "I refuse to believe that." "Understandable." Penny spread his hands, "but you must know that I cannot obtain the information that the FBI can use." "Of course not. You'll hear new ideas, and you can... I don't think I've made my point. I don't just want to hire you to keep investigating." "Oh?" Penny looked confused, "So what exactly do you want?" "I want you to teach me so I can continue my investigation."