Webber had his finger on the telephone’s cutoff button. “I don’t think so,” he said politely, with a wink. “Government business, okay?”
Mulder couldn’t believe it when the woman suddenly grinned. “Sure. Why not?”
Pancakes and women, he thought; the guy’s got it made.
The major was in.
But it didn’t look to Mulder as if he’d be there very long.
The office was a two-room suite on the second floor. When Mulder ushered the others in ahead of him, he saw a handful of packed cartons against one wall, and an empty bookcase behind what he assumed was Tonero’s secretary’s desk. The door to the inner office was open, and he gestured the others silent as he approached it. He could see the major standing in the middle of the room, back to the door, speaking quietly but angrily to someone seated at his desk.
“Damnit, Rosie, I don’t give a damn who—” He turned and saw Mulder, and forced a smile. “My goodness, Agent Mulder, what is this, a raid?” He laughed as he shook Mulder’s hand and nodded to the others.
The person behind the desk was Dr. Elkhart.
Mindful of protocol and egos, Mulder allowed Tonero to direct the conversation, politely answering questions about his health while he noticed that Dr. Elkhart, in a lab coat, was not as composed as she wanted him to think. Although she sat back in the major’s chair, her legs crossed, her hands on the armrests, her cheeks were lightly flushed, and her attempt at a bland expression was nearly a total failure.
She was, he thought, royally pissed off.
What, he wondered next, is wrong with this picture?
“It’s a real tragedy about Carl,” Tonero said, stepping back to perch on the edge of his desk, ignoring Elkhart completely. “I want you to know that I am not going to rest until this matter is solved.”
“I appreciate that, Major,” Mulder said, sensing rather that seeing Scully take a chair just behind and to his left, while Webber and Andrews flanked the door. It was a large room, but their positions and attitude now made it seem much smaller. “I can assure you that we’re not going to let it rest either.”
He smiled quickly.
Dr. Elkhart uncrossed her legs.
“Well, good!” Tonero smiled purposefully at each of them in turn before rubbing his hands briskly together. “And what can I do to help?”
Mulder raised his eyebrows—Gee, sir, I’m not really sure—and glanced at Scully as if looking for guidance before facing the major again. “Well, I guess you could tell me what your project has to do with goblins.”
Tonero sputtered into a laugh that proved he could appreciate a good joke when he heard one; but the laugh faded into a scowl when neither Mulder nor the others joined him. His back straightened; his expression became somber.
“I’m sorry, Agent Mulder, but what we do here is classified. I’m sure you understand.”
“I do, believe me,” he answered agreeably. “The DoD can be pretty tough sometimes.”
“Absolutely. Now—” He waved one hand to indicate the closing and packing he had to do. “As you can see, we’re being transferred — the orders came just this morning — and we’re in a hell of a mess.” A look over his shoulder that Dr. Elkhart ignored. “Dr. Tymons — you may recall meeting him yesterday — seems to have gone ahead without telling us, so it’s kind of hectic around here at the moment.”
He stepped forward, with the intention of easing the agents back into the outer room.
Mulder sidestepped around him, his right hand brushing across the edge of the desk before he leaned on it and turned his head. “Dr. Elkhart, where were you last night? I don’t know, about nine?”
Elkhart started, and blinked. “What?”
“Last night,” he repeated.
“Now look here, Agent Mulder,” Tonero snapped. “Dr. Elkhart is one of our most—”
“Home,” the woman answered, crossing her legs again. “I was home. Watching TV.” Her smile was crooked. “Why, Agent Mulder? Am I a suspect?”
Mulder matched the smile, didn’t answer the question as he turned his back to her. “And you, Major?”
“How—” Tonero’s face darkened. “What do you think you’re doing? Do you know who—”
“Chameleons,” said Scully mildly from her chair.
“Lizards,” Elkhart responded immediately, not quite as mildly. “Not, I’m afraid, from the goblin family.”
“Goblins?” The major’s voice rose. “Goblins? What are you talking about? What does some old woman’s rantings have to do with my cousin’s murder?”
Mulder shrugged. “I don’t know, Major. But just as you have to explore all possibilities within the scope of your projects, so do we, in murder investigations.” He turned to Scully. “Do you think we should come back later? I think they’re in a hurry.”
Scully agreed and headed for the door with the others.
Mulder, however, didn’t move. “Major, can I assume you’ll be around later this afternoon? Just in case?” He scanned the room. “Looks like you have a lot of work left here. And in your project office, too, I would guess.”
“Absolutely, absolutely.” Tonero moved again, and this time Mulder gave way. “Just call ahead, if you don’t mind. I have—” He gave Mulder a brief martyred look. “Superiors, if you know what I mean. This relocation makes them nervous.”
“I’ll bet,” Mulder said. “Nice to talk to you again, Dr. Elkhart,” and was gone before the woman could reply.
Once in the silent corridor, the door closed firmly behind them, he held up a palm to keep the others from talking, then checked left, toward the elevator bank, before looking in the opposite direction, where he saw another, single elevator. A snap of his fingers sent Webber there on the silent run, and a sign that told him there was no button to push.
“Well?” Andrews demanded when they reached the lobby.
“Well,” Mulder said, “they sure don’t make majors like they used to.” He took his left hand out of his pocket and held out his palm, showing them the key ring he’d lifted from the major’s desk.
“Not a word, Scully,” he said lightly when she began to object. He told Webber and Andrews to get back to town and track down Aaron Noel, Barney’s bartender, to see if the man knew how close Pierce and Ulman had been, and if Barelli had been in asking questions.
“And find out where that dispatcher—”
“Vincent,” Webber said.
“Right. Find out where she was last night, what time she came home. You know the drill.”
“What about you?”
Mulder shrugged. “If we leave now, whatever this key takes us to will be gone before we get back. We’re going to snoop around a little.”
“But isn’t that against—”
Mulder hushed him with a look and hurried outside with them.
The post looked deserted.
Nothing moved but a light rain that shifted now and then as a light wind passed through it.
He opened the door for Andrews, then stood back and wondered what the mighty Douglas would say when he found out that the other car was Swiss cheese and useless. He could see Webber and Licia arguing heatedly inside, but with the windows up, he couldn’t hear a word.
He almost intervened, rolled his eyes and changed his mind. That woman will be the death of me yet, he thought, and wished they’d be gone. Now. He wanted to be sure; he didn’t want them suddenly turning up again.
The car jerked forward a few feet and stalled.
He smiled gamely and decided to get inside before he added pneumonia to his ills. He mimed giving the car a push with one foot, waved when Webber saw him in the rearview mirror, and trotted back to the lobby when the engine fired and held. The receptionist was clearly puzzled, but he assured her they had only forgotten something in Major Tonero’s office and would be gone before she knew it.