He was almost nineteen. He’d be off to college in three weeks. Without a car. His father said no car while he was a freshman.
Young Trevayne laughed to himself. His father was right. There was no earthly reason why he should have a car. He didn’t want to travel first class; not that way.
He was about to cross the street to the drugstore and telephone his date when a police car pulled up to the curb in front of him.
«You Steven Trevayne?» asked the patrolman at the near window.
«Yes, sir.» The young man was apprehensive; the policeman spoke curtly.
«Get in.»
«Why? What’s the matter? I’m just standing here …»
«You got a sister named Pamela?»
«Yes. Yes, I do. I’m waiting for her.»
«She won’t make it down here. Take my word for it. Get in.»
«What’s the matter?»
«Look, fella, we can’t reach your folks; they’re in New York. Your sister said you’d be down here, so we came after you. We’re doing you both a favor. Now, get in!»
The young man pulled open the back door of the car and got in quickly. «Was there an accident? Is she all right?»
«It’s always an accident, isn’t it?» said the policeman who was driving.
Steven Trevayne gripped the back of the front seat. He was frightened now. «Please, tell me what happened!»
«Your sister and a couple of girl friends started out with a pot party,» answered the other patrolman. «At the Swansons’ guest house. The Swansons are in Maine … naturally. We got a tip about an hour ago. When we got there, we found it was a little more complicated.»
«What do you mean?»
«That was the accident, young fellow,» interjected the driver. «Hard stuff. The accident was that we found it.»
Steven Trevayne was stunned. His sister may have had a stick now and then—who hadn’t?—but nothing hard. That was out.
«I don’t believe you,» he said emphatically.
«You’ll see for yourself.»
The patrol car turned left at the next corner. It was not the way to Police Headquarters.
«Aren’t they at the station?»
«They’re not booked. Not yet.»
«I don’t understand.»
«We don’t want any story out. If they’re booked, we can’t control it. They’re still at the Swansons’.»
«Are the parents there?»
«We told you, we haven’t been able to reach them,» answered the driver. «The Swansons are in Maine; your folks are in town.»
«You said there were others. Girl friends.»
«Out-of-staters. Friends from boarding school. We want the local parents first on this one. We’ve got to be careful. For everyone’s sake. You see, we found two packages of uncut heroin. An educated guess would put the price around a quarter of a million dollars.»
Andrew Trevayne took his wife’s elbow as they walked up the short flight of concrete steps to the rear door of the Greenwich Police Station. It had been agreed that they would use this entrance.
The introductions were polite, abrupt, and the Trevaynes were ushered into a Detective Fowler’s office. Their son was standing by a window and walked rapidly to his parents the moment they entered the door.
«Mom! Dad!… This is a bunch of crap!»
«Just calm down, Steve,» said the father sternly.
«Is Pam all right?»
«Yes, Mother. She’s fine. They’re still at the Swansons’. She’s just confused. They’re all confused, and I don’t blame them one goddamned bit!»
«I said cool it!»
«I’m perfectly calm, Dad. I’m just angry. Those kids don’t know what uncut horse is, much less how or where to sell it!»
«Do you?» asked Detective Fowler impersonally.
«I’m not the issue, cop!»
«I’ll tell you once more, Steve, get hold of yourself or shut up!»
«No, I won’t!… I’m sorry, Dad, but I won’t! These jokers got a phone tip to check out the Swansons’. No name, no reason. They …»
«Just a second, young man!» broke in the police officer. «We’re not jokers and I would advise you not to use that kind of language!»
«He’s right,» added Trevayne. «I’m sure Mr. Fowler can explain what happened. What was this phone call, Mr. Fowler? You didn’t mention it when we spoke.»
«Dad! He won’t tell you!»
«I don’t know!… That’s the truth, Mr. Trevayne. At seven-ten this evening the desk got a phone call that there was some grass at the Swansons’; that we should look into it because there was a lot more involved. The caller was male, spoke with kind of a … well, high-toned speech. Your daughter was the only one mentioned by name. We followed it up… Four kids. They admitted sharing a single cigarette between them during the last hour or so. It was no party. Frankly, the patrolman suggested we forget it. But by the time they radioed in their report, we’d gotten another call. Same voice. Same person. This time we were told to look in the milk box on the Swansons’ guest-house porch. We found the two packages of heroin. Uncut; we figure two hundred, two hundred and fifty thousand. That’s a lot of involvement.»
«It’s also the most transparent, trumped-up incrimination I’ve ever heard of. It’s completely unbelievable.» Trevayne looked at his watch. «My attorney should be here within a half-hour; I’m sure he’ll tell you the same thing. Now, I’ll stay and wait, but I know my wife would like to go out to the Swansons’. Is that all right with you?»
The detective sighed audibly. «It’s fine.»
«Do you need my son any longer? May he drive her?»
«Sure.»
«Can we take her home?» asked Phyllis Trevayne anxiously. «Take all of them back to our house?»
«Well, there are certain formalities …»
«Never mind, Phyl. Go on out to the Swansons’. We’ll call you as soon as Walter gets here. Don’t worry. Please.»
«Dad, shouldn’t I stay? I can tell Walter …»
«I want you to go with your mother. The keys are in the car. Now, go on.»
Trevayne and Detective Fowler watched the two of them leave. When the door was shut, Trevayne reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. He offered one to the police officer, who refused.
«No, thanks. I eat pistachio nuts instead these days.»
«Good for you. Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about? You don’t believe there’s any connection between that heroin and those girls any more than I do.»
«Why don’t I? It’s a very expensive connection.»
«Because if you did, you’d have them down here and booked. Precisely because it is expensive. You’re handling the entire situation in a very unorthodox manner.»
«Yes, I am.» Fowler walked around his desk and sat down. «And you’re right, I don’t believe there’s a connection. On the other hand, I can’t dismiss it. Circumstantially, it’s explosive; I don’t have to tell you that.»
«What are you going to do?»
«This’ll surprise you, but I may be guided by your attorney.»
«Which reinforces my statement.»
«Yes, it does. I don’t think we’re on opposite sides, but I’ve got problems. We’ve got the evidence; I certainly can’t ignore it. On the other hand, the manner of our getting it raises questions. I can’t legally hang it on the kids—not considering everything …»
«I’d have you in court on false arrest. That could be expensive.»
«Oh, come on, Mr. Trevayne. Don’t threaten. Legally, those girls, including your daughter, admitted using marijuana. That’s against the law. But it’s minor, and we wouldn’t press it. The other is something else. Greenwich doesn’t want that kind of publicity; and a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of uncut heroin is a lot of publicity. We don’t want a Darien here.»