“A different case,” the other policeman insisted. “An entirely different case, as I’ve maintained all along.” He turned to Sassi, saying, “There’s been some controversy over a different set of criminals active the same day you were kidnapped. There are those, like my friend here, who insisted the two gangs were both involved in the same affair.”
“Then what were the carpet thieves after?” demanded the first policeman.
The second policeman looked condescendingly at him. “A carpet, I should think.”
The first policeman puffed out a lot of pipe smoke.
Kelly said, “It’s getting late, it’s after ten o’clock. I have to get my fiancée home.”
The second policeman said, “There’ll be reporters on their way, you know. Photographers. Wouldn’t you like to stay and talk to them?”
“No,” said Kelly. He floundered for a second, then said, “My parents, uh, they don’t know anything about my, uh, my fiancée.”
“Ah,” said the policeman.
“I’d rather they didn’t know,” Kelly said. “Until the marriage.”
“Of course,” said the policeman. “You’d like us to downplay your part in the affair.”
Kelly nodded. “Yes,” he said.
“I think that could be arranged,” the policeman said. He looked at the other two. “Don’t you think so?”
Adjusting their ties, smoothing their hair, they both said they thought so.
Kelly got to his feet, holding Jigger’s hand, and she stood beside him. “Well,” he said. “I guess we’ll be off, then. Goodbye, Miss Manoon. It was certainly a pleasure to meet you.”
Sassi smiled, no more than the situation warranted, and said, “You were lifesavers, you and your friends.”
Frank and Robby were on their feet now, looking modest and pleased. Frank said, “Shucks, ma’am, we didn’t do anything.”
“I won’t forget what you’ve all done for me,” Sassi said.
Everybody shook hands all around, and then Kelly and Jigger and Frank and Robby left, walking by helicopter light down to the dinghy, rowing out to Nothing Ventured IV, driving the ship slowly out of the cove and out to sea.
Sassi Manoon stood at the front window, watching the lights of the small ship disappear. One of the policemen stood beside her, and after a moment he said, “You know, Miss Manoon, it’s young people like that give me hope for the future.”
“Me, too,” said Sassi Manoon.