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t looking into a bus excursion that could…
All of a sudden she realized that a strange man was standing before her desk。
〃Good gracious！〃 Marge quickly turned down the sound on the television。 〃Young man； you startled me。〃 It was that man in the black suit she'd seen out and about recently。
〃My apologies；〃 the man replied in a voice redolent of mint juleps； pralines； and cypress trees。 He gave a formal little bow； then stood before her； hands at his sides。 He had slender； tapered fingers with nails that…she noticed with some surprise…were subtly but very professionally manicured。
〃Don't apologize；〃 she said。 〃Just don't be sneaking up on a body like that。 Now； what can I do you for？〃
The man nodded toward the coupons。 〃I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time。〃
Marge barked out a laugh。 〃Hah！ A bad time！ That's a good one。〃 She pushed the coupons to one side。 〃Mr。 Stranger； you have myun divided attention。〃
〃I must apologize again；〃 the man said。 〃I've neglected to introduce myself。 The name's Pendergast。〃
Marge suddenly remembered the article in the paper。 〃Of course。 You're that fellow from down south who's looking into the murder。 I could tell you weren't from around here； of course。 Not talking like that； you aren't。〃
She looked at him with fresh curiosity。 He was rather tall； with hair so blond it was almost white； and he returned her look with pale eyes full of mild inquisitiveness。 Although he was slender； he gave no sense of being frail； quite the opposite； really； although his suit was so unrelievedly black it was hard to tell。 He was really very attractive； in a Southern fort kind of way。
〃Nice to meet you； Mr。 Pendergast；〃 she said。 〃I'd offer you a seat； but this swivel chair of mine's the only one。 The people who e here aren't usually inclined to stay very long。〃 She barked another laugh。
〃And why is that； Mrs。 Tealander？〃 The question was phrased so politely that Marge didn't notice he already knew her name。
〃Why do you think？ Unless you happen to be partial to paying taxes and filling out forms； of course。〃
〃Yes； of course。 I do see。〃 The man named Pendergast took a step forward。 〃Mrs。 Tealander； it's my understanding that…〃
〃Five hundred dollars；〃 Marge interrupted。
The man paused。 〃Pardon me？〃
〃Nothing。〃 Marge pulled her eyes from the now…silent TV。
〃It's my understanding that you are the keeper of public records for Medicine Creek。〃
Marge nodded。 〃That's right。〃
〃And that you function as town administrator。〃
〃A part…time job。 Very part…time； these days。〃
〃That you run the public works department。〃
〃Oh； that just means keeping tabs on Henry Fleming； who drives the snow plow and changes the bulbs in the streetlamps。〃
〃And that you levy real estate taxes。〃
〃Yes； andthat's the reason I don't get invited to Klick Rasmussen's canasta parties。〃
Pendergast paused again for a moment。 〃So one could say that； in essence； you run Medicine Creek。〃
Marge grinned widely。 〃Young man； I couldn't have put it better myself。 Of course； Sheriff Hazen and Art Ridder might not share your view。〃
〃We'll leave them to their own opinion； then。〃
〃Man alive； Iknew it！〃 Marge's eyes had strayed back to the television； and with an effort she returned them to her guest。
Pendergast slipped a leather wallet from his jacket pocket。 〃Mrs。 Tealander；〃 he said； opening it to display the gold shield inside； 〃you're aware that I'm an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation？〃
〃That's what they said over at the Hair Apparent。〃
〃I would like to get a better； shall we say；bureaucratic perspective on the people of Medicine Creek。 What they do； where they live； what their economic status might be。 That manner of thing。〃
〃Then you've e to the right place。 I know everything legal there is to know about every blessed soul in town。〃
Pendergast waved one hand。 〃Technically； of course； such an inquiry requires a warrant。〃
〃Where do you think you are； young man？ Great Bend？ Wichita； maybe？ I'm not going to stand on ceremony with an officer of the law。 Besides； we've got no secrets here。 At least； none that would interest you。〃
〃Then you see no difficulty in； ah； making me better acquainted with the inhabitants。〃
〃Mr。 Pendergast； I've got nothing on my calendar until August twenty…second； when I have to type up the property tax bills for the fourth quarter。〃
Pendergast glided a little closer to the desk。 〃Let's hope it doesn't take quite that long。〃
Another bark of laughter。 〃Take that long！ Hoo…eee！Man alive； that's a good one。〃
Marge turned her swivel chair to the back wall of the office； where an old…fashioned safe stood。 It was massive and decorated around the edges with faded gold leaf。 Aside from the desk and a small bookshelf； it was the only article of furniture in the room。 She twirled its large central dial back and forth； entering the bination； then grasped the handle and pulled the iron door open。 Inside was a smaller box； closed with a padlock。 She unlocked the padlock with a key that she drew from around her neck。 Reaching inside； she removed an even smaller； wooden box。 Then she turned around in her swivel chair again and placed it on the desk between herself and Pendergast。
〃There you go；〃 she said； patting the little box with satisfaction。 〃Where do you want to start？〃
Pendergast looked at the box。 〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃I said； where do you want to start？〃
〃Do you mean to tell me that…〃 For a very brief moment； the man's face seemed to go pletely blank before once again assuming its look of casual curiosity。
〃What； did you think it took a puter to run a town the size of Medicine Creek？ I've got everything I need right in this little box。 And what isn't there is up here。〃 She tapped her temple。 〃Look； I'll show you。〃 She opened the box； drew out an index card by random。 It contained perhaps a dozen lines of neat handwriting； followed by a row of numbers； a couple of squiggles and symbols； and a few stickers of various colors： red； yellow； green。 〃You see？〃 she said； waving it under Pendergast's nose。 〃This is the card of Dale Estrem； the cranky young farmer。 His father was a cranky old farmer。 And his grandfather…well； we won't mentionhim。 Dale and the rest of those troublemakers in the Farmer's Co…operative； always standing in the way of progress。 See； it shows here that he's two quarters behind in his taxes； that his oldest kid had to repeat ninth grade； that his septic tank's not in pliance with the code； and that he's applied for farm relief seven years out of the last seven。〃 She clucked disapprovingly。
Pendergast looked from her； to the card； and back to her again。 〃I see；〃 he said。
〃I've got ninety…three cards here； one for each family in Medicine Creek and in the unincorporated areas around it。 I could talk for an hour on each； maybe two hours if necessary。〃 Marge felt herself growing excited。 It wasn't every day that somebody official took an interest in her records。 And with Rocky passed on； God knows； she had precious few people to chat with。 〃I promise； you'll know all there is to know about Medicine Creek when I'm done with you。〃
This was greeted by a profound silence。
〃Of course；〃 Pender