Partners in Crime Read Free Page B

time in jail than you have, protesting the war in Vietnam, nuclear power, the exploitation of migrant farm workers, environmental polluters, everything. He had very strong principles.”
    “Had?” Sandy prodded gently.
    “He died a little over a month ago,” she said bleakly, pain still shadowing her eyes. “He was in a freak car crash in upstate New York. And now Tremaine’s planning to take his titanium coating process and sell it to the highest bidder. Do you know who the highest bidders are?”
    “I can imagine.”
    “It’ll either be the Defense Department of this country or one even worse. And that would betray everything Richard ever believed in. I can’t let Tremaine do it, I just can’t!”
    “What did Tremaine say?”
    “The same old garbage he’s always said.” Her voice was bitter. “That he understands my feelings in the matter but there’s nothing he can do about it. He insists Richard never signed a contract restricting the use of his inventions to peaceful applications. And he says as soon as things get settled he’ll take the best offer he can get.”
    “Hold on a minute,” Sandy protested. “What things does he have to settle? I’d think it would be a fairly straightforward transaction.”
    “I would have thought so, too. But something’s holding it up. He wanted access to Richard’s apartment, but of course I refused. Not that there’s anything useful in there, but I wasn’t about to give him anything.”
    “Who’s Richard’s heir?”
    “I am. Our parents are dead.”
    “Then anything in his apartment should legally belong to you.”
    She gave him an irritated look. “You’ve been hanging around your lawyer too long. I thought of that. Don’t you think I’ve checked into every possible legal alternative? Richard’s possessions belong to me, Richard’s work belongs to Technocracies. I have no legal claim on the formula.”
    “If Richard did sign a contract stipulating his work was only to be used for peaceful purposes, wouldn’t there be a copy of it among his private papers?”
    “I’ve searched through everything a dozen times. Richard wasn’t the most practical of men. He probably wrapped the garbage in it or something. Not that he was practical enough to even wrap his garbage.”
    Sandy had long ago forgotten to look at his watch. “So what is it you want to torch?”
    Jane took a deep breath. “Richard’s lab at Technocracies. I’d rather have no one use the formula than to have it get in the wrong hands, and I know Richard would agree with me. You’re good at that sort of thing, aren’t you? Minimizing the damage, making sure no one gets hurt.”
    “It would be a waste of time. For one thing, the lab is on Tremaine’s home turf. Anything useful in the place would have been gotten out long ago. You’d just be destroying useless information.”
    “You have any alternatives?”
    “Of course,” he said, leaning back in the uncomfortable little chair. “We can find out what’s holding up the sale of the formula. It must be a damned good reason. There are rumors that Technocracies Limited is in financial trouble. Tremaine would want a fresh infusion of money as soon as he could get it. We might also be able to find a copy of your brother’s contract with the stipulation that his inventions be used for peaceful purposes.”
    “I thought you’d never heard of Technocracies?”
    Sandy didn’t even blink. “The name didn’t ring a bell until you started describing it. Er... my lawyer mentioned something about their troubles. If we can find out what’s holding up the sale we can turn it to our advantage.”
    “You aren’t, by any chance, talking about blackmail?” She was carefully folding the crumpled paper napkin on her tray, refusing to meet his eyes, and he watched her hands, the short, well-shaped nails, long, graceful fingers, narrow palms. There was no sign of a wedding band, but he suspected that hadn’t always been the case.
    “You think