“Sounds sort of like My Fair Lady,” said Roy.

“With a critical difference,” answered Abe. “The connection to their present world will not be severed. They will have full contact and indeed we will encourage that contact with their present life. The goal of the program is to foster and then spread hope. These folks will serve as ambassadors of hope, if you will.”

“But no one can afford to do internships like that for everybody living in poverty,” said Mace. “Not even you. So aren’t you spreading false hope?”

Altman smiled. “What you say is true. No one person can afford to lift all the folks that need help and place them in a different world. But if for every person we help it inspires just one other person to break out of the cycle of disempowerment they’re currently in, the benefits can be immeasurably positive. Then we have ten people outside the program who in turn can inspire others. What that also does is gain the attention of government. And government does have the financial wherewithal to help large numbers of people.”

“Our government is pretty tapped out right now,” noted Roy.

“But any government’s greatest resource is its citizens. Most studies conclude that less than half the adult population in this country is achieving its potential. If you want to equate that to financial terms, we’re speaking of trillions of lost dollars per year. Now, even the cynical folks in D.C. would sit up and take notice of numbers like that. And beyond the government you have the private sector that is constantly complaining that they can’t get decent help to fill their job requirements. I have to tell you that some of the most creative and quick-thinking people of my acquaintance are sitting in jail right now. For some folks they see justice in that. For me, I see wasted opportunity. I can’t make every criminal into a law-abiding citizen. But if I can make even twenty percent of them choose another path that would enable them to contribute to society instead of detracting from it, it would have an enormously beneficial impact.”

“You’re definitely an optimist, Abe,” said Mace. “I agree that a lot of bandits are smart and savvy and could probably run circles around a lot of business types, but what you’re talking about doing is a tall order.”

“I’ve lived my entire life through rose-colored glasses of sorts. Sometimes I’m right and sometimes I’m wrong, but I keep trying because I believe it’s worth it.”

“But I’ve been out of the loop for a couple of years. I’m not sure how much help I’d be to you.”

“I have no credibility with the people who live in those areas. I realize that. But you do. With you I really believe I can make a difference.” Altman took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief. “So are you amenable to such an arrangement?”

“Well, I don’t have-”

Roy cut in. “So what sort of pay are we talking here? And benefits?”

Altman’s eyes twinkled. “Now I understand why your friend is here.”

“I’m not really good with business stuff,” explained Mace quickly.

“I completely understand. Well, your salary will be three thousand a week, plus full health care, transportation, a reasonable expense account, and room and board. The project will last about a year, I would assume. So that would be about a hundred sixty-five thousand dollars as a base salary. And if the project is successful there will be more work to do at similar compensatory levels.”

Roy looked at Mace and she looked back at him.

“I think the salary is adequate,” Roy finally said, while Mace nodded vigorously in agreement.

She said, “I already have transportation, but you said room and board?”

“Hours for this sort of venture will be irregular. Much better if you stayed here at the guesthouse. It’s behind the gymnasium complex.”

“Gymnasium complex?” asked Roy. “The big building on the left coming in?”

“Yes, it has a full-size basketball court, weightlifting and cardio room, sauna, whirlpool, thirty-meter indoor pool, and a full kitchen and relaxation room.”

“A full-size indoor basketball court?” said Roy.

“Yes. I never played the game in school but it has always fascinated me and I love to watch it. Ever since moving to this area decades ago I’ve been a huge Maryland Terrapins fan. I almost never miss a home game, and have attended the last thirty-seven ACC tournaments.” Altman studied Roy. “You look familiar to me now.”

“I played point for UVA about eight years ago.”

Altman clapped his hands together. “Roy Kingman, of course! You were the one who beat us in the ACC finals.”

“Well, I had a lot of help from my teammates.”

“Let me see, thirty-two points, fourteen assists, seven rebounds, and three steals. And with six-tenths of a second left you drove to the basket, made a reverse layup, drew the foul, calmly made the free throw, and we lost by one.”

“Pretty awesome memory, Abe.”

Altman turned to Mace. “So will you do it?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent.” He pulled a key from his pocket and tossed it to Mace. “The key to the guesthouse. Taped to it is the gate code. Do you have a cell phone?”

“Uh, no.”

He opened a drawer, pulled out a cell phone, and handed it to her. “Now you do. Would you like to see where you’ll be staying?”

They drove over in a golf cart. The guesthouse was set next to a small spring-fed pond. It was like a miniature of the main house and its level of comfort and the quality of the furnishings and amenities was beyond anything Mace had ever experienced.

Roy looked around at the large, open spaces. “How big is this place?”

“Oh, about six thousand square feet, I suppose. Bill and his family stayed here while their new home was being built.”

Roy said, “My condo is twelve hundred square feet.”

“My cell was eight by eight,” said Mace.

As they rode back to the main house, Altman said, “It’s funny, you know.”

“What’s that?” said Roy, who was sitting in the backseat of the four-person cart.

“Growing up in Omaha with him, I never thought Warren Buffett would ever amount to much.”

“People said the same thing about me,” Mace quipped.

CHAPTER 19

WHAT YOU’RE DOING is a mistake.”

Beth had changed from her uniform into sweats. She’d pumped some dumbbells and done a half hour on the elliptical set up in the lower level of her house. It was nearly midnight yet neither sister seemed sleepy as they sat across from each other in the living room. Blind Man was curled up by Mace’s feet.

“I thought you wanted me to take the job.”

“I’m talking about Roy Kingman. You shouldn’t be hanging out with him.”

“Why not?”

“We haven’t cleared him as a suspect in the Tolliver murder, that’s why. You’re on probation. That means avoiding all contact with people of questionable character.”

“But that’s the reason I am hanging out with him. To keep tabs on him.”

“You could be passing time with a killer.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“You were undercover then.”

“I’m sort of undercover now.”

“You’re not a cop anymore.”

“Once a cop always a cop.”

“That’s not how it works. And I thought we had this discussion?”

“Maybe we did.”

“I’m working the case, Mace. You start poking around then it might get all blown up. And that hurts you and me. You need to focus on moving forward with your life.”

Mace sat back and said resignedly, “Okay, okay, I hear you.”

“Good, I’ll hold you to that. So when do you start with Altman?”

“Two days. And he wants me to move into the guesthouse on his property.”

Beth looked surprised. “I thought you’d stay with me for a while.”

“I can actually do both. Hang here and hang there when work requires it.”

“Okay,” Beth said, her disappointment clear.