“Tea’s good,” said Roy, exchanging an amused glance with Mace as they headed into Abe Altman’s humble thirty-thousand-square-foot abode.
CHAPTER 18
A SMALL MAN in a spotless gold tunic and brown slacks brought in a large tray with a pot of hot tea, cups and saucers, and some scones and muffins and set it down on a massive ottoman covered in a tasteful striped pattern that seemed inconsequential considering the massive scale of the room they were in. The ceilings were high, the walls paneled in leather, and the bookcases solid mahogany and filled with tomes that actually looked as though they’d been read. There was a metal globe at least six feet tall in one corner and a large and old-fashioned slanted writing desk near one of the windows. Another long, low table had dozens of books on it, most of them open and lying page down.
After the man departed Altman said, “That’s Herbert. He’s been with me for ages. He handles all domestic duties. I could not get along without Herbert.”
Mace said, “We should all have a Herbert in our lives.”
Altman poured the tea and handed out the food.
“Quite a place you have here,” said Roy as he balanced a teacup and saucer on one thigh while biting into a blueberry scone.
“It’s far too large of course for me now, but I have lots of grandchildren and I like for them to have a place to come. And I do like my privacy.”
“Beth said you had a job offer for me?”
Altman solemnly gazed at her. “Yes. And I have to say that I can never repay you for what you did for me. Never.”
Mace looked down, embarrassed by his obvious adoration. “Okay.”
Altman glanced at Roy. “This woman saved my life. Did you know that?”
“No, but I can certainly believe it.”
“The HF-12 gang,” Altman added. “Nasty buggers.”
“HF-12?” said Roy.
“Heroin Forever, and there were a dozen in the crew,” said Mace. “They were bad guys but not that creative with names. Half of them are locked up.”
“The other six?” asked Roy.
“Dead.”
“I came to see you several times,” said Altman. “But they wouldn’t let me in the prison.”
“Why?”
“My reputation precedes me. That correctional facility in West Virginia has been the object of my wrath on several occasions.”
“You should’ve talked to Beth. She could’ve gotten you in.”
“I did not want to further add to the distress of your sister’s situation.” He glanced at Roy. “There’s a U.S. attorney who has it in for Mace and her celebrated sister.”
“Mona Danforth,” said Roy.
“Precisely.” Altman turned back to Mace. “There was even talk a year ago of Beth being replaced.”
Mace put down her cup. “I didn’t know that. She never said.”
“Your sister internalizes things, sometimes too much.” He gazed keenly at Mace. “And I believe you share that attribute. Fortunately the mayor wisely put a stop to all talk of firing Beth.”
“So what is it exactly that you do, Professor?” asked Roy.
“Making the world, or at least the nation’s capital, a safer place by attacking problems before the fact and not after.”
Roy nodded. “Education, preventative, that sort of thing?”
“I mean giving people a real choice between good and evil, right and criminal. It’s been my experience that when a real choice is offered, invariably almost everyone chooses the law-abiding path.”
Mace said, “Which brings us to why I’m here.”
“Yes. The project I’m conducting is based on a research grant I was awarded.”
“Beth said it involved going into some of the worse-off areas in D.C.”
“Yes. Areas you used to work in when you were with the police force.”
“What are you looking for?”
“Hope.”
“That’s tough to find in those places.”
“Which is precisely why I picked them.”
“So what would my duties involve?”
“I want you to go and meet with certain people in those areas. I’ve worked with Social Services to identify ten of them. I want you to talk to them and explain my proposal. If they accept then we’ll go from there.”
“So Mace would make the initial contacts?” asked Roy.
“That’s right.” He glanced at Mace. “Is he your representative?”
“Something like that. So what’s your proposal?” asked Mace.
“An internship, I like to call it. We will take the people out of their current environment, place them in a totally different environment, and immerse them in a rigorous education and social refocusing program. We will gauge their interests and ambitions and help them to fulfill those goals. We will expose them to opportunities they would otherwise never have.”
“Sounds sort of like My Fair Lady,” said Roy.
“With a critical difference,” answered Abe. “The connection