Martha nodded agreement. “Yes, the biggest handicap I’ve had in this is that I know next to nothing about music. That’s why I’ve had to rely on you, Ray, to much more of an extent than I’ve been comfortable with. In fact, that’s why I needed to have you on hand here. Just in case there are any last-minute problems.”

Gail implored, “But if you sensed it might be a trap, why ever did you come?”

“I had no idea what you were up against. I couldn’t risk your welfare just because I was suspicious. So I had to do what the message said.” I looked back at Martha. “I suppose I’d do whatever it took to protect Gail. I guess you can figure out why.”

Gail said quietly, “Well thanks, Ray, and everything.”

“How did you get here?” asked Martha.

“I took a taxi to the marina, as instructed. Two taxis, actually, to muddy my tracks.” I had in fact done this, but not for the reason I gave.

“Does anyone else know you’re here?”

I thought of Nancy, who would know by at least tomorrow morning that I had been to the fair this evening. I wasn’t going to drag her into this. I’d die first, and at the moment the odds of that happening were excellent.

“Not as far as I know. I mean, there’s the operator who took the message at the Claremont, but you didn’t specify where I was to meet you. There are dozens of marinas around the Bay Area, and only Gail, Toby Ackland, and I would know where Gail burned her music. Now when do I get to ask some questions?”

She smiled cordially. “When you’re the one holding the gun. By the way, there was one other person who saw Gail burning her music. The driver of this truck.” She nodded toward the trailer, which was marked AMERICAN CONSOLIDATED SHIPPING, LANDSBERG, OHIO. Martha called over her shoulder, “Gunther!”

From behind the truck stepped the man who’d worn the Bund uniform at the German picnic, the one who’d spoken so treasonously and thrown a Nazi salute to the crowd. He was dressed as before, except that as a fashion accessory he’d added a holster and the very nice pistol in his hand, which I recognized as a German Luger.

“Take off your raincoat and throw it onto the ground at my feet,” he said.

I did so, tossing the raincoat gently onto the blacktop near where he stood. “I’ll be back for it at five,” I said. “Make sure you get the stain out of the lapel.”

“Ray, don’t joke with him,” advised Gail. “You’ll regret it.”