He wore a navy blue shirt tucked into belted gray slacks and black shoes polished to a high gloss. A masculine Adam's apple bulged above the knot of his red tie. His clothes were new and expensive and had either been ironed recently or he didn't make any sudden moves while he was in them. The watch on his left wrist gleamed money. He had a narrow face with sharp features—a long, straight nose, pointed chin without a trace of stubble, pronounced cheekbones, a slash of a mouth, and piercing blue eyes under widely spaced eyebrows. He was between fifty and fifty-five, fit and preserved, with an erect bearing that hinted at vanity. He was five inches shorter than I was, but still gave the impression of looking down at me. He didn't ask who I was or what he could do for me, but waited for me to speak.

"Mr. Strauss, my name is Adam Lapid. I was wondering if I could have a few minutes of your time."

His eyes went over my hair, face, and clothes. He didn't seem to find much he approved of.

"I'm very busy, Mr. Lapid. If this is a legal matter, Dana can see whether one of my junior associates is free to see you." His tone was that of a man speaking to an inferior, one he had no patience for.

"It's not a legal matter, Mr. Strauss. It's regarding one of your former employees. Esther Kantor."

A slight movement of his mouth was the only reaction. "What about her?"

"I'm a detective, and I'm investigating her murder. I would like to talk to you about it, about Esther."

"I've already spoken to the police about it at the time."

"I know. I read the police report and spoke to the detective who handled the case." I was trying to make it seem as if I had the cooperation of the police and that it would be wise of him to speak to me. If this made any impression on him, he was doing a good job of hiding it.

Those penetrating blue eyes appraised me for a moment; then they shifted to my right. From the corner of my eye, I could see Dana, the secretary, her body tilted forward, clearly engrossed in our conversation. I suppose typing is always duller than murder.

Strauss frowned, and I thought he was going to rebuke her. Instead he turned to me and, in a tone that suggested he would rather have his wisdom teeth pulled, said, "All right. Come in. But I haven't got long, so you better keep it short."