“That Mr. Nabler who came to see you about doing something community-minded? Buying uniforms for the kids or whatever?”

“Yeah?”

“I think you should have some further discussions with him about it.”

Susie’s eyes narrowed. “Okay,” she said, drawing the word out. “And why would I do that?”

“As a favor to me. And I’d like you to suggest he come out around, say, seven this evening. He closes his shop at five. That gives him time for dinner, and then he could come out here.”

“And I’m supposed to say what, exactly?”

“How much detail did you get into when he came out the first time?”

“Not a lot. I told him I’d give it some thought.”

“Have you done that yet?”

“Nope.”

“Think you could?”

“I could pull together some prices for him. Like, if he wanted to spend a thousand, we could do this, and if he wanted to spend five thousand, we could do that. Something along those lines.”

“That sounds perfect,” Harry said.

“Uh, Harry, why are you trying to stick it to a guy who’s showing an interest in making a contribution? Dude wants to give back and you’ve got a problem with that?”

“I think it’s an act. He’s burnishing his image. Wants to look like a fine, upstanding citizen.”

“But he isn’t?”

“That’s what I’m trying to determine. Look, if this guy’s really on the up-and-up, no one’ll be happier than me.”

“What do you think he’s done, Harry?”

He just smiled.

“How long you want me to keep him here?”

“Think you could charm the pants off him for an hour?”

“Well, for sure that’s not happening, unless he brings donuts, too.” She made a face. “No, he’s too weird. Not even for a lemon-filled.”

“You wanna try him now, see if he’ll take the bait?”

Susie studied Harry for a moment. “Okay.”

He followed her back into her office, sat on the other side of her desk while she looked up the number and dialed. Waited. Suddenly she raised her index finger, signaling that someone had picked up at the other end.

“Hey, Mr. Nabler, it’s Susie at the community center . . . Right, Edwin. I was pulling together some numbers for you, Edwin, and wondered if you had some time this evening to come out and have a look at them.”

She nodded, listened. “Terrific. How’s around seven? I gotta work late tonight, setting up for a flower show they’re holding here on the weekend. Okay, good.”

Susie hung up.

“This guy’s not, like, a serial killer or something, is he?”

“I do not know him to be a serial killer, for certain,” Harry said, dodging a direct answer.

Susie spotted some lemon filling on her pinkie finger and licked it off.

“These donuts aren’t going to cover it. You owe me.”