"How'd it go?" she asked.
"Not so hot," Ham replied. "We got to talking about you, and I broke the news to him about your being a cop. He didn't take it too well; a minute later, he was out of here."
Holly sighed.
"Yeah," Ham said. "You better think of something else."
23
Holly called the Miami bureau of the FBI and asked for Harry Crisp. He came on the line immediately.
"Hey there, Holly."
"Hey, Harry. I've got bad news."
"What?"
"The Lake Winachobee people didn't bite on Ham."
"Not even a nibble?"
"When Ham mentioned I was chief of police, the guy went cold and got out."
"Out of where?"
"He came to Ham's house."
"Why did Ham mention that you were a cop?"
"We figured they'd find out anyway-read the papers or something. Ham told him we don't get along, and that he didn't like Jackson, thought he was a Jew."
"Why the Jewish reference?"
"Rawlings brought along an autographed copy of The Turner Diaries."
"Oh."
"I'm really disappointed. I thought Ham could take this guy."
"You know, when we were involved in that Palmetto Gardens thing, I had a look at Ham's service record."
"You can do that?"
"Let's just say I did it. After what I saw in there, I would have thought that Ham could handle just about anything, anytime."
"That's pretty much the truth. Except for me."
"How's that?"
"He could never handle me, but I always let him think he could."
"Oh."
"What are we going to do now, Harry? Can you put somebody into that group?"
"It would take months, Holly, maybe longer. Did Ham get a name for the group?"
"No."