Abel Baker Charley (51 page)
He wasn't good at it. He just used logs and a lot of news
pa
per, but the fire was catching anyway. Its light flickered
upon the shape of another man who stood in a doorway, watching her. He was dressed all in black. The man wore one of those old-fashioned Hombergs low on his forehead and a black coat with a big collar turned up around his
cheeks. She couldn't see much of his face. Only that he was
staring at her in a way that began to make her afraid. Like that judge. The one in the hospital who stood staring at her and wanted to know why his son screamed and she did not.
It wasn't him. She knew that the judge was dead. It was just that this man reminded her of him and that there was some
thing familiar about him. She didn't know what. After that
last needle it was hard to think about anything for very long.
pa
per, but the fire was catching anyway. Its light flickered
upon the shape of another man who stood in a doorway, watching her. He was dressed all in black. The man wore one of those old-fashioned Hombergs low on his forehead and a black coat with a big collar turned up around his
cheeks. She couldn't see much of his face. Only that he was
staring at her in a way that began to make her afraid. Like that judge. The one in the hospital who stood staring at her and wanted to know why his son screamed and she did not.
It wasn't him. She knew that the judge was dead. It was just that this man reminded her of him and that there was some
thing familiar about him. She didn't know what. After that
last needle it was hard to think about anything for very long.
“Stanley,” the man said. He spoke, she thought, like
something was wrong with his throat.
something was wrong with his throat.
“Yes, Mr. Tortora.”
“Is everything attended to, Stanley?”
“The kid's ready.” Stanley pointed. “She ain't under too
deep. Two of Dr. Sonnenberg's associates are bringing his
boat down to the Seventy-second Street Basin, then they're
gonna meet us. If the alarm systems are off, we're all set.”
deep. Two of Dr. Sonnenberg's associates are bringing his
boat down to the Seventy-second Street Basin, then they're
gonna meet us. If the alarm systems are off, we're all set.”
“That has been attended to, Stanley. And the five guards
and their dogs have been relieved.”
and their dogs have been relieved.”
“Mr. Tortora.” Stanley looked into his eyes. “You're sure
you want to go through with this?”
you want to go through with this?”
“It's quite necessary, Stanley.”
“How about Sonnenberg? I mean, with him being upset
about his guy Coffey, maybe he should get more rest first.”
about his guy Coffey, maybe he should get more rest first.”
“He's resting now, Stanley. He is gratified by your con
cern. Does the child know where we're going?”
cern. Does the child know where we're going?”
Stanley shrugged. ”I ain't told her.”
“Then we'll observe her powers of deduction as well.
Come, Stanley. It is time to go to the park.”
Come, Stanley. It is time to go to the park.”
It was less than an hour since the sun had set, yet the night
seemed deeper where they were. Baker chose
the place
where they would wait and listen. It was along the low path
that led to the zoo, not far from where he'd first heard Tan
ner's scream.
He heard many sounds and voices now. Too many. Like
an untuned radio, they crossed and fought each other. There
were the zoo sounds. The grunts of nocturnal hunters frus
trated by the bars of their cages. Smaller animals, their nat
ural prey, bleated alarms as if doubting the security of their
own enclosures. From the roadway overhead he heard the
occasional hum of homebound cars. From Tanner, who shiv
ered on a rock nearby with Connor Harrigan, he heard
thoughts of Tina, a gun, something about a gun, and of Abel. It was the thoughts of Abel that made her cold. Harrigan too
had thoughts of Abel but mostly about a man called Stanley.
Satisfied thoughts. Thoughts of a man who'd solved a puz
zle. Baker could not follow exactly. It was about Stanley
Levy, and Tortora, and Sonnenberg, and the woman Tanner
told
him
about who looked like Stanley. The pieces were there, but they would not come together in Baker's mind the way they seemed to be assembling in Harrigan's. Something
blocked them. Nonsense nursery rhymes all garbled up and walls of brick. It was even more confused when Charley lis
tened. Baker stopped trying. He tried to push his thoughts of Tanner and Harrigan aside like so many cobwebs in the dark
and focus instead on Tina.
seemed deeper where they were. Baker chose
the place
where they would wait and listen. It was along the low path
that led to the zoo, not far from where he'd first heard Tan
ner's scream.
He heard many sounds and voices now. Too many. Like
an untuned radio, they crossed and fought each other. There
were the zoo sounds. The grunts of nocturnal hunters frus
trated by the bars of their cages. Smaller animals, their nat
ural prey, bleated alarms as if doubting the security of their
own enclosures. From the roadway overhead he heard the
occasional hum of homebound cars. From Tanner, who shiv
ered on a rock nearby with Connor Harrigan, he heard
thoughts of Tina, a gun, something about a gun, and of Abel. It was the thoughts of Abel that made her cold. Harrigan too
had thoughts of Abel but mostly about a man called Stanley.
Satisfied thoughts. Thoughts of a man who'd solved a puz
zle. Baker could not follow exactly. It was about Stanley
Levy, and Tortora, and Sonnenberg, and the woman Tanner
told
him
about who looked like Stanley. The pieces were there, but they would not come together in Baker's mind the way they seemed to be assembling in Harrigan's. Something
blocked them. Nonsense nursery rhymes all garbled up and walls of brick. It was even more confused when Charley lis
tened. Baker stopped trying. He tried to push his thoughts of Tanner and Harrigan aside like so many cobwebs in the dark
and focus instead on Tina.
Tina. He could see her in his mind, but he knew that
what he saw could not be happening. Tina was drifting
through time. Through history. He saw her first in the land
of the Egyptian kings, floating over flat deserts lit by stars,
past ancient tombs and limestone carvings. Now she
floated forward in time, vaulting over centuries. It was the
age of Ivanhoe. There were jousting knights with lances
thrust forward. Weapons that cut and flailed. Foot soldiers
in visored helmets standing stiffly at attention when she
passed.
what he saw could not be happening. Tina was drifting
through time. Through history. He saw her first in the land
of the Egyptian kings, floating over flat deserts lit by stars,
past ancient tombs and limestone carvings. Now she
floated forward in time, vaulting over centuries. It was the
age of Ivanhoe. There were jousting knights with lances
thrust forward. Weapons that cut and flailed. Foot soldiers
in visored helmets standing stiffly at attention when she
passed.
He was hearing Tina, he was sure, but he was hearing her
in a dream she must be having. She was asleep. Still
drugged, more likely. And dreaming about places she had
read about but never seen. She did not seem troubled. She was smiling. There was a new place now. A place that was
real. They'd been there once together. Where? Charley? Do
you know where that is?
in a dream she must be having. She was asleep. Still
drugged, more likely. And dreaming about places she had
read about but never seen. She did not seem troubled. She was smiling. There was a new place now. A place that was
real. They'd been there once together. Where? Charley? Do
you know where that is?
“Jared.” Tanner touched his shoulder. Then her arms
hugged each other against a chill that was not in the air.
hugged each other against a chill that was not in the air.
‘Take my jacket,” he said. Baker slipped off the suede
coat that had covered her a night earlier and put it over her.
She placed an arm around his waist before he could step
away and steered him back toward Connor Harrigan.
coat that had covered her a night earlier and put it over her.
She placed an arm around his waist before he could step
away and steered him back toward Connor Harrigan.
“We'll find her,” she whispered, leaning into his chest.
“I'm so sorry, Jared.”
“I'm so sorry, Jared.”
“Sorry?” He looked down at her. “What could you have
to be sorry about?”
to be sorry about?”
”A lot, I guess,” she said softly, not caring that Harrigan
could hear. “For not being able to look at you on the way
over here. For not having met some other way. Especially
for not taking care of Tina.”
could hear. “For not being able to look at you on the way
over here. For not having met some other way. Especially
for not taking care of Tina.”
“That wasn't your fault at all,” Baker told her.
‘That's the truth, lass,” Harrigan added. ”I didn't do so
well against Stanley myself.”
well against Stanley myself.”
Tanner gripped the leather purse slung over her shoulder
and held it out toward Harrigan. ”I have the gun you gave
me,” she said. ”I had it all the time. I just couldn't bring my
self to use it.”
and held it out toward Harrigan. ”I have the gun you gave
me,” she said. ”I had it all the time. I just couldn't bring my
self to use it.”
“Stanley would have pinned it to your hand, lass, before
you even had a chance to point it.”
you even had a chance to point it.”
”I had the chance,” she insisted. “Before he tied me up he
left us alone for a minute. It's not that I was afraid to reach
into my purse for it. There's just been so much blood and
dying that I...” She began to cry. Baker stood looking help
less until a glare from Connor Harrigan encouraged him to
hold her.
left us alone for a minute. It's not that I was afraid to reach
into my purse for it. There's just been so much blood and
dying that I...” She began to cry. Baker stood looking help
less until a glare from Connor Harrigan encouraged him to
hold her.
Tanner tensed at his touch. It was only for the smallest moment, but Baker felt it and Harrigan saw it.
“It's the beastie, isn't it, lass.”
She shook her head but changed it quickly to a nod. “I'm trying not to let it bother me.”
Baker loosened his hold around her body. There was de
spair on his face. He looked as if he would drop his arms and
walk away. Don't you dare, Harrigan's eyes told Baker.
spair on his face. He looked as if he would drop his arms and
walk away. Don't you dare, Harrigan's eyes told Baker.
“It bothered me,” Connor said to her. “It scared the be-
jaysus out of me, himself standing and grinning like a ma
niac about to pounce. And if it scared a tough old horse like
myself, I'd have expected you to swoon dead away. But
you're made of good stuff, lass. So is Baker here. If there's
a way to put this other business aside, the two of you should look for it. The beastie wants Baker to himself, Miss Burke. We knew that in your hotel room. He wanted us to see him
because he wanted to scare us off, especially you. It's up to you whether you let him.”
jaysus out of me, himself standing and grinning like a ma
niac about to pounce. And if it scared a tough old horse like
myself, I'd have expected you to swoon dead away. But
you're made of good stuff, lass. So is Baker here. If there's
a way to put this other business aside, the two of you should look for it. The beastie wants Baker to himself, Miss Burke. We knew that in your hotel room. He wanted us to see him
because he wanted to scare us off, especially you. It's up to you whether you let him.”
Baker, through his sadness, almost smiled. Harrigan saw
it. Why is that funny, Baker? he asked in his mind.
it. Why is that funny, Baker? he asked in his mind.
Baker looked away. Harrigan was sincere, he knew, in his
fashion. Harrigan liked him. He liked Tanner. He liked them
both together. Together best of all. Baker would be so much
easier to find after tonight if they were together. But it
wouldn't work. Not as long as Abel was around. Even the
memory of Abel. And you're wrong, Harrigan. Abel wasn't trying to scare you back at Levy's place. He wasn't trying to
scare you at all.
fashion. Harrigan liked him. He liked Tanner. He liked them
both together. Together best of all. Baker would be so much
easier to find after tonight if they were together. But it
wouldn't work. Not as long as Abel was around. Even the
memory of Abel. And you're wrong, Harrigan. Abel wasn't trying to scare you back at Levy's place. He wasn't trying to
scare you at all.
”I don't think .. .” Tanner shut her eyes and then opened
them, blinking. ”I don't think he was trying to scare me,” she
told Harrigan. “He wasn't trying to scare you either.” She
looked up at Baker as if asking him to complete the thought.
”I think he was trying
tobe..
.”
them, blinking. ”I don't think he was trying to scare me,” she
told Harrigan. “He wasn't trying to scare you either.” She
looked up at Baker as if asking him to complete the thought.
”I think he was trying
tobe..
.”
“Nice.” Baker supplied the word.
“Nice?” Harrigan recalled the grin he'd seen only on Hal
loween masks and Cheshire cats.
loween masks and Cheshire cats.
“He wanted you to like him.” Baker looked at his shoes.
“That was Abel's idea of being engaging?”
“More or less. What he really wanted was to show me I
didn't have to hide him away. While he was at it, that gun busi
ness was to show you he could have hurt you if he wanted.”
didn't have to hide him away. While he was at it, that gun busi
ness was to show you he could have hurt you if he wanted.”
“Nice.” Harrigan chewed upon the word. The expression on his face was a mixture of relief and bemusement. “You'll
tell the beastie for me, Baker, that he could use an hour or
two with Dale Carnegie.”
tell the beastie for me, Baker, that he could use an hour or
two with Dale Carnegie.”
“baker.
9
’
9
’
“Yes.”
”i hear her, baker, she's in williamsburg. it's where she
went a long time ago with you and sarah.”
went a long time ago with you and sarah.”
“No, Charley. Williamsburg is too far. It's in Virginia.”
“yes. yes. williamsburg houses and williamsburg rooms,
where they have candle things on the walls and pictures of
dead people and big high beds that have roofs on them.”
where they have candle things on the walls and pictures of
dead people and big high beds that have roofs on them.”
”I saw Williamsburg too, Charley, but it's because she's remembering it and dreaming it. Where is she having the
dream?”
dream?”
“williamsburg,”
Charley insisted.
Charley insisted.
Tanner cocked her head. “Williamsburg?”
Baker stared at her. “You can hear him?”
“Who?” She shivered again.
“Charley. Could you just hear Charley?”
“No.” Her eyes opened wide. ”I was thinking about Tina.
Suddenly I imagined her in Williamsburg, Virginia. I've
never even been there.”
Suddenly I imagined her in Williamsburg, Virginia. I've
never even been there.”
“Well, she can't be there,” Baker repeated, passing over
Tanner's astonishment at having the thought at all. “If we
hear her, she's someplace close.”
Tanner's astonishment at having the thought at all. “If we
hear her, she's someplace close.”
“williamsburg, tortora. sonnenberg.”
“Wait a minute, Charley. You're hearing Sonnenberg and
Tortora too in Williamsburg?”
Tortora too in Williamsburg?”
“tortora. williamsburg. sometimes sonnenberg.”
“How come you can hear Sonnenberg all of a sudden?”
“just a little, i don't know, baker.”
“Well, I know, damn
it,” he said aloud.
it,” he said aloud.
“You know what, lad?” Harrigan's concentration was in
tense.
tense.
“It's Charley.” Baker's eyes darted about the darkness of
the park. “Tina's here somewhere. He also hears Tortora and
Sonnenberg and he's not supposed to.”
the park. “Tina's here somewhere. He also hears Tortora and
Sonnenberg and he's not supposed to.”
Both of Harrigan's brows went up. “Tortora and Sonnen
berg together?”
berg together?”
The question, and Harrigan's surprise, meant nothing to
Baker. “He hears them both at different times. They're near
here. It's in a place Tina thinks is Williamsburg or Egypt
or
...
damn!”
Baker. “He hears them both at different times. They're near
here. It's in a place Tina thinks is Williamsburg or Egypt
or
...
damn!”
“The museum.” Tanner jumped. “The American Wing of
the museum.”
the museum.”
“Fools rush in, lad.” Three times now, Connor Harrigan had
to restrain Baker, guiding him north by west in a wide swing
around the perimeter of the rambling complex that was the
Metropolitan Museum of Art. They reached the circle where
the obelisk stood. Cleopatra's Needle. From that spot, well
inside the park, most of the darkened rear of the museum
was in view. Harrigan stood sniffing the air.
to restrain Baker, guiding him north by west in a wide swing
around the perimeter of the rambling complex that was the
Metropolitan Museum of Art. They reached the circle where
the obelisk stood. Cleopatra's Needle. From that spot, well
inside the park, most of the darkened rear of the museum
was in view. Harrigan stood sniffing the air.
“There's no one else out here.” Baker scowled. “I'm
going in.”
going in.”
“Patience, lad.” Harrigan raised a hand. “It leads to a long
life for you and for Tina as well. The way to a short life is to
play by the other fellow's rules.”
life for you and for Tina as well. The way to a short life is to
play by the other fellow's rules.”
”I know I'm being set up,” Baker admitted. ”I don't know
why, but Sonnenberg is setting this up. It's more than just a question of Tortora getting even for his son. Sonnenberg is
playing me like a flute.”
why, but Sonnenberg is setting this up. It's more than just a question of Tortora getting even for his son. Sonnenberg is
playing me like a flute.”
Harrigan and Tanner exchanged looks. Tanner's expres
sion was one of surprised confusion, as if Baker had just
said something he should have known was false. She started to speak, but Harrigan silenced her with a shake of his head.
sion was one of surprised confusion, as if Baker had just
said something he should have known was false. She started to speak, but Harrigan silenced her with a shake of his head.
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