Abel Baker Charley (34 page)
“Harrigan, however, is superb. And Baker is barely
human. Your man is dead, Edward.”
human. Your man is dead, Edward.”
That possibility had been troubling Burleson. He regretted equipping Hackett with Duncan Peck's phone number during his briefing. That was before Peck's decision to join them. Al
though an alternate contact was standard procedure, he chose
not to mention it to Duncan Peck. Peck might think it untidy.
Besides, Peck was correct. The man was almost certainly dead.
though an alternate contact was standard procedure, he chose
not to mention it to Duncan Peck. Peck might think it untidy.
Besides, Peck was correct. The man was almost certainly dead.
“Yes sir. That occurred to me. I now have four people
covering the hotel, including Harrigan's man Biaggi. One of my operatives replaced Tom Dugan in Harrigan's car. I felt it necessary to sacrifice Dugan, sir. Michael Biaggi accepted
the mission.”
covering the hotel, including Harrigan's man Biaggi. One of my operatives replaced Tom Dugan in Harrigan's car. I felt it necessary to sacrifice Dugan, sir. Michael Biaggi accepted
the mission.”
Peck nodded his approval. “I'm sure you regret the
Dugan matter as much as I do, Edward. One can't blame a
man for loyalty to his superior. Dugan may have had no idea
that Harrigan had turned. As for Biaggi, I'm afraid he can't be trusted much beyond today.”
Dugan matter as much as I do, Edward. One can't blame a
man for loyalty to his superior. Dugan may have had no idea
that Harrigan had turned. As for Biaggi, I'm afraid he can't be trusted much beyond today.”
“I'll see that housekeeping takes care of it, sir.” Ed Burleson hesitated, chewing his lip. “It really is too bad
about Connor Harrigan, sir. I understand you two have been
very close.”
about Connor Harrigan, sir. I understand you two have been
very close.”
Duncan Peck closed his eyes. “We go back many years,”
he said sadly. “Looking back, Connor has always been
something of a tilter at windmills. But a traitor? A conspira
tor? If any man had said so in my presence, I'd have
knocked him down.”
he said sadly. “Looking back, Connor has always been
something of a tilter at windmills. But a traitor? A conspira
tor? If any man had said so in my presence, I'd have
knocked him down.”
”I guess the evidence is pretty strong, sir?”
“And very sensitive, Edward. I can well imagine you'd
like to see it before carrying out so harsh an order. You're not
a man to do this sort of thing casually.”
like to see it before carrying out so harsh an order. You're not
a man to do this sort of thing casually.”
“An order from you is enough, sir.”
“You're a good man, Edward.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Give them another hour to get clear of the hotel or at
least get clear of the actress. If they haven't appeared by then, you and your men will have to go in. Baker will have
to be taken and the actress will have to vanish. You will be
neat, won't you?”
least get clear of the actress. If they haven't appeared by then, you and your men will have to go in. Baker will have
to be taken and the actress will have to vanish. You will be
neat, won't you?”
“Yes sir.”
“How is my golf bag equipped?”
“Good sticks. They're Haig Ultras with aluminum shafts.
The putter is a mallet type that might be a bit heavy for your
touch. I'd suggest a shorter takeaway. In the shoe compart
ment, there's an Uzi with two extra thirty-round clips and a transceiver. There's also a sixty-power telescope in the um
brella sheath.”
The putter is a mallet type that might be a bit heavy for your
touch. I'd suggest a shorter takeaway. In the shoe compart
ment, there's an Uzi with two extra thirty-round clips and a transceiver. There's also a sixty-power telescope in the um
brella sheath.”
“Excellent, Edward. I'll expect to see you and your men
in the parking lot of the Westchester Country Club no later
than noon. If you need to reach me, I'll be playing the front
nine with a member named Blair Palmer. I assume you'll
have completed this assignment successfully before the
main event begins?”
in the parking lot of the Westchester Country Club no later
than noon. If you need to reach me, I'll be playing the front
nine with a member named Blair Palmer. I assume you'll
have completed this assignment successfully before the
main event begins?”
“Yes sir. Count on it, Mr. Peck.”
“You're a very good man, Edward.”
“BAYKERR!”
The scream seemed to surround Connor Har
rigan.
“BAYYYKERRR!”
The scream seemed to surround Connor Har
rigan.
“BAYYYKERRR!”
“Sweet Mother of Christ!” he gasped.
Tanner Burke pushed against his shoulder from behind.
“Oh, my God!” she cried. “Jared!”
“Oh, my God!” she cried. “Jared!”
“BAYYYKKERRRR!”
He was on the floor, his back pushed against the tile
wall
behind the toilet tank. One leg pumped against the floor in
a useless attempt to shove his body farther from the figures
at the door. The shower curtain was pulled as far as it would
wall
behind the toilet tank. One leg pumped against the floor in
a useless attempt to shove his body farther from the figures
at the door. The shower curtain was pulled as far as it would
reach across his chest. He held a fist-sized clump of it
tightly against his mouth. His eyes were wide but not in focus.
tightly against his mouth. His eyes were wide but not in focus.
“Stay back, miss.” Harrigan holstered his automatic and
shifted the dart pistol to his right hand.
shifted the dart pistol to his right hand.
“But that's not even him yelling. Look at him. It's com
ing from ... It's ... it's just not him.”
ing from ... It's ... it's just not him.”
“Just take it easy, lad.” Harrigan lowered the dart pistol
slowly. Baker appeared not to notice. “It's just old Connor Harrigan. No one's going to hurt you, lad.” I don't fucking
believe this, he thought. Baker looked like someone had let
out half his air.
slowly. Baker appeared not to notice. “It's just old Connor Harrigan. No one's going to hurt you, lad.” I don't fucking
believe this, he thought. Baker looked like someone had let
out half his air.
“Jared, what's happened to you?” Tanner wasn't sure whether she felt pity or disgust. “Did Harrigan do something
to you?”
to you?”
The figure on the floor cocked an ear, seeming to listen
to a distant sound. Then he shut his eyes and answered her with three crisp shakes of his head.
to a distant sound. Then he shut his eyes and answered her with three crisp shakes of his head.
“Is it me you're afraid of?” Tanner asked. Her voice was several tones too loud, as one would talk to the deaf or blind
or feeble-minded.
or feeble-minded.
He paused and cocked his head once more. His head
shook once.
shook once.
“Then who is it, lad? Who's frightening you?” Harrigan
kept his voice slow and soft.
kept his voice slow and soft.
“Baker”
“Holy Jesus!” Harrigan backed up a step and reached a
hand toward the space between them where the voice
seemed to float. “Holy good Jesus Christ!” His voice rose.
“There are
three
of him.”
hand toward the space between them where the voice
seemed to float. “Holy good Jesus Christ!” His voice rose.
“There are
three
of him.”
“You said . . .” Tanner Burke swallowed and folded her arms tightly across her chest. “You said you were afraid of
Baker ... Does that mean you're not Baker?”
Baker ... Does that mean you're not Baker?”
“Charley.”
“You're Charley and you're afraid of Baker?”
“Tell him to come”
“If he can come, why doesn't he?”
“Because I wouldn't tell.”
Harrigan took a breath and let it out. Soundlessly, and
without moving his lips, he formed the question: Charley.
You're the one who can read minds. Isn't that right?
without moving his lips, he formed the question: Charley.
You're the one who can read minds. Isn't that right?
“No.”
“Yes you are,” he said aloud.
“Uh-uh-uhhh!”
Charley answered in a singsong.
Charley answered in a singsong.
“Charley, you just did. You just read my mind.” Perspir
ing now, Harrigan moved a step closer.
ing now, Harrigan moved a step closer.
“Noooo.”
“Then what did you do?”
”I listened!’
“Does that mean you can hear me whether I speak or not?”
The question seemed to confuse Charley.
“It's the same
,
”
he answered finally.
“It's the same
,
”
he answered finally.
“And because you listen, you know things that Baker doesn't know?”
“Yes.”
“Like what, Charley?”
“Stanley turned into butter and the tooth fairy is sad be
cause the cupboard is bare and Sonnenberg won't let him shoot Goldilocks.”
cause the cupboard is bare and Sonnenberg won't let him shoot Goldilocks.”
“What?”
“AndIknowZ, Y, X,W,V,U...”
Harrigan turned to Tanner Burke. ”I don't suppose you
can make any sense out of that.”
can make any sense out of that.”
Tanner wrung her hands. “Ask him . . .” She stopped. ”I
don't
k
now where to start. I want to ask him why all this is
happening. There are so many pieces. I mean, I thought last night was just one of those things that happen in New York and I was lucky that Jared was there. But now I find out I
know Jared's daughter. I feel like he told me that, but I know
he didn't. And I find out that Jared knows about Cooper
Shaw and that those two in the park knew Jared and that
he—a part of him—knew them.”
don't
k
now where to start. I want to ask him why all this is
happening. There are so many pieces. I mean, I thought last night was just one of those things that happen in New York and I was lucky that Jared was there. But now I find out I
know Jared's daughter. I feel like he told me that, but I know
he didn't. And I find out that Jared knows about Cooper
Shaw and that those two in the park knew Jared and that
he—a part of him—knew them.”
“Ask him.” Harrigan shrugged. “Ask him about Cooper
Shaw.” He knew it wasn't the most pressing question they could ask, but he was curious himself. Anyway, it
might get
the ball rolling.
Shaw.” He knew it wasn't the most pressing question they could ask, but he was curious himself. Anyway, it
might get
the ball rolling.
Tanner hesitated. She was blushing deeply. “Charley,
what about Cooper Shaw? Who is he?”
what about Cooper Shaw? Who is he?”
Charley pointed a bent finger.
“He was laying down
with . . ”
Charley flinched. His face jerked as if he'd been
slapped. He seemed to sulk for several seconds and then said.
“That doesn't make the ball roll.”
“He was laying down
with . . ”
Charley flinched. His face jerked as if he'd been
slapped. He seemed to sulk for several seconds and then said.
“That doesn't make the ball roll.”
Harrigan's eyes widened. “Apparently we're expected to ask more penetrating questions,” he said.
“Ask him about the park. Ask him about the two men.”
Harrigan nodded. “Did Jared know Jace and Sumo... that
John Tortora and Warren Bagnold would be in the park?”
John Tortora and Warren Bagnold would be in the park?”
“Not Jared Baker”
“Baker? We have to call him Baker? All right, Charley. Did Baker know they'd be in the park?”
“No.”
“Then how did he find them?”
”I knew. I heard them.”
“What did you hear, Charley? Were they talking about
Baker?”
Baker?”
“No. Mostly her. I heard her too before that. She was
thinking about Baker.”
thinking about Baker.”
Tanner shook her head. “That's not true. I swear I never heard of Jared Baker before.”
Harrigan nodded that he believed her. “There must be a
faster way to do this,” he said, easing himself to the tile
floor. He splayed out his legs in a posture approximating
Charley's and affected a pleasant grin. Charley returned it.
“Charley, my friend, you're saying that you knew all three
were in the park but Baker did not. How did you know?”
faster way to do this,” he said, easing himself to the tile
floor. He splayed out his legs in a posture approximating
Charley's and affected a pleasant grin. Charley returned it.
“Charley, my friend, you're saying that you knew all three
were in the park but Baker did not. How did you know?”
”I heard them while Baker took a walk.”
“Do you mean you can hear anyone at all from any dis
tance?”
tance?”
“No. Only from where they could yell loud.”
“What does that mean, Charley? Does it mean you can hear from a block or two away, for example?”
“Yes.”
“You can hear anything being said or thought by anyone
within two blocks of you?”
within two blocks of you?”
“No.”
Harrigan shook his head and glanced up at Tanner. “This
isn't faster after all. I don't know how much time we have,
but apparently we have to pump questions at him until we hit
the right ones.”
isn't faster after all. I don't know how much time we have,
but apparently we have to pump questions at him until we hit
the right ones.”
”I think he's saying that he can only hear certain people.
Charley,” she asked, still with a distasteful curl at her
mouth, “who is it that you can hear within this yelling dis
tance?”
Charley,” she asked, still with a distasteful curl at her
mouth, “who is it that you can hear within this yelling dis
tance?”
”I can hear when they're talking about me or Baker or
Abel or Sonnenberg. Sometimes Tina”
Abel or Sonnenberg. Sometimes Tina”
“My gosh, that's right.” Tanner clapped her hands. ”I re
member now, thinking about Tina Baker. It was just for a
minute. Tina's written to me off and on for about three years,
and I thought of her when I was daydreaming about when I
used to ski Stratton Mountain here. I knew Tina was recov
ering from an accident, but I never knew the rest of it. I had an impulse to call or visit while I was here, but I couldn't re
member the town. That's all of it.”
member now, thinking about Tina Baker. It was just for a
minute. Tina's written to me off and on for about three years,
and I thought of her when I was daydreaming about when I
used to ski Stratton Mountain here. I knew Tina was recov
ering from an accident, but I never knew the rest of it. I had an impulse to call or visit while I was here, but I couldn't re
member the town. That's all of it.”
Harrigan waited her out. It was interesting enough, but he
was more interested in who else Charley could hear.
was more interested in who else Charley could hear.
“Charley, who is Abel?” he asked.
“He's the one who's always mad.”
Abel, Baker, and Charley! Jesus! “Abel is the one who
hurts people and he's a part of Jared Baker?”
hurts people and he's a part of Jared Baker?”
“Yes.”
“The two in the park. You heard them talking about Baker?”
“No.”
“Who were they talking about?”
“Sonnenberg.”
“They know Sonnenberg?”
“Yes.”
“What were they saying about Sonnenberg?”
“That he'd be mad if he found out about them grabbing
Hollywood but that Vinnie Cuneo would think it was funny. They would tell Vinnie Cuneo all about it the next time he
bragged about what he does with girls he knows who make
suck-and-fuck movies. When the camera stops, he ties them up and
—”
Hollywood but that Vinnie Cuneo would think it was funny. They would tell Vinnie Cuneo all about it the next time he
bragged about what he does with girls he knows who make
suck-and-fuck movies. When the camera stops, he ties them up and
—”
“That's enough, Charley,” Tanner snapped. Charley's fist
flew to his mouth.
flew to his mouth.
‘Thank you, Charley.” Harrigan smiled. He shook his
head as if to clear it and cocked an eye up at Tanner Burke.
She was just as stunned. Her eyes were still wide open, fixed upon the flabby mass that was Charley. Hugging herself, she lowered her body to the bathroom floor. “This is really hap
pening, isn't it?” she asked weakly.
head as if to clear it and cocked an eye up at Tanner Burke.
She was just as stunned. Her eyes were still wide open, fixed upon the flabby mass that was Charley. Hugging herself, she lowered her body to the bathroom floor. “This is really hap
pening, isn't it?” she asked weakly.
Harrigan felt for his pipe. ”I don't think we both went in
sane at precisely the same moment.”
sane at precisely the same moment.”
“Well, what do you make out of all this?”
“Oh, we've only just tapped the keg. Offhand, I'd say that
your friend Jared Baker knows perfectly well what's going on. I think he wants some more information, or wants us to
have it, and he's going to leave old Charley out here until we
dig it out of him.”
your friend Jared Baker knows perfectly well what's going on. I think he wants some more information, or wants us to
have it, and he's going to leave old Charley out here until we
dig it out of him.”
“What kind of information?”
“For starters, how the one called Abel set him up. He ap
parently did. It's clear that Baker doesn't know everything
these two know unless they tell him.”
parently did. It's clear that Baker doesn't know everything
these two know unless they tell him.”
“Can Jared hear all this, do you think?”
“Who knows?” Harrigan shrugged. ”I have an idea that
he and Abel might be having a showdown while we're out
here entertaining Charley. Which reminds me
...
Charley, I gather you can't call Abel yourself. Can I as
sume he stays where he is and behaves unless Baker calls
him?”
he and Abel might be having a showdown while we're out
here entertaining Charley. Which reminds me
...
Charley, I gather you can't call Abel yourself. Can I as
sume he stays where he is and behaves unless Baker calls
him?”
“Most times.”
The hair on Harrigan's neck went up. “Most times,” he
repeated. “Charley, could this be one of those times when
Abel might decide to join us?”
repeated. “Charley, could this be one of those times when
Abel might decide to join us?”
“No. Just when Baker's drunk.”
Harrigan whistled, relieved. ”I must drink a toast to
Baker's temperance very soon. Who is this Cooper Shaw, by the way? I gather you're acquainted.”
Baker's temperance very soon. Who is this Cooper Shaw, by the way? I gather you're acquainted.”
She looked at her hands for a long moment and then
toward Charley, half-expecting that he'd be waiting eagerly
for her reply. His face was blank, staring into space. She
turned toward Harrigan, avoiding his eyes. Harrigan thought
she might cry.
toward Charley, half-expecting that he'd be waiting eagerly
for her reply. His face was blank, staring into space. She
turned toward Harrigan, avoiding his eyes. Harrigan thought
she might cry.
“Is it something you don't want Baker to hear?” he asked gently.
“It's not . . .” She stopped. ”I just don't want him to
think..
r
think..
r
Harrigan understood. “Baker's no kid, Miss Burke. He
doesn't think you sprang into existence an hour before you
met him. People do foolish things during their lives. Baker,
no doubt, has been as foolish as any of us.”
doesn't think you sprang into existence an hour before you
met him. People do foolish things during their lives. Baker,
no doubt, has been as foolish as any of us.”
Tanner appreciated Harrigan's kindness. But it was noth
ing like that. No black secret from the past. Just a boyfriend and lover, the latest of
...
She shook away the number be
fore it could form. The latest of not very many, she thought.
Anyway, none of that was the point. The point was that she'd
remembered lying in bed with a snoring actor named
Cooper Shaw on the morning of the last day that she'd ever
be with him. She lay there thinking about her life and what parts of it were worth keeping and whether she'd ever find a
man worth holding on to. And as she remembered that
morning she thought about Jared. And Baker saw what she
remembered. Or Charley did. And Charley told him.
Charley would always tell him, wouldn't he?
ing like that. No black secret from the past. Just a boyfriend and lover, the latest of
...
She shook away the number be
fore it could form. The latest of not very many, she thought.
Anyway, none of that was the point. The point was that she'd
remembered lying in bed with a snoring actor named
Cooper Shaw on the morning of the last day that she'd ever
be with him. She lay there thinking about her life and what parts of it were worth keeping and whether she'd ever find a
man worth holding on to. And as she remembered that
morning she thought about Jared. And Baker saw what she
remembered. Or Charley did. And Charley told him.
Charley would always tell him, wouldn't he?
“Miss Burke.” Harrigan touched her. “We have to get on
with this.”
with this.”
“Let's talk about somebody else,” she said.
He nodded. “Charley,” he asked, “how is John Tortora in
volved with Marcus Sonnenberg?”
volved with Marcus Sonnenberg?”
Charley did not answer. He stared blankly past Harri
gan's head.
gan's head.
“Can you tell me that, Charley? I want to know what the
connection is between the Tortora family and Dr. Sonnen
berg.”
connection is between the Tortora family and Dr. Sonnen
berg.”
Charley blinked, but there was still no reply.
“I'm not sure he can give opinions,” Tanner whispered. “Maybe he's like an idiot savant. Maybe he can give infor
mation but can't deal with an abstraction.”
mation but can't deal with an abstraction.”
“Good thinking, but where to start? He says that Baker
didn't know John and Warren and they weren't worried
about him. They were worried about Sonnenberg finding out what they did to you. It's obvious that John and War
ren must have been exposed to Sonnenberg, but it's a diffi
cult association to imagine. He's too cultivated a man. The
c
onnection must be between Sonnenberg and John Tor-
tora's father.”
didn't know John and Warren and they weren't worried
about him. They were worried about Sonnenberg finding out what they did to you. It's obvious that John and War
ren must have been exposed to Sonnenberg, but it's a diffi
cult association to imagine. He's too cultivated a man. The
c
onnection must be between Sonnenberg and John Tor-
tora's father.”
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