Made to Kill (25 page)

“The rest of Bobrov’s unit was rounded up at Charles David’s house,” said Eva. “We’re still searching studio backlots for the Soviet shipments.”

I nodded. For a moment I had a vision of a car park on a rainy night and a big building and someone walking into it, his head hunkered down against the rain.

And then the vision was gone.

I blinked, or I thought I did, and the two movie stars were staring at me.

“The hotel,” I said. “What were you and Charles David doing with all that gear in the Honeymoon suite? Bobrov didn’t seem to know anything about that.”

“Nothing to do with me, Sparks,” he said and he opened his arms and gave a little bow to Eva. “My team was me and Alaska.”

“Alaska Gray?”

“One and the same,” he said, and then he dropped his arms. “She’s fine, don’t worry. Little smoke inhalation.”

I looked at Eva. “And the hotel?”

Eva twisted her fingers in front of her. “We learned that Bobrov’s mental transfer process was based on something stolen from Professor Thornton’s lab. There had been some leaks in the months before Thornton’s death—the Soviets had managed to buy some of Thornton’s scientists, we think. Anyway, we knew that Thornton’s facility was sealed, but if we could get some of his equipment out and found out how it worked, we thought we could find out how to reverse the transfer process. Charles wasn’t handling the drugs the CIA had given us very well. He arranged to get the equipment out and to the hotel. Seemed as good a place as any—the Ritz-Beverly prides itself on discretion for people in our line of work.”

So Charles David had been responsible for the lab break-in—the one that had sent Special Agent Touch Daley after me.

I still needed to have a talk to Ada about that.

“But the hotel is being cleared out and decontaminated,” said Eva.

“Well, that’s good,” I said. I pulled myself out of my alcove. They made room for me as I went to window and looked out of it. The sun was rising and the building opposite was no pretty than it had been every other morning I looked at it.

“Figuring out Thornton’s equipment sounds like a bit of a tall order for two movie actors,” I said, turning back to Eva. “If you don’t mind me saying.”

Fresco laughed at this. I looked at him and he kept laughing and then I looked at Eva.

“Mr. Peterman here,” she said, “was a physicist before he took up acting. Charles David left college to work as a mathematician for the DORL. I have a degree in computational complexity theory and was working at MIT before I decided to hang it all and get some of that LA sunshine I’d read about in
Life
magazine.”

“Get you,” said Ada. “Do you guys want medals maybe?”

“Ada, that’s why they were selected by the CIA,” I said. “Right?”

Fresco laughed again which I took to be a yes. Eva nodded with a smile which was a better answer.

“So what about you two?” I asked. “What are your plans?”

“Once our de-processing is complete our plans involve getting the hell out, is what,” said Fresco.
“
The studios are all shut down after the fire, of course. There won’t be much in production anytime soon.” He looked at Eva. “I’m thinking we take a vacation. Somewhere the
Daily News
won’t find us.”

Eva looked at Fresco and Fresco looked at Eva. He was smiling and so was she was there was something behind her smile.

“And the CIA?”

“Can go to hell,” said Fresco. Then he pursed his lips and winced like he was watching a boxer take a dive under hot lights. “Actually maybe we should file a report before we go.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” I said.

“But if you have to include us, feel free to be a little liberal with the facts, if you don’t mind,” said Ada. “We are running a private business here.”

Fresco smiled and nodded and he made his fingers into little gun shape and pointed it at one of the computer decks. He clicked his tongue.

I think I liked him. I think I liked them both. They discussed holiday destinations with their backs turned to me while I went to the closet and got out a fresh set of clothes. I cleared my throat when I was done and Eva laughed.

And then she came up to me and gave me a hug, or as best she could, considering her arms didn’t go all the way around.

Then Fresco was in on it too and I’ll be damned if I didn’t see a tear in the lug’s eye.

After that I led them into the outer office and I showed them the door. Then I opened it for them and ushered them out and we said goodbye in the hallway and then I closed the door.

On my desk was an athletic bag. I opened it. It was full of small gold bars that shone wetly.

“I’m guessing we can keep this,” I said.

“You better believe it, Ray,” said Ada.

“I don’t know about you, Ada, but I need a drink.”

“Says the robot,” she said. And then she made a sound like she was smoking a cigarette. I laughed and it sounded like someone threading the bit on an industrial drill.

“Actually,” I said, “I feel like a root beer float. I know just the place. I won’t be long.”

As I left the office and locked the door behind me I heard Ada laugh and tell me to knock myself out.

Then I went down to the parking garage and stood there looking at the empty spot where my car was supposed to be.

Then I smiled on the inside and walked up the exit ramp and onto Hollywood Boulevard.

It looked like a mighty nice day for a walk.

~END~