The Bannerman Solution (The Bannerman Series) (58 page)

Susan was right, he thought, turning back toward
the bar car. He's got to learn how to relax.

In a far corner of the smallest of Mario's three dining
areas, Molly Farrell poured coffee for Anton, Carla,
Gary Russo and herself, then wiped her hands and sat
down with them.

Carla's eyes were shining. Although Anton's expres
sion gave nothing away, she was sure something was
happening. She'd seen John Waldo parked at the en
trance onto Railroad Avenue, a bag of Grand Union groceries at his side, which she knew concealed an In
gram machine pistol. She'd seen Janet Herzog standing
at the station door, directly across, as if waiting to be
picked up, hugging herself under a thick fur jacket that
would nicely conceal another Ingram. Then, upon en
tering Mario's, a perfunctory nod from Billy at the bar as he kept his attention not on her but on her back. Hot
dog, she thought to herself. Maybe it's show time.

Zivic glanced around the room, although it was oth
erwise empty, and leaned forward. “Have any of you
heard the name Elena?” he asked. “The connection
would be with Palmer Reid, with traffic in cocaine, or
with Susan Lesko's father.”

No reply. Just shaking heads.

“What about a Mr. Brendan Donovan, also called
Buzz Donovan?”

They looked at each other. Nothing.

“Then we appear to have a mystery on our hands,” he said. “Palmer Reid believes they are all somehow
involved with us. He's had this Donovan killed. As a matter of policy I have asked John and Billy to retali
ate.”

“No offense, Anton,” Gary Russo said, “but have you
talked to Paul about this?”

Molly winced. “As it happens, Gary, he's
alerted
Paul. This is Anton's call.”

“I said no offense. But if there's likely to be trouble,
he should either get back here, or a couple of us should
be over there with him.”
             
-

Anton knew that Russo was right. He could only
repeat what Paul had told all of them from the begin
ning. That he would not live his life under guard. That if
trouble comes to him
,
so be it, and the rest of them must
go on with their lives. That he is not their shepherd any
more than they are sheep. Next, he repeated, for the
benefit of Carla and the doctor, what he and Molly had
managed to learn from a scared and sickened Doug
Poole. Then he told them of the subsequent execution
of Reid's man Burdick, and of the method he had cho
sen to protect Susan Lesko's father from immediate
harm.

Ca
r
la understood at once. She liked it. “The cops and
reporters will be all over that street all day, which pro
tects Lesko. Reid, meanwhile, is thrown off balance be
cause he thinks Glenn is not only dangerous but crazy.”

“Yes, but what protects him tomorrow?” Gary Russo
asked. “Do we keep on baby-sitting him?”

Anton shook his head. “His continued welfare is not
our concern.”

“Then why the retaliation for this Donovan? What's
he to us?”

“Reid acted upon a connection he believes to exist,”
Anton explained patiently. “Whether it actually exists is
not the point.”

“But you don't even know what's going on here.”

“It doesn't matter,” Carla told him. “Any time Reid
hits, we hit back fast and hard.
You can't let that wacko
hold the initiative.”

“I want all our people alerted,” Anton rapped the
table. “They are to remain as mobile as possible during
the next thirty-six hours, which I suspect are the critical
ones. I am sending Billy and John Waldo back to the
Scarsdale house on the chance that Reid continues to
use it as a base. Molly, Janet Herzog and Glenn Cook
will drive to Maryland this afternoon. Glenn will keep
Reid's home under observation. Molly and Janet already
have their instructions.”

“Janet?” Carla's face fell. “What about me?” She
knew better than to ask what the instructions were but if they were finally getting around to popping Reid,
seniority ought to count for something.

Zivic understood. “No harm comes to Reid while
Paul lives. That policy is unchanged. You know Klosters,
do you not?”

Carla nodded expectantly. “I know that whole part
of the country.”

“I am authorizing the vacation you and Gary have requested. You are to travel under your own passports
and without weapons, first to Zurich and then to Davos. Davos will leave you within twenty minutes of Klosters
in case you are needed, but
you are to stay away from
Klosters otherwise.”

“We might as well be decoys,” Russo protested. “If
Reid's people don't spot us at Kennedy, they will at
Zurich.”

Carla patted his hand. “I think that's the idea,
sweetie.”

Anton acknowledged her assessment with a quick,
appreciative smile. This was a professional. She knew
that they would almost certainly be spotted and that
their very presence in Switzerland would cause Reid to
rethink any plan he might have in effect. If they were
found traveling with false documents, Reid could easily
arrange to have them detained by Swiss authorities. As
it was, Reid would see that their checked baggage re
ceived special attention in the hope that they had
brought in weapons and would, without risk to himself, be consigned to a Swiss prison for the next two or three
years. But Carla was nothing if not resourceful. She
would arm
herself if necessary. And Paul would have
help close at hand if needed but, with luck, would never
know it. Russo, with luck, would never know that he was
being sent where he could do no harm.

Moves and countermoves. Confusion to mine enemies.

Lesko's phone rang an hour after nightfall. He
snatched it up on the first ring, then waited until he
heard Loftus say his name.
             
'

“Loftus,” he barked into the receiver. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Saving your ass, for one thing. You were a prime
suspect for killing Burdick until I said I was on your tail
all night.”

“Tell me where the Reid guy is and I'll give him his
own ass to worry about.”

“You can't touch him. He's holed up down at Fort
Meade. When he sticks his head out again he'll be three-
deep in bodyguards.”

“Robert, let me ask you a question.”

“What?”

“You know who killed Burdick, don't you?”

“No.”

“It wasn't you or me. You say it wasn't Bannerman because he was on a plane and besides, he's a nice per
son. Who's left, Robert? Who are the other players?”

“Lesko . . . we're talking on a fucking telephone.”

“Which you made clean. Besides, we're just two in
nocent guys trying to figure what's happening, right?
But that's hard, Robert, because you're keeping
secrets.”

“Look . . . I'm trying to stay on top of this. I'll call
you when
…
”

“Robert,” Lesko growled, “answer me. Bannerman has friends in Westport, doesn't he? And Reid doesn't
like them, either.”

Loftus drew a long breath. “Yes.”

“Talk to me, Robert.”

Another long pause. “According to Doug Poole, you
already met a few.”

“Would two of them be bartenders? One a woman?”

“They're a lot of things, Lesko.”

“But we're not talking about the local Rotary Club,
are we, Robert? We're talking about an organization of
some kind and it includes shooters.”

“It's not like you think.” Lesko had said
organization
like he'd say
Mafia.
“The fact is, Bannerman's friends
have offered Doug Poole sanctuary. Why they did it is a
long story. The offer includes me. If Poole can arrange
it, you might’ be safer up there, too.”

“Did you take the offer?”

“I told Poole to take it
.
Me I've got a family, remem
ber? Anyway, I want to be able to move around.”

“Yeah, well, don't get smart, Robert. A Fed who
didn't like Burdick much either and who also knew how
to get around that
S
carsdale security system makes just
as good a suspect as I did.”

“Yeah
. L
isten, I have to go.”