The Bannerman Solution (The Bannerman Series) (71 page)

The line went quiet, then, “He made inquiries, Paul.
So did I. Urs Brugg is a formidable man, head of a pow
erful family, but he is a fair man by all accounts. If you are looking for
an enemy, I suggest you look closer to
home.”

“Oh, Christ,” Paul erupted. “You're talking about
Reid?”

“The man hates you, Paul,” Zivic kept his voice mea
sured. “You are an obsession with him.”

“So you think the attack on Susan was an elaborate act of spite? So he can go home tonight feeling smug?
That's bullshit, Anton. This is about drugs, it's about her
father and it's probably, about your new friend in Zu
rich.”

“Paul . . . listen to me.”

“And the only powerful families these days are ass-
deep in the drug trade. Urs Brugg called this hospital
because
he
…
I
don't know. Maybe because he found
out who I was and got cold feet.”

“Paul, this is nonsense.”

“I'll tell you what's nonsense. Nonsense is. . . .”

“Paul . . .
shut up. ”

Zivic's words came like a slap. Bannerman blinked
rapidly. He also heard the echo of his own words. He
hadn't realized he'd been shouting.

“Paul?”

“Yeah. Yes, Anton.”

“I've just heard more profane language from you
than in the entire time of our acquaintance. Also less
self-command. I understand why this is. Do you?”

“Yeah. I do.” Susan. One eye staring at nothing. He'd
put her there.

“Susan is still alive. You must assume that the killers are paid for results and will try again. Your first concern
is to protect her.”

Protect her, he thought bitterly.

“I suggest
…
I
order,
that you post Carla and Gary
wherever they can help you. I am sending Molly Farrell
and Billy McHugh on the first available flight. The fa
ther is also entitled to be there.”

“No, wait a second
….
” He rubbed his eyes.
“Lesko will just
….
he probably doesn't even have a
passport.”

Zivic ignored the objection. The concern over a
passport was frivolous. “They will be there by morning.
See that Susan is guarded. You get some rest. If you stay
the night with her you will be more than useless tomor
row. You will be a danger to the rest of us.”

“Okay,” he said meekly. “Look, Anton, I know I
was
…
”

“Get some rest, Paul. Clear your head.”

“Yeah.”

Bannerman returned to the Intensive Care Unit. He stood at Susan's bed but would not look at her. At the
foot of the bed was a bulging plastic bag with the hospi
tal's logo on it. Someone had packed up Susan's personal
belongings. He picked it up. The doctor entered.
“You have notified her family?” he asked.

Bannerman nodded. He glanced toward the two po
licemen. “Will they be here all night?”

“Only until they question you, I think.”

“Is it possible to hire a security guard?”

“I can see to it.”

“But no visitors without my approval. No one gets
close to her.”

“As you wish.”

Paul scribbled the number of his apartment. “I'll be there when I've finished with the police. You'll call if
there's any change?”

“Of course. But you are free to wait with her.”

There was a hint of disapproval in the doctor's eyes as he spoke. Paul understood it. He was regaining con
trol. Detached efficiency did not become a distraught
husband. But there would be no control while Susan's
battered face remained in sight or in mind.

“Thank you, Doctor.”

He turned and walked away.

Elena Brugg composed herself, then picked up her phone on its fourth ring, expecting to hear the voice of
Raymond Lesko.

“Hello?”

“Good evening, Elena.” An oily voice. Hispanic. Or
tirez? No. Not possible.

“Who is this, please?”

“You forget old friends so soon, dear lady?”

“Ortirez.” She spoke the name drippingly. “Where are you?”

“At my house,” he said, his manner cheerful. “In La
Paz. Enjoying a fine lunch on this beautiful day.”

She could hear children in the background. She
could hear birds. “What do you want, Colonel?”

“Ah, but I am now a general. And I live in a house as
grand as that of the Betancourts. It is, in fact, the very
same house, dear Elena.”

“What do you want?” This man, a general. The uni
form must have cost him millions.

“You will recall that you left us under circumstances
that were, at the very least, questionable?”

“I gave my reasons. Among them, Ortirez, was that
you are scum.”

“Brave words from such a distance.”

“Then come to Zurich. I will say them to your pig
face.”

“Ah, but I am there in spirit, Elena. This very day I
have made you a present of the daughter of Detective
Lesko.”

Elena put a hand to her mouth. It was as she feared.
She had suspected the
trafficantes,
certainly. But Or
tirez? He was a fool, a lout, who did nothing except for
profit. And a brute. Not given to poetic methods. He
would have poured gasoline upon the girl and watched
her dance.

“Did you hear what I said, great lady?”

“I
heard you.”

“And when your detective has suffered enough pain,
I will make you a present of him as well. I will save you
for last, Elena. I will
…
”
             
`.

“Do I hear the laughter of children, Ortirez?” she
asked calmly.’

The line went silent. He had covered his mouth
piece.

“Ortirez, do you know what a perpetual trust is?”

He said nothing. Even his silence sounded stupid.

“It is a fund of money that carries out one's wishes
even after death. This fund will contain two million
Swiss francs. Do you know how much that is in pesos,
Ortirez?”

“Tell me about your fund,” he said scornfully, “and I
will laugh at you.”

“Oh, the bounty will not be upon your life, Ortirez.
That would be too merciful.”

He waited
.

“First it will be for the eyes of your children and the
noses of your women. I will keep them here in a box
where I can count them. Next it will be for your disease-
ridden cock, Ortirez. I will dry it and frame it so that all
who come into my house may make jokes about the
great General Ortirez.”

Lesko's lunch made him sleepy all over again. He
couldn't understand it. Had trouble staying awake ever
since he got here. Must be run-down. Too many fo
u
r-in-
the-mornings. Too many aggravating dreams.

He dozed off and on in a deep leather chair, in what
must have been a recreation room, back when this
place had patients. Now there was only Loftus. And his
wife and kids. And that other guy, Poole.

Katz was there for a while. Sitting with him, watch
ing a fight on cable. Lesko didn't mind as long as all he
talked about was the fight. And about some of the other
ones they saw when they used to go out to the old Sunnyside Gardens on Friday nights. But then one of
Loftus's kids came in and took Katz's seat and he had to
leave. Elena came in a couple of times, too. Or he thought she did. He wanted to get up and change the
channel so she wouldn't think all he watched was box
ing. But when he woke up enough to do it, she'd
be
gone, too.

Something cold touched his wrist. Then something
rubbed it. He opened one eye.