ericlustbader.the ninja-第105节

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　'Matty；　we've　already　settled　on　a　price。'
　'Yeah；　well；　you　see；　Lieutenant；　what　we　have　here　is　a　fluctuating　market。'
　'What　are　you　trying　to　pull？〃
　'The　price　is　out　of　date。'
　'Look…'
　'The　situation's　changed　since　we　last　spoke；　is　all。　Nothing　to　get　your　bowels　in　an　uproar　about；　I　still　got　the　goods。'
　'I　got　a　notion　to　haul　your　ass　downtown。　How'd　you　feel　about　that？'
　Matty　clucked　his　tongue　against　the　roof　of　his　mouth。　'Me；　Lieutenant？　Well；　I'd　be　lying　if　I　said　I　wouldn't　mind；　'cause　I　would。　But　I　really　gotta　say　that　you'd　mind　even　more　'cause　then　you'd　get　zip　outa　me　and　you　know　there　ain't　anywhere
　else　to　go　on　this　one。'
　Croaker　felt　a　tightening　in　his　stomach。　His　heart　was　racing。　'What's　happened？'　he　asked　carefully。
　'This　must　be　real　important　to　you。'
　'Spill。'
　'The　issue；'　he　said；　'was　cold　when　we　first　talked　about　it。'
　'And　now　…'
　'Now　it's　as　hot　as　Lucifer's　hind　tit。　Lotsa　nosing　around　on　the　street。　Someone　else's　looking　for　this　dame；　too。　As　a　hot　item；　she's　on　the　top　of　everyone's　list。　All　of　a　sudden；　like；　y'know？'
　'But　you've　got　it　all。　Name；　number　and　address？'
　'Lieutenant；　when　I　tell　you　I　got　something；　it's　not　on　its　way　in　from　the　Coast。　The　information's　in　house。'
　'So　give　it。'
　'After　we've　agreed；'　Matty　said；　'on　the　new　price。'
　'Okay；　shoot。〃
　'Triple。'
　'Triple！　Are　you　out　of　your　…'
　'Lieutenant；'　Matty　said　reasonably；　'we're　talking　about　my　life　here。　If　anyone　got　wind　…'
　'Anyone　like　who？　Who's　been　asking　around　about　this　broad？'
　'Don't　know　directly。'
　Croaker　sighed。　'Maybe　you　could　find　out；　Matty；　there's　a　good　boy。'
　'Maybe　I　could　at　that。　What　about　the　price？　Agreed？'
　'Agreed。'
　'Okay；　here's　the　diamond　load。'　The　name　Croaker　got　was　Alex　Logan。　He　also　got　a　phone　number　and　an　address　in　Key　West；　Florida。
　'About　the　other　thing；'　Croaker　said。　'You　better　get　it　to　me　real　soon　'cause　I'm　likely　to　head　south　at　any　time；　get　me？'
　'That　urgent；　huh？'
　'I　can't　remember　the　last　time　I　had　a　vacation。'
　'Will　do。　You　know；　Lieutenant；　you're　really　okay。　No　hard　feelings；　huh？　Business　is　business；　you　know？'
　'Yeah。　Thanks　for　the　vote　of　confidence。　I　have　a　feeling　I'm　gonna　need　it。'
　'Tell　me　something。'　There　was　an　edge　to　his　voice　now　as　if　he　had　just　woken　up。　'How　big　is　this　thing？'
　'What's　it　to　you？'
　'Huh！　I'm　involved；　ain't　I？　Sure。　Right　up　to　my　armpits。　I　just　wanta　know　whether　I'm　standing　in　a　pile　of　dogshit　or　…'
　'I　really　can't　say　yet。　The　jury's　still　out。　But　it　just　could　be。'
　'Maybe　I　oughtta　fade；　then。'
　'Strictly　up　to　you。　Might　not　be　such　a　bad　idea。'
　'Preciate　it；　Lieutenant。'
　'I　don't　want　my　wells　drying　up。　Like　a　Texan　that　way。〃
　Matty　the　Mouth　laughed；　a　dry　rasp　like　a　metal　file　going　over　an　unstripped　log。　'Uh　yeah！　What　I　am　today　I　owe　to　you。'
　'Just　keep　it　up；　Matty。　Just　keep　it　up。'
　Back　in　the　car；　he　headed　towards　the　office。　Finnigan；　the　fat　mick；　would　not　be　at　all　happy　to　see　him　this　morning。
　Well；　to　hell　with　him。　Croaker　braked　savagely；　jammed　the　heel　of　his　hand　against　the　horn　rim；　stood　on　the　gas。　He　only　hoped　that　when　he　returned　from　Key　West　with　Alix　Logan　in　tow；　the　bastard　would　have　a　stroke。
　If　he　could　get　her　to　talk。　Fear　was　a　most　effective　weapon　wielded　by　a　knowing　hand。　Unless　he　was　severely　mistaken；　his　little　outburst　in　Tomkin's　face　had　had　its　desired　effect。　A　dead　issue　had　bee　abruptly　hot。　Now　there　would　be　a　direct　link　between　Alix　Logan　and　Raphael　Tomkin。　For　a　moment　he　debated　bringing　Vegas　in　on　this。　It　would；　after　all；　be　helpful　to　have　someone　here　to　round　up　whoever　it　was　who　was　nosing　around；　while　he　was　down　in　Key　West。　But　he　dismissed　it　almost　at　once。　It　wasn't　fair　to　drop　such　a　heavy　bag　of　shit　in　Vegas's　lap。　No；　he'd　just　have　to　look　after　both　ends　himself。　Timing。　He'd　need　timing。
　And　a　good　deal　of　luck。
　'I　saw　Justine　off　yesterday；'　Nicholas　said。　'I　asked　her　to　go　back　out　to　West　Bay　Bridge　until　this　is　all　over。'
　Croaker　slammed　the　door　to　his　car；　came　around　to　the　front　where　Nicholas　was　standing。　'Good　idea。　I　asked　Gelda　to　stay　with　a　friend　of　hers　or　something。　I　just　wanted　her　out
　of　the　apartment　for　a　while。'
　Above　them　the　tower　on　Park　Avenue　rose；　half…skeletal；　half…fleshed；　so　that　it　looked　like　an　artist's　cross　section。
　'He　up　there？'　Croaker　asked；　indicating　the　building。
　'He　should　be。　I　cleared　all　of　this　with　him　first。'　They　began　to　walk　across　the　wooden　planks　over　the　unfinished　sidewalk。　'He's　got　guts；…you've　got　to　give　him　that。'
　'Huh。　I　don't　have　to　give　him　nothing。　If　he's　agreed　to　it；　five'll　getcha　ten　he's　got　some　angle　figured。'
　'Sure。　Like　getting　Saigo　off　his　back。　Do　you　think　he　wants　to　be　hounded？〃
　Croaker　gave　him　a　sideways　grin　at　that。　'Naw。　I　don't　think　anyone　wants　that。　Not　even　him。'　They　got　into　the　elevator。
　'Where　are　the　men？'
　'ing　in'　…　he　consulted　his　watch　…　'just　about　fifty　minutes　from　now。　All　TPF　…　Tactical　Police　Force　to　you　civilians。　We've　got　the　works　this　time：　tear…gas；　submachine…guns；　even　a　pair　of　super…snipers　with　infrared　…scopes。　Hit　a　dime　at　a　thousand　yards　in　the　dark。　And；　of　course；　all　the　mea…will　be　wearing　bullet…proof　vests　…　they've　all　been　cleared　for　hand…to…hand；　by　the　way。'　The　doors　opened　on　the　top　floor　and　they　stepped　out。　Tomkin　had　just　better　behave　himself。'
　'Listen；　you　leave　Tomkin　to　me；　okay？　Just　stay　away。　He　only　baits　you　because　he's　scared　of　you。'
　'Yeah？'　Croaker　grinned　again。　'Now　that's　the　kind　of　thing　I　like　to　hear。'
　Just　before　they　got　to　the　doors　of　Tomkin's　office　Nicholas　stopped　them。　'Remember；'　he　said；　'I　don't　want　any　of　your　men　on　this　floor。　Not　for　any　reason；　is　that　clear？　If　Saigo　gets　by　them；　they　are　to　stay　put。　I　don't　want　any　of　them　getting　in　my　way。　This　floor　has　got　to　be　clear。'
　'No　sweat。　Not　that　I　like　it　too　much　but　this　is　his　building　and　you're　calling　the　shots。　Seeing　as　how　I　didn't　do　too　well　two　nights　ago。　I　think　I　can　swallow　this。　Only'　…　he　lifted　a　forefinger　in　warning　…　'don't　expect　me　to　stay　down　there　with　them。　If　he　gets　away；　I'll　be　up　here　with　you。'
　Nicholas　nodded。　'As　long　as　you　e　up　via　the　route　we　mapped　out　together。　Don't　take　any　unexpected　detours。'
　'I　wish　I　knew　what　you　had　cooked　up　for　this　guy。'
　'Believe　me；　it's　much　better　that　no　one　else　knows。　It's　going　to　e　down　to　him　and　me；　anyway。'
　'But　all　you　have　is　that。'
　Nicholas　hefted　his　scabbarded　katana。　'That；'　he　said；　'is　all　I　am　going　to　need。'　He　pushed　open　the　door　and　they　went　into　the　great　corner　office。
　Tomkin；　seated　as　usual　behind　his　enormous　desk；　looked　up；　frowning。　'Can　you　believe　it？'　he　growled。　'A　goddamned　garbage　strike。　And　in　the　middle　of　the　summer。　Christ；　those　union　bastards　know　how　to　get　blood　out　of　a　stone。　This　place　is　gonna　stink　to　high　heaven　before　it's　even　finished。'
　The　old　man　stood　on　the　west　side　of　Park　Avenue。　Although　there　was　little　traffic　this　late　at　night；　he　nonetheless　waited　for　the　traffic　light　on　the　corner　to　change　in　his　favour。　When　at　length　it　did；　he　started　slowly　across　the　wide　avenue。　He　seemed　a　frail　figure　from　a　distance；　stooped　under　the　weight　of　the　duffel　bag　he　carried　slung　over　his　rounded　back。　He　had　splay　feet　and　his　bamboo　cane　aided　his　slow　passage。　Because　Park　Avenue　is　divided　by　a　rather　wide　concrete　median；　he　could　not　make　it　across　on　one　light。
　Standing　still　on　the　strip；　he　looked　quizzically　about　him　as　a　grandfather　might；　caught　dozing　in　his　favourite　chair　during　the　day。　His　head　was　slow　moving　and　it　was　some　time　before　his　gaze　took　in　the　half…finished　building　on　the　east　side　of　the　avenue。　By　that　time；　anyone　who　might　be　watching　him；　even　casually；　would　not　have　thought　it　strange　that　he　contemplated　the　structure　for　the　remaining　time　until　the　light　returned　to　green　and　he　made　his　limping　way　across　the　street。
　Instead　of　turning　right；　he　went　straight　on；　due　east；　towards　Lexington　Avenue。　Once　there；　he　turned　south　to　the　end　of　the　block。　He　had　now　made　a　half…circuit　along　the　perimeter　of　the　tower。
　There　was　an　old…style　phone　booth　on　the　corner。　One　of　those　with　green　metal　and　glass　walls　all　the　way　down　to　the　pavement。　Beside　it　were　black　and　tan　polythene　bags　of　garbage　awaiting　pickup。　He　put　this　makeshift　screen　between　him　and　the　tower　as　if　he　were　about　to　head　further　east。
　Now　he　was　in　dense　shadow　and　he　stood　perfectly　still；　having　first　altered　his　image：　the　duffel　bag　was　at　his　feet　and　he　stood　straight；　his　shoulders　squared。　The　bamboo　cane　lay　in　the　gutter；　out　of　sight　of　even　the　sparse　traffic　along　Lexington。　He　was　invisible　to　anyone　within　the　building's　periphery。
　He　waited　twenty　minutes。
　Without　bending；　he　unzipped　the　duffel　bag　and　worked　with　deft；　economical　movements。　When　he　emerged　from　his　cover；　he　appeared　to　be　a　spare；　dapper　businessman　in　a　conservative　suit　and　a　pork…pie　hat。　As。　American　as　apple　pie。　He　remembered