“The experiment,” I repeated.
“We…wanted…to see…how far…you’d…go.”
I thought about the seven loans Victor had Callie make to four couples and three individuals, loans that represented eleven lives and seven hundred thousand dollars—loans made and lives taken for nothing more than a bet between two midgets.
“You had me kill all those people just to see how long I’d do it? Why?”
“You…ever see…that…movie…
“Yeah…”
“Well…we had…a bet…Hugo…and me.”
“Who won?”
“He did.”
I stared at him blankly. “How much did he win?”
“Like…the movie.”
“One dollar?”
“Yes but…it’s the…principle…not the…money.”
Hugo made a bow, reached into his pocket, pulled out a single dollar bill, held it up, and performed a strange little victory dance.
Victor said, “He’s…very proud…of his…victory.”
Nadine and I looked at each other.
“I think we’re done here,” she said.
When it was just me and her in the room I said, “When were you going to tell me?”
“I was working up to it.”
“You and Lou let me believe everything was fine with Kathleen and Addie.”
She looked at me awhile before speaking. “You want the truth?”
“Tease me with it. We can always default to your bullshit later.”
“Dr. Howard asked us not to say anything that might interfere with your recovery.”
“She’s engaged,” I said.
“She is.”
This, along with all the rest, was almost too much to bear. “I guess Kathleen’s had it pretty rough,” I said, “Addie too.”
“And Kathleen had every reason to believe you were dead. She attended your funeral, don’t forget.”
“Did she seem pretty broken up at the time?”
“I wasn’t there, but I understand she took it hard.”
“You think she brought a date?”
“That sort of talk is destructive, don’t you think?”
“You really want to know what I think?”
“I do,” she said. “It’s my job, after all.”
“I know she wants to be married, and it’s certainly better for Addie. Still, I think it’s pretty quick on her part. Don’t you agree?”
“I try to avoid judgment,” Nadine said.
Chapter 48
“Hello, Sal,” I said.
“What? Who is this? How’d you get this number?”
“Listen to my voice. You know who it is.”
“The fuck?”
“You got some work for me?”
From the dead silence on the other end of the line I could practically hear the wheels turning.
“What is this, a—whatcha call—previous recording? Someone trying to be funny? Trying to play a bad joke?”
“It’s me. Creed.”
“Bullshit.”
“Go ahead,” I said. “Ask me something only I would know.”
“Holy shit, it is you!”
“You didn’t ask me anything.”
“Only you woulda said something like that. Jesus H. The friggin’ attic dweller comes back from the grave.”
Then, as if something just struck him, Sal said, “I want my money back for the—whatcha call—funeral wreath.”
I laughed. “Take it out of my next job.”
“Don’t think I won’t. So who got killed and passed off as you? And where the hell you been, anyway?”
“You know how it works. That’s classifi ed.”
“And you government fuckers wonder why I have—whatcha call—trust issues.”
“So, you got any work for me, or not?”
“I could give you ten jobs today.”
“Give me an easy one to start. I’m at half strength right now.”
“Which means you’re still the best I ever seen.”
“Stop,” I said. “You’re making me blush.”
“You want easy?” he said. “I was gonna do this one myself.”
“What, some girl scout forgot to deliver your cookies?”
“After all these years you’re still a wise guy,” Sal said.
“I didn’t know wise guys called other people wise guys.”
“I could write a book on what you don’t know. You want this candy job or what?”
“Feed me, Seymour.”
“The fuck you talkin’ about?”
“I want the easy hit first. Then we can talk about the others.”
“That’s my boy.”
“So,” I said, “what makes this hit so easy?”
“The fucker
I didn’t know the fucker, but I knew how he felt.
Chapter 49
“Callie, it’s me.”
There was the briefest silence, and then an explosion took place on the other end of the line.
“Oh my God, Oh, my GOD, OH MY GOD!” Callie shrieked.
“I’m back.”
“Oh, Donovan. Thank God!”
We went through all the questions as if checking them off a list, and set a date to have dinner.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Eva,” I said.
She laughed. “There may be some gay girl stuff going on. Think you can handle it?”
“Let me think a minute. Yes.”
“Good. I can’t wait for you to meet her. Did you hear? She’s the lead now.”
“I never doubted for a minute that she would be. But here’s the real question: have you told her what you do?”
“Of course. I’m a decorator, all A-list clients.”
“A job that requires extended travel.”
“Exactly.”
We were silent awhile.
“How are you with explosives?”
“Pretty current. Why, you’ve got a job for me already?”
“I do.”
I went through the details of what I needed from her, and she had a number of questions about that. When at last all her questions were answered, some more silence passed between us.
“You ever think about quitting?” I said.
“Every day. But then I come to my senses. You?”
“Same.”
