Claire sobered quite suddenly. "Yes, Bert," she said. "Yes, Bert darling, I do love you. Very much."
"Well then…" He was speechless. He grinned foolishly and covered her hand with his and blinked.
"Now I've spoiled you," she said, smiling. "Now that you know I'm in your power, you'll be unbearable."
"No, no I won't."
"I know you policemen," she insisted. "You're brutal and cruel and…"
"No, Claire, no really, I…"
"Yes, yes. You'll take me in for questioning and…"
"Oh Jesus, Claire, I love you," he said plaintively.
"Yes," she said, smiling contentedly. "Isn't it wonderful? Aren't we so lucky, Bert?"
"You were lucky," the man said.
Gonzo looked at him sourly. "Yeah? You think so?"
"You could have taken a fall. How much were you holding?"
"About an ounce. That's not the point. What I'm trying to tell you is that this is getting hot, you see?"
"We want it to get hot."
"Listen, friend, hot is hot, but getting my own ass in a sling is another thing."
"You weren't nabbed, were you?"
"No, but only because I happened to be on my toes." Gonzo lighted a cigarette, and then exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Listen, don't you understand what I'm saying?"
"I understand perfectly."
"Okay, okay. This guy was a dick. And he was sure as hell looking for
"It doesn't matter what they know."
"You keep saying that. Okay, play it cool. I'm saying we're in this pretty deep now, and I say let's get it over with. Make your goddamn call, do what has to be done. Get it over with."
"I'll make the call when I'm ready," the man said. "I want to go up and look at the pigeons first. This cold weather…"
"You and your goddamn pigeons," Gonzo said.
"Pigeons are good," the man said simply.
"All right, look at them. Tuck them in. Do whatever you want. But call Byrnes, will you? Let's square this thing away. Remember, I got nothing to do with this but…"
"You've got a lot to do with it!"
"Nothing! That's what I'm trying to tell you. You made me a lot of promises, okay, I don't see nothing happening. All I see is bulls looking for me. Okay, what happened to the promises? What happened to your big idea? Goddamnit, who was it told you Byrnes' kid was a junkie in the first place?"
"You, Gonzo."
"Okay. So how about it? When do the promises pay off?"
"You've got Annabelle's trade, haven't you?"
"Peanuts!" Gonzo said vehemently. "You laid this out like big time. Okay, where's the big time? Didn't I do everything you said? Didn't I risk my neck setting up the Hernandez girl? You think it was easy getting her to agree to lie?"
"Yes, I think it was easy. I think all you had to do was to flash the twenty-five dollars."
"Yeah, well, it wasn't all that easy. The guy was her brother, you know. And she sure as hell didn't figure he was getting measured for a coffin. Anyway, he was a nice kid. That part of the idea stunk."
"It was the only way to do it."
"You coulda done it plenty ways," Gonzo said, "but I don't even want to talk about it. I don't know nothing about murder, nothing. Annabelle and his sister are your headaches. That's another thing, you know? Why'd you hafta cut…"
"Shut up!"
"Okay, okay. All I'm saying is this. That goddamn 87th is wise to something, and I got to protect myself. I ain't taking a fall for you or nobody else. If that dick starts giving me trouble-well, don't think I'm going along with him, friend. Nobody's going to work me over in no goddamn squad room."
"What'll you do, Gonzo? If a cop tries to take you in?"
"I'll kill the son of a bitch," Gonzo said.
"I thought you didn't know anything about murder?"
"I'm talking about these fancy wash jobs you figure out. I'm clear out of that mess, friend. All I want is what I was promised. For giving you the lead in the first place, and for setting up the Hernandez girl. Without me, you never woulda…"
"You'll get everything you were promised. Do you know what's wrong with you, Gonzo?"
"No, tell me. I'm dying to hear what's wrong with me."
"You still think small time. You're playing with something that's big time, and your mind is still laying on the garbage heap."
"Well, your mind is up in the clouds. Congratulations. Excuse me for being in the garbage."
"Start thinking big, you fool! Once I explain to Byrnes-"
"When? Call him, will you? Let's get this thing rolling."
"As soon as I check my pigeons."
"Check on the pigeons!" Byrnes shouted into the intercom. "If you've got stoolies, why the hell aren't you using them, Steve?"
At the other end of the instrument, Carella sighed patiently, unable to understand Byrnes' curious irritation these past few days.
"Pete, I
