ericlustbader.the ninja-第109章

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t　a　friendly　warning；　'cause　I'm　waiting　for　that　motherfucker　to　step　one　inch　out　of　line。　Then　I'm　gonna　break　him　in　two。'
　Nicholas　thought　about　what　Croaker　had　told　him　of　Gelda　and　he　had　to　smile　to　himself。　What　would　Tomkin　do　when　he　found　out　that　Croaker　and　his　daughter　were　seeing　each　other？　Apoplexy　might　be　an　accurate　term。
　'That　bastard's　got　a　hard…on　for　me　and　I've　got　no　idea　why。　He's　got　this　crazy　notion　that　just　because　I　was　balling　Angela　Didion；　I　killed　her。'
　Nicholas　watched　him；　rubbing　the　electronic　bug　back　and　forth　between　the　calloused　pads　of　his　fingers。
　Tomkin　snorted　derisively　through　his　nostrils；　giving　Nicholas　the　image　of　a　horse　rearing。　'Hell；　that　broad　got　around；　you　know？　Doing　people　she　didn't　even　know。　Got　a　kick　out　of　that；　giving　rim　jobs　to　guys　she　pulled　off　the　street。　Just　like　that　…　Boom！　Only　it　wasn't　always　guys；　see。　The　broad　was　nuts。　Definitely　nuts。　If　I'd've　known　about　that　…you　know；　a　closet　lezzie　…　I　wouldn't　have　…　hell；　she　disguised　it　well　enough。'　He　waved　a　hand　and　gold　glinted。　'Anyway；　it's　all　ancient　history　now　…　that's　how　I　see　it。　But　that　cop　won't　let　it　alone；　you　know？　He's　like　a　fucking　dog　with　an　old　bone　nobody　wants　but　him。'
　'He's　doing　his　job。'
　'He　ain't　doing　his　job！'　Tomkin　cried。　'That's　the　whole　goddamned　issue。'　He　pounded　the　table。　'The　Angela　Didion　thing　is　a　dead　issue　for　everyone　on　the　entire　fucking　New　York　Police　Force　except　Croaker。　What's　he　think　he's　got？　A　calling　from　God？　Well；　I'm　telling　you；　he's　got　nothing。　I　got　his　number；　loves　to　see　his　name　in　the　papers。'　He　swivelled　back　and　forth　in　his　chair；　very　fast；　as　if　he　had　a　surplus　of　nervous　energy。　'Goddamned　glory　hound。　He's　not　gonna　ride　me　to　any　headlines。　He　needs　to　be　taught　a　lesson；　that's　all。'　He　glanced　up；　no　longer　half…talking　to　himself。　'What　about　this　guy　…　the　ninja？'
　'Well；　that's　what　I　came　to　talk　to　you　about。　So　far；　he's　been　setting　the　pace。　What　I　think　we　have　to　do　now　is　reverse　the　situation。　We　have　a　chance　if　we　can　control　the　environment。　We　have　to；　in　other　words；　be　on　the　battleground　before　him。'
　'So？　Set　it　up。　That's　what　I'm　paying　you　for；　isn't　it？'
　'It's　not　that　simple；　unfortunately。'
　'Well；　do　what　you　have　to　do。　I　don't　care　what　it　is。　I　want　him　out　of　the　way。　Permanently。'
　'It　involves　you　directly。'
　'Of　course　it　does。　He's　been　sent　here　to　kill　me。〃
　'He's　here　to　kill　me；　too。'
　'What？'
　'I　know　this　man。　There　is　an　old　score　to　be　settled。　It's　nothing　to　do　with　you。'
　'I　see。'
　'Except　that　it　may　lead　us　to　his　entrapment。'
　'How？'
　'Through　one　of　his　bugs。'　Nicholas　lifted　the　tiny　disk　so　that　Tomkin　could　see　it　clearly。　'You　see；　this　is　currently　inactive。　It's　one　of　the　new　contact　type；　which　simply　means　that　once　it　is　reapplied　to　a　surface；　it　bees　active　again。'
　A　gleam　came　into　Tomkin's　icy　eyes；　deceit　was　a　currency　he　understood。　'You　mean　…'
　'We　reactivate　it。　And　use　it。　Chances　are　he'll　believe　there's　been　a　minor　dysfunction　and　…'
　'What　if　he's　smarter　than　that？　This　guy's　an　expert。　I've　heard　stories　about　ninja　…'
　'I　don't；'　said　Nicholas；　'think　it　will　matter　at　all。　He　wants　us　both　and；　if　he　thinks　he　can　get　us　together；　he'll　take　the　chance；　even　if　there's　the　suspicion　of　a　trap。　It's　one　I've　set　up；　you　see。　It's　a　challenge　and　he　cannot　back　down　without　losing　an　awful　lot　of　face。　That　he　will　not　do。'
　'It　amounts　to　inviting　him　over；'　Tomkin　said　slowly。
　'Yes。'
　The　blue　eyes　regarded　him　cannily。　Nicholas　could　almost　hear　the　sound　of　his　mind　ticking…　over；　weighing　probabilities　just　as　if　he　were　making　a　puter…assisted　business　decision。　But　then；　in　a　curious　kind　of　way；　it　was　a　business　decision。
　'Let's　do　it。'　His　voice　rang　unhesitatingly。
　Afterwards；　as　Nicholas　detached　the　bug　and　dropped　it　into　the　thick　cotton　bed　he　had　fashioned　for　it　in　one　of　the　desk　drawers；　Tomkin　said；　'Can　everything　be　arranged　by　the　night　after　next？〃
　'There　won't　be　any　problem。'
　'Good。'　He　picked　up　the　phone　as　Nicholas　turned　to　leave。　'Hey；'　he　said；　'you　didn't　tell　me　you　were　having　problems　with　Justine。'
　Nicholas　froze；　silently　cursing　Tomkin。　Had　he　been　spying　on　his　daughter　again？　How　else　would　he　know？
　'Hit　a　nerve；　didn't　I？'　He　laughed。　'You　got　a　damn　good　poker…face　but　I　don't　need　to　see　your　expression　to　know。'
　'Just　what　do　you　know？'
　Tomkin　shrugged。　'Just　that　she's　in　the　city；　out　with　another　guy。　Don't　know　who　he　is　but　I　will　soon　enough。'　He　^　dropped　his　eyes；　began　to　dial。　'It's　too　bad；　really。　I　would've　liked　you　two　to　stay　together。　You're　good　for　her。　Now　I'm　afraid　she's　gone　back　to　her　old　ways。'
　'Where　is　she？'
　'Hello？　Yes…'
　'Tomkin　…'　Nicholas's　tone　cut　through　the　space　between　them。
　'Hold　the　line　a　moment　…'　Tomkin　put　his　palm　over　the　receiver。　'What　did　you　say？'　His　voice　had　turned　a　touch　treacley。
　'Where　is　she？'
　'At　a　discotheque。　On　West　Forty…sixth　Street。'　He　rummaged　with　one　hand　on　his　desktop。　'I　know　I　have　the　name　of　it　somewhere。　At　least；　I　had　it　earlier　。。。　Ah；　here　it　is。'　He　read　off　a　slip　of　paper；　giving　Nicholas　the　name。　His　eyes　lifted。　'Know　it？'
　'I　don't　go　to　discos；　normally；〃　Nicholas　said。　His　voice　was　as　tight　as　a　coiled　spring。　Across　from　him；　Tomkin　looked　as　if　he　had　devoured　a　particularly　tasty　sweet。
　'No；　I　suppose　not。　Otherwise　you　might　have　run　into　her　before　this。　It's　an　old　hangout　of　hers。　Perhaps　you　ought　to　try　it　some　time。'　He　turned　away　to　the　phone　in　dismissal。
　For　a　time　he　spoke　as　part　of　a　conversation　that　had　no　meaning；　listening　with　his　free　ear　to　the　sound　of　the　elevator's　doors　sighing　shut；　the　quiet　hum　of　the　machine　as　it　took　Nicholas　down　to　the　lobby　far　below。
　When　that　sound　had　ceased；　he　reached　out　one　hand　and　opened　a　desk　drawer。　Without　turning　his　head；　he　replaced　the　receiver　of　the　phone。
　He　stared　down　at　the　bit　of　plastic　and　metal　with　a　kind　of　rapt　fascination。　A　light　line　of　sweat　broke　out　on　his　forehead；　the　way　it　did　every　time　he　made　a　major　business　decision。　His　heart　thudded　and　his　pulse　rate　increased。
　He　licked　his　lips　and；　carefully；　deliberately；　he　brought　the　bug　out　of　its　bed　and　attached　it　to　the　side　of　his　desk。
　He　swung　round；　away　from　it　so　that　he　looked　out　on　the　winking　late…night　face　of　the　city。　West。　The　entire　country　was　before　him　though；　of　course；　he　could　not　see　it。　At　length　he　began　to　speak。
　'I　suppose；'　he　said；　almost　meditatively；　'it　depends　on　how　much　you　want　him。　But　what　if　…　what　if　I　could　guarantee　Nicholas　Linnear。　I　could　hand　him　to　you　on　a　platter。　As　easy　as　pie；　yes？'　He　swung　round　and　now　he　addressed　directly　the　bug　hanging　like　a　bloated　spider。　'I'll　bet　that's　worth　a　lot　to　you。　As　much　as　a　life。　What　do　you　say？'
　He　reached　out　and　detached　the　bug；　returning　it　to　its　drawer；　precisely　as　Nicholas　had　placed　it。　Tomkin　was　a　meticulous　man。
　Then　he　sat　back　with　his　hands　behind　his　head；　waiting　for　the　phone　call　he　was　certain　would　e。　The　fully　loaded　pistol　clinging　in　its　holster　to　his　damp　shirt　beneath　his　suit　jacket　felt　heavy　and　warm　and　infinitely　forting。　In　matters　like　this；　he　thought；　one　never　knew。
　'Someone　wants　to　see　you。'
　The　phone　had　rung　just　after　Croaker　had　walked　in　but；　despite　that　and　despite　the　fact　that　she　had　already　put　the　machine　on；　Gelda　had　picked　it　up　herself。
　She　had　e　into　the　living　room　to　answer　the　door　and　both　of　them　were　still　there　in　the　semi…darkness。　She　watched　him　now　as　she　listened　to　the　voice　in　her　ear；　as　he　stood　in　the　oblique　bars　of　light　and　dark　so　that　they　climbed　his　legs　to　just　above　his　knees。　His　face　was　illumined　by　the　fat　wedge　of　lemon　light　from　the　bedroom。
　'G；　are　you　there？'
　'Yes；　Pear。'
　'I　thought　you　had　drifted　away　for　a　moment。　Have　you　popped　anything？'
　'Not　tonight；　no。'
　He　seemed　afflicted　with　a　weariness　that　went　far　beyond　a　lack　of　sleep。　It　was　as　if　all　the　endless　hours　in　the　office　and　on　the　streets　and　in　the　courtrooms