Blue Belle - Andrew Vachss [84]
"We know your face, freak," I said quietly. "Next time we see you, you're done."
I stomped my heel hard into the side of his face; it made a squishy sound. Nobody gave us a look. When we climbed back inside the Lincoln, Pablo and El Cañonero were already in the back seat. Elena took the wheel and we moved off.
The rifleman tapped my shoulder. I turned around. He nodded his head once, a sharp, precise movement.
The Lincoln dropped me off at my car. Pablo got out with me. He handed me a strip of cloth, Day–Glo orange.
"Tie this around your head when you walk into the playground tonight. Bring a couple of bottles of beer. Pull your car into the playground, put the bottles on the hood. You raise your hand, one of the beer bottles blows up. This Mortay, he'll know you're covered."
"Thanks, Pablito. I owe you."
"El Cañonero said to tell you he'll be on the roof by eleven."
"Okay."
"He said to ask you something….If it gets bad…if this guy won't be warned off… if he comes for you…you want El Cañonero to drop him or just fade?"
"Drop him."
"Bueno."
99
I HEADED back downtown, stopped at Mama's. She took a long time to come to my booth. When she did, Immaculata was with her. They slid across from me. Mac didn't waste any time.
"Burke, is there trouble for Max?"
"I don't know. I'll know soon," I told her, stabbing Mama with my eyes. She stared right back. I shouldn't have mentioned the baby.
"You'll tell me as soon as you know?"
"Will you give me a fucking chance to head it off first?"
She reached across the table, took, my hand. "I will. And I'll keep Max close for a few more days. Don't blame Mama. She told him you were working on something and he keeps pushing her. He thinks it's you who's in trouble. She needed my help."
"No hard feelings," I told her, remembering Michelle's words. "Where's Max now?"
"He's home with Flower." She got up to leave. Kissed me. "Be careful," is all she said.
Mama gave me about thirty pounds of Chinese food to take with me. I bowed to her as I left. Her eyes asked if I understood.
"It's okay," I said.
100
"ANYBODY COME calling?" I asked Belle, stepping past Pansy.
"Been real quiet," she said, taking the cartons of food from me. Pansy followed her into the back room, ignoring me. The bitch.
Belle cleared off the desk so we could eat. "What's all that?" I asked her, pointing to yellow legal pads covered with scrawls.
"Just some charts I made. I have to see the streets for myself—the maps don't do it all. But I wrote down some ideas."
"Is it easier for you to memorize directions if you're driving or if you're a passenger?"
"Driving is best."
"Okay," I said, digging into the hot–and–sour soup, "you drive tonight."
"Where're we going?"
"To a place you might have to come back to by yourself someday. A safe place."
She nodded, her mouth full of food. I tossed an egg roll over my shoulder, saying "Speak!" as I did. It never hit the ground.
I smoked a cigarette while Belle put the dishes away, playing with the few pieces I had. I put the thoughts down—after tonight, I'd have more pieces.
Six o'clock. I let Pansy out to the roof, went to the back to put things together. Steel–toed boots with soft rubber soles. Black cotton pants. A black sweatshirt. I took a white jacket from the closet, checked the Velcro tearaways at the shoulders. Slipped the orange headband into a pocket. I put a clean set of papers together: driver's license, registration, Social Security card, all that crap. Six hundred bucks in used bills, nothing bigger than a fifty. A cheap black plastic digital wristwatch.
I let Pansy back inside. Took a shower. Put on a terry–cloth robe.
When I came out, Belle was lying on the couch, her hands locked behind her head, long legs up on