Code 61 - Donald Harstad [118]
“A lot you know. There's this physics thing called the Uncertainty Principle, you know, and it says that nobody can know anything for certain. Ever. Nope, they can't, and it's been scientifically proven, too.”
My, he was wired. “You mean Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle,” I asked, offhandedly as I was wondering what to do when Attorney Junkel arrived.
“Ooooh, you can read,” he said.
“I think Uncle Werner was referring to subatomic particles that can be influenced by the impact of a photon,” I said. “Not whether or not your bank account balanced.”
“Uncle? He was your uncle?” There was wonder in his voice. It was apparently easier for him to believe I was related to the famous physicist than for him to believe I had read anything concerning the man. Helped along, no doubt, by the fact he was stoned.
“Figure of speech, Toby,” I said. “Just a figure of speech.” I kept a straight face, but it wasn't easy.
“My bank account never balances,” he pronounced with great dignity, “because I don't have one.” He began to giggle. “But I had one once, and I couldn't keep it balanced on the end of my nose to save my ass!” He broke himself up with that one.
While our captive entertained himself, I told Hester about my conversation with the county attorney.
“I figured as much,” she said. “Shit.”
“Oooh, lady,” came from Toby. “The 'S' word.”
“Go balance your checkbook, Toby,” she said. That got him laughing quietly to himself, and he left us alone for the moment.
“Do we want the county attorney here for Junkel? On the off chance that he might let us interview Toby in his presence?”
She shook her head. “Not at this point.”
Toby started to sing in a thin voice, using what he evidently thought was an English accent.
“D'ye ken Dan Peale with his teeth so white?
He sleeps in the day and comes out at night,
His unearthly powers give the mortals a fright
Till he goes back to his coffin in the morning.”
Hester and I looked at each other. He sang it again, in a quavering voice, keeping time with his foot.
“D'ye ken Dan Peale with his teeth so white?
He sleeps in the day and comes out at night,
His unearthly powers give the mortals a fright
Till he goes back to his coffin in the morning.”
He stopped, and looked at us. “He's gonna kill me, 'cause I failed him twice, and you don't get a third chance. Not from old Dan Peale.” His eyes darted about the room. “In the crypt, he told me to kill her, and I couldn't. He told me to keep her dead, and I couldn't do it right. He's going to kill me now, 'cause I failed him.” He spoke in a calm, steady voice. “Plonk, plonk, plonk,” he said. Just like that first night in the woods.
“He was born in 1604 in London fucking England, and he never, never dies.”
It was creepy.
I glanced at Hester, and mouthed “Crypt?”
She nodded.
“It's all right, Toby. Don't worry,” said Hester. “Wait till your attorney gets here. Quietly.” Her tape was obviously still running.
“Not my attorney. Their attorney,” he said, suddenly getting petulant on us. “He'll save me, all right, but he'll just be saving me for them.” He looked beseechingly at Hester. “Don't let 'em kill me, lady. Please?”
“Now you're putting me on,” I said. “Just wait for Mr. Junkel.”
“Don't I wish I was.”
“Yeah. Hey, why'd you run on us the other night? Just curious, no charge or anything.” I really was interested in why, and there wasn't anything that an attorney could glom onto with that question.
He tittered. “Well, I forgot to lock the fuckin' door, didn't I?”
“Yeah, you're just not fast enough,” I said. “But why'd you run?”
He positively giggled. “Toby wins,” he got out. “Yes!”
I tried another tack. “And who's this 'they' you keep referring to?” I tried to keep it matter-of-fact, but there was a tinge of anticipation in my voice, I'm afraid. It was a justifiable question, though, even in the light of Miranda. Our knowing who was going to “kill” Toby was in his own interest.
He regarded me for a moment, suddenly quite calm. Sober, in a way.
“Vampires all over the world,” he said. “That's who 'they'