Hard Candy - Andrew Vachss [78]
"Maybe."
"Yeah, you always say 'maybe.' I ask you if you get up tomorrow morning, you say 'maybe.' You can do it. When you see Wesley, you tell him he's all right with me. Aces. I even got a nice easy job for him. Cash up front, how's that?"
"I'll see."
I left him standing there. Walked over to Strega's car, feeling his eyes on my back. She stepped out of the little sedan, wearing a black coat, black scarf over her red hair. She handed me a thin envelope.
"I was right," she said.
"Yeah, you were," I said. "Now get out of here."
"I want to see it." Witchy eyes, even in the sunlight. "I was right…about everything."
I walked back toward Julio. The old man came forward, one hand reaching into his pocket. Highway traffic hummed to my right, planes thundered to my left. I held out Strega's envelope to Julio. With his confession inside: how he made a little girl–child dance for him. The child he just sentenced to dance again under Wesley's bullets. He took his hand out of his inside pocket, slipped what I handed him into his coat. Reached back inside. A fat envelope. I took it. Closed my hand over his. He pulled back. "What…?" Max launched off the railing in a dark blur. Julio twisted his neck sharply just as I heard the snap. He fell into me. I slipped his dead arm over my neck, walked him to the railing. Propped him on the bench, emptied his pockets. An old man, sleeping in the sun. Until you got close enough to catch the smell.
I walked back to my car. Closed the trunk on the dark bundle of blankets back there. Followed the BMW out of the parking lot.
The Plymouth shot past Strega, heading for the Triboro Bridge. I thought I saw her wave something at me but the windows of her car were very dark. I couldn't be sure.
135
I CHECKED my list. I had to spook him, not tip him off. Called one of the six numbers on the printout. Not the dead line. Asked for Train. He came, quickly.
"It's me," I said.
"How did you come by this number?"
"From the man we discussed."
"A shot was fired through my upper window last night. Nobody heard it. There was a little round hole in the glass. A big chunk of plaster torn off the wall."
"I'll have him tomorrow. If I thought you knew what he looked like, I'd prove it to you."
"I know what he looks like."
It would have chilled me, but I knew how he knew.
"If I can pull it off, I'll call tomorrow night. Take you to him."
"You mean…?"
"Yeah. COD."
136
CALLED MOREHOUSE. Got him live, no machine.
"Stay by your phone tomorrow night. Keep the line clear. All night."
"Sure."
137
CALLED CANDY.
"Hello, baby," she said into the phone. Breathy. Knowing how old she was supposed to be.
"I want to do it again," I told her.
"Anytime, honey. Just tell me."
"There's something I have to do first. Something real important."
"I know you'll be okay."
"Yeah. I'm just a little nervous."
"Anything I can do?"
"No, I'm covered. He doesn't know…oh, never mind. It's too complicated. But when it's done, I'll bring Elvira back."
"Are you going to have to…?"
"No. I'm going to do something for him. Something he really wants. He'll give me the kid. No problem."
"Oh, I knew you could do it. Didn't I tell you?"
"Yeah. I'll call you soon."
"I love you," she said. Like she had before.
138
"I'M ON MY WAY," I told Train over the phone.
"I'll be here."
They let me in downstairs. Two of them went with me, close enough to touch. The two Elvira said had made the crazy girl disappear.
He was standing this time. By the window. The one with the little round hole in it. The monster's word was always good. I stepped close to him, keeping my voice down.
"He's dead."
"You're sure? Who is he?"
"Wesley. I'll take you to him—you said you'd know his face."
"How can I be sure?"
"You'll