New York_ The Novel - Edward Rutherfurd [454]
A stream of people were coming up the street. It seemed as if everyone was deciding to leave the area.
His cellphone rang.
“Mr. Master?” It was Maggie’s assistant again. “Where are you?”
“Down near the World Trade Center. But I’m fine, I’m not in the building.”
“We just saw what happened on the television. We just saw the second plane.”
“I saw it too. Did you speak with my wife?”
“That’s why I’m calling. I wondered if you did.”
“No. She probably turned her cell off during her meeting.”
“Only …” Maggie’s secretary seemed to hesitate a moment. “Mr. Master, that’s where she went.”
“What do you mean? The meeting got moved to the World Trade Center?”
“That’s what she told her paralegal just before she left. Oh, I’m so sorry, Mr. Master, I’m just so worried.”
“Which tower?”
“We don’t know.”
“What’s the name of the firm?”
“We’re trying to check.”
“For God’s sake, you must know who she’s meeting.”
“We’re checking that out right now. One of the other partners knows, but he’s in a meeting.”
“Well, interrupt the meeting. Right away. And call me back please.” It was an order.
“Yes, Mr. Master.”
“Call me back.” Goddammit. His pulse was suddenly racing. If necessary, he would climb up the fireman’s ladder or scale the sides of the building, but he was going to get Maggie out of there. No question. Only he had to know which building.
He tried Maggie’s cell. Nothing. He started to walk back toward the World Trade Center. Minutes passed. More and more people were coming up the street. He’d give Maggie’s office a couple more minutes, no more.
His cell went again.
“Daddy?” It was Emma.
“Hi, honey.” He tried to sound unconcerned. “Aren’t you in class?”
“I’m just going back in. Daddy, is everything all right? Are you anywhere near downtown? What’s happening down there?”
“I’m out in the street, sweetie. There’s some kind of fire in the World Trade Center. But I’m quite all right.”
“Is it, like, bombs or something?”
“Could be.”
“Where’s Mommy?”
“In a meeting.”
“She’s not down there, is she?”
He hesitated, but only for a second. “Why ever would you think that?”
“I don’t know. I called her cell and she didn’t answer.”
“You know she always turns her cell off when she’s in big meetings.”
“I know. I just …”
“She’s in Midtown somewhere, honey. Everybody’s fine, go back to class.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
She hung up. He redialed Maggie’s office immediately.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Master, we’re still trying to get that information.”
“Now I want you to listen very carefully,” Gorham said. “If any of the children call, nobody is to tell them that their mother is at the World Trade Center. This is really important. You have to tell them she’s somewhere in Midtown. I can’t have the kids going crazy at school, when there’s probably no need. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mr. Master. I get it,” she said.
“Call me back with the information about where she is,” he told her. “I need to know.” Then he hung up.
But ten minutes passed, and still she didn’t call.
Dr. Caruso was glad to be out of Doug’s office. He’d changed his mind just a couple of minutes after he’d got back there. Not that he was worried about his safety, but it occurred to him that there must be a lot of people injured in the North Tower. No doubt the emergency services would cope efficiently, but he was still a doctor. All right, an obstetrician, but a doctor nonetheless. He’d decided to go down to see if there was anything he could do to help.
It hadn’t taken him long to find a fire chief.
“Thank you, doctor. Would you stick around?”
“Sure.” They were in the lower lobby.
“I’ll get back to you.”
The second plane had hit a moment later.
He’d been waiting quite a while now. Firemen came and went.