Quinn - Iris Johansen [91]
“You don’t think he’d go undercover?”
Gallo shook his head. “Maybe. But if he did, then I know what to look for.”
“What?”
“A casino. Jacobs is a gambler, an addict. It’s one of the reasons that he never left Queen no matter how hot the situation got. He was nervous all the time, but he couldn’t let go. He needed the money, and he lost more than he won at the tables.”
“There are a lot of casinos in the world.”
“Then we’ll narrow them down.”
“How?”
He shrugged. “First, we’ll go to Jacobs’s apartment and see if we can find a clue as to where we’d have our best shot. Did you get his address?”
She nodded at the number she’d typed into her phone. “His apartment is in Georgetown.”
“Then call and see what’s the quickest flight we can get to Washington out of either Milwaukee or Chicago.”
She hesitated. “Orders, Gallo?”
“I believe in balance. You were giving me enough orders before we got on the road.”
And now he was moving, thinking, functioning with lightning efficiency. Why was she complaining? She should be glad she was going to have to fight for dominance. It would make the possibility of finding Jacobs all the more likely. “Have you forgotten that the police are looking for you? We’d do better to hire a private plane. I have a contact with—”
“No time. I have several sets of false ID that Queen and Jacobs supplied me and a couple I purchased from private sources. I could never be sure when Queen or Jacobs would decide to send one of their hired killers after me, and I might have to go undercover for a while.”
“Like Jacobs.”
“Exactly like Jacobs.”
“You’re not afraid that security will recognize you?”
“I’ll send you through in front of me. No one is going to look at me when you’re around. Like Jacobs, I’ll be the invisible man.”
“Yeah, sure. But if you’re willing to take the risk, it’s okay with me.” She took out her phone. “I’ll bet we’ll find our flight out of Chicago. The traffic is much heavier …
* * *
CATHERINE RECEIVED A CALL from Eve two hours later, when they were heading for Gate 23 at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
Dammit, she didn’t want to face Eve now. Should she ignore it?
Of course not. Eve would not forgive her.
Deal with it.
“Where are you, Eve?” she said when she picked up the phone. “And is Joe with you?”
“I’m on my way to Gallo’s place in the hills. I wanted to see you.” She paused. “And by the noise I’m hearing in the background, you’re not there. An airport?”
“Yes, I knew I blew it when I was talking to you before. I had to get out of there before you descended on us. Joe?”
“He’s not with me. I needed a little time to persuade you to forget this idiocy. Jane is trying to give me a day before she tells him.”
“She won’t be able to do it. You know it as well as I do. Joe is too sharp.”
Eve ignored her words. “Us. You said us. You’re with Gallo.”
“You knew I was, or you wouldn’t have come running to save me,” she said quietly. “I don’t need saving, Eve. He’s not going to hurt me.” She paused. “And he didn’t kill Bonnie.”
“For God’s sake, he has you believing him.” Catherine could hear the despair in her voice. “He did it, Catherine. I know how convincing he can be, but you have to think.”
“No, you have to think,” Catherine said. “You and Gallo are both so twisted and turned around about how you feel about Bonnie that you’re willing to jump at any explanation that sounds halfway reasonable. Only this isn’t reasonable. Just because Black believed what he was saying is no sign it was the truth.”
“You’re the one who is jumping at explanations. What did he do to persuade you?”
“Nothing. Except try to get himself killed. I figured that was unusual behavior and deserving of a little thought.”
“What?”
“Never mind. There’s no way that I have time or enough valid arguments to make you listen. All I can say is that I know you’re on the wrong track. I feel it. You’re a great one for believing in instinct. You believed in Gallo when I thought you were a gullible fool for doing it. Now the situation is reversed. All I can ask is that you trust me.”
Eve was silent.