Part 27 (2/2)
A male voice on the other end of the line squawked, ”h.e.l.lo? h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo? h.e.l.lo?”
Lopez sighed, leaned his head against the wall, and let me go.
”This will be quick,” I promised breathlessly, stooping down to pick up the phone.
”Yes, it will,” he vowed, sliding his arms around me from behind as I put the receiver to my ear.
He kissed my neck while I said, ”h.e.l.lo?”
”Esther? Esther Diamond? Is that you?”
I frowned, realizing it wasn't Thack. ”Yes, this is Esther.”
Lopez nibbled on my earlobe and slid his hand slowly across my stomach.
”Did you send this thing after me?” the caller demanded shrilly.
”Huh?”
”Is this your your doing?” doing?”
”What?” I closed my eyes, torn between my caller's obvious distress and what Lopez was doing. ”Oooh.”
”I saw it! I just saw my perfect double!”
I stiffened and gasped, but not, alas, because of the delicious way Lopez was trying to regain my full attention.
”What did you say?” I said, realizing who was on the other end of the line. did you say?” I said, realizing who was on the other end of the line.
”You heard me, you b.i.t.c.h!” shouted Danny the Doctor. ”Did you you send this thing after me?” send this thing after me?”
Lopez raised his head, having heard the agitated volume, if not the specific words.
”No, of course not,” I said. ”I tried to warn you. To help help you.” you.”
”In that case, what the f.u.c.k do I do now?” Danny shouted.
Well aware of the arms that were still wrapped around me, and the cop ears that I could tell were now listening to my half of the conversation, I said carefully, ”Am I the first person you've called?”
”No! You think I'd call a girl girl first?” Danny said contemptuously. ”But Lucky's line is busy and the Doc ain't answering his phone!” first?” Danny said contemptuously. ”But Lucky's line is busy and the Doc ain't answering his phone!”
Max couldn't hear his phone from his laboratory, which was where he probably was right now.
”All right,” I said. ”Tell me where you are. I'll meet you there and I'll take you to a safe-”
”I don't want you you. I want Lucky! No! No! No! I want the weird guy, the one who knows all about this s.h.i.+t! The Doc! And I want to know what the f.u.c.k to I want the weird guy, the one who knows all about this s.h.i.+t! The Doc! And I want to know what the f.u.c.k to do! do!”
”The first thing you have to do is calm down,” I said sharply. ”Get a hold of yourself.”
Lopez's arms fell away from me as he realized this was a serious matter. Anxious to avoid his perceptive gaze, I kept my back turned to him as I continued the conversation.
Danny shouted, ”You find that weird old guy, and you bring him to me! Do you hear me?”
”Yes.”
”You tell him I want protection from that . . . that thing! thing! That doppelgangster!” That doppelgangster!”
”All right,” I agreed. ”I need to know where you are.”
”Why? So you can have that thing whack me?” He sounded close to hysterics.
”So I can bring-” Remembering that Lopez was standing right behind me, I rephrased what I'd been about to say. ”So I can do what you've asked.”
”I ain't asking asking, I'm telling telling you!” you!”
Danny seemed intent on making it hard for me to want want to save his life. to save his life.
”Understood,” I said. ”So where can I find you?”
”I'm goin' to the mattresses!”
”And where would that that be?” I prodded. be?” I prodded.
”Can that doppelgangster tap phone calls?”
”No.” At least, I didn't think so.
”I'm gonna be in my cousin Vinny's ventilated wine vault. Safest place in the world. There's a steel door with a combination lock. Nothing and no one can get to me there.”
”Where is it?”
”It's in the cellar of Vinny's wine shop, you dumb broad!”
I scowled. ”Which would be where? where?”
He gave me an address in Brooklyn Heights. Since Lopez was watching me, I memorized it rather than writing it down. ”Okay, I'll be there as soon as possible.”
”You bring the Doc,” Danny ordered again.
”Yes. Absolutely.” Since I suspected Danny would be heavily armed when we arrived, I added, ”And I beg you to stay calm.”
”Are you nuts? nuts?”
”This is no time to panic,” I said firmly.
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