Part 35 (1/2)
Good answer.
Looking again at the mess surrounding us, Lopez asked, ”What is is all this c.r.a.p?” all this c.r.a.p?”
”It's ephemeral matter,” Lucky said. ”Makes a h.e.l.luva mess, don't it?”
”What's it doing here?”
”It came with the mook,” Lucky said.
Lopez stared at him. ”Did the mook say why why he had a load of feathers, dirt, and pebbles with him?” he had a load of feathers, dirt, and pebbles with him?”
”He didn't happen to say why,” Lucky said. ”Fortunately, it's over now and everyone is fine. It's good thing me and Nelli came back from our walk when we did.”
”Nelli?” Lopez looked down at the dog. She paused in her olfactory examination of him to meet his gaze. After a moment, she wagged her tail hesitantly. ”Max's new roommate, I take it?”
”Yeah.”
”And why are there two swords and an ax on the table?”
”They're antiques,” Lucky said. ”Max was showin' us his collection.”
Lopez studied the objects. I had a feeling he was looking for blood. My gaze went involuntarily to the blade which had beheaded his perfect double tonight. Fortunately, the weapons were so old, they really did look like collector's items. It occurred to me they were probably valuable.
”All right,” Lopez said, ”I'll need a statement from each of you-except Nelli-and a description of the guy who came in here.”
”We didn't get a good look at him,” Lucky said.
Lopez looked at Lucky, who looked at Max, who looked at me.
I said, ”Um . . .”
There was a long, extremely uncomfortable moment of silence.
Lopez sighed and said, ”Everyone who isn't Esther, take a walk.”
Lucky bristled. ”You got a warrant?”
”I don't need a warrant to talk to her.” Lopez glanced at him. ”And I'm sure I can come up with a reason for probable cause if I decide to search you right now for an unlicensed gun.”
”Max, let's take a walk.” Lucky clipped Nelli's leash back onto her collar.
”Er . . .” Max looked doubtful.
”It's all right.” I squeezed Max's arm rea.s.suringly. We knew from Nelli's reaction that this was the real Detective Lopez. ”Take Nelli for a walk.”
Already halfway to the door with Nelli, Lucky added, ”And bring some plastic bags, for the love of G.o.d. What do you feed this dog, anyhow?”
”Don't say 'dog.' ” Max stumbled after them.
As soon as the doorbells chimed to hail their departure, I said to Lopez, ”Have you seen your own perfect double?”
That caught him flat-footed. ”Huh?”
”Have you seen anyone who looks just like you?”
He frowned. ”You mean . . . ever? ever?”
”No, I mean quite recently. Today. Maybe yesterday?”
”No,” he said. ”Now what the he-”
”Think hard,” I said. ”It might be someone who you think just looks a little little like you.” like you.”
”What are you talking about?” he said impatiently.
”We tend to think we look like the image we see in the mirror. But that's a reflection, so what we're seeing is actually in reverse. Actors have to know what others see when they look at us, but many people are surprised by their own appearance in photos and don't really know what they look like.”
”Fascinating,” he said. ”Now let's talk about-”
”So have you seen anyone who looks even a little bit like you? Same height and build? Same age and coloring?”
”Probably dozens of people,” he said. ”So what?”
”He was wearing the same clothes you're wearing now,” I said. ”Blue jeans, pale s.h.i.+rt, denim jacket . . .”
”He? Who are we talking about?” Who are we talking about?”
I froze as I realized what I had just said. ”The same clothes . . .” Both versions of Charlie were wearing the same suit on the night that Lucky and I saw his doppelgangster at Bella Stella's. And Lopez's doppelgangster had been wearing what the real Lopez was wearing tonight.
”He who who, Esther?”
Did this information mean anything?
”What was Johnny Gambello wearing when he was pulled out of the East River?” I asked.
”What?” Lopez was confused by the sudden change of topic.
”Was it a red s.h.i.+rt and white leisure suit with silver trim?”
Frowning at me, he shook his head. ”No.”
So was I on the wrong track? No, not necessarily. Johnny had gone home and talked to his wife after seeing his doppelgangster. So maybe he changed his clothes sometime after he was duplicated and before he died.
So maybe . . . ”Yes!” I said, grasping it.
”Yes, what?” Lopez prodded.
Maybe the clothing the doppelgangsters wore could help us pinpoint when when they had been created! they had been created!
”I have to tell Max,” I said, heading for the door.