Part 36 (1/2)
”Did you see him today?”
”No. But you must know that, since you had him under surveillance.”
”Surveillance isn't like what you see in the movies,” he said. ”We don't have the budget or the manpower to cover these guys nonstop. So we don't know where Danny was between leaving St. Monica's last night and winding up dead in his cousin Vinny's wine cellar this afternoon.”
”I don't know where he was, either.”
”So what were you and Max doing at St. Monica's with half a dozen wiseguys last night?” He added, ”And why were dressed like that? Both of you?”
”We were trying to fit in. It was a sit-down. Max and I were Lucky's, um, guests.”
”Why did Lucky bring you two to a sit-down?”
”He thought we could help prevent a mob war.” Unnerved by Lopez's stony expression, I said in a rush, ”That's why I'm involved in this. Max, too. To stop anyone else from getting killed. To prevent a mob war. All we've done is talk talk to people! Trying to get information and to convince them not to act rashly.” to people! Trying to get information and to convince them not to act rashly.”
”Trying to get what what information?” information?”
”Trying to find out who's behind the killings. The Gambellos didn't hit Danny. Danny said the Corvinos didn't hit Charlie and Johnny-and Lucky believed him,” I said. ”Lucky and Danny couldn't stand each other, but neither of them wanted another mob war, and that's why they met last night.”
”What did they say at the meeting?”
I thought about it. ”Actually, I guess Max did most of the talking.”
”Oh, good G.o.d.” Lopez rubbed his forehead as if it suddenly ached. ”We'll be lucky not to have corpses all over Mulberry Street by tomorrow.”
”That's what we're trying to prevent! prevent! And as far as I can tell, the Corvinos want to avoid a war just as much as the Gambellos do. But these are jumpy, violent guys who don't trust each other, so every time someone else gets killed-” And as far as I can tell, the Corvinos want to avoid a war just as much as the Gambellos do. But these are jumpy, violent guys who don't trust each other, so every time someone else gets killed-”
”You have got got to get out of this.” to get out of this.”
”And now it's gone beyond that! Now you're you're-”
”Esther, I'm taking you-”
”Listen to me!”
”No, you you listen to listen to me me.”
”You're in danger.” I tried to keep my voice calm and rational, not to sound hysterical. It wasn't easy. ”Whoever is behind these murders has targeted you. You're next. He's trying to kill you.”
”These guys don't hit cops, Esther,” he said. ”They're not geniuses, but they're smarter than that.”
”This one,” I said, ”is breaking the rules. He's trying to kill you. You must believe me. You're in terrible danger.”
He frowned. ”Who is it?”
”We don't know yet. That's what we're trying to find out! It's why we're involved in this.”
”All right, now now you're going to listen to me.” He took my shoulders in his hands. ”You're a civilian. Max is a loon. You ignored me after I told you to stay out of this, and now you've gotten yourself right in the middle of a very dangerous situation. I'm taking you into protective custody. Max, too, G.o.d help me.” you're going to listen to me.” He took my shoulders in his hands. ”You're a civilian. Max is a loon. You ignored me after I told you to stay out of this, and now you've gotten yourself right in the middle of a very dangerous situation. I'm taking you into protective custody. Max, too, G.o.d help me.”
A little while ago, I was ready to embrace protective custody with open arms, and to drag Max with me. But not now. ”Not while this . . . this . . . this person person is trying to kill you! I won't go! And Max won't go! He can help you! He's probably the only one who can help you!” is trying to kill you! I won't go! And Max won't go! He can help you! He's probably the only one who can help you!”
”What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?”
”I want you to listen to me. Just listen.” I took a steadying breath and tried to organize my thoughts. ”Do you know anything about doppelgangers?”
19.
”Me?” Lopez said, standing in the middle of the bookshop with his hands on his hips. ”Me.”
”Yes,” I said. ”Well, not you you you. But your perfect double.” you. But your perfect double.”
I had done my best to explain what we knew, and what the danger was. I thought I had been methodical and cogent despite my agitation about the mortal danger he was in now. But while I talked, his expression went from impatient, to skeptical, to-at the moment-appalled.
”This . . . this c.r.a.p, c.r.a.p,” he said, ”that's all over the floor and the chairs and the bookcases and your hair-”
”It's in my hair?” Revolted by the thought of doppelgangster detritus in my hair, I started brus.h.i.+ng at it with my hands.
”You're saying it was a supernatural creature that looked and sounded exactly like me?”
”Yes.”
”And if I saw it, I'd be cursed with certain death?”
”Yes,” I said, relieved he was getting the picture.
”And Max beheaded it to save my life.”
”Yes.”
”Esther . . .” He shook his head. ”What the f.u.c.k f.u.c.k is in the coffee that Max gives you here?” is in the coffee that Max gives you here?”
I sighed. ”I've seen these . . . these things things. With my own eyes. Lucky has seen them, too.”
”Lucky drinks the coffee here, too, doesn't he?”
”Danny Dapezzo saw his doppelgangst-uh, doppelganger before he died.”
”And by amazing coincidence,” Lopez said, ”Danny shared food and drink with Max the night before.”
I blinked. ”How did you know that?”
”Wiseguys never do anything that doesn't involve a ton of food.”
”Oh.” I said, ”But what about Charlie? And Johnny?”
”Charlie was mentally ill, you're obviously confused about when you saw Johnny, and Max has planted a lot of crazy ideas in your head.”