Part 13 (1/2)
Jack couldn't help laughing. ”I love it! That's my Weez!”
”What-?”
The conductor's voice interrupted, crackling over the speaker to announce Jackson Heights coming up.
Jack said, ”Sit tight.”
”But it's our stop.”
”We may have company.”
His eyes widened. ”You mean followed? followed?”
”Possibly.”
”Come on on. No one's going to-”
”Think about it, Eddie. Your sister's in a coma. Someone stole her bag. Whoever did has keys to her house but doesn't know where her house is because she's not listed anywhere as an owner or a tenant. A stranger was just asking about where she lives. We didn't tell him. So the only way to find out is to follow us.”
Eddie leaned back and shook his head. ”No wonder you and Weez were such good friends.”
As the train slowed to a stop, the bleached blond head appeared again, then pulled back.
Yep. They had a tail. Not the guy calling himself Bob Garvey. Strictly amateur to have a familiar face try to follow, which would have given Jack a certain amount of comfort. Instead he'd sent a second guy.
Which led to the question: How many were involved here? How big was this?
Worst-case scenario for Jack: the government. In most cases, if they wanted Weezy's address they'd just flash a badge at Eddie and demand he tell them. But what if Weezy had stumbled onto some covert operation?
Listen to me, he thought. I'm cooking up a Jason Bourne plot here.
But he couldn't ignore the possibility, because for a guy who didn't pay taxes or even have a Social Security number, feds were, if not a worst-case scenario, then at least very, very bad.
But if not government, then who? And why?
Weezy, my dear old pal, what the h.e.l.l have you got yourself into?
”What's the plan?” Eddie said as the train lurched into motion again. His tone dripped sarcasm. ”Put on wigs and mustaches? Or do we climb between the cars and jump off as it's moving?”
”Do I detect a note of skepticism?”
”You detect a whole orchestra.”
”O ye of little faith.”
”What do you expect? You're Jack from Johnson, New Jersey, who repairs appliances, and you expect me to believe you've spotted someone following us?” He gestured at the spa.r.s.ely populated car. ”Who? Point him out.”
Jack wasn't so sure that was the thing to do. ”I said we may may have a tail. I didn't say I'd spotted one.” have a tail. I didn't say I'd spotted one.”
”Right. Because there isn't one. These are just regular folks minding their own business. They don't care about us.”
Jack couldn't blame him. Were positions reversed, he'd feel the same way.
”Yeah, you're probably right. But humor me, okay? We'll get off at the Elmhurst stop and train back.”
”Not as if I have a choice now.”
”We can always pull the emergency stop and jump onto the tracks.”
Eddie stared at him a long moment, then barked a nervous laugh. ”You know, for a minute there you really had me going. I mean, I thought you were serious.”
”I was,” Jack said, deadpan, then laughed. ”Are you kidding me?”
14.
As the train pulled into the 90th StreetElmhurst Avenue stop they rose and stood before the nearest door. From the corner of his eye Jack saw the blond guy take another peek. When the train stopped and the door panels split, they stepped out onto the platform. One car down, the blond guy stepped out too. As they headed for the stairs down to the street, he followed. But then, he'd do that even if he wasn't following them.
”All we've accomplished is to prolong the trip,” Eddie was saying.
”Yeah, I suppose so. But it gives us a little extra time to discuss the elephant in the room we've been ignoring.”
”You mean, 'burn my house.' ”
Jack had been thinking about it while watching for a tail but could make no sense of it.
”Yeah. What's up with that?”
”I've turned it over and over and upside down and inside out and still can't make sense of it. She loves that house. It contains all her worldly possessions-and believe me, she has a lot lot of worldly possessions.” of worldly possessions.”
”I thought you said she lives very simply.”
He smiled. ”She does. And her possessions are simple, but there's lots and lots of them.”
”I'm not following.”
”You'll see when you get there. It's easier to show than tell.”
When they hit the street they crossed Roosevelt Avenue to the Manhattan-bound entrance. As they reached the turnstiles, Jack stepped ahead of Eddie and swiped his MetroCard through the reader.
”Since I'm the reason you're here, my treat.”
Eddie laughed. ”Jack, I can well afford-”
Jack made a flourish toward the turnstile, saying, ”I insist,” and used the move as an opportunity to peek behind them.
The blond guy was standing at the bottom of the stairway across the street looking baffled.