Part 26 (1/2)
”C'mon, lady. Watcha tink I'm gonna do, steal 'em? I ain't got all day. And if sumpin goes wrong wit da cylinder or da tumbluhs later, yer boss'll hafta pay outta his own pocket. Know what I'm saying'?”
She handed him a ring with two keys on it- probably the lobby key and the office door key-plus the two restroom keys that she kept in her drawer.
Ed smiled at her. ”Tanks, sweets. Dis'll only take me a minute.”
He checked out the lock on the door. It was a simple dead bolt with a k.n.o.b inside and a keyhole outside. He found the right key on the second try and turned it back and forth. It worked perfectly.
”Hear dat?” he said, putting his ear down to the face plate as the bolt slid in and out. ”Yer cylinders is dry. I'll fix dat in a jiffy.”
He took out the can of graphite spray he had bought this morning and squirted some into the keyhole. He tried the key again.
”Much better! Okay, I'm gonna check out yer rest rooms and da front. Be right back.” better! Okay, I'm gonna check out yer rest rooms and da front. Be right back.”
Without giving her a chance to protest, Ed closed the door and hurried down the hall. He took the stairs two at a time down to the lobby, walked quickly through the front doors, then sprinted down to the locksmith on Fourteenth Street. He threw the office and main entrance keys on the counter.
”One copy of each! Quick!” he said, puffing.
Jesus, I'm out of shape!
The man behind the counter gave him a sidelong look, but made up the copies and charged him four bucks plus tax. Ed had a five ready. He slapped it down, told him to keep the change, then sprinted back to the Kramer building.
He took the elevator up to allow him to catch his breath, then strolled back into Dr. Gates' office. The receptionist looked relieved to see him.
”Here y'are, sweetheart. Ev'ryting works fine. No problemo.”
”Thank you,” she said, her cool and distant manner returning.
Now came the fun part of his plan: the psych-out. If he left too fast she might start wondering about him. So Ed had decided to make her want want him to leave. him to leave.
”Say, y'doin' anyting tonight?”
”Yes.”
”How about t'morra?”
”Sorry, but I'm involved.”
”Yeah, well, hey, I'm involved, too, but dat don' mean we can't go out an have a lil fun, if know what I mean.”
”I'm very very involved, now if you'll-” involved, now if you'll-”
He held up his hands.
”Hey, sorree!”
Just then the door marked ”Consultation” opened and a middle-aged man stepped out.
”Hiya, doc,” Ed said.
”That is not not Dr. Gates,” the receptionist said. ”Now, will you please leave?” Dr. Gates,” the receptionist said. ”Now, will you please leave?”
”Cert'nly. But how 'bout I drop by 'roun' five and we'll get a drink somewheres? Howzat soun'?”
She ignored him.
Shrugging dramatically, and with a great show of reluctance, Ed picked up his toolbox and left. He strolled to the elevator. The car that came for him was empty. When the doors closed and he was alone, he began to laugh. He leaned back and held his fists up to heaven.
”You did it, you clever b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you! You f.u.c.king-ay did did it!” it!”
His heart was pounding, he was bathed in sweat, but he'd never felt so alive in his life. And the best part about it all was that it had been fun! fun! Jesus! He'd almost be willing to do this sort of thing for a living! Jesus! He'd almost be willing to do this sort of thing for a living!
The car stopped on the second floor and he straightened up. An old lady with a walker came in, a.s.sisted by a younger woman. Ed tried to look serious, but he felt too good. He rode the rest of the way down grinning like an idiot and jingling the two brand new keys in his pocket.
But the grinning and jingling came to an abrupt, panicky halt when the elevator doors opened on the lobby and he saw Kara waiting outside. For an instant Ed couldn't breathe, couldn't move, then he noticed that she wasn't looking his way. Her eyes were down, her face pale, her expression blank. Her mind looked to be a million miles away.
Ed wasn't going to wait for her to look up. He hoisted the tool box onto his shoulder, blocking his face from Kara, then he pushed past the old lady, almost knocking her over, and hurried for the street, never looking back until he was a block away.
And all along the way, he thought of Kara. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. He had to find a way to help her, and he was convinced a clue to doing that lay in Dr. Gates' office.
Well, he'd find out for sure tonight.
He was actually looking forward to that.
10:07 A.M.
”I have spoken to the patient who sent you the note,” Dr. Gates was saying, ”and I can a.s.sure you, he will never bother you again.”
Kara tried to ignore the lie about the ”him” behind the letter, telling herself it was just Dr. Gates' way of protecting patient confidentiality.
She nodded without really listening. She had other things on her mind. Another erotic dream, for instance. She didn't remember much besides a cowboy hat... and Dr. Gates' presence.
She yawned behind her hand.
That was another thing. She was so tired tired lately. Maybe it was because of the dreams, maybe it was because she hadn't been able to workout all week. Or maybe the Halcion was staying in her system. lately. Maybe it was because of the dreams, maybe it was because she hadn't been able to workout all week. Or maybe the Halcion was staying in her system.
Still, she didn't dare stop it because it seemed to be doing the job. The apartment key had been right where she had hidden it. She'd even tied a strand of her hair around it last night, and the strand was still in place this morning. So, if nothing else, she could be sure she hadn't left the apartment last night.
Rob had stopped by first thing this morning. He looked exhausted. He said he had another stake out tonight so he wouldn't be able to stay over.
Just as well. Kara intended to hit the sack early tonight. Very Very early. early.
2:33 P.M.
Lieutenant Mooney had the Kelly Wade folder on his lap as he slumped in the swivel chair behind his desk. He was whining again.