Part 27 (1/2)
Jim thought about it for a while. ”I don't know-will that do it?”
”Sure. Look, she imagines she's stumbled on a biological anomaly. It's the kind of thing that could make a young scientist's career. She has no idea of what's underneath all this; she believes the university is just afraid of bad publicity. If she loses her job, she'll have no facilities to pursue her investigation, and no reason to stick to it. Besides, she'll be too busy looking for another job. I happen to know she needs money.”
”Maybe you're right.”
Berrington was suspicious. Jim was agreeing too readily. ”You're not planning to do something on your own, are you?” he said.
Jim evaded the question. ”Can you do that, can you get her fired?”
”Sure.”
”But you told me Tuesday that it's a university, not the f.u.c.king army.”
”That's true, you can't just yell at people and they do what you told them. But I've been in the academic world for most of the last forty years. I know how to work the machinery. When it's really necessary, I can get rid of an a.s.sistant professor without breaking a sweat.”
”Okay.”
Berrington frowned. ”We're together on this, right, Jim?”
”Right.”
”Okay. Sleep well.”
”Good night.”
Berrington hung up the phone. His chicken Provencal was cold. He dumped it in the trash and went to bed.
He lay awake for a long time, thinking about Jeannie Ferrami. At two A.M A.M. he got up and took a Dalmane. Then, at last, he went to sleep.
29.
IT WAS A HOT NIGHT IN P PHILADELPHIA. IN THE TENEMENT building, all the doors and windows were open: none of the rooms had air-conditioning. The sounds of the street floated up to apartment 5A on the top floor: car horns, laughter, s.n.a.t.c.hes of music. On a cheap pine desk, scratched and marked with old cigarette burns, a phone was ringing. building, all the doors and windows were open: none of the rooms had air-conditioning. The sounds of the street floated up to apartment 5A on the top floor: car horns, laughter, s.n.a.t.c.hes of music. On a cheap pine desk, scratched and marked with old cigarette burns, a phone was ringing.
He picked it up.
A voice like a bark said: ”This is Jim.”
”Hey, Uncle Jim, how are you?”
”I'm worried about you.”
”How so?”
”I know what happened on Sunday night.”
He hesitated, not sure how to reply. ”They've arrested someone for that.”
”But his girlfriend thinks he's innocent.”
”So?”
”She's coming to Philadelphia tomorrow.”
”What for?”
”I'm not sure. But I think she's a danger.” ”s.h.i.+t.”
”You may want to do something about her.”
”Such as?”
”It's up to you.”
”How would I find her?”
”Do you know the Aventine Clinic? It's in your neighborhood.”
”Sure, it's on Chestnut, I pa.s.s it every day.”
”She'll be there at two P.M. P.M..”
”How will I know her?”
”Tall, dark hair, pierced nostril, about thirty.”
”That could be a lot of women.”
”She'll probably be driving an old red Mercedes.”
”That narrows it down.”
”Now, bear in mind, the other guy is out on bail.” He frowned. ”So what?”
”So, if she should meet with an accident, after she's been seen with you...”
”I get it. They'll a.s.sume it was him.”
”You always were quick thinking, my boy.”
He laughed. ”And you always were mean thinking, Uncle.”
”One more thing.”