Part 38 (1/2)

”You want to b.l.o.o.d.y her up? Watch this.”

Walking to the end of the bar, Ryan s.n.a.t.c.hed a red plastic bottle, circled the pool table, and held it over me. Then he squeezed, making circular movements with his hand. I didn't budge.

”Read that that, Shakespeare.” He slammed the bottle onto the table.

I looked down. Ketchup swirled across my s.h.i.+rt. As my eyes crawled back to Ryan's face, words eddied in my head I knew I wouldn't use.

The smirk was gone, and for a long moment the Viking blues held mine. Then Ryan's gaze left me and slid back to Pascal.

”This party's over.”

”The party's over when I say it is.” Pascal's pupils were wider than a sewer main. He appealed to Ryan's companion.

”This puke can't talk to me like that. He's not ev-”

”But I can. This party's over. Now get the f.u.c.k out of here.” Barely above a whisper.

Pascal's brow furrowed, and a vein bulged along his temple. With one last ”Sonovab.i.t.c.h!” he turned and exited the room.

The man in the gabardine suit watched in silence as Ryan swung back to me.

”You keep your sorry a.s.s, s.l.u.t, but don't get any wrong ideas. This wasn't for you.” He emphasized each word with a jab to my chest. ”For all I care you could be upstairs doing the dirty boogie on all fours with Pascal. And take note.”

He stood so close I could smell his perspiration, a scent as familiar as my own body.

”Tonight's adventure is one big black hole in your memory bank. It didn't happen.” He grabbed my hair and pulled my face to his. ”You talk, and I'll personally lead Pascal to you.”

He released me with a shove to the chest, and I staggered backward.

”We'll buzz the gate. Now disappear.”

Ryan rejoined the man at the bar, sucked once on his cigarette, then flipped the b.u.t.t against the stainless steel below the counter.

As I watched the spray of sparks, I felt something inside me curl into a cold, hard ball.

Without a word I lay down the pool cue, and fled on shaking legs. Outside the gate, I finally got the Mace out of my pocket and in a venting of frustration, humiliation, relief, and rage, I turned and sprayed the house. Sobbing, teeth chattering, I clutched the cylinder to my chest and bolted into the dark.

The clubhouse was less than six blocks from La Taverne des Rapides, and, after half-stumbling, half-running that distance, it did not take long to find my car. Once inside, I locked the doors, then sat a moment, legs trembling, hands shaking uncontrollably, my mind numb. I took a deep breath and forced myself to move with slow, deliberate motions. Belt. Ignition. s.h.i.+ft. Gas.

Though lightning flickered, and raindrops battered the winds.h.i.+eld, I broke all speed laws getting home. My thoughts were chaos.

Ryan had given his companion sound advice. An outlaw enterprise needs a strong reason to mess up even an adjunct cop like me. Retribution would be powerful and the organization would be out of business for an extended time. Unless the cop was wreaking major havoc, it made no sense and the man in the suit had understood that. But what about Ryan? Had sound consigliere consigliere advice been his sole motive? advice been his sole motive?

What had just taken place? Had I stumbled onto Ryan in his new life? Was he there as a member of the pack, or did he have other motives? What did his actions mean? Had he humiliated me as a message that his past life was done and he now belonged to the other side, or had he done it as part of a scene designed to get me out of there safely? Had he put himself at risk?

I knew I should report the incident. But what would be gained? Carcajou knew of the clubhouse, no doubt had files on Pascal and Tank.

Carcajou. Claudel and Quickwater. My stomach knotted. What would they say when they learned how I'd literally thrown myself in jeopardy? Would the incident reinforce Claudel's desire to have me removed as liaison to the unit?

What if Ryan was undercover? Could a police report threaten his cover?

I didn't have answers, but I made a choice. Regardless of the man's motives, I would do nothing to hurt Andrew Ryan. If the slightest chance existed that an incident report could harm him, I would make no report. Tomorrow I would decide, I thought.

When I got home Kit's door was closed, but I could hear music through the wall.

Good call, Auntie. This is why you're not a cop.

I threw my clothes on a chair and dropped into bed. As I did so, the thought hit me. What if Pascal had taken me someplace else? Sleep came much, much later.

33.

THE NEXT MORNING I I SLEPT LATE, FINALLY WAKING AROUND TEN SLEPT LATE, FINALLY WAKING AROUND TEN, sore and achy. I spent the morning nursing myself with aspirin, tea, and hot baths, fighting off flashbacks to the night before. Though I had bruises on my legs and back, and a small cut on my neck, my face had escaped largely unmarked. After a late lunch I applied extra makeup, chose a turtleneck sweater, then went into the lab and spent the day on routine matters. I made no report.

When I got home Kit and I had a quiet dinner. He had no questions about my previous night's outing, and I a.s.sumed he was unaware that I'd been gone. I did not bring up his storming out, and he offered no explanation.

After dinner I decided to do laundry. Pulling the basket from the bedroom closet, I added the clothing I'd worn the night before. I sorted, then loaded the washer, holding back items requiring special treatment. My stomach tightened when I lifted the s.h.i.+rt with the ketchup blotch, the scene still vivid in my mind.

I spread the s.h.i.+rt and began spraying the stain, the product jingle for the spot remover bouncing through my head.

I'll Shout you you out, you sonovab.i.t.c.h. I squeezed the handle. Phhht! out, you sonovab.i.t.c.h. I squeezed the handle. Phhht!

I pictured the smirk on Ryan's face, remembered his finger jabbing my chest.

I squeezed again. Phhht!

Read that, Shakespeare! Phhht!

My hand froze and I stared at the pattern. The squiggles were not random, but formed two perfect sixes.

Read that, Shakespeare. Shakespeare. The sonnets were a pa.s.sion with Ryan.

I recalled something from a long time ago. High school. Mr. Tomlinson. Senior Honors English.

Was it possible?

I raced to the bedroom bookshelf and pulled out a volume. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Hardly breathing, I opened to the sonnets and flipped to number sixty-six.

Come on, Bill, let it be there.

Tears welled when I read the line.

And right perfection wrongly disgraced . . .

Wrongly disgraced.