'Which leaves what?' I asked him.
'Tunnel through to the basement, punch through the front door, or land on the roof.'
'It's the door, then. They have to be getting electricity in there, right?'
The Mole nodded.
'And you could take it down?'
He nodded again.
'Okay, next thing is to make sure it's them. I got their mug shots, from when they were arrested. Had some blowups made. They have to come out sometime…it's a tough neighborhood to hang out in, but maybe we could…'
'I can watch for them, mahn,' Clarence said. 'Just get me an old car to drive.'
Max tapped me on the shoulder, pointed at Mole, touched his mouth, patted his fingers against his thumb in a talking gesture, made the sign for 'what?'
I translated, standing over a silent jackhammer, digging with an invisible shovel, moved my hand in a reverse parabola to show coming up from underneath. Shook my head 'no.' Then I locked my thumbs, fluttered my hands like flapping wings, showed a takeoff and a landing. Shook my head again— we'd need a helicopter. Then I mimed pushing down the T-bar on a dynamite detonator, threw my hands apart in the sign for an explosion. Made the sign for 'okay.'
Max looked only at the Mole. Got to his feet, pointed. They walked away together.
183
'He is still missing, mahn.'
'He can't stay missing for long, Jacques. He doesn't have but one way to earn a living. And Wolfe's people are on his case.'
'Yes. And if they find him, what happens? He will go to jail for killing the baby?'
'Maybe. Who knows? He'll say it was an accident…or maybe that the mother did it. There's no sure things.'
'A sure thing if we find him first, mahn.'
'Yeah, I know. That's not why I came. I need some stuff'
'What, then, mahn? You have only to ask.'
'Two shotguns. A semi-auto and a double-barrel. Both twelve gauge. And a Glock with a long clip. Straps for the scatterguns, shoulder holster for the Glock, butt down. Okay?'
'A Glock? That is not like you, mahn. You are my only customer who will never use an automatic— always complaining that they could jam no matter what I tell you, huh?'
I just shrugged, thinking about what I'd learned in Indiana.
'You need that much firepower, maybe you could use a couple of men, yes?'
'No, I'm okay. It's just in case, you know?'
'I know. Clarence is still working with you? Looking for that man, Emerson?'
'Yeah.'
'He is a good boy. Maybe his temper is too quick, but he is young yet.'
'He is that. How soon could you have the stuff?'
'Just a day or so, mahn. I will have them all tested, in perfect order. When you're done, you may leave them wherever you work, ice-cold clean, all right? Anything you want done to them first?'
'Cut down the barrels on the scatterguns.'
'Of course, mahn. Modified choke, yes? Twelve-gauge, three-inch shells, double-O?'
'Perfect.'
'Tomorrow night, then.'
184
I was teaching Luke how to play casino when one of the pay phones rang at Mama's. She came to the table, pointed at me.
'It is her, mahn. The woman in the photo. A dead ringer.'
'Get out of there. Now.'
The phone went dead in my ear.
185
'How many cards left?' I asked Luke, pointing at the pile between us.
'Twelve.'
'How many cards have you already collected?'
'Nineteen.'
'How many spades?'
'Five.'
