He reached inside of himself, got a grip somewhere, sat back down. 'She killed her father,' he said. 'Maybe her mother, too. I don't know that for sure, not about her mother, but she has the…knowledge to do it.'
'Was that revenge? For the incest?'
'You know about that? How could… she would
'She didn't. I put it together. From other stuff. Stuff Fancy told me.'
'It wasn't for revenge. At least I don't think so. He was in the way, her father. That's what she said. That's all it takes. For Charm, that's all it takes. She told me… all about it. Sat right where you're sitting and laughed about it— she knows all about doctor–patient privilege— I could never testify against her.'
'So you thought I was working for her? I was here to blackmail you?'
'I guess I expected it. I've been expecting it for years. I was trying to…protect someone.'
'Who?'
'It doesn't matter.'
'It does to me. I'm going to tie up all the loose ends, or I'm not. If I don't, you can talk to Blankenship.'
'Blankenship?'
'The man on the tape,' I said. 'Diandra's father. You don't believe me, check your own records.'
He didn't say anything for a minute. I waited. Like Blankenship was waiting.
'Randy,' he finally said. 'She said she'd destroy him. I know she had a… relationship with him. When he was just a boy. I got her to promise to leave him alone.'
'And she did?'
'Yes. Absolutely. I probed it fairly deeply. When he was in treatment with me. For a long time. He's very close to working it through. Once he finds something to connect with…'
'He already has,' I said. 'But what's the kid to you?'
'He's my son,' Barryrnore said, meeting my eyes for the first time. 'When Cherry wanted a child, she didn't want to go near a sperm bank— all those stories about tainted blood. Looks as though she was right too— look what's happened since. Bad screening for HIV. And that doctor who used his own sperm on dozens of his own patients. She was afraid. So I…did it myself.'
'And Charm found out?'
'Yes. I don't know how, but she did. She swore she'd never tell, if only I'd…'
I stood up. 'The experiments are over,' I told him. 'Charm's out of business.
'How much do you— ?'
'Half a million. Cash. It's a small bite— I got a good idea of what you all take in with this operation. You'll get a call— somebody'll be using my name. They'll make all the arrangements for the pick–up. You keep nice and quiet, so do I. You say one word, to anybody, and the list gets into circulation. Then people will die…and they won't go alone, understand?'
'Yes.'
'Don't say one word to Charm. Not one word.'
'I understand.'
'Doctor, listen to me now. I'm going to walk out of here. And out of your life. You pick up that phone, it won't help you. You swallowed some poison— I'm the antidote. Got it?'
'Yes,' he said, head down, looking at his desk.
I drove the Lexus away from the grounds, feeling Blankenship's thermal track all over my back. I kept driving all the way to his house. Parked in his driveway and waited.
He was maybe fifteen minutes behind me. We went into his house. I almost didn't recognize it— the dump I'd seen before was transformed, as poison–neat as a monk's cell.
'It's not Barrymore,' I told him. 'I've got it down to a short list now. Few more days, couple of weeks at most. I'll be in touch.'
'Take your time,' he said. 'Be sure.'
Half a million was just the right amount. Enough so Barrymore would think it was the score of a lifetime for a small–time operator like me— not so much that he might think about other alternatives. I drove straight into the city. Told Mama as much of the story as she'd want to know. Michelle would make the call, get Barrymore to come into our territory with the money. Check into a hotel, go out for a walk. The Prof would do the rest. Very simple.
'Gems worth much more,' Mama said reproachfully.
'Smooth is better,' I told her.
More calls. More arrangements. More deals.
'I need the Plymouth,' I told Sonny.
'Sure. You want me to drive?'
'No, it's just a pick–up. I'll be back tomorrow.'
