fewer witnesses to the materializations, the less chance of including someone who was ghost blind, but
Flaxx picked up the a big silver-cased lighter beside the humidor and flicked it on. Cole closed his hand over the flame. It snuffed out. Flaxx flicked it on again, and again, Cole killed it. After three more tries, and growing more irritated with each failure, Flaxx slapped the lighter back on the table and jerked open a drawer. Pocket- sized boxes of matches lay inside. Flaxx struck a match from one of them.
After three matches failed to stay lit, he tried matches from a second box, and then from the third.
“Son of a bitch!”
He stalked out of the library turned down the hall. Maybe headed for the kitchen in hope of finding a match there that worked.
Cole raced out through the front door and put his finger through the doorbell button. When the bell sounded inside, he concentrated on shaping himself into Lamper. Now if only he had not irritated Flaxx
A frowning Flaxx jerked the door open. The frown turned into astonishment. “Earl? What are you doing here?”
So he looked believable. And Flaxx’s tone answered Cole’s question about Lamper showing up uninvited. That would be no. So he needed to explain this behavior.
“I…I’m sorry.” Cole hunched his shoulders as he had seen Lamper do. “But I need to talk to you.”
“Why didn’t you just call…or wait until morning?” Irritation ran under the polite tone.
Cole licked his lips. “Well…it — it just seemed like something I ought to talk to you about right away, in person and not on the phone.” He paused as though gathering himself, then blurted, “Irah called me at home.”
Flaxx eyed him a moment, then stepped aside. “Come on in.”
Cole backed against the balustrade. “I won’t take long. I’m fine out here.” Safe from meeting Maitland or the daughter.
Flaxx forced a smile. “Whatever you like.” He clamped the unlit cigar between his teeth and sat down on the top step. “Now, what about Irah’s call.”
Cole sat down at the far end of the step, where he ran no danger of Flaxx touching him. “It didn’t make sense. She said that pretending innocence and whining to you about her coming after me in the men’s room wasn’t going to save me. She said you both believe I pulled that stunt outside the washroom…because it couldn’t be anyone else…and now you think I’m scheming against you.” He leaned toward Flaxx. “Donald, you don’t believe that, do you? You know this company is my life, the way it’s yours.”
Flaxx, listening deadpan, chewed on the cigar for a moment before replying. “I know how loyal you are.”
“Then she talked about how since I have knowledge of…” He lowered his voice. “…of certainly burglaries and fires — that’s why I didn’t want to say anything on the phone — I’d better not be losing my nerve. That it’s so easy for someone to disappear and never be seen again.” He hunched his shoulders. “That sounded threatening again.”
The real Lamper could not have heard Flaxx swear under his breath. Cole did. Aloud, Flaxx used a reassuring tone. “Relax.” He stood up. “I’ll put a stop to it. I won’t let her do anything to you.”
Remembering the arm across the shoulders at the office, Cole move down a step as he stood. “Thank you. You’ve always taken good care of me.”
Flaxx looked past him at the drive and street. “I don’t see a cab. Don’t tell me you came over by bus.”
Oops. He forgot about transportation for Lamper. The bus trip would have been a long one, with several transfers. Cole shook his head. “I took a cab. But I’ll catch the bus back. The stop isn’t too far from here.” Even as he said it he winced inwardly. Right, a man who had abdominal surgery a week ago was willing to walk two or three blocks to a bus stop.
Flaxx stared at him. “That’s ridiculous. I’ll call you a cab.”
There was no way to maintain the materialization even long enough for the cab to arrive. “No, really, that isn’t necessary. I’ve been recovering very fast. The doctor said mild exercise is good.” He headed down the steps.
Flaxx frowned after him until he reached the bottom, then wheeled and went inside.
Cole let go of Lamper and raced after Flaxx.
Inside, Flaxx headed to the library and the cordless phone on the desk. After punching in a number, he carried the receiver to the side table and picked up his drink.
An answering machine clicked on at the other end. A voice that sounded like Jack Nicholson said, “
It was a great imitation, Cole mused. Since Irah did not give the cell phone number, presumably anyone who mattered was already supposed to know it.
Flaxx did. He punched in another number without looking it up…took a swallow of his drink while it rang.
This time Irah herself answered…shouting to be audible above juke box music and a roar of voices.
Flaxx wasted no time on pleasantries. “I thought I told you to leave Earl alone!”
In the pause before she answered, Cole pictured Irah’s brows lifting. He expected her to ask for an explanation. Instead, she said, “All this yelling can’t be good for your blood pressure.”
A male voice close to her said, “I hope that isn’t a husband or boyfriend.”
“No, just my brother.”
“Who’s that?” Flaxx demanded.
“Oh…a gorgeous motor officer who’s offering to let me play with his throttle and ride his machine.”
Motor officer! Ice shot through Cole. Could she be out to repeat the thrill of cop killing? “Where are you?” Cole whispered in Flaxx’s ear.
“Are you at the same cop bar you were before!”
Shit. Not the question he wanted Flaxx to ask. He needed more than a yes or no answer.
“What is it with you…threatening Earl again, then playing with cops! Are you
Irah broke in. “Wait! Let me go somewhere I can hear you better. Guys, if you’ll let me out, please. Oooh, is that your backup weapon? Don’t lose it. I’ll be right back.”
The quality of the sounds coming through the phone changed shortly, reducing to quieter street noises. None of them distinctive enough to pinpoint the bar’s location.
“That’s better,” Irah said. “First of all, playing with cops is as much business as pleasure. I’ve learned that a certain detective’s car has been found…with his blood type in it…and the number one suspect is our own Sara Benay. A lover’s quarrel gone bad. So sad. Now…” Her voice sharpened. “What’s this about threatening Earl again?”
Flaxx reported the visit. While he did, he picked up the lighter and flicked it…shook his head irritably as it worked…lit the cigar.
“That’s a flat out lie,” she said when he finished. “I came here from the office about five-thirty, which Officer Mazzucco can verify, if you want me to put him on.”
Mazzucco. The name rang no bells.
“I certainly wouldn’t have called Earl while sitting in the booth with Mazzucco and his buddies.”
Flaxx chewed the cigar. “You could have done what you’re doing now, step outside for a minute.”
“I didn’t.” Cole heard her breath hiss. “Earl’s lying…just like he’s lying about the men’s room incident.”
Flaxx scowled. “Earl has no reason to- ”
“No apparent one, maybe, but…something’s going on. Why else would he come to your place, out of the blue, to tell you something it would be a hell of a lot more convenient, and easier on him, to call you about.”
“He explained he wanted avoid mentioning certain business strategies on the phone.”
“When you were just able to do so without naming them?”
Flaxx’s expression went uncertain.
Cole eyed him with satisfaction. Were we starting to wonder about good dog Earl? He hoped so.
