Silent Treatment

Santana, his feet up on the dash, hadturned off the TV. He was gazing out the side window at an approaching bank ofstorm clouds.

'Getting an IV into Evie and injecting herwith Aramine took some planning,' Harry explained. 'Whoever did it had to knowthat she was coming into the hospital that day. And I didn't know myself untiltwenty-four hours before. Doug was one of the few people besides me who wasaware that her admission date had changed.'

'When did he start working for yourhospital?'

'He doesn't work for the hospital exactly,he works for the managed care outfit that has a contract with the hospital.'

'Managed care. That's very creepy sounding ifyou ask me.'

'It's a far cry from some ol' doc ridingup in his buggy with his black bag, I'll tell you that much. Anyhow, Doug'sbeen around for about five or six years, I think.'

'Sounds right. Someone high up in theagency did a hell of a job making him disappear — a new life, a new face, andno records that he ever existed. Garvey probably brought his pal Anton up toNew York as soon as he was settled in his new position with the managed carecompany. There must be a hell of a lot of money in this Roundtable businessfor Perchek not to go back to his old globe-hopping ways.'

'Maybe The Doctor just wanted to settledown.'

'Sure, that's it. He's in semi-retirement.Just five or six killings a week.'

'Well, what do we do now?'

'I've been thinking that maybe we shouldgive ol' Garves a call,' Santana said. 'Things are unraveling for him justabout as fast as they're unraveling for us. Garvey knows I'm around now. Anduntil I'm not around, he won't ever be able to stop looking over hisshoulder. That shot I fired in the hospital may have missed, but it did send aclear message that I'm not in a negotiating frame of mind. Also, he mustrealize that you know about The Roundtable. Why else would you have set me upin the hospital?'

'But we have no proof of anything or wewould have gone to the police. They must know that, too.'

'I agree. That gives them a chance to stayin business, but only if you're in jail or dead and I'm successfully bought offor dead.'

'What about Maura?'

Santana shook his head, his expressiongrave.

'Assuming they have her, she's abargaining chip so long as we're around, and a loose end as soon as we're not.'

'Let me call him,' Harry said angrily. 'Iwant to thank him for being such a devoted friend all these years.'

'Just be cool.'

He pulled into a rest area and dialedAtwater's office at MMC.

'Whom should I say is calling, please?'Atwater's secretary asked.

Harry hesitated for a moment, then said,'It's Dr. Mingus. Dr. Charles Mingus.'

Mingus, one of Harry's idols, wasacknowledged by many, including Atwater, to be the greatest jazz bass playerever. He had been dead for fifteen or twenty years. It took just a few secondsfor Atwater to come on the line.

'Harry, is that you?' he said.

'Hi, Doug. Okay to talk?'

'Absolutely. Dr. Charles Mingus. Clever.Very clever. You are a trip, Harry.'

'I saw you on the tube a little while ago.Thanks for worrying about me.'

'Hey, I'm just glad to hear your voice,pal. I'm glad you're all right. Where the heck are you anyway?'

'Oh, around. I'm trying to find MauraHughes, Doug. I thought maybe you'd know where she was.'

'That was some damn good drawing she did,wasn't it, Harry?'

'Does Perchek have her?'

'Perchek. Perchek. Now there's a name thatdoesn't ring any bells with me at all. Gee, I'm sorry about your friend Maura.I only met her that one time at the hospital, but I'll wager she's a beautifulwoman when she's sober and not all banged up, and has a full head of hair. Nota looker like Evie was, mind you, but then again, who is?'

Harry put his hand over the mouthpiece.'He's got her,' he whispered. He took his hand away. 'What do you want for her,Doug?'

'Harry, aren't you paying attention? Isaid I only met her that one time at the hospital.'

'I know where Ray Santana is, Doug. That'sthe trade. Santana for Maura.'

'Now this is without a doubt the craziestconversation I've ever had. First someone named Perchek, whom I've never heardof, then someone named Santana, whom I've also never heard of.'

'Doug, I really care about that woman. Idon't want her hurt. Just tell me what you want.'

'You know, ever since that fake patient ofyours took a shot at me, I've been wondering why in the heck you went to suchtrouble to put him in the hospital in the first place?'

Again, Harry covered the mouthpiece. 'He'snibbling,' he whispered. 'Okay, Doug, listen. Let's not fuck around with eachother. You deliver Maura Hughes to me unharmed, and I'll not only pinpointSantana for you, I'll tell you all I know about The Roundtable, which of yourknights are close to blowing the whistle on the whole operation, and exactlywhat they have on you.'

This time there was no immediate response.'Then what do you plan to do?' Atwater asked. 'I'm getting out. I've got it all set up — tickets, passport, money, safe destination. The works. ButI'm not leaving without Maura.'

'God, Harry. You've got it that bad, huh?Take it from me, none of them are worth it — except the next one.'

'Without her, I don't care what happens tome, and I don't leave. That means you don't get Santana and The Roundtablecollapses around your ears. If we do go, we've got to leave by dawntomorrow. You and I do business tonight or it doesn't happen.' There wasanother prolonged silence. 'Where can I call you?'

'Not a chance, Doug. I'm frantic, but I'mnot stupid.'

'I should say you're not. Okay, pal, haveyou got something to write with?'

'I'm ready.'

Atwater gave him a number in the 201 area- the northern New Jersey area that included Fort Lee.

'Call me tonight at nine,' he said. 'We'lltalk.'

'Nine it is. Now listen, Doug. I don'thave much left to lose. If Perchek hurts Maura Hughes, I swear I'm going tokill you both.'

'Hey, Harry, easy on the hot sauce,brother. We'll talk, and then we'll see what we can do.'

'Nine o'clock.' Harry hung up.

'Bravo. Bravo,' Santana said, applauding.'That was one hell of a performance.'

Harry's eyes were flint.

'It was even better than you think,' hesaid. 'I know exactly where she is.'

It was raining steadily when they crossedthe Tappan Zee Bridge heading for New Jersey. The digital clock on theWinnebago dashboard read 7:06 P.M. A small digital calendar mounted right nextto it read August 31.

August 31 — Corbett curse minus one.

Harry concentrated on the road ahead asSantana prepared himself. Harry knew he might drop dead on September 1st, ashad his grandfather at seventy and his father, to all intents, at sixty. Butthe chances of his being killed tonight were far, far greater. Still, Santanawas a professional, Harry had been under fire before in his life, and they werenot going after Maura unprepared. Before crossing the bridge, they had leftthe' highway and searched until they found an army-navy store. Ray spent halfan hour inside and emerged with a rifle, two knapsacks full of equipment, and areceipt for $1123.37. The stock in the place was limited, but the big-ticketitems — the rifle, telescopic sight, and binoculars — he pronounced as'adequate.'

'Did you really kill a guy in the war likethe papers said?' Santana asked, inspecting the rifle as they pulled away.

'It's nothing I'm proud of.'

'That's okay. Killing a person issomething that once you've done it, you know you can do it. That's all thatmatters to me.'