Sir Tristram, Knight of The Roundtable,took a single deep breath and then set his hand down the back of the dryer. Hisbody stiffened. Sparks shot from his legs at the waterline. His heart went intoimmediate standstill. The muscles in his hand, in a viselike spasm, tightenedaround the frayed wire. He had been dead for fifteen seconds by the time theweight of his body pulled him free of the wire and allowed him to drop into thewater.
Chapter40
'Green Dolphin Street.'
They were still a ways from Atwater'smansion when Harry began hearing the tune in his head. He tapped out the rhythmon the steering wheel and bobbed his head to the bass line.
'What are you doing?' Santana asked.
'Listening to music. It's a tune that popsinto my brain when I'm keyed. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm tense until Ihear it.'
Santana studied him. From within the blackgreasepaint, his eyes were glowing discs of pearl.
'Keep listening,' he said finally.
They drove toward the Hudson until theyfound the narrow, winding roadway that paralleled the Palisades. Harry cut theheadlights and slowed down. There were no cars on either side, moving orparked. The houses, each overlooking the Hudson from a majestic height, werewidely spaced and nestled in the woods a good distance from the road. Throughthe rain and the gloom, it was impossible to make out much more than lightsfrom any of them.
'You still think you know where we are?'Santana asked.
'I'm not as certain as I was a littlewhile ago,' Harry said, peering through the Winnebago windshield, which wasbeing squeegeed by wiper blades as big as hockey sticks. 'Maybe that's why thedamn tune in my head keeps getting louder.'
'Maybe it's time to stop listening. How'reyou even going to know we're there?'
'I'm looking for that wall I told youabout. That stone wall.'
At almost the moment he said the word, theysaw it — fieldstone set in cement, two feet thick, running along the road asfar as they could see. To their right, a six-foot-high chain-link fenceextended from the wall toward the cliffs. Harry pulled as far off the road ashe could, cut the engine, and gestured toward the fence.
'I would guess there's another one likethis on the other side, and then the cliffs in the back. So the place iscompletely enclosed.'
'A big corral,' Santana said. 'What betterplace for a gunfight?'
Peering down the road, they could justmake out the main gate, perhaps fifty yards away. Santana used a hoodedflashlight and set out their equipment, which included a snub-nosed revolverand the silenced semiautomatic that Harry knew had killed the gunman in thepark. In addition, there was a rope, adhesive tape, switchblade knives, wirecutters, wire, Swiss Army knives, powerful flashlights, and several boxes ofammunition. Santana handed Harry the revolver and some bullets.
'The safety's here,' he said. 'Flip it offafter you load it. Then just point and shoot.'
'Just point and shoot,' Harry echoed. 'Theultimate Kodak moment.'
'Load up your rucksack and be ready.'
Santana took the binoculars and the rifle,switched off the interior lights of the RV, then opened the door and slippedout. Harry watched, impressed, as the former DEA undercover agent moved quicklyand silently into the wall and scaled it in a heartbeat. He lay flattened onthe top, scanning the property. Then, after a few minutes, he was back.
'The house is pretty well lit and not thatfar away. I can actually see into some of the windows. There's one guard in alittle house by the gate. I didn't see anyone else.'
'Any dogs?'
'Not that I could see.'
'Shouldn't we have brought some big T-bonesteaks just in case?'
'You mean like they do in the movies?'
'Exactly.'
'Harry, any attack dog that's worth itssalt knows the difference between the kind of meat that just lies there and thekind of fresh meat it gets to hunt down and kill. We see a dog, we shoot it.That's too simple for the movies, but it's damn efficient. Now, here's what Ithink we should do. I'm going back up on the wall, about halfway down. When Iflash one time, call the house and demand to speak to Maura. That way we'llknow for certain she's there. Hopefully I'll see her through one of thewindows. If not, we'll just have to get close enough to figure out where sheis. If I flash twice, come along. Three times, there's trouble of some kind. Inthat case, hop up on the wall right over here, and be ready to use that gun.Lock the doors and leave the key wedged under the right rear tire. Questions?'
'None.'
'You ready?'
'I am. Ray, I guess there is one thing.'
'Go ahead.'
'Please don't take this wrong. I've got ascore to settle with these people too. A big score. I just want to remind youto … to keep your cool.'
Santana's response was not what Harryexpected. He glared at him in an unsettling, frightening way. The tic by hiseye and at the corner of his mouth intensified.
'Okay, you asked, now you listen,' hesnapped. 'I've lived in pain every second of every minute of every hour ofevery fucking day since that bastard shot that stuff into my body.
Harry felt himself recoil from the man'sfury. It took some time for him to regain his composure. Finally, he reachedout and rested his hand on Santana's arm.
'Sorry, Ray,' he said. 'We'll get them. Ipromise you we will.'
Santana left and quickly flattened himselfagainst the wall. The rain had let up considerably, and the gate was easier tosee. Harry peered at it for a second or two. When he looked back, Santana wasagain atop the wall. A moment later, his light flashed once. Harry checked thetime, 9:08, and dialed the number Atwater had given him. Atwater answered onthe second ring.
'Dr. Mingus?' Atwater said.
'It is.'
'Tell me again what you have for me.'
'I want proof that Maura's okay.'
'Tell me what you have.'
'Santana is staying at the rooming housein Spanish Harlem. I'll tell you the address and the name he's using when youlet Maura leave.'
'How did he find me up here?'
'Perchek left a thumbprint in Evie's room.Someone at the bureau told Santana. He's pledged the guy to secrecy. No oneelse knows about it except him and me — not even the crime guy who lifted theprint in the first place.'
'How'll I prove you're telling me thetruth?'
'Doug, I don't give a shit about you, whatyou prove or don't prove. Every cop in New York is looking for me. Once I haveMaura, I'm out of here. That's all I care about. Now, where is she?'
'Who have you been in touch with on TheRoundtable?'
'Two men. Jim Stallings is one. Now he'sdead. The other one I'll name as soon as I speak to Maura. He's told me all theother names.'
