‘West. A and B are on the east side of the building. C and D on the west. Four apartments to the floor.’
‘So the Jackowitz apartment is on the twelfth floor of the east tower facing the west tower?’
‘Right.’
‘And the Cliffords?’
‘9-C, east.’
‘Both apartments face the other tower, right?’
‘Right.’
‘And nobody soliciting, no calls, nothing like that?’ The guard shook his head.
‘Okay, Jerry, thanks. We’ll be in and out for a couple of more days.’
‘You want to stake out one of the empties, it’s okay with me. I got a passkey.’
‘Thanks, we may just take you up on that.’ Sharky started out of the office and brushed against a tall corn plant in the corner, its leaves turning brown at the tips. ‘You’re over- watering your plants,’ he said to Sanford. ‘You can always tell when the leaves turn at the ends like that.’
‘I got the original brown thumb. I already killed one of the Jackowitz plants and two more in here.’
‘You go in the Jackowitz apartment?’
‘Yeah, I water the plants for her. I hate to do It, too. I don’t have the feel for it, know what I mean?’
‘Yeah. When’s the last time you were in there?’
‘Jackowitz? Lessee, it was Sunday. I water them on Sundays.’
‘Thanks. We’ll keep in touch.’
Sharky started to leave and Sanford suddenly snapped his fingers. ‘Hey, I just thought of something. There was a call. I just thought about it when you started talkin’ about those plants. It was. . . uh. . . day before yesterday. He was with some plant store. I’ll think of it here in a minute.’
‘What did he want’?’
‘It was a new service. Plantland, that’s the name of the place. Right up the street. What they do, they water and fertilize plants for people.’
‘Did you tell him anything?’
Sanford chewed on his lower lip fr a moment. ‘What I did — see, I hate takin’ care of the plants, like 1 said. I told him to send them some literature.’
‘Who. Send who?’
‘Everybody in the place. I was afraid, you know, I’d forget if he sent the stuff to me.’
‘Did you tell him the Cliffords and Jackowitz were away?’
‘Uh, well, I told him I was having trouble, y’know. I thought maybe he could gimme a tip or two.’
‘Did you tell him they were out of town?’
‘I didn’t say anything specific. I told him they were potentials, see. Send the stuff direct to them but that it may be a little while before they get baclc.’
‘You gave him the names and addresses?’
‘Yeah, four or five different people who travel a lot, not just them.’
‘But did you mention specifically that the Cliffords and Jackowitz women are out of town now?’
‘Just so he’d know it might be a. while before they got back to him.’
‘I see.’
‘I fucked up, right?’
‘Maybe not.’
‘I’ll call them right now, check it out.’
‘No,’ Sharky said quickly. ‘I wouldn’t do that. If it is a possibility you’d just warn them, right?’
‘Oh, yeah. I didn’t think of that.’
‘Let us handle it.’
‘Sure, sure.’
‘I’ll keep this between us.’
‘I-Icy, Sharky. that’s damn white of you. I appreciate it.’ ‘Any time, Jerry. Any time.’
Forty minutes in the Cliffords’ apartment yielded nothing but bruised knees. Barret was a fanatic. He checked everything. Under the beds, in the commode, behind pots and pans in the cabinets, the disposal, the windowsills, under chairs and couches.
Forty minutes later he said, ‘Forget it,’ and they headed to the Jackowitz apartment on twelve. I3arret told Sharky and The Nosh to stand back until he vacuumed the carpeting around the door and dusted the doorknob. He carefully swept the small camel’s-hair brush on the brass handle, smoothing out the black powder.
