We looked down and saw headlights sweeping the street far below us, pulling to the curb outside the gate. I got out my field glasses and saw Birk get out of the passenger side. He looked at the dark trailer then nodded at Curry, who got out of the car and locked it with a fob. So it was just the two of them. Birk waited for Curry to roll the gate open-always leaving the heavy lifting to someone else-and close it behind them. They were walking toward the elevator when Ryan slipped out of the darkness and trained his Glock on them. Ryan spoke, then Curry and Birk both took off their jackets and let them fall to the ground. Curry took his gun out of its holster and handed it to Ryan butt first. Ryan gestured with the gun and Curry pulled up his pant legs one at a time. Nothing there. Ryan said something and Curry leaned against the trailer as though he were about to be frisked. Then the gun moved to Birk and he too pulled up his pant legs, showing pale legs above black socks.
When Ryan was satisfied, he pointed toward the elevator with his gun hand. Birk bent down to pick up his jacket but Ryan levelled the gun at him and shook his head. Birk gestured in complaint; Ryan's foot lashed out and caught him in the chest, sending him sprawling into the dirt. Curry held out his hand and helped Birk to his feet and then the three of them headed to the elevator, two in shirt sleeves, only one gesturing in complaint.
Ryan's voice came over the walkie-talkie: 'How'd this turd ever make a billion? Over.'
'Bring him up and we'll ask.'
When the hoist arrived at ground level, Ryan made them get in first. He pointed downward with the gun, making them sit, then got in and started the car on its long, slow ascent. Watching the descending counterweight reminded me of my forced climb down. My hands clenched involuntarily, and painfully, at the memory, but I reminded myself that Birk had a lot more to answer for than that.
'Where do you want me?' Avi asked.
'What's the range on your recorder?'
'Normally very good. It has a zoom mike for meetings. But with this wind…'
'I don't want them to see you yet. Just stay in the shadow of the centre block for now.'
'Here okay?' He was moving to his right when he stepped on a sheet of plywood that had been placed over a gap in the flooring. It sagged under his weight. 'Whoa!' he cried, jumping back onto the firmer corrugated surface. 'Did you see that? That almost broke under me.'
'Relax, Avi,' I said. 'I'm sure workmen step on it all the time. It just gives a little.'
'I don't-'
'Just pick a spot and stay still, okay? You'll be fine. You ready?'
'Yeah, yeah. I'm ready.'
The elevator doors opened and Ryan backed out. Birk and Curry were both sitting on the floor of the car, hands behind their heads. Ryan pointed the gun at them and said, 'Up.'
They got up.
'Out,' he said, pointing behind him with a little bow, palm up, as though welcoming them to Giulio's.
CHAPTER 47
Simon Birk stared long and hard at me, then at Jenn and back at me. Curry gave me the merest glance. If he was surprised that I was still alive, he didn't show it. He took in Jenn's presence, then turned his attention back to Dante Ryan, the man he needed to watch, eyes on his gun hand, looking for an opening, a move to make.
Birk said, 'Where's Charlaine?'
'She won't be joining us,' I said.
'I told you she was unsuitable,' Birk said to Curry, like she was a maid who had put away foggy stemware.
'Do it yourself next time,' Curry said.
'And you are Ms. Raudsepp, am I right?' Birk said. He held out his hand. She never moved or took her eyes off his. He slowly dropped the hand that had shaken a hundred thousand other hands, a hand that had rarely if ever been rejected.
Jenn said, 'You're even shorter than you look on TV.'
I handed Jenn one of the walkie-talkies and the keys to the trailer. 'Go back to ground level,' I said. 'Keep an eye on Henry and call us if anyone shows up.'
Ryan said, 'Tell Henry if he makes trouble, I'll come down and hold his nose till he dies.'
She got into the elevator and pulled the door shut and the car began to slide down.
Curry said, 'Where's the third man?'
'What third man?' I said. There was no way he could see Avi from where he was.
'Your friend the lawyer. The one who looks like he's about to piss himself.'
'You know the fellow,' Birk cut in. 'The one you had dinner with Thursday.' Letting me know he knew more than he was supposed to. 'Why don't you come out, Mr. Stern? For a lawyer, I have to say, you're not giving Geller very good advice.'
Avi stepped forward, his eyes down, carefully avoiding the plywood patching he'd stepped on before.
Birk said, 'Now we know everyone but your gunman.'
'You really want to know me?' Ryan said.
'This is no party,' I said to Birk.
'What then?' He was rubbing his arms to stay warm in the harsh wind.
'We're going to hear your confession.'
'Really? And what am I confessing to?'
'Murder, attempted murder and fraud.'
'Or what? You'll behead me while screaming in Arabic?'
'You had three people killed that I know of. You tried to kill me three times, you and your people, and you fucking well watched while someone beat your wife into a coma, just so you could steal your own artwork and cash in on the insurance.'
'Pure fantasy,' he replied. 'All of it. That's all anyone will say.'
I turned to Curry. His odd waxy face was expressionless in the dim light. 'If he goes down,' I said, 'you're going down even harder. Are you willing to do all the time for his crimes?'
'You're a civilian,' he said. 'You have zero authority here. I don't have to say a word to you.'
Ryan stepped forward and raked Curry across the face with the barrel of his Glock. Blood spurted from a gash in Curry's cheek as he stumbled backward against the elevator doors, his features twisted into a snarl. A line of blood snaked down the hollow under the cut cheek. With his hairless dome and protruding ears, he looked like a vampire after a messy feast. 'You may not have to say anything,' Ryan said softly. 'But you might want to.'
Curry told Ryan to fuck off. I wondered if he had a death wish, or was simply hoping to catch Ryan off guard and make a play for his gun. Ryan looked like he was going to open the other cheek when Avi turned off the recorder and called, 'Jonah, whoa. You can't do it this way. What value is a statement if you beat it out of him?'
'Listen to your mouthpiece,' Birk said.
'He's here to listen,' I said, 'not advise. But he's right. There's another way to do this.'
'Like what?' Ryan asked.
'Play a game.'
'What kind of game?'
'Simon knows. Don't you?'
Birk was hugging himself tighter against the cold. 'I don't-'
'Pirates,' I said.
Birk said, 'No.'
'Why not? You invented it. You made the rules.'
'Geller, you can't-'
'Turn around,' I said.
He didn't move. I grabbed Birk by the shoulders. Marched him to the edge of the metal floor, where it met the same twenty-foot-long, twelve-inch-wide beam he'd made me walk the night before.
