'Better tell him,' Hawk said, ''fore you make him mad.'
Bernie shook his head and stopped with half a shake. I put the gun under my arm and slapped him left hand right hand left hand right hand as hard and as fast as I could. He got his hands up and protected his face. So I slapped him on the side of the head, keeping the pace. When he moved his hands to protect his head, I slapped his face.
'They'll, they'll… they'll kill me,' he said.
I stopped.
Bernie had his eyes clenched shut. He nodded, his face red from the slapping. His lip was bleeding.
'They'll find out,' he said. His eyes still shut, he dropped his hands a little farther and I slapped him again.
'Stop it, man, stop it,' he said.
'Who sent you,' I said. 'You tell me and you walk away.'
Hawk said, 'You getting tired? Want me to hit him awhile?'
'Another couple of minutes,' I said.
'Jacky Wax,' Bernie said.
I looked at Hawk. 'John Weatherwax,' I said.
Hawk said, 'Un huh. Which means Mr. Milo.'
'Well,' I said, 'aren't we in the big leagues.'
Hawk nodded. 'Funny they send people from the farm system,' he said.
'I'm offended,' I said.
'Don't blame you,' Hawk said. 'Want me to shoot them?'
'No,' I said, 'not this time. I want them to go tell Jacky Wax to tell Mr. Milo that I want to know who Warren is and it might be easier if somebody just told me.'
'They know I told they'll kill me,' Bernie said.
'Phrase it any way you like,' I said. 'Hit the ground.'
Bernie got prone beside his helpers.
I reached into my car and came out with a newly purchased can of Krylon maroon spray paint. I carefully spray-painted the hair of the two shooters.
'Be interesting,' I said to Hawk, 'to hear them explain this one.'
'Punk,' Hawk said. 'They can claim they going punk.'
'They did that long ago,' I said.
Hawk went and got in his jag. He pressed a button and the windows rolled down silently. 'Maybe next time they send major leaguers,' he said.
'Should I get a different color paint?' I said.
Hawk chuckled. 'Increase Mather?' he said.
'Hell,' I said, 'he's easy. How about `My Attorney, Bernie'?'
Hawk eased the Jag into gear.
'Never knew somebody knew more stuff that didn't matter,' he said. He backed the Jaguar out.
'What else is there to know,' I said. But Hawk was already rolling and didn't hear me. I followed him.
30
The next morning Hawk and I went to see Perry Lehman.
'Tell Mr. Lehman that I need to talk,' I told the doorman. 'I'm sure we can straighten this out.'
The doorman went inside. When he came back out he said, 'Miss Coolidge says she'll see you.'
'It's a start,' I said.
Hawk was looking at the doorman without expression, but in the blank and placid gaze there was somehow amusement. The doorman felt it and looked at Hawk.
'Fine threads,' Hawk said.
The doorman opened the door and we went in. Same oak waiting room, same decanter of port. Gretchen Coolidge was waiting for us.
'What is it you wish?' she said.
'This is, my associate, Hawk,' I said. 'Hawk, this is Gretchen Coolidge.'
Hawk nodded and smiled.
Gretchen said, 'How do you do,' and then turned toward me and said, 'What is it you want now?' and then made a tiny sideways flicker of a glance at Hawk.
