'Okay,' I said. I sat down in one of the chairs near the desk and crossed my legs. Relaxed, nonthreatening.
Gretchen was standing to Lehman's right. Now that the focus had shifted she was looking more openly at Hawk.
'Or Miss Coolidge?' I said.
'Stop fucking around,' Lehman said. 'You got something to say, say it and then, haul your ass out of here.'
'Asses,' I said. 'There's two of us.'
'What is it?'
''Yesterday some of the heavy hitters came after me. Three guys working for Jacky Wax, who, as we all know, is with Mr. Milo.'
'I don't know nothing about any of that.'
'Doubtless,' I said. 'Anyway, they were not heavy-enough hitters. With the help of my associate'-I nodded at Hawk. He smiled modestly-'I was able to thwart them and send them back to Jacky with their hair painted maroon.'
Jackson had trouble with his face again. Lehman said, 'What? What the fuck you talking about?'
'Your owners tried to hit me to keep me from looking into Warren, and they failed badly.'
'I told you, I don't know anything about that. What's it got to do with me being in danger.' Lehman drank more champagne. When he put the glass down, Jackson stepped forward and filled it for him.
'Well, think about it for a minute, Perry. Somebody very badly doesn't want me to find out about old Warren.'
'I don't know any fucking Warren,' Lehinan said.
'Of course not,' I said. 'But if you did, then the people who didn't want me to find out about Warren could think about going two ways.'
Lehman frowned and drank his champagne and looked at Gretchen Coolidge. 'Guy's crazy, Gretch, guy's off his fucking nut, you know?'
Gretchen nodded. 'They could kill me,' I said. 'Which would be very effective. But they've tried and it worked out badly for them. Doesn't mean they won't try again, but my associate and I are a hard nut to crack and they may choose to crack an easier one.'
'Meaning?'
'Meaning maybe they'll kill you.'
Lehman opened his mouth and closed it without speaking.
'And Miss Coolidge,' I said.
Gretchen's expression didn't change. Lehman looked quickly at Charles Jackson.
'See how it would work?' I said. 'Just pretend for a minute Mr. Milo doesn't want me to know who Warren is, and he's having trouble getting me to stop asking. If he clips you and Miss Coolidge I got no one left to ask. He doesn't have to make me stop.'
The faint sound of the pool filter was all that broke the silence in the room. I looked at Lehman. Hawk looked at nothing. Charles Jackson looked at Hawk. He didn't seem afraid of Hawk, which was a mistake.
Lehman picked up his champagne glass and emptied it and put it down. He jerked his head toward the door. 'Out,' he said. 'You said what you had to say, now take a hike.'
'Hard as nails,' I said to Hawk.
'Tough as a nickel steak,' Hawk said.
Lehman waggled his thumb toward the door.
'Go on,' he said, 'walk out of here while you still can.'
'Don't say I didn't warn you,' I said. Hawk glanced at me, and then turned, as I did, and walked toward the door.
'Show them out, Gretch,' Lehman said. 'You two go with her.' He gestured to the rncn across the pool. 'Make sure the nosy bastards aren't snooping around in here.'
Charles Jackson poured more champagne in Lehman's glass.
'Nosy bastards,' Lehman said.
Gretchen Coolidge opened the door and we went out. The two guards came behind us and Grctchen brought up the rear. No one said anything until we got to the front door.
'Ms. Coolidge,' I said, 'believe me, I don't want to see anyone get hurt. If you know something tell me now, before it's too late.'
Her face was stiff and her movements angular.
'Good day, Mr. Spenser,' she said, and nodded at Hawk, and closed the door and we went out.
''Don't say I didn't warn you'?' Hawk said.
I shrugged.
