'Said he took a week off and went to Miami. Was due back this week.'
'I'll call Miami,' Quirk said, 'ask them to check the resort hotels.'
'I'd check some of the dumps along Miami Beach first,' Hawk said.
'You don't think they're high-steppers?' Quirk said.
'You seen the office,' Hawk said.
Quirk stood now and went to stand beside Hawk and look down at the street.
'He is fucking up traffic,' Quirk said, 'isn't he.'
'Un-huh.'
Quirk glanced at Hawk and turned slowly and looked at me. His back was to the window now.
'Being a veteran police investigator, and a deep student of human character, I'm going to hazard a guess. You went to see Boots.'
'Incredible,' Hawk said.
'Yeah, it is,' Quirk said. 'You hang him out a window?'
'Nope,' Hawk said. 'I put a gun to his head.'
'Jesus Christ,' Quirk said. 'Boots Podolak?'
'That sort of how he felt,' Hawk said.
'What'd he tell you?'
'Well, it got kind of confusing. An alarm went off and there were cops and all I got was to ask Tony Marcus about his daughter.'
'Tony Marcus?' Quirk said.
'There's some connection,' I said. 'Between them.'
'Tony and Boots?' Quirk said. 'Christ! Just when you think you've seen everything.'
21
WE HAD LUNCH with Tony Marcus in his restaurant. The three of us sat in the front booth, near the door. The deep snow outside made the interior of the room seem brighter than usual.
'Sit you here for show,' Tony said to me. 'Try to attract a few white folks.'
'Ebony and Ivory,' I said.
'Damn straight,' Tony said. 'What you want for lunch? Fried chicken's good.'
'Can I get watermelon with that?' I said.
Hawk grinned. Tony gestured to the waitress.
'Tell Roy,' he said. 'Put together a nice-tasting plate for these gentlemen. And bring me a Jack Daniel's.'
He looked at us. Hawk and I both shook our heads.
'Guess I'm drinking alone,' Tony said.
The waitress went away. Ty Bop stood near the front door, simultaneously motionless and edgy. Junior loomed at the end of the bar.
'You might get a more, ah, diversified patronage,' I said, 'if Ty Bop weren't standing there like a scorpion on the nod.'
'Ty Bop like a son to me,' Tony said. 'How you getting on with the Ukrainians?'
'Went up to see Boots Podolak,' Hawk said.
Tony frowned and shook his head.
'Don't know the name,' he said.
The waitress set his drink down near his elbow and went silently away. She had cornrows and a very successful backside.
'Tha's odd,' Hawk said. 'He knew yours.'
'Lotta people know mine,' Tony said.
He took an appreciative drink of his whisky.
'Boots say we should ask you 'bout your daughter,' Hawk said.
Tony finished sipping his whisky and set the glass down carefully where it had been. Nothing appeared to change. But the air felt suddenly brittle.
'Daughter?' Tony said.
'I ask Boots was there something going on with you and him, and he say ask him 'bout his daughter.'
'Why would he say that?'
