how I did it?' Janek nodded.
'I just looked for his finger smudges on the glass.'
Such a strange childhood she'd had. Yet she'd emerged functional and relatively sane. Janek wondered whether he was kidding himself. Her bar seductions and takedowns proved she was disturbed, especially the fact that she hadn't engaged in them for money but solely to exercise power.
It was her artwork, he thought, that kept her together. Without that, he was certain, she'd have long ago slipped over the edge.
They drove back to Manhattan. The towers glowed before the failing New Jersey sun. Once in the city, they joined up with the squad, ordered in salad and pizza, then, at eight, drove downtown in the communications van to the World Financial Center.
Janek was anxious to meet his new crew. There were four men and two women, all bright, young, alert. They had volunteered partly for the overtime, Aaron said, but mostly because they wanted to work with Special Squad.
'We're a legend. Did you know that, Frank?' Janek smiled. 'Right..
They drove the van onto the sidewalk, parked it near the entrance to the Winter Garden, where, they hoped, it would look like a service vehicle.
They set up one video camera facing the plaza where they expected most of the action to take place, installed the other inside a portable trash cart, which one of the volunteer cops, impersonating a janitor, would wheel around. Then they did two complete walk throughs in which Sue played Diana, Janek played Kane and Gelsey played herself. After that Sue wired Gelsey up. Just before ten, Janek beckoned her into the van.
They sat facing each other. Then Janek reached for the phone and dialed.
This time Diana snapped up her phone. Janek could hear severe stress in her voice.
'World Financial Center, behind the Winter Garden? Sure, I know it, Gelsey. In half an hour-fine. Yes, the gentleman will be with me.
Yes, he'll have the money twenty-five K just for you. That's a very good price, don't you agree? We mustn't be greedy, dear. Do as I do-take what you can get and enjoy it. That's what money's for.' After the call, Janek asked Gelsey to wait in the van while he gave final instructions to his crew. He huddled with them in the great arched glass back wall of the Winter Garden.
'They're planning to kill her,' he whispered.
Everyone looked at him. Aaron asked how he could be sure.
'I could hear it in the lady's voice. Also, it makes sense. Once Kane confirms Gelsey's got the Omega, he'll shoot her in the head. He'll kill Diana, too, probably later, not here. According to Gelsey, Kim always pacs a gun.
'Wouldn't Diana expect something?'
'Yes, which is why she's probably not charging much to deliver Gelsey.
She's got her own reasons for wanting to be rid of her. But Kane won't want witnesses. He'll off her and Kim soon as he can.'
'Geez, Frank… ' Sue looked worried.
'Okay, we knew it was going to be dangerous. Gelsey's understood that all along. Our job is to see she isn't hurt. The moment I sense trouble, I'm sending you all in whether she's got stuff on tape or not.
Remember, Kane's a cop. It won't take him long to smell a trap. I'm counting on Kim staying with the limo. One less gun waving around.' He paused. 'Let's be clear. Gelsey comes first. Making the case is number two.' He met each pair of eyes, waiting until each person acknowledged his instructions. When he was sure they all understood, he dispatched them to their stations.
Walking back to the van, he broke into a sweat. There was always the feeling, on an operation like this, that something could go wrong, something he should have thought of but hadn't. One thing he felt he had going was Gelsey's ability to improvise. Her bar forays had been dangerous, but she'd always been successful. Perhaps the years of making decisions wandering through the maze had taught her to think quickly on her feet.
From the van, he sent her to her position, a semidark alcove at the rear of the American Express Building.
'Don't come out too quickly,' he reminded her. 'Wait till they park, then step out slowly and reveal yourself. But don't approach too close.
I don't want Diana to be able to hear you from the car.'
Although each squad member wore an earphone invisible to passersby, only Gelsey was miked. Thus Janek could talk to them during the operation, but only Gelsey's words would be taped.
'Everyone in motion,' he instructed. 'Don't wait for them to show before you get up to speed. It has to look real, like we're part of the life down here. Homeless Man pretend you're dozing. A homeless guy wouldn't be alert this late… '
Again he felt the agony of a field commander just before a battle. Was there something he'd forgotten, a touch that would certify the scene as real? Most important, was there anything that would tip Kane off.?
As far as he could see, it all looked good: a normal display in front of a vast office complex at night. All the windows of the buildings were lit up, lights on for the benefit of the night cleaning crews. Inside the phones were silent, but the fax machines spewed pages and the computer screens blinked data even though there was no one at the desks.
It was the great humming machine of global finance-foreign currencies, stocks, bonds, commodities that operated twenty-four hours a day.
Diana's white limousine appeared at North End Avenue just before eleven, gliding silently to a stop by the curb. The car sat there a while, utterly still. Janek, studying it through binoculars, could see nothing but its mirrored windows reflecting back the towers of the complex.
He turned back to the alcove. Slowly Gelsey emerged. Janek was struck by her poise. Standing in a shaft of light cast by a lamp on the plaza, she looked stunning, an object of desire, dressed in black, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders.
A window of the limousine opened. A hand reached out and beckoned.
'Take a few steps,' Janek whispered. 'Then shake your head.'
Gelsey moved forward and shook her head. After a few seconds the car door opened. He made out Diana, and an indistinct figure beside her.
'Gelsey,' Diana called.
'Over here,' Gelsey called back.
For a moment neither woman moved. Then Diana stepped out of the car.
Janek whispered: 'As she moves toward you, retreat a little.
Remember-make her come to you.'
Gelsey waited until just the right moment, then took two steps back into the alcove. Diana quickened her pace.
'Stop!' she ordered.
'Backtrack two more,' Janek whispered. 'Make her understand she doesn't tell you what to do.'
Gelsey backtracked. Diana followed.
'This is ridiculous,' Diana said. 'We can't do it like this. Stop!'
'Okay, take a stand,' Janek whispered. 'Face her, let her approach.'
Diana began to speak even before she was within confidential speaking distance:
'The buyer's gotta be satisfied, Gelsey. He won't buy a pig in a poke.'
'Tell him to come here and look. Tell him to bring the money.'
'He doesn't want to get out of the car.' Gelsey sneered. 'Is he a cripple?'
'You're out of line, pet.'
'This is my party, Diana. Tell him he'd better hurry before I get bored and take a walk.'
'He's paying us fifty K-twenty-five apiece. You don't push around a man like that.'
'I bet he's paying a hundred.'
'Don't you trust me, pet?'
Gelsey shrugged. 'Twenty-five'll be enough to get me out of this crappy town. Go get it. I want to count it. Meantime-here's a peek.'
