cutting off another cop's balls, he was aroused to a highly competitive state.
'I've heard about you,' Sullivan continued, not bothering to conceal his bitterness. 'I saw the way they played you on TV. This genius cop who didn't need a team, didn't need backup, didn't need nothing except his brain, which we're supposed to think is so powerful it should be registered as a dangerous weapon.' Sullivan grinned. His cheeks were quivering. His little ice blue eyes were sparkling with envy. 'So here we sit, end of our first day together. I lay my case out for you, a year's worth of work, and now you slip to me you got a theory of your own.'
'Yeah, I guess that's about it,' Janek agreed.
'I think it's a crock of shit.'
'Maybe it is. But the question is, Harry, how're we going to find out?' Sullivan glared at him. 'Suppose you tell me, Frank.' 'My suggestion is since you're so sure it's a serial case, you and your team continue working the way you are. Meantime, let Aaron and me follow up on my idea. We can set up a little two-man office in New York, in a precinct back room somewhere. Of course, we'll share what we find, but other than that, we'll stay out of your way.'
Sullivan chewed on that for a moment. 'Nice concept. Only trouble is… I don't see what's in it for me.'
'Come on, Harry! There's plenty in it for you. You get the chance to compete.'
'Compete?'
'FBI versus NYPD, you versus me. Whoever solves the case gets the glory: the book, the TV movie, the whole enchilada. Right now you've got the manpower and a year's head start. Pretty good odds.'
Janek smiled as he appealed to Sullivan's weakness. 'You look like a sport, Harry. What do you say?'
'I'll have to think about it.'
'Do that.' Janek pushed away his coffee, tossed two fifty-dollar bills onto the table, and stood up. 'That's for the dinner. I'm going to try and catch the last shuttle. Call me when you decide.
But don't take too long, okay?'
New York was fogged in, so the late shuttle was diverted to Newark.
Janek exited the airport terminal into a light and soothing swirl of softly falling rain. He shared a taxi into town with a businessman from Taiwan who admitted this was his first visit to the States.
As their cab approached the Lincoln Tunnel, the city was suddenly revealed, a million lights in the towers of midtown burning through the fog. It was a great romantic vision of Manhattan, and the Taiwanese gentleman peered at it, amazed.,you must be very strong survive in a place like this,' he muttered. must be strong. And even Janek nodded. Yeah, you then you may not survive.
He dropped the visitor off at the Waldorf-Astoria, then asked the driver to take him through Central Park. There the fog clung strangely to the statues and hugged the glow of the sodium lamps.
When he finally got back to his apartment, he phoned Aaron at home, told him about his proposed competition with Sullivan. Aaron was surprised. On what basis, he wanted to know, had Janek come up with 'victimspecific'? 'On no basis, except my feeling Chun had doubts and work under Sullivan. So I did there was no way we could w the only thing that would shake the asshole up. Whatever he said, I said the opposite.' 'But it is a serial case. I mean-isn't it, Frank?'
'Could be. I honestly don't know.'
'Those guys seem so sure.'
'Yeah, they're sure. But I wasn't builshitting Sullivan. My true gut reaction is that they're all wrong.' He paused. 'Did you notice how bored they were? A year of grinding work, and they got nothing.'
'Just a bunch of charts and a freaked-out psychiatrist. Still, if it is a serial deal 'Let me tell you something about serial deals, Aaron. When they're solved, if they are solved, it's usually because one night some hick town rookie pulls some guy over for a speeding ticket and happens to see a bloody knife on the seat. I say screw that.'
'Fine, Frank. Fine. But where do we start-assuming Sullivan buys your deal and Chief Kopta approves?'
'We'll concentrate on Jess. She left me a worried message. Assume she knew she was in danger and was looking to me to help. If that's true, then the first question we've got to ask ourselves is: What was Jess afraid of.''
5
Mama
Again 'Listen carefully, child.' 'I'm listening, Mama.' 'I'm concerned about Tool.' 'Please don't be, Mama.'
'But I'm very concerned. Unless a tool like that gets regular use, it can easily lose its edge. Preventative maintenance is so important, you know.'
'I know, Mama. And I keep Tool in excellent condition. I work with it every day, keep it honed. I want it to stay sharp. And always be ready.' 'Still, I'm concerned.' 'Please, Mama-leave it to me.'
'It needs supervision.' ' I give it plenty of supervision.' 'You know the problem with a tool like that? A tool like that can get out of hand, can start to have a mind of its own.':,No…
Do you really think so?' 'I definitely think so. You must watch Tool carefully, child, see it doesn't get any ideas or forget its place.' 'I just don't believe-'
'Better listen to Mama. Mama knows best.' 'Yes, Mama.'
'A too] like that needs tending. A tool like that is dangerous. You create a tool like that and let it get away from you, you lose control.
The whole point of a tool like that is it works for you, does your bidding. A tool like that goes into business for itself, you gotta think about getting rid of it.'
'Yes, Mama…
6
The Fear
Ray Boyce was steaming, his forehead popping sweat. The long, thin wisps he kept carefully combed across his skull were mussed, and the squared-off bottom of his face was trembling like Jell-O.
'I don't get it,' he griped.
Janek watched Kit recoil; it was as if the back of her big chief's chair were sucking on her spine. Janek looked around the office, a cavernous space that spoke of the high status of its occupant. The windows were huge. On the other side of the glass large snowflakes fell softly to Police Plaza below.
'I'm sweating out the case, doing a pretty decent job.' Boyce mopped his forehead. 'Least I thought I was.' He spoke with a whine. 'Meantime, Janek here does all this unauthorized bullshit.
And for that he gets-rewarded?'
Boyce's question hung in the overheated air. Kit stared at him with faint disgust. Janek, sitting beside him in the other chair facing Kit's desk, felt sorry for him. The poor slob was going to mouth his way straight into trouble.
'I don't know I'd exactly call it a reward, Ray,' Janek said gently.
Boyce didn't bother to look at him. He stared straight at Kit, waiting for her to render justice.
'it wasn't a reward,' Kit said finally. 'Detective Janek is a specialist in this type of crime. His insights will prove helpful in solving it. As for his unauthorized activity, I've put a letter of reprimand in his file. Want me to read it to you?'
Boyce shook his head. 'That's Janek's business. All I care about is my role. Am I supervising Janek or the other way around? 'Cause if it is, I can tell you right now, I'm not going-'
'I'm the supervisor here. You and Janek will run parallel investigations. If either of you finds anything, you'll bring it to me.'
