It was all going to be so simple, Adam thought. Several years ago, just after Adam had gotten to know him, Rick had told him a strange storythat he had once been a young man named Peter Tappley supposedly put to death in the electric chair for killing several young women. But he'd made a deal with the family lawyer to give him his entire part of the Tappley estate if Halliwell could arrange for the execution to be faked. This meant bribing, for a great deal of money, the man in charge of the execution, the attending physician, the County Coroner and the funeral home director in charge of the corpse. Evelyn Tappley knew nothing about any of this, as Peter wanted to escape her power and influence. He'd gotten extensive plastic surgery in readiness to start a new life. He was sentimental about the Chicago area so the two men lived there. The first year or so was fine, Adam showing him how paid assassins went about their work, Peter being a willing and eager student. Then the change started. Adam first noted the symptoms in Rick: the mood swings, the depression, the blinding headaches, even the change in voice. There seemed to be another person inside of Peter struggling to get out. Then the more frightening symptoms began: periods of amnesia, sleepwalking, terrifying hours of dazedness… and then insane fits of jealousy. Where had Adam been? How could he betray Rick this way? Didn't he know that someday he'd be sorry? Adam was unfaithful, true; but not that unfaithful. Adam called Halliwell and introduced himself. Both were afraid that Rick would crack and end up in a hospital and tell his doctors all about how Halliwell had faked Peter's execution and how Adam was a hit man. Peter had become somebody else completely, somebody Adam neither recognized nor controlled. One day, Adam had shown Rick some pictures of Peter Tappley as a boyand newspaper clippings of his executionbut Rick had shown no recognition whatsoever. Then Evelyn called one day and asked Halliwell to arrange a murder for which her former daughter-in-law Jill Coffey would be blamed. Halliwell said yes. He was virtually bankrupt. He needed money desperately and Evelyn was offering half a million. Then Halliwell got a better idea. After Jill was framed, he'd go to Evelyn and tell her that he'd just learned that Peter was alive. Naturally, she'd be desperate to see him. He would say that his source wanted one million dollars for the rest of the information. Evelyn would pay it without question. They would set up a meeting for mother and son, but just before it took place, Adam would kill Peter, for which he would be paid one hundred thousand dollars. Adam would then leave town. By now, both men were seriously worried about Peter. What if he did something really crazy before they got their million from Evelyn?
'I wish we could just kill him now,' Halliwell said, 'but we can't. In order to convince Evelyn that he's alive, we'll have to have him say hello to her.'
That was the only reason they wanted Rick alive now. They'd have him call this woman and say hello to herthey'd force him at gunpoint, if necessary. She'd recognize the voicethere wasn't anything the plastic surgeons could do to alter a voice in any significant wayshe'd recognize the voice and pay Halliwell the million dollars.
'Just hope he doesn't run amuck somewhere and take us all down with him,' Halliwell said.
Adam checked his watch. 'I'll keep a close eye on him,
Arthur. Relax. This'll work out fine. I can control him. I really can.'
'I'm not sure you can these days, Adam. He's different now. Truly psychotic.'
Adam heard several flights being announced. 'I'd better go. He's waiting out there to pick me up.'
'Call me and let me know how things are going.'
'Just relax, Arthur. Relax.'
He hung up and walked out to find Rick.
CHAPTER 59
The final work consists of inserting the plastic to reshape cheeks and chin. It is here that the surgeon's craft becomes his art. It is here that most surgeons reveal themselves to be mediocrities. He is different, of course. From Buenos Aires to Geneva; from Paris to Washington, DC, he is known as indisputably the best. And now, as he finishes his molding with the plastic, looking at the finished product, he can agree with them. He is indeed no mere journeyman; he is an artist of the first rank.
CHAPTER 60
Adam scared him. He hated to admit it but it was true. This incredible power Adam had over him to hurt his feelings, to make him feel less than he really was
'Everything go all right?' Adam asked when they were in the car and on the way home.
'Went fine.'
'No trouble, then?'
'You were expecting trouble, Adam?'
'I was asking a civil question, Rick.'
'No, you weren't. You were implying that I couldn't pull anything off without you.'
Adam, blond Adam, shook his head and looked out the window at the fine autumn day. 'I'm really not up for this crap, Rick. I mean it.' He didn't look at Rick. Continued to stare out the driver's window.
'Meet anybody interesting in New York?' Rick said. He knew he shouldn't have said it but couldn't help himself.
'I'm not even going to answer that.'
'Maybe I'll find another note on the floor.'
Adam looked at him. 'Maybe you will. And you know what, Rick? I don't give a damn if you do.'
Scared, that's what Rick was. Scared that Adam was going to say goodbye to him. So what does he do? Pushes Adam into saying goodbye to him. Go figure.
'Maybe we should give it a rest, Rick, you ever think about that?'
'Meaning whatyou met somebody here in Chicago, too?'
Very dramatic sigh. 'Meaning that I'm not in the car two minutes before you're on my case. Meaning that we should be talking about how it went with Jill Coffey and instead we're arguing about some imaginary lover.'
'Imaginary. Right, Adam. Was that note I found imaginary?'
'One note. Not exactly the end of the world, Rick.'
'Maybe not for somebody who doesn't care about being true and loyal.'
Another sigh. 'The subject, Rick, is Jill Coffey.'
Rick's jaw clenched. He wanted to keep on talking about what an utter bastard Adam wasjust the sight of him had made Rick insane with angerbut he supposed he'd have to let Adam shame him into talking about Jill Coffey.
'Everything went fine.'
'You were able to get some of her clothes?'
'No problem.'
'And Eric Brooks has been found by now, I take it?'
'Two hours after I killed him. It's all over TV and the papers.'
'You know what our good friend the lawyer told usMrs Tappley plans a very big bonus if things go right.'
'You trust him?'
'Who?'
'Halliwell. Arthur K. Halliwell. I don't trust him.'
'Rick, you say that about half the people we work with. You ever think of seeing a shrink about your paranoia?'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
'What's what supposed to mean?'
'About me seeing a shrink. You think I'm losing it or something?'
Yet another sigh. 'Rick, you're all the time talking about how we can't trust this guy or can't trust that guy. I mean, it gets a little crazy after a while.'
'So that's it.'