'I'm in a phone booth on Fifty-Third Street, just by the entrance to the subway station.'
'Hold on.' I turned and gave this information to the policeman behind me, who relayed it into his radio.
'Now, Cathy, just stay where you are. The police will be with you in a few minutes. Stay on the phone.'
'Who is he? What's he doing?' asked Cathy, sounding really scared.
'Waigel put him on to you. But don't worry, there's nothing he can do in a crowded street.' I tried to make myself sound as confident as possible, and I hoped I was right, but I really didn't know.
We stayed on the phone, too tense to talk, waiting. The bustle of Fifty-Third Street crackled down the phone lines: the noise of traffic, snatches of conversation from passers-by.
I watched the second hand crawl round the clock above me. Where had the police got to? Images of a gridlocked midtown Manhattan flashed before me. It could take ten minutes to go three blocks in the rush hour.
I started. Where was Cathy? I couldn't hear her. 'Cathy?'
'Yes, Paul, I'm here.'
Relief.
'Has the man moved?'
'No, he's still over by the church.'
'Good. Tell me if he does move, won't you?'
'All right.' A pause. 'Paul, I'm scared.' Cathy's voice sounded very small, very far away.
'Don't worry, it won't be long now.'
Then I heard them. The wail of sirens, getting louder.
'Oh my God!' she said. 'He's crossing the road. He's coming right towards me.'
'Drop the phone and run!' I shouted. 'Run!'
I heard the clatter of the phone banging against the booth. Then a crack and the sound of splintering plastic.
Half a second's silence.
Then screams. Women shrieking, men yelling, the sirens getting louder. A shout: 'She's been hit!' Another 'She's bleeding!' The sirens getting very loud. Large police voices ordering people to move back, make way.
'Cathy!' I shouted. 'Cathy!'
Then her voice. Cathy's sweet voice. Strained, sobbing, but still her voice. 'Paul?'
'Are you OK?'
'Yes. A woman's been hit, but I'm OK. I'm OK.'
CHAPTER 23
I watched the screen in front of me with satisfaction. There had been a brisk rally in the treasury market during the morning; it was now a point and a half up on the day. Hamilton, as usual, had positioned the portfolio perfectly. We were going to make some money. I had heard rumours of a big new issue for the World Bank, due out in the afternoon, and I wanted to make sure I got a piece of it. With the positive sentiment in the eurobond market, it would fly.
I looked up at the clock. Twenty past twelve already! It seemed only an hour or so since seven thirty, when I had arrived back at my desk for my first full day's trading since I had been sacked. It had felt good. Jeff was nominally in charge in Hamilton's absence, but he had made it clear that he would allow me quite a lot of latitude. I was confident I wouldn't misplace his trust.
I was due to meet Denny, Cash and Cathy at Bill Bentley's at twelve thirty. Denny had offered to buy us all lunch. I grabbed my jacket and headed for the lifts. As I got out of the lift at the ground floor, I saw Rob waiting for someone. I ignored him and walked across the foyer to the revolving entrance doors.
'Paul!' I stopped. He was calling me. 'Got a minute?' He nodded to some chairs in a quiet corner of the entrance hall. I hesitated and then went over to join him.
We didn't sit down, we just stood by the chairs. Rob shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. I wasn't going to make it any easier for him. Finally, he screwed up his eyes and his courage and said, 'I'm really sorry I lied to the police about you.'
I didn't say anything. I would find it impossible to forgive Rob. As far as I was concerned, our friendship was over.
'I've been through a bad patch these last few months,' Rob went on. 'A very bad patch. I've done a lot of things I wish I hadn't. I just wanted you to know I am truly sorry for what happened.'
'OK,' I said, neutrally. I knew Rob was in trouble. The TSA were investigating his purchase of Gypsum shares, and the police were not at all happy about the way he had given them misleading evidence. However, Rob had promised to testify against Hamilton and had been instrumental in his arrest, which would help. Whatever happened, he would probably lose his job at De Jong. I was glad about that. In my eyes, Rob was weak rather than evil, but I certainly didn't want to see him every day. 'How's Cathy?' asked Rob.
'Fine. She's fine.'
'Good. She's a wonderful girl. Don't lose her.'
It must have been difficult for Rob to forgive me for Cathy. I was surprised.
'I've got to go,' I said, and headed for the exit. As I walked out through the revolving doors, a very tall, blonde-haired girl of about twenty walked in. She was wearing a skimpy T-shirt, no bra, and very short denim shorts which showed off miles of golden brown leg. Heads turned all around, including mine. I paused just outside the building to watch as she bounced over to where Rob was sitting. His face lit up with that expression I knew of old, as he stood up and gave her a kiss.
How the hell did he do it? What did they see in him? I shook my head in wonder and turned down the street to the restaurant.
I walked down the steps into Bill Bentley's at half past twelve exactly. The bar was already crowded. Denny had booked a table downstairs. Denny, Cash and Cathy were already there. Cash and Denny shook my hand warmly. I kissed Cathy. It was great to see her alive and smiling.
'I'm glad to see you,' I said.
'Me too.'
'When did you get in?'
'This morning. The New York police lost the man who shot at me, so they told me it would be best to cut my trip short and come right home. But they don't think there is a longer-term threat. With Waigel and Hamilton locked up, it's very unlikely he would go after me.'
'God, I was worried when I heard those screams down the phone,' I said.
'You were worried! I was scared out of my wits. Fortunately the woman who was hit is going to be OK, so I'm told.'
Cash poured me a glass from the open bottle of champagne nestling in a bucket beside the table. 'Here's to all of us!' he said taking a large gulp. 'And here's to Hamilton's vacation. I trust it's a long one.'
We drank the champagne. I felt good. I had my job back. I would now be able to afford to buy my mother's cottage after all. And I was able to trade. But, most important of all, I had Cathy. I caught her eyes smiling at me over her glass.
I turned to Denny. 'Thank you very much for all you have done,' I said.
Denny held up his hand. 'Not at all. It was a genuine pleasure to help you. Debbie was a good lawyer; I'm glad I had the opportunity to help catch the man who killed her.'
We ordered lunch, and Cash asked for another bottle of champagne.
'Have you heard anything from Jack Salmon?' I asked Cash.
'I spoke to him yesterday,' said Cash. He paused whilst the waiter placed a bowl of soup in front of him. He slurped at it greedily. 'He is in total panic. He says the investigators are in already. Of course he told me he didn't know anything about it, but I doubt he will last past the end of next week.'
'Another client bites the dust,' I said.
'Yes, too bad,' said Cash. 'Phoenix Prosperity will just become another bankrupt savings and loan owned by the
