the Third Twin (1996)

again. Now he seemed docile.

“I want to dress him up,” Jeannie said.

“You go ahead,” Mr. Oliver said. “I’ll just stand by and hurt him now and again to keep him cooperative.”

Nervously, Jeannie wrapped the sarong around Harvey’s waist and tied it like a skirt. Her hands were unsteady; she hated being this close to him. The skirt was long and covered Harvey’s ankles, concealing the length of electrical cable that hobbled him. She draped the shawl over his shoulders and fastened it with a safety pin to the bonds on Harvey’s wrists, so that he looked as if he were clutching the corners of the shawl like an old lady. Next she rolled the handkerchief and tied it across his open mouth, securing it with a knot behind his neck, so that the dishcloth could not fall out. Finally she put on the Nancy Reagan mask to hide the gag. “He’s been to a costume party, dressed as Nancy Reagan, and he’s drunk,” she said.

“That’s pretty good,” Mr. Oliver said.

The phone rang. Jeannie picked it up. “Hello?”

“This is Mish Delaware.”

Jeannie had forgotten about her. It had been fourteen or fifteen hours since she had been desperate to contact her. “Hi,” she said.

“You were right. Harvey Jones did it.”

“How do you know?”

“The Philadelphia police were quick off the mark. They went to his apartment. He wasn’t there, but a neighbor let them in. They found the hat and realized it was the one in the description.”

‘That’s great!”

“I’m ready to arrest him, but I don’t know where he is. Do you?”

Jeannie looked at him, dressed like a six-foot-two Nancy Reagan. “No idea,” she said. “But I can tell you where he’ll be at noon tomorrow.”

“Goon.”

“Regency Room, Stouffer Hotel, at a press conference.”

“Thanks.”

“Mish, do me a favor?”

“What?”

“Don’t arrest him until the press conference is over. It’s really important to me that he’s there.”

She hesitated, then said: “Okay.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Jeannie hung up. “Okay, let’s get him in the car.”

Mr. Oliver said: “You go ahead and open the doors. I’ll bring him.”

Jeannie picked up her keys and ran downstairs into the street. Night had fallen, but there was bright starlight as well as the shadowy illumination of the streetlights. She looked along the street. A young couple in ripped jeans were strolling in the opposite direction, hand in hand. On the other side of the road, a man in a straw hat was walking a yellow Labrador. They would all be able to see clearly what was going on. Would they look? Would they care?

Jeannie unlocked her car and opened the door.

Harvey and Mr. Oliver came out of the house, very close together, Mr. Oliver pushing his prisoner forward, Harvey stumbling. Lisa followed them, closing the door of the house.

For an instant, the scene struck Jeannie as absurd. Hysterical laughter bubbled up into her throat. She put her fist in her mouth to silence it.

Harvey reached the car and Mr. Oliver gave a final shove. Harvey half fell into the backseat.

Jeannie’s moment of hilarity passed. She looked again at the other people in the street. The man in the straw hat was watching his dog urinate on the tire of a Subaru. The young couple had not turned around.

So far, so good.

“I’ll get in the back with him,” Mr. Oliver said.

“Okay.”

Lisa got in the front passenger seat and Jeannie drove.

Downtown was quiet on Sunday night. She entered the parking garage beneath the hotel and parked as close as possible to the elevator shaft, to minimize the distance they had to drag Harvey. The garage was not deserted. They had to wait in the car while a dressed-up couple got out of a Lexus and went up to the hotel. Then, when there was no one to see, they got out of the car.

Jeannie took a wrench from her trunk, showed it to Harvey, then tucked it into the pocket of her blue jeans. Mr. Oliver had his wartime pistol in his waistband, concealed by the tail of his shirt. They pulled Harvey out of the car. Jeannie expected him to turn violent at any moment, but he walked peaceably to the elevator.

It took a long time to arrive.

When it came they bundled him in and Jeannie pressed the button for the lobby.

As they went up, Mr. Oliver punched Harvey in the stomach again.

Jeannie was shocked: there had been no provocation.

Harvey groaned and doubled over just as the doors were opening. Two men waiting for the elevator stared at Harvey. Mr. Oliver led him stumbling out, saying: “Excuse me, gentlemen, this young man has had one drink too many.” They got out of the way smartly.

Another elevator stood waiting. They got Harvey into it and Jeannie pressed the button for the eighth floor. She sighed with relief as the doors closed.

They rode to their floor without incident. Harvey was recovering from Mr. Oliver’s punch, but they were almost at their destination. Jeannie led the way to the room she had taken. As they got there she saw with dismay that the door was open, and hanging on the doorknob was a card saying “Room being serviced.” The maid must be turning down the bed or something. Jeannie groaned.

Suddenly Harvey began to thrash around, making noises of protest in his throat, swinging wildly with his bound hands. Mr. Oliver tried to hit him, but he dodged and took three steps along the corridor.

Jeannie stooped in front of him, grabbed the cord binding his ankles with both hands, and heaved. Harvey stumbled. Jeannie tugged again, this time with no effect. God, he’s heavy. He raised his hands to strike her. She braced herselfand pulled with all her might. His feet flew from under him and he went down with a crash.

“My goodness, what in heaven’s name is going on?” said a prim voice. The maid, a black woman of about sixty in an immaculate uniform, had stepped out of the room.

Mr. Oliver knelt at Harvey’s head and lifted his shoulders.

“This young man been partying too hard,” he said. “Threw up all over the hood of my limousine.”

I get it. He’s our driver, just for the maid’s benefit.

“Partying?” said the maid. “Look more like fighting to me.”

Speaking to Jeannie, Mr. Oliver said: “Could you lift his feet, ma’am?”

Jeannie did so.

They lifted Harvey. He wriggled. Mr. Oliver appeared to drop him but put his knee in the way so that Harvey fell on it and was winded.

“Be careful, you’ll hurt him!” the maid said.

“Once more, ma’am,” Mr. Oliver said.

They picked him up and carried him into the room. They dumped him on the nearer of the two beds.

The maid followed them in. “I hope he ain’t going to throw up in here.”

Mr. Oliver smiled at her. “Now how come I’ve never seen you around here before? I have an eye for a pretty girl, but I don’t recall noticing you.”

“Don’t be fresh,” she said, but she was smiling. “I ain’t no girl.”

“I’m seventy-one, and you can’t be a day over forty-five.”

“I’m fifty-nine, too old to listen to your jive.”

He took her arm and gently led her out of the room, saying: “Hey, I’m almost through with these folks. Do you want to go for a ride in my limousine?”

“With puke all over it? No way!” She cackled.

“I could get it cleaned up.”