the ground she stayed there. Jack watched for a long time. The flames lit the beach scene painted on the alley's opposite wall, giving it a sunset look.
The Mother rakosh continued to burn. And she didn't move. He watched until he was sure she would never move again.
23
Jack locked his apartment door and sank to the floor behind it, reveling in the air-conditioned cool. He’d stumbled down from the roof in a daze, but had remembered to pick up his Glock on the way. Weak…every cell in his body cried out in pain and fatigue. Needed rest, and probably needed a doctor for his gashed back. But no time for any of that. Had to finish off Kusum tonight.
He pulled himself to his feet and went to the bedroom. Kolabati was still asleep. Next stop, the phone. He didn't know if Abe had called while he was up on the roof. He doubted it; the prolonged ringing would have awakened Kolabati. He dialed the number of the shop.
After three rings, a cautious, 'Yes?'
'It's me, Abe.'
'Who else should it be at this hour?'
'Did you get everything?'
'Just got in the door. No, I didn't get everything. Got the timed incendiary bombs—a crate of twelve—but couldn't get hold of any incendiary bullets before tomorrow noon. Is that soon enough?'
'No,' Jack said, bitterly disappointed. He had to move now.
'I got something you might use as a substitute, though.'
“What?'
'Come down and see.'
'Be there in a few minutes.'
Jack hung up and gingerly peeled the torn, blood-soaked shirt from his back. The pain had subsided to a dull, aching throb. He blinked when he saw the liverish clots clinging to the fabric. He'd lost more blood than he’d thought.
He got a towel from the bathroom and gently held it against the wound. It stung, but the pain was bearable. When he checked the towel half a minute later, he found blood on it, but very little of it fresh.
Jack knew he should shower and clean out the wound but was afraid he'd start it bleeding again. He resisted the temptation to examine his back in the bathroom mirror—it might hurt worse if he knew how bad it looked. Instead, he wrapped all his remaining gauze around his upper chest and over his left shoulder.
He went back to the bedroom for a fresh shirt and for something else: He knelt next to the bed, gently unclasped Kolabati's necklace and removed it. She stirred, moaned softly, then was quiet. Jack tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind him.
In the living room he clasped the iron necklace around his throat. It gave off an unpleasant, tingling sensation that spread along his skin from head to toe. He didn't relish wearing it, nor borrowing it from Kolabati without her knowledge. But she’d refused to remove it in the ship, and if he was going back there he wanted every edge he could get.
He slipped into the fresh shirt as he dialed the number of Abe's daughter's apartment. He was going to be out of touch with Gia for a while and knew his mind would rest easier after confirming that everything was cool in Queens.
After half a dozen rings, Gia picked up.
'Hello?' Her voice was tentative.
Jack paused for an instant at the sound of her voice. After what he’d been through in the past few hours, he wanted nothing more than to call it quits for the night, hop over to Queens, and spend the rest of the time until morning with his arms around Gia. He’d nothing more tonight—just holding her.
'Sorry to wake you. I'm going out for a few hours and wanted to make sure everything is okay.'
'Everything's, fine.'
'Vicky?'
'I just left her side to answer the phone. She's fine. And I'm just reading this note from Abe explaining that he had to go out and not to worry. What's going on?'
'Crazy stuff.'
'That's not an answer. I need answers, Jack. This whole thing scares me.'
'I know. All I can say right now is it has to do with the Westphalens.' He didn't want to say more.
'But why is Vicky...oh.'
'Right. She's a Westphalen. Someday when we have lots of time, I'll explain it to you.'
'When will it all end?'
'Tonight, if things go right.'
'Dangerous?”
'Naw. Routine stuff.' He didn't want to add to her worries.
“Jack...' She paused and he thought he detected a quaver in her voice. 'Be careful, Jack.'
She would never know how much those words meant to him.
