Saturday, June 12, at 3:00 p.m. The Molson Auditorium at Langdon Library.
THIS TIME, THEY Googled directly to First Folio. And this time, they found the source of what until now they'd believed was a Shakespearean quote:
We wondred that thou went'st so soon From the world's stage, to the grave's tiring room. We thought thee dead, but this thy printed worth, Tells thy spectators that thou went'st but forth To enter with applause.
An Actor's Art,
Can die, and live, to act a second part.
The lines of verse had been written 'To the memory of Master William Shakespeare' by a contemporary poet and translator named James Mabbe. It appeared in the 1623 First Folio of plays as one of several introductory dedications.
'Never heard of him,' Parker said.
But it now seemed possible that the Deaf Man was directing them to the valuable book that would be leaving the Langdon Library this Saturday. And it seemed further possible that he planned to steal it.
'And hold it for ransom,' Eileen suggested. ' 'Must sell at tallest sum.''
'He's gonna kidnap a book?' Genero said.
'Whatever he's gonna do, he's doing it before supper-time,' Kling said.
'Sure, look.'
For yet ere supper-time must I perform Much business appertaining.
'Three o'clock would seem to qualify,' Brown said.
'Where's the Langdon Library?'
'Midtown South Precinct, isn't it?'
'We'd better alert them.'
'You think they don't already know they've got a six-million-dollar book on their hands?'
'Six million two.'
'Security there must be thicker than bear shit.'
'But that's it,' Willis said. 'We doped it out, right?'
'Thank you, Mr. Deaf Man,' Genero said, and bowed from the waist.
You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians,
play. A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.
'Friggin guy's a mind reader,' Parker said. 'What's he mean 'girls'}'
'I'm a girl,' Eileen said, and beamed a Shirley Temple smile.
'He's back to music again.'
'Musicians.''
''A hall, a hall!''
'A concert hall!'
'Where's that magazine?'
'Wasn't there something about. . . ?'
'Here.'
Under DON'T MISS!, they once again found:
Konstantinos Sallas, 'renowned violin virtuoso,
guest-starring with the Philharmonic' at Clarendon Hall this Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
'Three o'clock again,' Eileen said. 'That's still 'ere suppertime.''
'What does he mean by air?' Genero asked. 'Before.'
For yet ere supper-time must I perform
'That would seem to indicate a concert, don't you think?' Carella said. 'The word perform?'
'No, he's saying he himself has, to perform,' Meyer said. 'He has 'much business appertaining.''
'But it doesn't sound like a book anymore, does it?'
'The son of a bitch is asking us to chooseY Parker said.
'Which? The Sallas concert or the Folger First Folio?'
'The concert,' Eileen said.
'The book,' Genero said.
'Both,' Kling said.
It was Brown who tipped.
A palindrome!' he said. 'Sallas!'
And now they all jumped in like a Greek chorus.
'Sallas!'
'Sallas!'
'He's going after the violinist!'
'He's going to kidnap the friggin violinistV
And hold him for the tallest sumV
'Or maybe the book,' Genero insisted, raining on their parade.
'Which?' Carella asked.
THE NEXT BARRAGE of notes-seven of them in all-ar-
rived in the same envelope at two that afternoon. They were all Shakespearean quotes, which in itself seemed to indicate the Deaf Man's target was not some palindromic Greek fiddler, but the pricey book containing thirty-six of the bard's plays. Contrariwise, as was the Deaf Man's wont, the content of the notes seemed to be challenging the detectives to choose. Either or, lads. You pays yer money, and you takes yer choice.
It is 'music with her silver sound,'
because musicians have no gold for sounding:
But on the other hand:
Was ever book containing such vile matter So fairly bound? O that deceit should dwell In such a gorgeous palace!
Then again:
And those musicians that shall play to you Hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence, And straight they shall be here: sit, and attend.
Unless:
A book? O rare one!
However:
If music be the food of love, play on
But perhaps:
Devise, wit; write, pen;
for I am for whole volumes in folio.
Thanks for nothing, they were thinking.
You are very welcome, sir,
Take you the lute, and you the set of books
R N D NOW THERE seemed to be an urgency to the Deaf Man's notes. A sense of impending accomplishment. A certainty that time was running out, the deed would soon be done, and if they didn't catch on soon, it would be too damned late.
The previous envelope had contained seven notes.
This one arrived a half-hour later, and there was just a single note in it:
And she goes down at twelve.
'Party's getting rough again,' Parker said, and winked at Eileen.
THE THING WAS, Ollie was looking for either a redhead with short hair, or a brunette with long hair. He wasn't looking for the feather-cut, elegantly dressed blonde who came into the park at three that afternoon and took a bench facing the river. He had no idea that this was Melissa Summers.
Nor did Melissa have any idea that the fat guy sitting on a bench near the playground equipment here in Cathleen Gleason Park was a detective. Most detectives she'd known worked out in the gym and had muscles on their muscles. This guy looked more like a pedophile,
but she didn't have any kids here in the park, so let their mothers worry. Besides, after chasing junkies all
