“What’shis aide’s name?”
“Who cares?” Parker asked.
“He might be President one day.”
“Fredric March was a good President, too,” Byrnes suggested.
“Who’s Fredric March?” Kling asked.
“Seven Days in May.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Or Henry Fonda,” Byrnes said. “InFail-Safe.”
“That was the same movie, wasn’t it?” Brown asked.
“It onlyseemed like the same movie,” Hawes said.
“Who’s Henry Fonda?” Kling asked.
“How about Kevin Kline?” Willis asked.
“Yes, he was a very good President,” Meyer said solemnly.
“He was also this guy wholooked like the President.”
“Dave.”
“That was the name of the movie.Dave.”
“It was also the name of the lookalike. Dave Kovic.”
“Because thereal President had a stroke while fucking his secretary. I saw that movie,” Parker said. “This sexy broad.”
“Yeah,” Willis said, remembering.
“Yeah,” Brown said, nodding.
They all had another bagel.
“But you know who was thebest actor?” Meyer asked. “Who ever played the President?”
“Who?” Kling said.
“Ronald Reagan.”
“Oh yes,” Kling said.
“Yes,” Hawes agreed.
“Unquestionably,” Byrnes said.
What’s the use? Carella thought, and took a bagel from the tray.
THE CALL FROM Carella’s sister came at a little before ten that Friday morning. The surveillance equipment from the Tech Unit had already arrived. Across the room, Meyer Meyer was helping Fat Ollie Weeks tape the battery-powered recorder to Tito Gomez’s chest.
“Who’s gonna be on the other end of this?” Tigo asked.
“Nobody,” Ollie said. “It ain’t a transmitter, it’s a recorder.”
“Then who’s gonna come save my ass if Wiggy tips?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Meyer said.
“I worry,” Tigo said.
On the telephone, Angela was asking Carella if he could come to Mama’s house tonight after work.
“Why?” Carella said.
“We want to talk to you.”
“We’re talking right now,” Carella said.
“You’re at work and so am I.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“We’ll tell you when you get here.”
“I’m working a homicide, I may not get out of here till late,” he said.
“That’s okay, we’ll wait.”
“What is it, Angela?”
“A surprise,” she said.
“I’m a cop,” he said. “I hate surprises.”
“I’m leaving early today. Can you get to Riverhead by five?”
“Only if I’m out of here by four.”
