The Frumious Bandersnatch

“He knows what he’s doing.”

“Here’s the number now,” the first agent said, and went to the printer. Reading from the sheet of paper as it reeled out, he said, “Randall Carter, Jr. 421 Pastoral Way…over the river in the nextstate! ” he said, sounding surprised.

“Another stolen phone,” Endicott said.

“Probably has a dozen of them.”

“He’ll use a different one each time he calls, wait and see,” Corcoran said, nodding sagely.

Everyone else nodded, too.

THE PHONErang some six minutes later.

Endicott nodded.

Loomis picked up.

“Hello?”

“Have you got that number?”

“Yes.”

“Give it to me. Read it slowly.”

Loomis read the number to him.

“Is this it?” the caller asked, and read the number back to him.

“Yes, that’s it exactly.”

“First tower’s on him.”

“Okay, this is what I want you to do. You say you’ve got the money?”

“Yes.”

“Are there any policemen there with you?”

Loomis didn’t know what to answer. He looked first at Endicott and then at Forbes. Both men shook their heads.

“No,” Loomis said.

“You’re lying, but that’s okay. I want you to put the money in a dispatch case, have you got that?”

“Yes,” Loomis said.

“Then pick one of the detectives sitting there with you…”

“There are no detectives here with me,” Loomis said.

“Of course not. Find one, anyway, do you think you can manage that, Mr. Loomis?”

Little bit of bitchy sarcasm there.

Loomis ignored it.

“Yes, I think I can find a detective,” he said.

“Well, good. When you find one, I want you to give him the case with the money in it. For safekeeping. To make sure no bad guys try to grab it before it’s in our hands. Have you got that?”

“Yes?”

Loomis was looking puzzled now. So were all the people on The Squad. Usually, they told you not to inform the police or the vic would die. Either these guys were complete amateurs or they’d done this a hundred times before and had come up with a new wrinkle. Not having access to the ear phones, Carella was puzzled, too, but only because he didn’t know what the hell was going on.

“Second tower’s on him. He’s in a moving vehicle.”

“At three-thirty sharp…that should give you enough time to find a dispatch case and a cop, shouldn’t it, Mr. Loomis?”

More sarcasm.

Again, Loomis ignored it.

“Yes, I’m sure that’s enough time,” he said.

“At three-thirty sharp, then, I want you and the cop and the case to go down to the limo,” the caller said. “And I want you to drive the limo out of the garage and onto the River Highway heading toward the Hamilton Bridge. Have you got that, too?”

“Yes.”

“Repeat it.”

“River Highway to the Hamilton Bridge.”

“Who’s with you in the car?”

“A detective.”

“Andthe case. Don’t forget the case with the money.”

“Second tower’s on him.”

“Cingular wireless this time. Getting the number now.”

“Come on, come on,” Endicott said.

“Youdrive, Mr. Loomis. The cop rides shotgun. Tell him to wear a holstered weapon. Have you got all that?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Three-thirty sharp. I’ll call you again in the car at a quarter to four. Any questions so far?”

“Yes. When will we get Tam…?”

“All in good time. But listen to this, Mr. Loomis, and whoever else is listening.”

Endicott nodded sourly.

“There are three of us. Two of us will be picking up the cash, while our friend stays with the girl. If there is any sign of police activity at the site, the girl gets killed. If anyone tries to follow us from the site, the girl gets killed. If you try to arrest us after we pick up the cash, the girl gets killed. The girl is our hole card, do you understand? We’re showing you the hole card now, so you won’t try to bet her life on a losing hand. Tell me you understand everything. Especially about the girl getting killed if there are any tricks.”

“Yes, I understand everything,” Loomis said.

“Keep him on.”

“Especially about the girl getting killed.”

“Especially about Tamar getting killed.”

“Keep him on!”

“Good,” the caller said, and hung up abruptly.

“Damn it, we were almost there.”

“Why do you suppose he wants a cop tagging along?” Forbes asked.

“Peculiar, isn’t it?” Endicott said.

“Last thing he should want is a cop.”

“Anarmed cop, no less.”

“You want this number?” one of the agents asked. “It’s a lady in Riverhead.”

“Move on it,” Corcoran told Feingold. “But it’ll be another stolen phone, wait and see.”

“He’s so damn sure of himself,” Endicott said.

“Well, he’s got the girl,” Corcoran said, “you heard him. She’s his hole card.” He hesitated only a moment, and then said, “I’ll go with you, Mr. Loomis,” and was actually putting on his jacket when Loomis said, “No.”

They all turned to look at him.

“I want Detective Carella,” he said.

9

THE CELL PHONEin the car rang at precisely three-forty-five, just as Barney Loomis was driving past the Buford Park exit on the River Harb Highway.

Carella picked up the phone, hit the SEND button.

“Hello?” he said.

“Who’s this?” Avery asked.