"...Think it will work?" John asked from behind her as he re-entered the room.
"No," she replied, "I don't, at least not entirely. Can somebody like him even be fooled?"
"I don't know," John said tiredly, "if he can't be fooled, maybe he can be confused. I mean he can't be all seeing, and all knowing... he's not God."
Annie's eyes brightened. "Maybe then," she said hopefully.
"Maybe," John agreed, "just maybe."
They watched the rest of the short ten minute recording in silence. It consisted of showing the edited recording, while Frank talked about their need to discuss it with everyone else, and a short plea for more time at the end. They made no mention of Luther's demand to turn over five of the assembled group. It had been Frank’s suggestion to leave it out, but Frank did say they were considering his demands, which left it open to Luther's interpretation. At the most, they knew, it would only buy them a few extra hours if Luther went for it, but those few extra hours might allow Frank, Ira, Gary and Jimmy, to get to Fort Drum.
They also knew that once Luther realized that he had been tricked, he might push the button right then. The whole thing's a crap shoot, Annie thought, as the recording ended, and she turned off the machine.
She looked at John. "No way to know," he said, as if reading her mind, "but it beat's doing nothing."
"Ira thinks they'll come at us today from the north side," she said.
"When did he say that?" John asked, surprised.
"After Frank went for coffee, he told Hank, I guess. He didn't want Frank to know. Hank told Jimmy too, and Jimmy told him to make sure that I was aware. Ira told him to tell me I should make myself scarce," she said, "wonder why?"
"No telling with him, but... If it was me he had said that to, you can bet I'd be making myself scarce," John said thoughtfully, and then continued. "Odd though that Ira didn't tell you or me directly," he shrugged. "I believe I'll just keep an eye on you today, if you don't mind," he held up his hand when she began to protest. "I'm not saying you can't handle yourself, Annie, but two is better than one any way you look at it," he favored her with a stern look. "I mean it, Annie, if he said it, even if he didn't say to us directly, he didn't say it to hear himself speak."
"Okay, "she said, "you win. You can babysit me, John."
"That makes me feel better," John said. "I'm an old man, Annie, but I spent a lot of years in this city dealing with the bad elements of it, I can hold my own, and then some if I have to," he patted the .38 that was holstered at his hip as he finished speaking.
"I intend to stay right in here today anyway," Annie said, "I want to make sure nothing goes wrong when we broadcast that recording."
"Well in that case," John said, getting up from the small table, "I guess I'll go get us some more coffee," he walked off as he finished speaking.
"Thanks," Annie called after him.
~ 7 ~
Willie LeFray leaned back into the worn old couch in the living room of the house on Hudson Avenue. The empty bottle lay in shards in one corner of the room, where Willie had flung it. He had drained the last drop from the bottle, and then flung it against the wall when he realized there was not another bottle to replace it. He had of course called Mike in from the front porch, and had him dispatch someone to liberate a new supply from one of the many liquor stores that dotted the avenue. Whoever he had sent would be in hot water when they returned though, Willie promised himself, they had already been gone for more than three hours. How long does it take to follow simple fuckin' directions and go to a damn liquor store, Willie wondered. Probably forever, he told himself. Especially with this bunch of morons he was saddled with.
He debated calling Mike back in to find out what was taking so long, but rejected it. Mike was dumber than Alfred, he knew, and Alfred was a frigging moron. A creepy moron, but still a moron. Actually, Willie thought, the guy scares me a little. He looks like a little kid, and even acts like a little kid. Sort of naive, maybe even innocent-looking to someone who didn't know better. Willie knew, however, that it was nothing but an act. Alfred was a straight out nut-case, and the calm kid-like demeanor could change in an instant, without warning.
The kid was also loyal. Well, not loyal, he reasoned, more like devoted, or fanatical. Alfred embraced evil and death, more even than Willie himself did.
The day Willie had arrived he had dismissed Alfred out of hand, simply because of that kid-like quality. Alfred had begged Willie to make him one of his right hand men, the friggin' kid had been in tears over it, and Willie had jokingly told him that all the positions were filled, and that if he wanted in, he would have to kill his way in. Willie had figured that would satisfy the kid. Either he would be killed trying to take out someone, or he would simply walk away, and Willie would have bet ten to one on the walking away. Either way Willie didn't have the time for him.
But, no sooner had the words been out of Willie's mouth, than the kid had turned quickly, cat-like almost, Willie thought, and slit the throat of one of the guys Willie had bought with him. The guy had been standing there laughing at Alfred. At how pitiful he looked, and a second later he had
