A Quiet Vendetta

to track the landline back to New Orleans.’

‘See you there,’ Hartmann said, and he hung up.

‘So whaddya want me to say?’ Verlaine asked.

They were seated in Verlaine’s car across the street from the bar. Hartmann hadn’t wanted to go inside, firstly because Carol would have heard the music in the background and figured him to be somewhere where he shouldn’t have been, and secondly because Hartmann did not want to tempt himself with liquor. What was it Perez had said: a temptation resisted is the true measure of character? Something such as that.

‘Tell her you’re a police officer, that you’re not from New York, that there’s a federal investigation ongoing and I am a very necessary part of it. Tell her I am quite some distance away and there’s a very strong possibility that I might not make it back to New York for Saturday.’

‘You gonna want to talk to her?’ Verlaine asked.

‘Don’t reckon she’ll wanna talk to me,’ Hartmann said.

‘Gimme the number.’

Hartmann gave him the number. Verlaine dialed it.

Hartmann sat there with a sweat breaking out on his forehead. His hands were shaking, he could feel his heart hammering through his chest. He felt like a teenager all over again.

‘Carol Hartmann? Hi, my name is John. I am a detective with the police department.

‘No ma’am, there’s nothing wrong, I’m actually calling on a personal matter.

‘Yes, about your husband. He’s actually away from New York right now, quite a distance away, and he’s become involved in a very important federal investigation, and-’

Verlaine glanced at Hartmann. ‘Yes ma’am, he is.’

Verlaine nodded, looked at Hartmann again. ‘She wants to talk to you.’

Hartmann could not contain his surprise. Verlaine passed him the phone and Hartmann took it. His hand was visibly shaking.

‘Carol?’

No Ray, it’s the Archangel bloody Gabriel. What the hell is this all about?

‘Like John said. I got myself into something down here-’

Down where?

‘I can’t tell you, Carol… but there’s a federal investigation going on-’

Since when?

‘Since a few days ago… and I’m away from New York right now and I wanted to call you and tell you that I might not be able to make it back before Saturday.’

So why the hell didn’t you call me? Why are you getting some guy I never heard of to call me?

‘Because I was afraid you might not believe me, Carol.’

Aah come on Ray, you know me better than that. A drunk you might be-

‘Been, Carol… a drunk I might have been-’

Well, that remains to be seen. Anyway, a drunk you might have been but you were never a liar. We’ve been married a good many years, Ray, and I know you better than anyone on the face of the earth. So what’s the deal then? When are you coming back?

‘I don’t know.’

You must have some idea… a week, two, a month?

‘No, no idea… I don’t think it will be as long as that but right now it’s unknown.’

And you can’t tell me anything about it, obviously.

‘Right.’

Well, okay then… it is what it is. You do whatever you have to do, and when you get back to New York call me and I’ll see how I feel. I had my doubts about us meeting anyway-

‘Doubts?’ Hartmann said, anxiety tripping his voice. ‘What doubts?’

I’m not going to do this now, Ray… not on the phone while you’ve got some guy sat next to you. You call me when you get back to New York and if we meet… well, we’ll see how things are when you call, okay? You want to speak to Jess?

Hartmann nearly dropped the phone. ‘Hell yes… Jesus Carol… thanks.’

Christ Ray, what the hell is up with you? You act like I’ve forgotten you’re her father. Hang on there… I’ll go get her.

Hartmann looked at Verlaine. ‘My daughter,’ he said, and Verlaine nodded and smiled.

Daddy?

‘Hi sweetpea… how are you?’

I’m fine, Daddy. How are you doing?

‘I’m okay, honey… you looking after Mom for me?’

That’s not my job, Daddy, that’s yours. So when you coming home?

‘Soon I hope, Jess, real soon. I called to say that I couldn’t get there for Saturday, but I’m gonna call Mom as soon as I get back to New York and we’ll meet up, okay?’

You’re not coming Saturday?

‘I can’t, honey.’ Hartmann felt his voice cracking with emotion.

Oh Dad, we were gonna have a picnic an’ everything.

‘I know sweetheart, but I gotta do something and I don’t think it will take long, and when it’s done I’ll come back to New York and we can see each other.’

Tell whoever it is that they should give you a day off so you can come and see us.

‘I would if I could, you know that, Jess… but right now there’s this thing I gotta finish and I’ll be right back, okay?’

I miss you, Dad. ‘I miss you too, sweetpea, but it won’t be long, I promise.’

You mean it this time?

‘I mean it, Jess… I really do mean it.’

Okay Dad. Don’t be long, okay? Here’s Mom.

‘Okay Jess… I love you, honey. Daddy really, really loves you.’ Ray?

‘Carol.’

We gotta go… I got to get her to bed.

‘Okay Carol… and thanks.’

Whatever…

‘I love you, Carol.’

I don’t doubt it, Ray, and never have… but the old saying is true.

‘The old saying?’

Yes, Ray, the one about actions speaking louder than words. Whichever way you look at it we made an agreement for Saturday, and that ain’t gonna happen right now. I’m pissed with you about that and I know Jess is upset. That makes me pissed twice as much. I know whatever I say ain’t gonna change what you’ve decided to do, and the fact of the matter is that the more I think about it the more I feel that most of our married life went on that premise. You have a think about that, and if you decide that what we’ve got is worth salvaging enough then I believe you’ll make it here on Saturday. If not, well you won’t, right?

Hartmann was struck dumb.

I’ll tell Jess goodnight for you, okay?

‘Carol-’

I’m taking her to bed, Ray… I don’t have anything else to say.

The line went dead and Hartmann sat there with the cellphone pressed against his ear for some seconds. There were tears in his eyes, a fist of emotion in his throat, and when he turned and handed the phone back to Verlaine he said nothing.

‘It’s gonna be okay,’ Verlaine said. ‘Hell, she let you talk to your kid, right?’

Hartmann nodded. He wiped his eyes with the ball of his thumb. He reached for the lever and opened the door.