Second Horseman Out of Eden

Consequently, I did something I had sworn I would never do, since it is the equivalent of handing over your wallet to the police department and the tow truck operators; I parked in a tow-away zone, right beneath a sign that read: NO PARKING OR STANDING AT ANY TIME.

'I'll make it up to you if you get towed away, Beloved,' I mumbled as I got out and locked the door. 'A tune- up, at the least, and I'll personally touch up any scratches.'

The limousine stopped at the end of the block. I made a show of checking to see how close my tires were to the curb, used my peripheral vision to watch as the man in the tan parka got out of the limousine. He quickly stepped back into the shadows-but not before I had gotten a good look at him. It must have been warm in the car, because he'd unzipped his parka and flipped back the hood. He was wearing a brown corduroy jacket the same color as his pants, a light blue shirt with no tie. He was fair complexioned, with modishly cut light brown hair. I patted Beloved on the trunk, then stepped into the light where I was sure he could see me. Then I headed into the rich, deliciously gloomy wooden interior of Rick's.

I was met just inside the door with a bear hug and kisses from Kim, a beautiful young lady with the blackest hair I'd ever seen. Garth had taught the woman, a former prostitute and functional illiterate, how to read, and then gotten her a job at Rick's. She was now what Garth and I thought of as the World's Best Waitress. And I suspected that she deeply loved Garth.

'Merry Christmas, Mongo, my love,' Kim said in her husky voice.

'Merry Christmas, Kim, my love,' I mumbled as I tried to extract my head from her ample bosom. 'Is Garth here yet?'

Kim's smile wavered slightly, and shadows moved in her jet black eyes. 'He's in the back, at your usual table. He seems so. . morose. What's the matter with him, Mongo?'

'Troubles, babe,' I said as I finally managed to escape from her powerful grip. I reached up and patted her cheek as I moved past her toward the rear. 'Bring me my usual, will you?'

'You look morose, too!' Kim called after me as I pushed my way through a wall-to-wall throng of celebrants. 'It's Christmas Eve! I'll be back in a little while to cheer you both up!'

Garth, wearing dark glasses to cover the black eyes I had given him, was sitting at our regular table, a banquette in a comfortably dim corner on the far side of a filigreed wooden partition that separated the dining area from the bar. He looked up from his diet soda, nodded as I sat down across from him.

'How'd you make out at the library today?' I asked, leaning across the table so that I could be heard above the din of Christmas music blaring from a jukebox in the bar.

My brother shrugged his broad shoulders. 'Lots of information-too much information, really. Blaisdel owns lots of companies. It would take a month just to sort it all out.'

'Any companies besides Nuvironment that might be involved in the design and construction of biospheres?'

'Lots-or none. The man owns companies that make just about everything you can think of, all around the world. Some of his companies did a lot of defense work in the late fifties and early sixties, but he doesn't seem to have had too many government contracts in the last few years. It would take too long to check everything out systematically, so I'm following hunches, making some calls.'

'What hunches?'

Again, he shrugged. 'What difference does it make? They're just hunches. How did you make out?'

'Nothing at Pier Forty-two, and nothing in about half the companies in Jersey City. But I still have half of Jersey City, and all of Hoboken, to work on.'

'Great,' Garth said in a flat voice as he sipped at his soda. 'I don't think you're going to get anywhere there, Mongo; however they brought in the dirt, they've covered their tracks. On the other hand-'

'On the other hand, I've got some good news,' I interrupted, reaching across the table and squeezing Garth's heavily muscled forearm. 'They may think they've covered their tracks, but they're still nervous about the comings and goings of the Frederickson brothers. You may not believe this, but Patton-or whoever-put a tail on me, complete with chauffeured limousine, and he is bad. I mean, like el stinko. I can't think of a better Christmas present right now, under the circumstances, and he's waiting for us right now out at the bar, all gift wrapped in a brown corduroy suit and a tan parka. He's medium height and build, with his hair cut in a style that went out with the Beatles. You can't miss him.'

Garth stared at me for a few moments, a strange expression on his face. He took another sip of his soda, then set the glass down on the table and smiled wryly. 'You've got it mostly right-except that he's wearing a blue parka.'

'What the hell are you talking about? He's my tail, and I'm telling you he's wearing a tan parka.'

Garth grunted, rose from the table. 'Excuse me for a little while, brother. I've got to go to the head.'

'I can see that my report got you all excited.'

'Sure has.'

Garth was gone less than thirty seconds.

'That didn't take long,' I said as he settled himself back down on the leather-covered bench across from me. 'You must have a small bladder.'

'I just wanted to take a look in the bar. I'd tell you to go take a look, but it might arouse suspicion. Think carefully now, Mongo. If you did go in there now to look over the clientele, especially people wearing parkas, what do you suppose you would see?'

'No shit? Twins?'

Garth nodded. 'Matching outfits, to boot-except for the parkas. My guy is the one in blue. That was what I was about to tell you when you interrupted me. While I was in the library, I could feel this guy watching me-and he kept checking out the books I'd called up from the stacks after I'd finished and put them in the cart. I took a little walk before coming here, just to see how serious he was. He stayed right with me; in fact, he'd probably have stepped on my heels if I'd stopped. A real clown. He had a car trailing him, too.'

'Jesus Christ. I hope this isn't somebody's idea of a practical joke.'

'It's no joke, Mongo,' Garth said seriously. 'They're from Nuvironment. Patton sent them to keep tabs on us.'

'Your nose again?'

'If you like.'

'It doesn't make any difference. I agree with you. Who else would put tails on us?'

'Did you get a look at your man's driver?'

'No. The limo had smoked windows, and they were up all the time. You?'

Garth nodded. 'Just a glimpse-but it was a memorable one. A big, ugly guy; shaved head, flat nose. He's got the thickest neck you're ever likely to see this side of a livestock show.' Garth paused, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples. Finally he opened his eyes, looked at me, and shook his head. 'I'm sure I've seen him someplace before, and I feel like I should know him; but I just can't place him.'

'Is he out in the bar?'

'I didn't see him-and I definitely would have if he was in there. Both drivers must still be in their cars.'

'And both parked on Fifty-sixth.'

'Maybe not. It would make more sense for one of them to park on Fifty-seventh, in case we went out the back.'

'Whatever. Brother, I would say that a lovely Christmas present has been dropped into our laps just in the nick of time.'

'Right.'

'But we have to cut out the drivers.'

'Right,' Garth said, and smiled thinly. 'I knew I wanted to have a chat with my companion, but, naturally, I wanted to check with you first. I'd hate to do anything that would cause you to criticize me again.'

'Go to hell, Garth,' I said, rising and signaling for Kim. 'You made sure your twinny followed you right in here, just like I did; if he hadn't, you'd have been all over him and his King Kong chauffeur-and you'd have been right, if slightly unwise, to do so. So don't give me any of your shit about criticism from me. That business with Patton was different, and you know it.'

I gave Kim a big tip, told her we'd be back as soon as possible, then walked slowly through the bar with