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t a friendly warning； 'cause I'm waiting for that motherfucker to step one inch out of line。 Then I'm gonna break him in two。'
Nicholas thought about what Croaker had told him of Gelda and he had to smile to himself。 What would Tomkin do when he found out that Croaker and his daughter were seeing each other？ Apoplexy might be an accurate term。
'That bastard's got a hard…on for me and I've got no idea why。 He's got this crazy notion that just because I was balling Angela Didion； I killed her。'
Nicholas watched him； rubbing the electronic bug back and forth between the calloused pads of his fingers。
Tomkin snorted derisively through his nostrils； giving Nicholas the image of a horse rearing。 'Hell； that broad got around； you know？ Doing people she didn't even know。 Got a kick out of that； giving rim jobs to guys she pulled off the street。 Just like that … Boom！ Only it wasn't always guys； see。 The broad was nuts。 Definitely nuts。 If I'd've known about that …you know； a closet lezzie … I wouldn't have … hell； she disguised it well enough。' He waved a hand and gold glinted。 'Anyway； it's all ancient history now … that's how I see it。 But that cop won't let it alone； you know？ He's like a fucking dog with an old bone nobody wants but him。'
'He's doing his job。'
'He ain't doing his job！' Tomkin cried。 'That's the whole goddamned issue。' He pounded the table。 'The Angela Didion thing is a dead issue for everyone on the entire fucking New York Police Force except Croaker。 What's he think he's got？ A calling from God？ Well； I'm telling you； he's got nothing。 I got his number； loves to see his name in the papers。' He swivelled back and forth in his chair； very fast； as if he had a surplus of nervous energy。 'Goddamned glory hound。 He's not gonna ride me to any headlines。 He needs to be taught a lesson； that's all。' He glanced up； no longer half…talking to himself。 'What about this guy … the ninja？'
'Well； that's what I came to talk to you about。 So far； he's been setting the pace。 What I think we have to do now is reverse the situation。 We have a chance if we can control the environment。 We have to； in other words； be on the battleground before him。'
'So？ Set it up。 That's what I'm paying you for； isn't it？'
'It's not that simple； unfortunately。'
'Well； do what you have to do。 I don't care what it is。 I want him out of the way。 Permanently。'
'It involves you directly。'
'Of course it does。 He's been sent here to kill me。〃
'He's here to kill me； too。'
'What？'
'I know this man。 There is an old score to be settled。 It's nothing to do with you。'
'I see。'
'Except that it may lead us to his entrapment。'
'How？'
'Through one of his bugs。' Nicholas lifted the tiny disk so that Tomkin could see it clearly。 'You see； this is currently inactive。 It's one of the new contact type； which simply means that once it is reapplied to a surface； it bees active again。'
A gleam came into Tomkin's icy eyes； deceit was a currency he understood。 'You mean …'
'We reactivate it。 And use it。 Chances are he'll believe there's been a minor dysfunction and …'
'What if he's smarter than that？ This guy's an expert。 I've heard stories about ninja …'
'I don't；' said Nicholas； 'think it will matter at all。 He wants us both and； if he thinks he can get us together； he'll take the chance； even if there's the suspicion of a trap。 It's one I've set up； you see。 It's a challenge and he cannot back down without losing an awful lot of face。 That he will not do。'
'It amounts to inviting him over；' Tomkin said slowly。
'Yes。'
The blue eyes regarded him cannily。 Nicholas could almost hear the sound of his mind ticking… over； weighing probabilities just as if he were making a puter…assisted business decision。 But then； in a curious kind of way； it was a business decision。
'Let's do it。' His voice rang unhesitatingly。
Afterwards； as Nicholas detached the bug and dropped it into the thick cotton bed he had fashioned for it in one of the desk drawers； Tomkin said； 'Can everything be arranged by the night after next？〃
'There won't be any problem。'
'Good。' He picked up the phone as Nicholas turned to leave。 'Hey；' he said； 'you didn't tell me you were having problems with Justine。'
Nicholas froze； silently cursing Tomkin。 Had he been spying on his daughter again？ How else would he know？
'Hit a nerve； didn't I？' He laughed。 'You got a damn good poker…face but I don't need to see your expression to know。'
'Just what do you know？'
Tomkin shrugged。 'Just that she's in the city； out with another guy。 Don't know who he is but I will soon enough。' He ^ dropped his eyes； began to dial。 'It's too bad； really。 I would've liked you two to stay together。 You're good for her。 Now I'm afraid she's gone back to her old ways。'
'Where is she？'
'Hello？ Yes…'
'Tomkin …' Nicholas's tone cut through the space between them。
'Hold the line a moment …' Tomkin put his palm over the receiver。 'What did you say？' His voice had turned a touch treacley。
'Where is she？'
'At a discotheque。 On West Forty…sixth Street。' He rummaged with one hand on his desktop。 'I know I have the name of it somewhere。 At least； I had it earlier 。。。 Ah； here it is。' He read off a slip of paper； giving Nicholas the name。 His eyes lifted。 'Know it？'
'I don't go to discos； normally；〃 Nicholas said。 His voice was as tight as a coiled spring。 Across from him； Tomkin looked as if he had devoured a particularly tasty sweet。
'No； I suppose not。 Otherwise you might have run into her before this。 It's an old hangout of hers。 Perhaps you ought to try it some time。' He turned away to the phone in dismissal。
For a time he spoke as part of a conversation that had no meaning； listening with his free ear to the sound of the elevator's doors sighing shut； the quiet hum of the machine as it took Nicholas down to the lobby far below。
When that sound had ceased； he reached out one hand and opened a desk drawer。 Without turning his head； he replaced the receiver of the phone。
He stared down at the bit of plastic and metal with a kind of rapt fascination。 A light line of sweat broke out on his forehead； the way it did every time he made a major business decision。 His heart thudded and his pulse rate increased。
He licked his lips and； carefully； deliberately； he brought the bug out of its bed and attached it to the side of his desk。
He swung round； away from it so that he looked out on the winking late…night face of the city。 West。 The entire country was before him though； of course； he could not see it。 At length he began to speak。
'I suppose；' he said； almost meditatively； 'it depends on how much you want him。 But what if … what if I could guarantee Nicholas Linnear。 I could hand him to you on a platter。 As easy as pie； yes？' He swung round and now he addressed directly the bug hanging like a bloated spider。 'I'll bet that's worth a lot to you。 As much as a life。 What do you say？'
He reached out and detached the bug； returning it to its drawer； precisely as Nicholas had placed it。 Tomkin was a meticulous man。
Then he sat back with his hands behind his head； waiting for the phone call he was certain would e。 The fully loaded pistol clinging in its holster to his damp shirt beneath his suit jacket felt heavy and warm and infinitely forting。 In matters like this； he thought； one never knew。
'Someone wants to see you。'
The phone had rung just after Croaker had walked in but； despite that and despite the fact that she had already put the machine on； Gelda had picked it up herself。
She had e into the living room to answer the door and both of them were still there in the semi…darkness。 She watched him now as she listened to the voice in her ear； as he stood in the oblique bars of light and dark so that they climbed his legs to just above his knees。 His face was illumined by the fat wedge of lemon light from the bedroom。
'G； are you there？'
'Yes； Pear。'
'I thought you had drifted away for a moment。 Have you popped anything？'
'Not tonight； no。'
He seemed afflicted with a weariness that went far beyond a lack of sleep。 It was as if all the endless hours in the office and on the streets and in the courtrooms