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now is not to be disturbed； so I get this … asshole… hanging around my neck。' He chuckled； his mood shifting abruptly。 'Well； I shouldn't plain； really。 This idea originated with the Japanese。 Only they were far too timid； they refused to go all the way with it even after I outlined the perfect methodology。 Scared； is all。 So we had a falling out … of sorts。' He laughed。 'I stole the idea。 Shit； they were going to just sit on it for a while； 〃study〃 the sampling they already had。' He snorted。 'No one'd get rich that way。 Then they wanted back in after I had it running。 Can you imagine？ I told them to fuck off。 They had lost a lot of face by then … too much； I guess。 So they've sent the ninja。'
Tomkin settled himself more fortably against the plush velvet seat。 'Might as well go somewhere now that we're out。〃
He flicked a switch； gave the chauffeur an address on the West Side。 'I'm hungry。 How about you？' 》 'I could eat something。〃
'Okay。 Good。' He closed his eyes for a moment。 'I don't want anything to happen to my girls； understand？'
Nicholas said nothing。 He was thinking about what Croaker had told him about this man。 He was wondering about the truth。
Tomkin turned his head sharply like a dog at the point。 I'm quite certain you think I don't give a shit about them。 I can imagine the kind of fantasies Justine has told you about me。'
'She really doesn't talk about you much。 Does that surprise you？'
'Don't be impertinent with me；' Tomkin said coldly。 'It won't get you very far。' His voice softened somewhat。 'But； to be quite frank； I am surprised she hasn't told you all about me。' He waved a hand as if in dismissal。 'It doesn't matter； really。 I still love them both。 I know I'm not the world's best father but then they leave a lot to be desired as daughters。 Let's just say we're all at fault。'
'Perhaps if you didn't use your power with them the way …'
'Ah； then she did talk about me。'
'A bit； yes。 Once。'
'My dear boy；' Tomkin said； 'I don't mean to be pompous but money is power or； more accurately； it's the other way round。 It amounts to the same thing。 That's my gift； you see。 It's what I excel in。 Making decisions； building power； watching the money pour in。' He lifted a knowing forefinger to the side of his nose； absurdly； it made him look like an avuncular character out of a Dickens novel。 'It's also what keeps me alive。 I'd be dead tomorrow without that excitement； I can't give it up for anyone； not even my girls。'
'Would you even want to？'
'To be honest； I don't know。' He shrugged heavily。 'But what possible difference could that make？ It's a moot point。 I don't love them any less for it； I'm merely denied certain things。'
'So are they。'
'Life is tough； huh？ I'm glad you figured that out。' He turned his head。 'I guess I was right about you。 I like the way you work。〃
They crossed Fifth Avenue on Fifty…seventh； heading west。 Heavy traffic brought them to a standstill midway along the block。 Behind them was the white modernistic sweep of Seven West。 Fuel exhaust and the heat bined to streak the air as it rose in waves from the asphalt of the street。
'You know；' Tomkin said while they were stalled； 'money's a funny thing。 Most people who don't have it want it very badly。 But the ones who have it； if they have any sense at all； know what a fantastic burden it is。 There are mornings I don't want to get up and go to the office； despite the excitement。 I feel as if my body weighs tons； as if every breath I take is made painful by pressure。' Up ahead； at Sixth Avenue； the light turned green。 No one moved。 After a moment； horns started blaring。
'But there are decisions to be made；' he continued。 'Decisions involving millions of dollars and the lives of thousands of my employees throughout the world。 There's nobody but me to make them。' His voice turned reflective。 'That's excitement enough； don't you think？ To know you're performing something in a way no one else can。 You know about that as well as I do； eh？ You do what you do better than anyone else。'
'And what's that？'
Tomkin's eyes narrowed as if he were looking through cigarette smoke。 'You're a very deadly man； Nick。 Don't think I can't feel it。 Even before I saw what you could do with Frank and Whistle。 Oh； it was nice to see a graphic example of what had been in my mind's eye； of course。 But I was as certain of you as I have been of anything。 To tell you the truth； I'm glad Justine likes you … I think you'll be good for her。 She should get to know what a real man's like。'
The light had turned red again but the horns hadn't diminished。
'What's the problem； Tom？' he said into the grille。
'Bus broken down； Mr Tomkin；' came the electronically filtered reply。 'Won't be long now。'
'Buses；' Tomkin said； readjusting his position。 'Christ； I haven't been on a bus in over thirty years。'
'Money'll do that to you；' Nicholas said blandly。
'The only thing that money does；' Tomkin said sharply； 'is corrupt。'
Nicholas turned his head。 'Does that include you？'
'We're all susceptible； we all succumb。 There're no exceptions； none at all。 In that respect； money's the great leveller。 It makes fools of us all。' He barked a laugh。 'All those assholes who tell you that money hasn't changed 'em are full of shit。 Of course it has。 They just like to stare at illusions they build for themselves。 As for me； I'm a realist。 I take the drawbacks and accept them。 Everything has its price tag … you just gotta make sure you got enough to pay。
'Now take my late wife； for example。 Jesus； there was a woman who knew sure as hell what she wanted only she didn't have the guts to e to grips with what went along with it。 People like her； they piss me off no end； 'cause all they want is to stand and squat in a stream all day long while someone es and wipes their asses for them three times a day。 You think they ever heard of the word responsibility？ Not a chance。'
They began to move now and the limo slid to a stop at the far corner where Wolf's Delicatessen stood。
'e on；' Tomkin said。 'I don't know about you but I can't wait to taste a Number One bination。'
Behind them； in the limo； the second bug； perfectly hidden under the carpet； remained undetected and undisturbed。
'You're not impressed？'
'It seems like a lot of space for one person。'
'I'm claustrophobic。'
Croaker laughed。 'Yeah； well。 I could see where you wouldn't be in this place。' He came back from the windows overlooking the East River and Queens。 His fingers stroked the butter…soft leather of the brown couch。
'Beautiful；' he murmured。
'It gets a lot of attention。' Her topaz eyes regarded him playfully。 'Why； Lieutenant； I believe you're blushing。 Don't tell me you've never met anyone of my profession before … that would be too much to swallow。'
He groaned at the deliberate double entendre。 'Do you always talk like that？'
'Only when I'm … only occasionally。' He wondered what she
had been going to say。 'Hey； I'm hungry。' Immediately her face fell。 'But； oh； there's nothing here …'
'That's okay； I've got to …'
'Oh； don't go。 Please。 Not yet； anyway。' She crossed the room to the phone。 'You deserve some time off … at least to eat。 And they know where to reach you if something really hot es up。〃
Yeah； he thought。 Like the address of the lady who'll nail your old man to the bathroom wall。 He felt immediately embarrassed and wondered why。 He'd never felt that way before。
Gelda had her ear to the receiver； was saying； 'I'll order us up some food。 How about Italian？ Do you like Italian food？ I love it。'
'Okay。 Fine。'
She nodded； dialled a number； waited a moment。 'Philip；' she said。 'It's G。 Yeah； fine。 What about you？ You sure？ You sound a little funny。 No？ Hey； how'd you like to get me some food。 Mario's； yeah。 For two。 You know what。 Okay。 'Bye。' She turned round。
'Who's Philip？' he asked。 'Not a runner or something stupid like that？ You wouldn't do something like that to me； would you？'
'Don't worry。 No。 He's just a kid who hangs around。 Does stuff for some … of us。' She saw the look on his face。 'Cut it out。 He's got no family but us。 We all love him and he knows it。 Is that monstrous？'
He smiled。 'Sounds all right。〃 He mo