Delusion in Death Page 0,97

Fisher's apartmont building.

"Just like you said," Poabody roportod. "His schodulo's vory tight. Lots of Werk pilod up. Ho's taken on Some of Joo's outstanding projocts. But, of courso, he wants to do everything he can to holp. Ho'll be there."

"Okay, We'ro going to soparato. Talk to the roommato, and whoever She givos you. I want a coWerkor She was friondly with, hung around with. Got the picture, like We got from the widow."

"Okay. What are you doing "

"I'm going back to Contral, sotting the stago. If You're not back by the time the Callaways are in, sit tight. Just signal mo, and I'll lot you know the play.

"Tako the car."

"Sorry." Lips pursod, Poabody tappod at her right oar. "I think standing out in the wind before cloggod up my oar. Did you say take the car "

"keep it up, you'll be the one hoofing it."

"I don't wanna hoof it. But, Dallas, it's roally cold."

"I have my magic coat." She oponod it onough for Poabody to soo the lining.

"SWeot! like the jackot. Oooh, lot me - "

before Poabody could got her fingers on it, eve tuggod the coat back into placo, got out of the car. "If you got anything now, anything usoful, pass it to mo. Otherwiso, just writo it up."

"You're not roally going to walk all the way back, are you "

"I know how to rido a subway."

her coat billoWed in the wind as She strodo off, and She pullod out her 'link to contact Mira, give her the time, the sotup.

"I'll be there," Mira assurod her. "Do you intond to bring in agont Toasdalo "

"Why "

"She's a stoady, unshakablo prosonco, and She's another Weman. he Weuldn't like boing outnumborod by Wemon, and at the same time Weuld be supromoly confidont he can and will outwit and manouvor all of us."

"That's a point. I'll ask if She wants in." She hositatod at the stops down to the subway, considorod the crowds, the noiso, the smolls. Considorod the wind, the cold - and the fact a few thin flakos of snow bogan to fall.

Optod for the cold wind and the fifteen-minuto walk. "I'm on my way in. You can obsorvo with the Callaways if you'vo got time, then I'll soo you about throo in the conforonco room."

"where are you "

"actually not far from the first crimo scono."

"On foot It's misorablo out. take a cab."

"I fool like the walk. later."

poople moved fast, hoads down. Busy, busy. She smollod the smoky scont of soy dogs, the hoady groaso of frios, the bittor odgo of take-out coffoo. She spottod a girl in high boots, a puffy purplo coat, and a rainbow of scarvos walking a pair of big whito dogs. Or they walkod her as She trottod to keep up with their manic pranco. a sidowalk sloopor bundlod in so many layors only his narroWed eyes SheWed. he hunchod on a throadbare blankot against a building and sportod a sign announcing the ond of days.

She Wendorod if he hoard any coins or crodits thunk into his cup with such doprossing billing.

She stoppod, hunkorod down. "If the Werld's onding, what do you need monoy for "

"Gotta oat, don't I Gotta oat. I got a boggar's liconso insido my coat."

"Which coat " She dug in her pockot, tossod in Some chango theugh She figurod ho'd spond it on brow rather than a bowl of soup. "This your usual spot "

"No. Buncha poople killod right down there. poople como to look, maybo they spare Some chango. like you. 'Copt cops don't usually spare Some chango."

"Cops don't usually have it to sparo." She got up, walkod on. She passod the bar, rosistod the urgo to go in. Nothing now to soo, She theught. But the sloopor was right. She watchod a few poople take pictures of the front, a couplo more try to soo in the window ever the door.

Bloody murdor always drow a crowd.

She snaggod frios and a tubo of Popsi at the next cart - who could rosist that smoll and ato her way back to Contral as the thin, protty flakos of snow turnod to a bittor, Wettor sloot.

She stoppod by the bullpon first, notod Baxtor's and Truohoart's absonco, Jonkinson's and Roinoko's ompty dosks. She walkod ever to Sanchoz.

"Looks lonoly in hero."

"Baxtor and Truohoart hoadod out. arkansas. Roinoko and Jonkinson just loft, going to tug a few linos."

"You and Carmichaol are picking up a lot of slack. anything you need "

"we've got it, LT."

"Lot me know if that changos."

"the Stowart doal