fact, you're the only one here," he added without thinking, "who's known Jack for any..."
And then he stopped, shut up, as the realization hit him. As it hit Cat. As it hit the rest of them.
Two months ago, a full Team Crow. With soldiers and money and Carl and Annabelle and Cat and the monsters on the run.
And now... just Cat left. In this room anyway.
Felix held his breath watching Cat, but the smaller man came through the moment. It took a few deep breaths, a little concentration, but he stayed on top.
Good for you, Cherry, Felix thought.
But they had things to do.
"Where do you think he might go?" Felix continued. "After Annabelle. Would he go get drunk or..."
Cat was silent a moment. But when he spoke his voice was clear enough.
"He might. He... we all... loved her. He might just get drunk."
"Where?"
"Huh?"
"You know his favorite joints. Where would he go?"
Cat nodded, thought a bit. Then he stood up and went over to the bed and sat down next to the phone and rummaged under the end table until he found a phone book. He opened it and started thumbing through it, his other hand resting on the phone. Then he stopped.
"The thing is, the only places I know where he'd go... Well, they might know about them, too. And he wouldn't go there in case they came looking for him. The only places he'd go would be the places no one knows he goes. And that could be anywhere."
He put down the phone book.
"I guess we'll just have to wait for him to find us. He knew we were supposed to wait here until the plane leaves."
The plane? Oh, yeah, Felix remembered. The plane for Rome.
But Jack Crow wasn't thinking about that plane.
"Where," Felix asked casually, "is his favorite spot?"
"Huh? Well, the Adolphus. He loves the place, the rooms, the service. He loves the bar. But he couldn't go there. That's the one place they'd be sure to look for him."
"Give 'em a call," suggested Felix, his voice still casual.
Cat frowned. "C'mon, Felix. He wouldn't go there! They know about the Adolphus."
Felix shrugged. "It's worth a try."
Cat shook his head. "That would be asking for it and Jack - "
"You want me to call?" This time his voice was as strong as his mood.
Cat eyed him a moment. Then he picked up the phone and started dialing. Cat seemed to know this number. And he seemed to know the voice that answered.
"Terry? This is Cat. Mr. Catlin. Hi. I'm looking for Mr. Crow. I just thought... What? You're kidding. Ring him for me, would you? But Terry. You know me. This is an emergency. I... Okay. Okay. Never mind."
Cat hung up and stared at the others in amazement.
"He's there. In the Governor's Suite. He's turned off his phone."
Felix just sighed and turned away and puffed on his cigarette.
"I don't get it!" Cat cried next. "Does he want to die?"
"I think," said the Gunman quietly, "that's the idea."
Part Three Chapter 29
By the time they got to the Adolphus, Felix's only remaining emotion was disgust.
Disgust with the whole damned deal. Disgust with the loss, with the waste. Carl Joplin and the bishop and the bishop's people and poor, brave redheaded Kirk and Annabelle and...
And disgust with Jack Crow and, come to think of it, disgust with himself for being a part of it all.
But mostly disgust for the two cowboys in the back of the Blazer wearing their full chain mail and toting their cross-bows and in such a hurry to be killed rescuing a man who wanted to die.
Felix wore no chain mail because he had no intention whatsoever of going up there.
And he said so. Often.
"This is bullshit, Cat! And you know it. And Adam, you oughta know better than this. It's suicide."
Cat stubbornly shook his head. "Not if we can get him out of there before they show up."
"What if they're already there?"
Cat was silent.
"And what if he doesn't want to come, Cat? Ever think of that?"
"He'll come when be sees us."
"Will he? Cherry, he wants this."
"You don't know that," retorted Cat desperately.
"Then why is he there?" Cat was silent.
But Adam said, "We can't let this happen to him."
And Cat added, "How can you?"
Felix turned around in his seat and glared at him. "Because it's none of my business, either. Can't you see that?"
"Felix is right," said Davette suddenly. And firmly. And that stopped the conversation.
For Davette had been silent throughout the argument and the drive, sitting quietly