like you and me, we know how things work, right?” I told him, shifting my eyes over to where Lynda was posing in her high-class-hooker outfit. I handed him a pair of twenties.
“Yes, sir!” he said. “When you want the tray picked up, just call Room Service. I’ll make sure—”
“Uh, I’m gonna be kind of busy, pal. I’ll just leave it outside when we’re done, how’s that?”
“Oh, absolutely, sir. Why don’t I leave the serving cart right here? That way, you can just push it outside whenever you wish.”
The hotel had entrances on two different blocks. The front desk was on the fancy-street side. I just walked down the stairs to the fifth floor, rang for the elevator, and stepped off to my right. Nobody paid any attention. People who want to be noticed make sure they hang out in the front lobby; it’s all set up for that, with couches and a little bar and everything.
The subway was perfect. Like in any bad neighborhood, nobody sees nothing.
“You got the—?”
“I got it all.”
“How far away are you?”
“Too far to walk. But on the subway, maybe forty-five minutes.”
“So I’ll see you soon, Jerome?”
“That was my plan, too. Only I have to stop by the office first.”
“This place is completely—”
“Maybe for you. Not for me.”
I hoped Solly was thinking about all those security cameras in his condo that he’d told me about.
“What say I meet you at the office, then? I can make it all … suitable. We can have a drink there, talk things over?”
“I’m on my way.”
I watched the alley for almost an hour. No sign of Solly. So he’d been in his office all the time, just like I figured.
Okay.
I played blackjack on the door. When I heard the heavy clunk of the deadbolt, I stepped into the darkness.
A soft light came on. Solly, behind his desk.
“Sugar!” he said, standing up.
I came around the desk so he could give me a hug. Then I sat down across from him in the guest chair. It wasn’t a partners desk.
“So?”
I took out Albie’s little blue book. Slid it across the desk like I was dealing out a card.
Solly scooped it up while it was still moving. Took a quick look. “You never miss, Sugar,” he said. “This is perfect.”
“There’s more.”
“You mean …?”
“Show me the tape first.”
“Tape? What tape?”
“I know you’ve got me on video, coming here. Time and date stamped, all that. So I figure maybe Solly’s got his office miked, too. Like you’re always saying …”
He smiled like he was proud of me for being such a good listener.
“You didn’t get what I said about making the place suitable? Or you didn’t believe it? Eh, macht nit. Go over to the bookcase on your left. The one with the thick pillars for sides.”
I got up and did that. The pillars had Jewish writing carved into them, like on Albie’s prayer bag. They looked real old, like they were made before people nailed boards together.
“Crouch down. Second shelf from the bottom. See the green book, Basic Accounting? Pull it out. Good. Now reach in and feel around for a little bump. Yeah? Just push on it, kid.”
I heard a thunk! on the side of the bookcase. I went over there. The right side of the whole pillar had dropped. Same way Albie had his desk rigged, I thought. Bolted to the wood was a pair of metal boxes.
“Top one is video, bottom is audio.”
“This is fucking amazing, Solly.”
“Well, now you know my secret, kid. I trusted you with that, I hope you’ll trust me when I tell you that, knowing you were coming, I turned everything off a half-hour ago, just like I said I would. You’re not being taped now, and every tape I ever had of you, it was shredded a long time ago.”
“I trust you, Solly,” I said. Then I walked back to the desk.
“That means a lot to me, Sugar.”
“Besides, I’m going to tell you what happened down there. How I did exactly what you told me to do. So, even if there is a tape, it’s not gonna be one you’d want to show anybody.”
“You’re a real piece of work, kid. How about something to take the edge off your nerves?”
“No thanks, Solly.”
“I wasn’t talking about booze. For your nerves, I got something much better.”
“I don’t want any—”
“Jesus. You think everyone don’t know you’re a health freak? All you got to do is listen. You can do that, right?”