The Burglar on the Prowl - By Lawrence Block Page 0,97

not a dealbreaker if she can’t, but I’d like to have her there.”

“ ‘GurlyGurl.’ You put Lacey on the list? And how come you wrote down her screen name?”

“Because I didn’t get much sleep last night and I’m a little rocky this morning and I couldn’t think of her damn name.”

“Don’t bite my head off, Bern.”

“I’m sorry. I thought you might like having her there, and it might be interesting for her. She’s not tied into any of it, but there’s a coincidental connection in that she works with Barbara. I figured it would be up to you to invite her, and it’s your call to make. Personally, I’d just as soon have a lot of people in the room.”

“Should I bring my cats? Just a little joke, Bern.”

“Ha-ha.”

“Man, you’re nicer company when you’ve had a full night’s sleep, aren’t you? This is a long list, isn’t it? Let’s see who else is on it.”

“This here is some list,” Ray Kirschmann said. “How you gonna fit ’em all in this guy’s house?”

Just bring them in through the milk chute, I thought. “It’s a big house,” I said. “Anyway, they’re probably not all going to come. Some of the people I invited sounded as though they didn’t know what I was talking about, and they’ll probably find something else to do tomorrow afternoon.”

“Weather report says there’s a fifty percent chance of rain tomorrow,” he said, “which is a lot like sayin’ they don’t know what the hell it’s gonna do. Rain or shine, that’s a lot of people to send clear up to the Bronx. I never heard of the street. ‘Devonshire Close.’ Close to what, Bernie?”

“Close to Ploughman’s Bush,” I said, “if that helps. They call it a close because it’s closed at one end.”

“You mean like a dead-end street? Why not come out and say so?”

“I suppose they could have,” I said, “but I guess the developers felt it would be harder to sell houses on Devonshire Dead End.”

“Either way, it’s a Roach Motel for cars. They get in but they can’t get out. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

“I don’t either, Ray. I’m starting to have third thoughts about the whole business.”

“You mean second thoughts, don’t you?”

“I already had those. I’ve taken it to the next level. The whole thing could fizzle.”

“You mean you might not come up with a rabbit?”

“I’m not even sure I’ve got a hat.”

He looked troubled, perhaps imagining how he’d come out of it if my magic act fell flat. Then he brightened. “Aw, you’ll pull it off, Bernie. You always do. An’ if you don’t, well, hell, there’s names on this list we could just arrest on general principles.”

I made some more phone calls during the rest of Tuesday afternoon, and even went out to issue a couple of invitations in person. I met Carolyn at the Bum Rap, talked some more about the following day’s agenda, and went straight home. I was in bed by 7:45, and asleep by 7:46. I slept the clock around, waking up a few minutes after eight.

I showered and shaved. I broke some eggs in a bowl, swirled them with a whisk, tossed in some shredded cheese and a pinch of celery salt, added a soupçon of curry powder, and made better scrambled eggs than I could have gotten around the corner. I made coffee, too, and there was nothing wrong with that, either.

Washing up, I caught myself whistling, and was amused to realize the melody was that of “Put on a Happy Face.” I checked the mirror, and damned if I hadn’t followed the song’s advice. If my face looked any happier I could get a job as a village idiot.

I felt, I realized, uncommonly good—rested, of course, but also energized and optimistic. I was in high gear, and I felt as though nothing could stop me.

Of course I hadn’t left the house yet.

Thirty-Six

There was a bell, of course, but I used the lion’s head door knocker and gave it a couple of good thumps. I heard footsteps, and then the door opened, and the man who’d opened it must have whistled a different tune at the breakfast table, because the face he was wearing didn’t look much like a smile button. I could only hope he didn’t have a gun in his pocket, because he didn’t appear at all glad to see me.

“Mr. Rothenberg,” he said.

Well, a lot of people get it wrong. Aside from relatives, I’ve never come across another Rhodenbarr. I