“I trained him well,” Evelyn said. “If he’s using a name, it’s probably not his own. If it is his own, any information you’d find with it would lead to a dead end. Even at the absolutely best scenario—he’s forgotten everything I’ve taught him and has a house registered under his real name—we aren’t going to show up there and find him. I’ll do the search and give you what I find, but right now, he’s out there—” She waved at the window. “Setting up his next attack. We need to figure out what that is.”
“We might already know,” I said, and told her about the missed train tip and the next one, in West Virginia.
“He fucked up with the train,” Evelyn said. “Personally, I like your idea, Dee, fulfill a promise, break a promise, get the Feds running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Brilliant—and exactly what I’d do. You, Jack or I could pull that stunt without giving a shit who thought we’d ‘failed’ the train hit. But Wilkes? Not a chance.” She lifted three fingers. “One: he’s single-minded. Two: he lacks creativity. Three: he’s got a balloon ego.”
“Balloon ego?” I said.
Jack grunted. “One prick, it deflates.”
“Something did go wrong with that train hit,” Evelyn said. “As for what, it’s moot. What matters is that he’ll be mad as hell right about now. He’s going to be at that parade, and he’s going to make a hit, and if the Feds are standing this one down, then I’d sure as hell recommend we be there.”
“To do what?” Jack said. “Needle in a haystack.”
“True,” I said. “But do you know the best way to find a needle in a haystack? With a magnet.”
Evelyn chuckled. Jack went still for a minute, then his gaze shot to mine, eyes hardening.
“Better not be suggesting—”
“That we draw out the needle ourselves? That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.”
“You are not setting yourself up to become the next victim,” Jack said.
I considered commenting on the length and completeness of that sentence, but the look in his eyes said this wasn’t the time.
“Jack’s right,” Evelyn said. “Wilkes has established a plan and he’s already ‘done’ any type you could play. We need to bait the trap with something he doesn’t have yet, something he won’t be able to resist.”
She looked at Jack.
“Because he knows Jack?” I shook my head. “Sure, he might go for it, off a fellow hitman, but—”
“It’s been over twenty years. A bit of work and he’d never recognize Jack. What he will recognize is a prize missing from his collection. A tough guy.”
Jack snorted.
“You know what I mean. A biker, a hood, muscle, all roles you’ve done many times before. There are a million guys out there right now, bragging in bars about how they’d take down the Helter Skelter killer if he ever came near them. Give him one of those, in a setting that’ll make an easy kill, and he’ll pounce on it, to prove that nobody is safe…and reinflate his ego after the train fiasco.”
* * *
FORTY-THREE
It was a five-hour trip and we didn’t have time to stop for lunch, so we grabbed sandwiches on the way. We were almost to West Virginia when we had to pull into a gas station to fill up, and for Jack to use the washroom. I eyed the attached convenience store, considered getting some candy for the stakeout. But I had a more important use for the time alone with Evelyn.
I waited until Jack headed into the store to prepay for gas, then shifted into the middle of the seat, so I could lean forward and talk to her on the front passenger side.
“So, I suppose after what happened today you’ll be rescinding that ‘offer’ you made?”
“Because you held me at gunpoint?” She smiled. “I consider it a logical and important step in a developing relationship with any good student. I’m sure I’ll give you cause to do it again and, if I don’t, then you’re not the sort of hit-woman I’d care to mentor.”
“Ah.”
As I eased back into my seat, she peered under the headrest at me. “Is that disappointment I hear? Don’t tell me you’re hoping I’ll retract the offer, save you from having to make the decision. I expected better of you, Dee.” Her gaze studied mine, then she smiled. “Or, I suppose, this was just a good excuse for bringing up the matter, since I haven’t done so myself.”