‘What are we going to do?’ Bel asked.
‘Get Spike to hospital.’
‘But after that? I heard what that man said back there. He was telling us we’d come all this way for nothing. He was saying all those people died... and my father died... for nothing.’
I looked at her. She was crying. ‘Maybe he was lying. Maybe... I don’t know.’
We passed a car on the road, hurtling towards Crescent Lake. It was the lookout. They didn’t even give us a second glance. I took a detour back to where we’d left the wardens. They seemed terrified to see us. I pulled them out of the Chrysler and left them propped back to back on the ground.
‘You take Spike to hospital,’ I said.
‘Where are you going?’
‘Provost’s house.’
She looked at me. ‘Do you think you’ll find what you’re looking for?’
‘I don’t know what I’m looking for, Bel. Look after Spike, eh?’ Then I kissed her and got into the Chrysler.
On the road back into Seattle, I managed to put America out of my mind. Instead, I thought back to London, right to the start of this whole thing and to Scotty Shattuck. Why hadn’t I hung around until he’d turned up again? He was the key to the whole thing. My impatience had led me the wrong direction. I’d been going wrong ever since.
Maybe I was still going wrong, but I kept on driving.
28
I was prepared to kick down Provost’s door.
But it wasn’t necessary. The door was unlocked. I eased the Smith & Wesson 559 out of my waistband and crept into the house. Someone had been there before me. The place had been turned over in what looked like robbery, except that nothing obvious was missing. The TV, video and hi-fi were still there, as was some women’s jewellery scattered over the floor in the master bedroom. It had to be Alisha’s jewellery. I didn’t feel too guilty about killing her. She’d have killed me. But seeing the jewellery, plus her clothes, plus smelling her perfume... I had to rest for a moment and control my breathing.
And that’s when he found me.
I felt the cold muzzle of the gun against the back of my neck. It froze my whole body for a moment.
‘Toss the gun over there.’
I did as I was told, and then was frisked from behind.
‘Walk into the living room.’
I did so. I recognised the voice. I knew who was behind me.
‘Now turn around.’
I turned around and was face to face with Leo Hoffer.
‘Sit down,’ he said. ‘Take the weight off. You look like you’ve had a heavy night.’
‘It’s been heavy.’ I sat down on the sofa, but I rested on its edge, ready to spring up if I got the chance.
‘Get comfortable,’ he said. ‘Go on, sit right back.’
I sat right back. The sofa was like marshmallow. I knew it was almost as good as restraints. I wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry.
‘Yeah, it’s a bitch, isn’t it?’ Hoffer was saying. ‘I sat in it earlier on while I was figuring out what to do. Took me five fucking minutes to get out of it. It’s a regular Venus fly-trap. So, Mr Wesley-Weston-West, what’re you doing here?’
‘The same as you probably.’
‘Well, I hope you’ve got some tools with you, because that safe isn’t budging.’
He was pointing in the direction of the far wall. He’d taken down a large seascape painting to reveal a small wall safe. Even from here I could see he’d had a go at it. The wall all around it was scraped and gouged, and the metal surface of the safe was scratched and dented.
‘I can open it,’ I said.
‘That’s good. Because I want to stick your head in it then push my pistol up your ass.’
‘That’s class, Hoffer.’
‘I’ll tell you what class is, class is leading me on this fucking chase halfway across the world and back. That’s so classy I’m going to blow you away.’
I felt tired suddenly. I mean, dog-tired. There was no steam left in me, no fight. I rubbed at my forehead.
‘I want a drink,’ I said.
‘Provost hasn’t got a damned drop in the house.’ He reached into his jacket and pulled out a half bottle. ‘That’s why I had to go fetch this.’ He tossed the bottle on to the couch beside me. It was Jim Beam, a couple of inches missing from the top. I unscrewed the cap and took a good deep gulp. Afterwards, I didn’t feel quite so tired.
‘How did you find me?’
He came close enough to me to take back the bottle, then retreated again. He took a slug, keeping his eyes and his Smith & Wesson 459 on me. He didn’t bother recapping the bottle, but left it on the mantelpiece.
‘Don’t forget,’ I said, ‘your prints are on that.’
‘And yours,’ he said. ‘I’ll wipe it before I go. You look like you’re ready for another shot already.’
But I shook my head. ‘Any more and I’ll fall asleep, no offence.’
He smiled. ‘None taken. But I don’t want you asleep. I’ve never killed a man while he’s sleeping. In fact, I’ve never killed anyone, period, not even in anger, never mind anyone defenceless. I’m not like you, man. I don’t kill the innocents. You fucked up big when you hit Walkins’s daughter.’
‘I know.’
‘Yeah, and I bet you still lose sleep over it. I bet you lose sleep over all of them, man, all your victims. Well, I’m going to enjoy killing you.’
‘Killing isn’t as easy as you might think. Maybe you should hide me away till your client can come and help. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind firing off a round or two.’
‘You’re probably right, but then he hasn’t worked for that privilege the way I have. How did I find you? I didn’t. You found me. I was waiting outside to see who turned up. I was expecting Provost or Kline.’
‘You know Kline?’
‘I’ve met him.’
‘He’s dead.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it. He was about as evil a fuck as has ever given me indigestion. I hate indigestion at breakfast, it stays with me the rest of the day. Heartburn, you know.’
I nodded. ‘Provost’s dead, too.’
‘You’ve been busy. So what the fuck was it all about?’
I shrugged. ‘Listen,’ I said, ‘I want to thank you for something.’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘What?’
‘Covering up Max’s head the way you did. His daughter found him.’
‘Well, those sick fucks left the head teetering on the body.’
‘I know, and thanks.’
‘Is she still around?’
‘She’s... she’s still around.’
‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘I’ve got no grudge with her.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘This is you and me, Mikey, the way it was always supposed to be. Oh hey, your folks say hello.’
It was like a blow to the head. ‘What?’
‘I had this army guy check haemophilia cases. It was a short list, and one of the names was Michael Weston. I found your mom and dad. They say hello. That’s why I was so long getting here. Sidetracked, you might say. But I know a lot about you now, and that’s nice, seeing how we’re not going to be able to get acquainted the normal way.’ He saw something like disbelief on my face. ‘Your father’s called John, he’s retired now but he’s still army through and through. Your mother’s called Alexis. They live in Stock-port.’ He smiled. ‘Am I getting warm?’
‘Fuck it, Hoffer, just kill me.’
‘What’s in the safe, Mike? Get me interested.’
‘Huh?’
‘You came here for whatever’s in that safe. I want to know what it is.’
‘Proof,’ I said. ‘This whole shitty deal is down to Kline and a bloody typing error.’