“Hey, sis. You’re delayed. Big surprise, huh.”
“An hour so far. Is this going to be stressful on Mom? We’re not getting in until nearly one.”
“No, because I’m going to pick you up. I already sent Mom and Dad to bed.”
Silence.
Randy said, “What is it, Rina? Is he all right?”
“Someone punched his face, Randy.”
More silence.
“He insists on staying. I’m worried.”
“Want me to come to New York?”
“It may come to that. We’ll talk when I get there.”
“Don’t worry, Rina. He’s been around long enough to know his limits. He’s not a reckless man.”
“I hope you’re right.” She summoned up her courage. “Randy, I’m very tired. Since the flight is delayed for who knows how long, I was thinking that maybe… could you maybe just pick us up in the morning?”
Silence.
“Would that be possible?”
“Anything’s possible.”
“I figured I’ll go back to Brooklyn-”
“Rina, you’re bluffin’ me. What are you up to?”
“Randy, I need to talk to someone-”
“Who?”
She didn’t answer him. “It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. I’ll catch an early-morning flight. Get into Orlando around nine. Will that work?”
“Yeah, it’ll work. But I don’t like it.”
“Then you won’t like the next part, either. I don’t want Peter to know about it. I’ll call him tonight. But if he calls tomorrow to check up on things, or to talk to Hannah, can you cover for me?”
No response over the line.
“Randy-”
“I heard you. Rina, letting Pete poke around is one thing. You’re a completely different story. What in heaven’s name are you thinking?”
“Please, Randy! It’s just until tomorrow morning.” A pause.
“Please?”
“You two deserve each other.” Displeasure in his voice. “What are you going to do with Hannah?”
“I’ll take her back to Brooklyn. That’s a given-”
“You and me need to have a good, long talk when you get in tomorrow.”
“I’ll tell you everything I know. Start to finish, Randy, I promise.”
“I love that guy. He’s the only brother I got. And I’m rather fond of you.”
“I won’t do anything stupid.”
“I wish I believed that.” A pause. “Okay.” More resolute this time. “Okay, I’ll cover for you. I have to talk to Pete anyway. He asked for some information, and I may have something for him tomorrow morning.”
“He called you?”
“A couple of days ago, yeah.”
“What did he ask you about?”
“That’s not for me to say. Rina, I swear to God, you better know what you’re doing, because I’m Hannah’s legal guardian. If something happens to both of you, do you want me raising your daughter?”
Randy was on wife number four. He was making a very strong point.
“I think you’re a fine man.”
“That may be, sis, but we have differing styles. I’m bringing it down to a level you can understand.”
“I hear you. Thank you very much.”
“I’ll feel a lot better when you thank me in person.”
By the time she got back to Manhattan, it was almost midnight. To her surprise, she made it uptown in twenty minutes, amazed at how fast she could cross the city without traffic as an impediment. Still, she didn’t get out right away, sitting in Sora Lazarus’s old Honda, staring at the building. She was on a tight schedule. It was do or die. Finally, she pulled the door handle and made the plunge, locking the car with the remote. A quick glance around, then she ran over to the building’s lobby.
No listing for Donatti.
Either he was unlisted or she had the wrong numbers. By now, it was way too late to start pushing random buzzers, but having come this far, she wasn’t quite ready to admit defeat. Noting that the fifth and sixth floors were taken up by one tenant, MMO, she figured that maybe that was her best bet. But before she could depress the corresponding white button, the door barked out an irritating drone.
She went in, stopping in front of the elevator.
Where to?
No idea.
He’d come get her.
And he did-sunken eyes, pale lips, and a complexion that was florid and pallid at the same time. He wore black sweatpants and a loose white T-shirt. His feet were bare. He crooked a finger and she followed. The silent ride up was incredibly slow. As they got out, he put his finger to his lips, then took her through an anteroom with a metal detector. When Rina set it off, he shushed her silently and waved her forward, through a door and into a spacious loft filled with windows that framed city lights. A pile of broken glass and tangled metal took up most of the center area. To the right was a zone devoted to photography equipment; three doors took up the left-hand wall. He opened one of them, then stepped aside, indicating that she should go in first.
She did.
The room was spacious enough, but claustrophobic simply because it lacked the tall windows of the studio. No windows period. He bolted the door shut, then turned on a series of switches that illuminated a panel in Christmas-tree colors, and started the whirling of an overhead fan. Monitors from video cameras showed different positions around the building. The man wasn’t taking chances.
He sat down, and so did she. She was much more nervous than she thought she would be. She allowed herself a minute of thinking time, then spoke.
“I just have one question.”
Donatti waited.
“Do you know who hurt Peter?”
He took in her clear aqua eyes and said nothing.
“Was it you?”
Still, no response.
“Did you punch my husband?” Rina demanded to know.
He smiled, but it was a weak one. “Mea culpa.”
Rina slumped back in her chair and placed her hands over her mouth. Tears dropped down from her eyes. “Thank you, God!” She exhaled exhilaration. “I thought someone was trying to kill him.”
“Maybe someone is.” His voice was a whisper. “Maybe that someone is me.”
“Nonsense!” Rina dismissed him. “Why would you let him go? Why would you have let me go?”
“I like playing head games.” His eyes locked onto her face.
Abruptly, she felt herself go hot. She said, “I woke you up.”
“No, I was awake.”
For the first time, she realized how compromised he was. His face was sopping wet. He dabbed his brow with a damp towel that had been on his desk. She felt ashamed of herself.
“You’re ill. How can I help you?”
“Interesting question.” A look. “You can start by taking off my shirt.”
She got up, and so did he, towering over her. That was okay. She was used to that. With steady hands, she lifted the cotton tee over his gun, over his bandaged ribs, then over his head. Her nose was hit with a strong stench-sweat, decay, and infection-made even more intense because the room wasn’t well ventilated. The gauze was saturated and had turned rusty brown. “Let me take a look-”
“Leave me alone.” He sat back down. “I haven’t had a mother in over a decade and I don’t want one now. You have to get out of this city, Mrs. Decker. The lieutenant would be wise to leave, but he probably won’t because he’s a stubborn man. Besides, he can take care of himself.”
“Was… you know… was it for you or for me?”
“This?” He pointed to his ribs.
Rina nodded. “Yes, that.”
“I have some ideas. Don’t worry. I’ll find out. I have to find out. Something like this can ruin a hard-earned reputation like that!” He snapped his fingers. “Whoever it is… whoever he was after… he’s not too good at what he does. Because we’re both still alive.”
Rina shuddered. “Why would he be after me?”
“I’m not saying he is. But if he is, you can probably answer that question better than I can.”
“I didn’t think Peter was even close.”
“Then maybe it’s time to stop and take stock.” He closed his eyes and tried to breathe away the pain. “Whoever this was meant for is irrelevant. Outcome is outcome. You owe me.”