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ight after next？〃
'There won't be any problem。'
'Good。' He picked up the phone as Nicholas turned to leave。 'Hey；' he said； 'you didn't tell me you were having problems with Justine。'
Nicholas froze； silently cursing Tomkin。 Had he been spying on his daughter again？ How else would he know？
'Hit a nerve； didn't I？' He laughed。 'You got a damn good poker…face but I don't need to see your expression to know。'
'Just what do you know？'
Tomkin shrugged。 'Just that she's in the city； out with another guy。 Don't know who he is but I will soon enough。' He ^ dropped his eyes； began to dial。 'It's too bad； really。 I would've liked you two to stay together。 You're good for her。 Now I'm afraid she's gone back to her old ways。'
'Where is she？'
'Hello？ Yes…'
'Tomkin …' Nicholas's tone cut through the space between them。
'Hold the line a moment …' Tomkin put his palm over the receiver。 'What did you say？' His voice had turned a touch treacley。
'Where is she？'
'At a discotheque。 On West Forty…sixth Street。' He rummaged with one hand on his desktop。 'I know I have the name of it somewhere。 At least； I had it earlier 。。。 Ah； here it is。' He read off a slip of paper； giving Nicholas the name。 His eyes lifted。 'Know it？'
'I don't go to discos； normally；〃 Nicholas said。 His voice was as tight as a coiled spring。 Across from him； Tomkin looked as if he had devoured a particularly tasty sweet。
'No； I suppose not。 Otherwise you might have run into her before this。 It's an old hangout of hers。 Perhaps you ought to try it some time。' He turned away to the phone in dismissal。
For a time he spoke as part of a conversation that had no meaning； listening with his free ear to the sound of the elevator's doors sighing shut； the quiet hum of the machine as it took Nicholas down to the lobby far below。
When that sound had ceased； he reached out one hand and opened a desk drawer。 Without turning his head； he replaced the receiver of the phone。
He stared down at the bit of plastic and metal with a kind of rapt fascination。 A light line of sweat broke out on his forehead； the way it did every time he made a major business decision。 His heart thudded and his pulse rate increased。
He licked his lips and； carefully； deliberately； he brought the bug out of its bed and attached it to the side of his desk。
He swung round； away from it so that he looked out on the winking late…night face of the city。 West。 The entire country was before him though； of course； he could not see it。 At length he began to speak。
'I suppose；' he said； almost meditatively； 'it depends on how much you want him。 But what if … what if I could guarantee Nicholas Linnear。 I could hand him to you on a platter。 As easy as pie； yes？' He swung round and now he addressed directly the bug hanging like a bloated spider。 'I'll bet that's worth a lot to you。 As much as a life。 What do you say？'
He reached out and detached the bug； returning it to its drawer； precisely as Nicholas had placed it。 Tomkin was a meticulous man。
Then he sat back with his hands behind his head； waiting for the phone call he was certain would e。 The fully loaded pistol clinging in its holster to his damp shirt beneath his suit jacket felt heavy and warm and infinitely forting。 In matters like this； he thought； one never knew。
'Someone wants to see you。'
The phone had rung just after Croaker had walked in but； despite that and despite the fact that she had already put the machine on； Gelda had picked it up herself。
She had e into the living room to answer the door and both of them were still there in the semi…darkness。 She watched him now as she listened to the voice in her ear； as he stood in the oblique bars of light and dark so that they climbed his legs to just above his knees。 His face was illumined by the fat wedge of lemon light from the bedroom。
'G； are you there？'
'Yes； Pear。'
'I thought you had drifted away for a moment。 Have you popped anything？'
'Not tonight； no。'
He seemed afflicted with a weariness that went far beyond a lack of sleep。 It was as if all the endless hours in the office and on the streets and in the courtrooms had built up a sly accretion impossible to discard which now lay heavily upon him like a grey and ageless second skin。
'Just a professional question；' Pear said； mistaking Gelda's silence as an expression of annoyance； 'that's all。 Seeing as how there's…'
'Not tonight。'
'I know I haven't given you any notice。 That's because it's the Senator。'
Gelda knew what that meant。 'Get him someone else。'
'G；' Pear said slowly and patiently； 'he wants you。 There is no one else。 You know how he is。'
He stood there in the half…light like some mythic animal e to life； a creature someone had mistakenly dressed in human clothes。 He seemed only partially aware of her。
'The answer's still no。' She could not be more aware of him。
'And what of Dare when she es to town again？' Pear had obviously caught something in Gelda's tone of voice。
And； abruptly； Gelda knew that she had answered the phone
because he was here。 'No。 Even for Dare。 Those days are gone。 I am out。'
'I see。' There was no hurt in Pear's voice； no hint of recrimination。
Gelda felt light…headed； as giddy as if she had just consumed an entire bottle of Dom Perignon。 She also felt happier than she ever had before。
'We'll miss you； G。 I'll miss you。' It was like Pear； at a moment like this； not to mention the clients。
'I'll never forget you；' Gelda whispered。
A soft laugh。 'I should hope not。 Good…bye； G。〃
Gelda put down the receiver； went over to Croaker。 'What happened？' She put her arm round him； walking him into the bedroom。
In the warm lamplight； she saw the dried blood on his hands。 'Won't you tell me？' she said in a voice calmer than she felt。 'You look so sad。〃
'I've just e from seeing two families。 A pregnant wife and a mother of three small kids。' He looked at her despairingly。 'Have you ever had to tell someone that the person she cares most about is dead？' He took a deep breath。 'Well； I have。 But never before when I knew those deaths were my fault。' He stared at his brown hands； stained as if they had been dipped in dye； crusty as if covered in sea salt。
'Why don't we start at the beginning；' she said softly； taking his hands in hers； drawing him forward。 〃The blood has to e off first。'
I knew what I was doing！ I knew right from the start / I knew where I was going / There's radar in my heart。。。
The place was all mirrored chrome and black smoked glass； multi…levelled like the hanging gardens with floors of translucent glass under which coloured lights flashed in time to the music。
The air vibrated with percussion and electric voices； strung like a Christmas tree with garlands of perfume and perspiration and burning pot。
I felt your contact ing / Your star was on my chart / I heard your motors humming / Got radar in my heart。。。
Somewhere was the bar； obscured behind a forest of raised arms； swirling hair； shiny； mindlessly concentrating faces。 Dance dance dance： the imperative was clear； treading an atavistic path； the primitive's tribal revivals； an ecstatic munal orgy； trivialized to the poi