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n。 You have no claim over me。'
Behind him the elevator doors opened。 He stepped inside。
'Wait a minute； Nick。' Tomkin reached out a hand。
'Don't call me。 I'll call you。'
The doors began to close as Nicholas pressed the ground button but Tomkin lunged forward； holding back the doors with his hands。 His face was as hard as granite and there was a peculiar feral light in his eyes。 'Aren't you forgetting something？' he spat。 'It's not only my life that's at stake but my daughters'； too。 You wouldn't want this sonovabitch to get his hands on Justine。 Would you？ Think about that；' he said savagely and let the doors sigh shut。
On the way down； Nicholas recalled the night he and Justine were together； when that thing came through the kitchen window。 Red blood and black fur。 The Kuji…kiri ninja calling card； meant to create terror； one of the ninja's most useful weapons。 The Kuji…kiri； most feared of all the ninja ryu。 Whose crest was the komuso ideogram； circled； surrounded by nine diamonds。
Justine！ his mind cried out。 He looked up； watching in impatience as the floor numbers flickered by。 He wanted to get to a phone immediately。
Outside on the street he saw a dark…haired man with wide shoulders and a pushed…in face。 It had character； like a cowboy's。 He stood beside a plain white Ford sedan。 Even without the removable flashing red light on top； he knew it for a police car。 But he had recognized the face。 Detective Lieutenant Lew Croaker。 He walked out of the shadow of the building's makeshift entrance and； tossing his hard hat to one of the workmen； went down the wooden plank to the kerb。
He had used the phone in Abe Russo's portable headquarters。 He had thought about calling Ray Florum； the police lieutenant out at West Bay Bridge； but he knew Justine would never stand for it。 Accordingly； he got Doc Deerforth's number from Information and spoke to him for several minutes。 He had agreed to look in on Justine every so often。
'Linnear；' Croaker said as he came up to him in the sunshine； 'what the hell were you doing with Raphael Tomkin？' He worked a wooden toothpick between his teeth with two long slender fingers。
'Hello to you； too； Lieutenant。' Nicholas nodded。
'Cut the wise dialogue and get in；' Croaker said； ducking his head as he sat behind the wheel。 'We've got business to attend to。'
Nicholas opened the door on the passenger's side and got in。 As soon as his foot was off the asphalt； the car roared off。 He pulled at the door； slamming it shut。
'Didn't your buddy Ito give you specific instructions？' Croaker said。 He began to weave through the uptown traffic； heading for the left side of Park Avenue and the street divider。
'Tomkin picked me up while I was waiting for you。'
Croaker snorted。 'Didn't your mother tell you never to get into a car filled with strangers？ Jesus 1 What'd that fucker want with you？'
'I don't have to answer that。'
Croaker swung his head round； unmindful of the tenacious traffic。 He glared at Nicholas。 'Listen； buddy； don't give me a hard time。 I'm telling you that if it has to do with Raphael Tomkin it fucking is my business； get me？ Now give I' He braked savagely； in line to make a left onto the downtown side of the avenue。
'What makes you so interested in Tomkin？' Nicholas was tired of being questioned without having any of the answers。
'Now； look； Linnear；' Croaker said； carefully enunciating each word。 It was obvious he was holding himself in with an effort。 'I'm doing my best to be civil； to treat you with respect。 I've got no beef with you。 Yet。 But today's just not my day； I'm on a short fuse。 That means； you being here beside me； it's not your day either。 Now be nice and tell me what I want to know。 I promise； it won't hurt。' He leant on the horn； turned down Park。
'I'm seeing his daughter；' Nicholas said。 'He wanted to check me out。'
Croaker hit the steering wheel with the heel of his hand； bounced up and down。 'Goddamn I' he exclaimed。 'Goddamn I Hoi' He shook his head。 'What do you know！' Then he swore as he was forced to swerve round a slowly cruising cab。 He gunned the Ford and they leapt forward into the semicircle of the overpass at Forty…sixth Street。 When they emerged； below Forty…second； he said； 'Jesus； I thought I'd pass up the fucking traffic on Second by going down Park but will you look at this。' He gestured at the sea of cars gleaming in the sun ahead of them。 They were baking in the interior and the air stank of exhaust and overheated oil。 'To hell with this！' He reached out his left hand； started the siren。 On top the red light began to flash。 'Christ；' he said as the cars began reluctantly to part； 'summer in New York！'
They turned east on Thirtieth Street and Croaker cut the siren。 'Which one is it？〃
'Which what？'
'Daughter； Linnear。 Which daughter？ Gelda； the one who like Chivas； or is it the crazy younger one … what's her name？'
'Jus tine。'
'Yeah。 I can never remember it。' He shrugged。 'Too pretty for a Tomkin。' He turned his head； spat the toothpick out of the open window。 'Spoke to her once； couple of months ago。 She's kinda hard to forget。'
'Yes；' Nicholas said。 'She's beautiful all right。' He wished he was with her now instead of being in this melting heat on his way to the morgue。 Goddamn Tomkin I he thought savagely。 Then he smiled inwardly。 You could say this for the bastard； he sure knew his people。 Which led him to another point。 'You certainly know the family well。'
They had pulled up half way down the block between Third and Second Avenues as traffic piled up at the red light。 A refrigerated meat provisions truck was in the process of pulling out into the traffic； its nose canted into the flow。
Croaker turned to look at him； one elbow on the sill of the open window。 He had grey eyes and thick hair cut rather long； bed straight back。 He looked as if he had been through the wars； like a character out of From Here to Eternity。 'You sure are nosy for a civilian。' The line of cars started up； rolling slowly forward after the truck had nosed its way in； it was no faster than a funeral procession。 His voice changed gears； softening remarkably。 'Guess the old bastard didn't take it too well； you seeing his baby。'
'You could put it that way。' They had stopped again； the heat was oppressive。 'How'd you find me anyway？'
Croaker shrugged。 'I got to Penn Station in time to see you gettin' into the limo。 Frank's a wiseacre。〃
'Yeah。 I know。' Nicholas grinned。 'He and Whistle tried their best to evict me from the premises。'
Croaker eyed him。 'Don't look like it bothered you none。〃
'I wanted to leave anyway。'
Croaker threw his head back and laughed。 'Linnear；' he said； 'you just made my day。'
They soon came to the source of the slow up。 The gutter gurgled and the street swished with running water。 Farther down the block four or five shirtless kids； their pants rolled up to their knees； danced about an open fire hydrant。 Croaker rolled up his window and they splashed through as if they were in a car wash。
'Do you miss it？' Nicholas asked。
'What？ Miss what？' Croaker took them through the intersection on the amber； accelerated。
'Smoking。' He had noticed that the ends of the