He took out a large needle from his bag and said “Turn your head, please.” I took a deep breath and felt the hot flash as the needle entered the socket and slowly extracted the fluid from it. The doctor pulled the needle out, swabbed the area with alcohol and had me hold a compress on it.
Lifting up the compress, he pressed a bandage on the shoulder and said, “Lie down, I want to check your other injuries.”
After probing my chest and abdomen, he stood back and rolled down his sleeves. “I don’t feel anything broken, nor do you seem to have any internal bleeding. However, I suggest you get an X ray in the morning to be sure. Sometimes, you know, even with the vests on, the force of the bullet as it’s absorbed around the vest and then into the body can collapse the heart and kill you. This shot here …” he tapped the right side of my chest, “is just the kind that can do that. You are a very lucky man indeed.”
Dr. Szuszyski turned away and repacked his bag. Then he wrote out two prescriptions and handed me a couple of sample bottles.
“Do you want anything to help you sleep?”
“No. I think I’ll be okay. I’m fighting exhaustion right now and I think I’ll let it win.”
“A wise decision. Get an X ray tomorrow and rest that shoulder.” That said, he slipped on his coat and picked up his bag.
“Will do. Thank you for coming over. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing. Martin pays for my services. He will bill you. Goodnight, Mr. Haggerty.”
“Goodnight, Dr. Szuszyski, and I apologize if I offended you.”
“I am not offended, Mr. Haggerty.”
I let the doctor out and took a moment to read the prescriptions. Then I shook out two pills from each bottle and downed them with some tap water.
I called Samantha at my house and then her apartment. There was no answer at either place. Part of me was glad that I couldn’t reach her, as I had no idea what I wanted to say to her. I found a couple of blankets inside the end table next to the sofa and shook them out. After turning out the lights, I sat down, pulled off my shoes, leaned back and closed my eyes. With what little strength I had left I pulled the covers over me, plumped the pillow under my head and enjoyed the sleep of the lucky.
CHAPTER 24
When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Jane staring at me over a steaming mug. I squinted one eye closed, rubbed my head and grunted “Good morning.”
“Good morning. I had some breakfast sent up. You were really out and I couldn’t sleep anymore.”
“What time is it?” I rolled up to a sit and huddled in the blankets. If I looked like I felt, my hair would be standing on end, I’d have varicose veins in my eyes and fur on my tongue.
Jane came over with a mug for me. I took it from her and sipped the coffee.
“It’s ten-thirty. Nick called. He’s coming over after he talks to Axel,” she said.
“I’d better get my act together then.”
I took another sip of coffee, put it down, and pulled away the covers. Standing up, I wobbled into the bathroom where I splashed water on my face, brushed my teeth and trimmed my tongue. That done I buttoned my shirt and tucked it into my trousers. In the living room I slipped on my socks and shoes. My sports coat went into my bag along with my shoulder holster and radio unit.
Breakfast was impressive. Croissants; English muffins; bagels; cream cheese; butter; preserves; eggs three ways; corned beef hash; sausage; potatoes; orange, pineapple and tomato juice and coffee. I filled up a plate, then sat down to eat.
“Quite a spread,” I said between mouthfuls.
“I felt like indulging myself after last night. Is there anything else you’d like that isn’t there? I’ll have it sent up.” Jane handed me the keycard she’d lifted while I slept. Now I knew how the food had gotten here.
“No, this is great, just perfect.”
Jane pulled up a chair cater-cornered to mine, sat and sipped her coffee. She was wearing tight black slacks, running shoes and pink leg warmers piled up around her ankles. They made her feet look like the shaggy fetlocks of a pony in winter. Her white T-shirt read “Help me! God will call me back if I don’t go platinum.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. What?” I said between forkfuls of hash.
“About last night. There’s one thing I don’t remember.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I remember being in the club, listening to some music and the next thing I remember arguing about something and then Heather showed up. What happened in between? I was pretty drunk, I think. That’s not good for me. I do things later on I wish I hadn’t.” She took another sip of coffee, then said “So what happened in between?”
“Before I tell you, do you want a blindfold or a cigarette?”
She winced, “That bad?”
“No. You didn’t do anything. The band recognized you and invited you to join them on stage. You were too fucked up to carry your drink up there much less carry a tune. I remembered what you said about publicity so I just thought I’d spare you something you might regret later on. No need to give the vultures a freebie. So I hustled you out of there. We came straight back here.”
“That’s another one I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me a thing. It’s just part of the job.”
“I just don’t feel …” The phone rang, cutting Jane off. She walked over and picked it up. “Sure. He’ll bring you right up. Hold on.” She turned toward me. “It’s Nick. He’s downstairs getting hypertensive. Can you bring him up?”
“Sure.” I wiped my mouth, pushed away from the table, and left the room.
Ballantine stepped into the car as soon as the doors parted.
“How is she?” he asked.
“She’s fine. Last night shook her up, but she seems to be okay now.”
“Good. Is she up or down?”
“She’s up. She’s glad it’s over.”
“Good. Good. She’s so damn moody you need a tide table to keep track of her. After I’ve talked to her, I want to hear all about what happened. It was a close call, but you did what you were hired for. You delivered in the clutch. I like that. Maybe I can swing a bonus for you.”
“Thanks.”
Upstairs, Ballantine ushered Jane into the bedroom to discuss something in private. Rooting around in my coat, I found Crawford’s card and gave him a call.
“Crawford here.”
I identified myself.
“Yeah, right. You want to know about the Heywood broad, right?”
“Right.”
“She walked at about nine-thirty this morning.”
“Shit.”
“Tell me about it. White, female, no priors, community ties. Do I have to go on? I mean, hell, it was only attempted murder, your Honor. Get the picture?”
“Loud and clear. How much was bail?”
“Ten grand. The trial’s set for thirty days. The prosecutor will be in touch.”
“Who went her bail?”
“Daddy. Brought a K Street lawyer for her, too. She’ll be on a shrink’s couch by lunchtime, looking for that ‘irresistible impulse.’ She had a fuckin’ temper tantrum, is all.”
“Thanks for the information.”
I called Samantha’s place, then mine. Still no answer. On a long shot I called Randi Benson. She answered on the first ring. “Hello.” She sounded out of breath.
“Hi, Randi …”
“Leo, are you okay? I’ve been worried sick.”
“About what?”
“About what? About you. It was all over the morning news. Some woman tried to kill Jane Doe and you were shot, that’s all I heard.”
“Calm down, calm down. I’m okay. I was wearing a bulletproof vest. I’ve got some nasty bruises but that’s all.”
“Are you sure? You’re not just saying that so I won’t worry?”
“No, it’s the truth. Honest.”
“Is Jane Doe okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. I’ll tell you all
about it when I’m done here.”
“Do you think you could get me her autograph maybe?”
“I’ll see what I can do. Have you heard from Samantha, by any chance? She hasn’t been at my place or hers.”
“Yeah. I tried to get to you through your answering service. She left a message for you. She said she couldn’t reach you so she figured you’d eventually get around to calling in there.”
“What was the message, Randi?”
“Let me get it. She wanted me to read it to you.”
That sounded ominous.
Randi returned and read me the message. “Your simple overnighter obviously not so simple. Gone to see friends in New York for the weekend. Back Monday. Hope you’re done by then. If not, call when you can. Love, Sam.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Do you think you’ll be done soon?”
“Probably this afternoon.”
“How about coming out to school and signing me out? We could go out to dinner, nothing fancy, and you can tell me all about it.”
“Let me see how things go. If I can, I will. If not, I’ll leave a message for you.”
“Okay. Be careful, Leo.”
“Will do, kiddo. Talk to you later.”
The door opened and Nick and Jane came out. He had his arm around her shoulders and was talking to her.
“Come on, take it. Go away for a few days. Relax. I hear it’s gorgeous down there. It’s where God vacations. Clear your head. You’ve been stressed out. You’re not thinking clearly. You’ve been drinking again, right?”
Jane frowned at him, her eyebrows coming down like a trash compactor.
“Hey. I’m not saying you haven’t had good reason. But that’s all behind you now. Things are turning around. I can feel it,” Nick said.
“Not quite, Nick,” I piped in.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he snapped back.
“What that means is that Heather Heywood was released on bond this morning.”
“Do you think she’ll try again?”
“I doubt it. Her lawyer and family will try to keep her as far away from here as they can. But that’s no guarantee, and we know she’s serious.”
“See, Jane? There’s another reason to go. Think about what’s at stake here. You’ll see I’m right, Jane. Think about it.”
Jane had dropped into a chair and was thinking about it. Chin in hand, she stared off into space. A tiny vein in her neck pulsed.
Ballantine went on, “After the Caribbean, you’ll fly back to L.A. We’ll get you the best protection money can buy. You want bodyguards? I’ll get you six of ’em. Every bit as good as Haggerty here. When we close this deal, you won’t have to worry about a thing. We’ll have money enough to do anything you want. What do you say?” He smiled at her. Amazingly, his teeth weren’t brown.
“Excuse me, Nicky, baby, but what did Axel say about Heather?”
Nick turned towards me. He seemed to be having trouble finding me. I stood up to make it easier.
“He denied everything. Not only didn’t he put her up to it, he denied having a relationship with her. He says it’s all in her head. He only stopped off to see her in order to get her off his back. You know, like charity. He stayed with her so she could feel important. She meant nothing to him.”
Jane shook her head, “Jesus, did he do a job on her. She would have killed for him and he says he doesn’t know her. She did it all for nothing, nothing.”
Nick countered, “Jane, I know he hurt you and he hurt you bad, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. The girl is crazy, there’s no question about that. She probably blew up anything he did say way out of proportion.”
“He didn’t hurt me, Nick, he pissed me off, the way he was treating me. Heather may be crazy, but Axel’s still a slug.”
Jane leaned back in the chair, pulled up one leg and braced her foot on the edge of the seat. Lacing her fingers around her knee she said, “All right, Nick, I’ll do it. But on one condition.”
“Name it, baby, it’s yours.” Nick was beaming.
“Haggerty comes too.”
Boom. Nick’s face fell like a dynamited building. The small muscle at the corner of his jaw twitched as he ground his teeth. Color rose in his face as his blood pressure went up. Then he began to blink furiously. Three shorts, then a pause. Over and over again. Standing there, his hands clenched at his sides, he reminded me of a car whose engine had seized up. All the moving parts grinding against each other without lubrication until they were fused in place.
I stood there waiting for Nick to fall over or just start to smoke.
Jane asked me, “Well? Will you?”
“Uh, Jane. I don’t think there’s any real need for me to stay with you. Heather Heywood isn’t going to find you wherever you’re going. Unless someone tells Axel where you’ve gone.” My sidelong glance at Nick indicated that he hadn’t absorbed my barb.
“I’d feel better if you were there, that’s all.”
“It’s an expensive way to feel better.”
“Didn’t you hear Nick? I’m going to have money to burn. He’ll buy me a matched set of bodyguards, just like you.” I felt that one. She smiled wickedly.
“There’s just no reason for me to be there, Jane.”
“Nick, will you excuse us please, I’d like to talk to Mr. Haggerty in private.” Nick mumbled something and headed for the bedroom. We passed each other like two male dogs who’ve been pissing on each other’s trees.
After Nick closed the door behind him, Jane said, “Does it have to be work to you? They’re going to put me up in some fabulous Caribbean resort, all expenses paid, just to unwind and relax. Is that so hard to take?”
“Who’s they?”
“The label. Nick told them what’s been going on.”
“Then you’re not being sent away to relax, you’re being sent away to make the ‘right’ choice. Are you going to be able to say no to these people after you’ve spent their money?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. But maybe they’re right. I’ve had a lot on my mind. Maybe a change of scenery, getting away from all my problems, and their offer won’t look so bad. I’ve been down on everything recently.”
“Thanks. It sounds nice but I can’t,” I said, shaking my head.
Jane stamped her foot. “Why won’t you let me do something nice for you, you pigheaded …”
“What?”
“I just want to say thank you, that’s all. Why do you have to make it so hard?”
“If you want to say thank you, just say thank you. A really good thank you is hard to do. How many thank you’s have carried any weight with you?”
Jane looked at me, then said “You’re right.” With that she slid in next to me, held on to my shoulders, kissed my cheek and whispered into my ear, “Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” I whispered back. We both stepped away and looked at each other. Time to go, a little voice said.
“So,” she said with a deep exhale, “will you go with me?”
I started laughing. “Who’s pigheaded now?”
“No, I’m serious. I have a job for you.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“I need someone to talk to, to bat ideas around with about this label change—it’s a big decision.”
“Why me? I don’t know anything about the music business.”
“But you’re smart. You see angles, you think about people’s motives.”
“I repeat, I don’t know shit about the music business. I see the angles in this work because I’ve been doing it for years. There’s a mistake behind every trick I ever learned.”
“That’s okay. I don’t want you to tell me what to do, but maybe you’ll ask me the right questions so I can get the answers I need before I walk into something I can’t get out of.”
“That makes sense, but you’ve got to have people you can talk to about this. I’m a stranger.”
“But I trust
you. You’re the only person I know who doesn’t want a piece of me. More than that, you haven’t let me do anything that was bad for me. I can’t talk about this with Nick, or the band. I have no family and none of my friends are around here. You’re it.”
I stood there, shouldering the burden in my mind, aware of what was eager to crawl out from under that weight. Something foolish, small, and dangerous.
“Please,” she said. Coming from her, the word was raw, red and pulpy. A desperate word. Not to be trifled with.
“All right. If I’m all you’ve got, then you’ve got me.”
CHAPTER 25
That decided, we invited Nick back into the room.
“So, Jane, what’s the deal?” He spat the words out at her.
“Just what I said, Nick. I want Leo to accompany me. He’s agreed to it.”
“You’re being a real sport about this, Haggerty. A dirty job, but somebody has to do it, right? Let me tell you something. There’s no way in hell I’m going to pay you your regular fee for this junket.”
“Who’s asking you to? Airfare and room will do nicely.”
“I see.” He turned to Jane. “You’ve got to have this, huh? A deal breaker. Have I got that right?”
“Nick, you’re the one who says I should get away to think about this deal, right? Clear my head, isn’t that what you said? Fine. Only he comes too. If you don’t like that or the label doesn’t, fine. I’ll spend the next few days shacked up at his place thinking things over. You can decide where I do my thinking, not who I do it with.”
I felt like a five-dollar chip in a penny-ante game. It was a nice feeling but I was sure it was all bluff.
Nick fumed and silently gauged his position. After slipping his fulcrum into every crevice he imagined he could get leverage from, he said, “All right. I’ll see if they’ll go for it. The plane is scheduled to leave Dulles at two. Why don’t you go pack, Haggerty? If we can get two seats on that flight, I’ll call you. Leave me your address and home phone. We’ll come by for you in a limo.”
The Things We Do for Love Page 12
