“This is interesting,” Janos says.
“Please,” Rafferty says, “don’t make me ask questions.”
“I’m up on the fifth level of the mall with a cup of coffee, looking down at the business center.”
“And?”
“And maybe five minutes ago, two men showed up. About the same height and weight, short hair, big black shoes, looked like they’d be happier in uniform. So they walked together, all the way around the fourth level three times, looking in every window except the business center. They’re starting another circuit now.”
Rafferty says, “What time is it?” and both Janos and Ming Li tell him it’s six-fifteen.
“And there are three more down on the first level,” Janos says. “They wander around alone and then regroup every few minutes.”
“No Shen,” Rafferty says.
“Not yet, but these are his men.”
“No one else?”
Ming Li makes an anxious popping sound with her lips.
“No. But these guys look nervous. I’d bet money the brass is coming.”
“The moment you see Murphy,” Rafferty says, “you call me. No waiting to see what happens or what he does. ‘Murphy’s here’ will be considered a complete report, are we clear?”
“Sure.”
“I want your finger on that SEND button from now on. We need to be talking within ten seconds of your laying eyes on Murphy.”
“And Shen?”
“Take your time. Twenty seconds will be fine.”
Ming Li says, “Here’s the turn.”
They’re two blocks away from Murphy’s compound, parked under the drooping, water-heavy branches of a tree. Big, rambling houses line the street on either side, most of them behind walls, and a barrier of sandbags, about eight bags high, has been laid out along the perimeter of the road’s south side, where the lots slope gently downhill from the pavement. The most direct route from Murphy’s house to the main boulevard is behind them, so he won’t spot them driving out, although Rafferty is sure it doesn’t matter. He’s certain that Murphy’s already left.
“Two maids, two wives, and the little girl,” he says again. “One of the wives is apparently almost never home, and the other one is some kind of invalid, spends most of her time in bed. From what the maid told Vladimir’s boy, I’ll never catch a glimpse of the daughter. She’ll be spying on me.”
Ming Li says, “So if that’s what happens, you’ll be bringing me the two maids and the sick wife.”
“I’m hoping I don’t have to bring the wife. Apparently she self-medicates quite a bit. Maybe she won’t even turn over the whole time I’m in there.”
“And maybe the clouds will open and a shaft of light will shine on you and a voice will say, ‘All is forgiven.’ ”
“Could be.”
“Three is a lot. Two I can just cuff to the steering wheel. The third one-”
“The armrest in the backseat. It’s got an opening in it. You can pass a cuff through it, and she won’t be going anywhere.”
“She might be able to yank it off.”
“That’ll be the invalid.”
“Okay.” She shifts her weight, looks at her watch, and says, “Unbelievable. We’ve only been here thirteen minutes. Are you sure about the noise?”
He says, “Get out.”
“It’s raining.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“All right,” she says. “But if this takes the curl out of my hair …” She fluffs her perfectly straight hair at him, a Thai gesture of dismissal, and climbs out, and Rafferty puts the windows all the way up. When Ming Li is eight or ten feet away, he begins to shout. She puts a hand to her ear, and he shouts more loudly, and she shrugs and comes back to the car. Once inside, she swivels the rearview mirror toward herself, combs her bangs with her fingers, and says, “Better than I hoped. The rain helps-it’s noisier than you’d think. You’re sure they won’t be able to reach the door handles.”
“Yes, I’m sure. Would you like me to cuff you to the-”
“No thanks.”
“Anyway, you’re staying with them unless something-” The cell phone rings. Rafferty glances at it, says, “Janos” to Ming Li, and then, “Yes?” into the phone.
“Shen’s here.”
“Where?”
“Ground floor. The three cops down there all answered their phones a minute ago and met over in front of the mall shrine, and Shen showed up. They’re in a huddle.”
“And the two on the fourth floor?”
“They’re looking over the railing, watching.”
“How does Shen look?”
“Pissed off, and the other three look like they’d like to turn and run. Here come the fourth-floor boys, heading for the escalator. I’ve got to go into a store for a minute. One of them glanced at me.”
“Call me back when you can.” He puts the phone in his pocket and wishes he had a cigarette. How many nights ago was it that he smoked the cabdriver’s, after Shen’s guy almost went off the roof? “I don’t suppose you have a cigarette?”
“I’m young,” Ming Li says, “not stupid. No Murphy?”
“Not yet. But he’s there, I’m sure he is.”
“Then let’s go in.”
“I’m not that sure.” He opens his door. “I need to walk around a little.”
The rain is a fine sprinkle, nearly body temperature. He hasn’t gone ten steps when a mosquito whines in his ear, and then another. He waves a hand around to clear them, feeling the weight of the gun under his shirt. His shoes, soaked again, squelch in the mud. An image of Murphy in his awful shirt, his face red with anger, pops into his mind, and at that precise moment the phone rings.
He grabs it, snaps, “Hold on,” and sprints for the car. Ming Li looks up, startled from some reverie as he jumps into the seat. He says, “Murphy?”
“Let me tell you,” Janos says. “It will interest you, I promise.”
“Do it, do it, but make it short.”
“So Shen goes up to the fourth floor with the two boys who were doing circles up there and goes into the business center. He comes out a minute later, actually scratching his head. For a second I thought he knew he was being watched and he wanted to demonstrate-”
“Get to it.”
“He was scratching his head,” Janos continues implacably, “and then he looks down at his shirt. He pulls a cell phone out of his pocket and has a short conversation, very grim, and then starts running up the escalator. He keeps looking up, as though he’s going all the way to the top, and I’m scrambling to the stairs at the rear, and as I get up to the fifth floor, I hear voices above me, so I go out on the fifth level and walk the length of the plaza, and when I turn, I see Shen up on the sixth level, the top, heading for the stairs as though the place is on fire, and he pulls the door open, and Murphy pushes him away and comes through the door with a woman following him.”
“The woman from the hotel.” In one part of his mind, Rafferty is regretting that he was right about Anna. There can’t be any doubt now.
“Yes, her. Anyway, Shen practically jumps on him. Shouting and waving his arms and-”
“Can you see Murphy now?”
“They’re still going at it.”
“Thanks. Call me if anything changes.”
“If Murphy disappears, you mean.”
“He’s not going to stay in sight. Try to see where he goes, and call me if the woman disappears.”
“Got it.”
Rafferty disconnects and starts the car. Ming Li is looking straight out the window, but he can feel the intensity coming off her in waves. She seems to be heating the car. He says, “You like this, don’t you?”
“Compared to Virginia? This is heaven.”
“Here goes.” He pushes speed dial for Vladimir. “Have your boy call the maid in two minutes,” he says. “He should tell her to open the gate for him. Oh, and it’s raining, so she should come out with an umbrella. Think she’d do that for him?”
Vladimir says, “Is wery handsome boy.”
31
When Rafferty steps through the half-open gate, the maid lets out a squeak. He’s wearing the one-eared Mortimer Snerd mask.