“What made you remember?”
“I don't really know. I queried Gizmo first. Next I added obits and then NorthEast Medical Center, because something told me my memory of the name was connected to my practice.”
“He was a soldier. Jesus. It's got to be him in that hole.”
“Yes,” she said. “What if he still believes I killed his son?”
“I'll call the police,” Ward said.
“Call Todd,” she said. “Let him call them. He'll know what to say that will get their attention. He'll know what to do.”
SIXTY-ONE
Todd stood as Alice approached the table. She sat down across from him and smiled nervously.
“Hi,” she said. “You found the place all right.”
“Yes,” Todd said.
“I mean, of course you did.” She laughed nervously. “Of course you did. Duh, you're sitting here.” She hit herself on the forehead with the butt of her hand. “What was I thinking?”
“And you found it,” Todd said.
“I come here sometimes. They have a great place called Asphalt Jungle, and they've got super cool shit. Clothes, jeans, and skateboards they build from the parts you want. I don't skate, but I have friends who do.”
“Did you bring the model?” Todd asked, wanting to get this over with.
His cell phone vibrated, so he took it out and looked at the caller ID. It was Ward McCarty. He put the phone away. He'd call him back as soon as this was over.
“Yeah, I brought it. You know, he's a pervert. Tell me why I shouldn't call the police.”
“Well, a couple of reasons…”
“I know, I could get in trouble. You said that, but what about all those kids? I've been thinking it over. Even if I did get in trouble for like taking the car, he's a pervert and I doubt the cops would charge me.”
“Alice, first off, the FBI and the cops know he's not guilty, because they know who did it. More importantly we have a deal, and we've held up our end. Mr. McCarty's son loved that car and the boy died in a terrible accident, and Mr. McCarty carried the car around with him because his son loved it and he loved his son.”
“Kind of like a memento,” she said, a look of suspicion crossing her features. “Is that the truth?”
“Absolutely.”
Alice opened her bag and looked in. She took a note card out and studied it.
“What's that?” Todd asked.
“He drew this picture of me on the airplane,” she said, showing it to Todd.
“It's good,” Todd said.
“I forgot all about it,” she said. “He's a good sketcher. You think I look like this?”
“Yes.” Todd glanced from card to person, back and forth. “It shows a you I haven't seen before.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. In the picture, you look innocent and sensitive. And you look vulnerable, and there's intelligence, humor, and mischief in your expression. I guess he drew you the way he saw you.”
“I make good grades. That's never been hard for me. And I can do some mischief shit. I did something earlier tonight that would be considered that exactly.”
Todd said, “He obviously thought you were a nice person. So why would you want to do him harm?”
“I don't. You think I made up that he wanted to screw me. I thought that's probably why he drew me so… I don't know. Because he wanted to hook up with me. I guess maybe he was just being nice.”
“I think he liked you because he thought there was something likeable about you. I doubt he ever imagined you'd do what you did. He's the kind of guy who would be kind to a young person traveling alone. You told him your parents were divorced and you were shuttling between them.”
“No, I didn't,” she said, but her eyes wandered around the space.
“He was kind to you because that's the kind of man he is. He thought you were vulnerable, and maybe in pain over the fact that you felt betrayed by your parents. There was never anything sexual in his mind, and I think you know that.”
“I don't know anything like that!” she snapped. “And you don't either. You're just trying to make me feel bad.”
Todd took the envelope out of his pocket and placed it on the table in front of her.
“This is yours.” But he purposefully kept the envelope pinned under his hand. “It's two thousand,” Todd told her.
“You want the car now?”
“I think we've arrived at that point.”
She reached into the black carry bag and removed the small blue car and placed it on the table, wheels down, and pushed it across the table. Todd lifted his hand, picked the car up, and examined it.
“It was already scratched,” she said, taking the envelope.
“You can count it,” Todd said.
“I trust you.” Alice stuffed the envelope into her purse and looked around the food court.
“So, where's Earl?” Todd asked, placing the model in his jacket pocket.
“I don't know, and I don't care.”
“You could do better,” Todd said. “I'm sure you know that.”
Her face suddenly felt hot and she snatched the drawing and tore it up into small pieces and let them flutter to the tabletop. “You don't know me. You've got your little piece- of- shit toy car.” She stood up and grabbed up her tote bag.
“Good luck,” he told her.
“Fuck you,” she replied, and stormed off out of the food court.
SIXTY-TWO
Alice was around the corner in the corridor when her cell phone started ringing. She pulled it from the pocket of her jeans and looked at the ID. It was Earl.
“What, Earl?” she said.
“Where you at?”
“If it's any of your business, I'm at the mall.”
“Doing the deal?”
“Maybe. You still drunk?”
“Naw, did you ask for ten like I said?”
“No, I did not. I agreed on two. More would be dishonorable.”
“Damn. A’ight, that's cool. So, see ah'm sayin’, you coming to get me so we can do what we said. You know, gets me my money, the tat and stuff?”
“Your money?”
“Well, it's like mostly mines, in it? Was me gots the gun. Who negotiated the deal? Who said ten grand so as you ended with two not some measly five hundred? Who'd you shoot in the fuckin’ head?”
“I don't know, Earl. I'm thinking that I should keep the entire two thousand.”
“Without me you'd be lucky to have anybody fuck you through a hole in a wall, you no- tit loser bitch. If you couldn't make a fist around my pecker, you'd be worthless.”
“Whatever,” she said, fuming. “But if I'm the loser, how come I've got the money and you're the one sitting on your front porch?”
“Who're you calling a loser?”
“Maybe the loser who's a penniless freak with the IQ of a mollusk.”
“Don't you dare try to fuck me!”
“Why would I bother, when you're doing such a great job of fucking yourself? We're done, and if I ever see you again, even by accident, I really am going to shoot you.”
She snapped the phone closed and laughed. When her phone rang again, she started to ignore it, but she wanted to say a few more things.
“You evil little monster! You horrid bitch!” the voice hissed.
Alice felt her cheeks reddening, and her stomach felt hot and hollow. The female voice was distorted by cold fury, but Alice had heard this same tone often enough since childhood.
“You miserable ingrate.”
“What's wrong, Mother?” Alice managed to say, using the most innocent voice she could muster.
“You've ruined me,” her mother hissed.
“What are you talking about?”
“Nine one one ring any bells?”
“That's the emergency police and fire number.”
“Do you have any idea what you've done?”
“If you'll calm down before you blow out a vein or something and tell me what you're talking about…”
“I'm talking about the police coming into my house with their guns out and handcuffing the lawn boy! You've really done it.” Her mother's ranting was now accented by sobs.