On the Fifty-fourth Street corner, Tremayne stopped. In spite of the slight breeze and his lightweight suit, he was perspiring. He knew he had to head east. There was no question about it.
One thing was clear. Blackstone was not the driver of the light blue Cadillac. Blackstone was a man with binoculars and thin cigars.
Then who was the woman? He’d seen her before. He knew it!
He started east on Fifty-fourth, walking on the right side of the pavement. He reached Madison and no one stopped him, no one signaled, no one even looked at him. Then across Park Avenue to the center island.
No one.
Lexington Avenue. Past the huge construction sites. No one.
Third Avenue. Second. First.
No one.
Tremayne entered the last block. A dead-end street terminating at the East River, flanked on both sides by the canopies of apartment house entrances. A few men with briefcases and women carrying department store boxes came and went from both buildings. At the end of the street was a light tan Mercedes-Benz sedan parked crossways, as if in the middle of a turn. And near it stood a man in an elegant white suit and Panama hat. He was quite a bit shorter than Tremayne. Even thirty yards away, Tremayne could see he was deeply tanned. He wore thick, wide sunglasses and was looking directly at Tremayne as Tremayne approached him.
«Mr… Blackstone?»
«Mr. Tremayne. I’m sorry you had to walk such a distance. We had to be sure, you see, that you were alone.»
«Why wouldn’t I be?» Tremayne was trying to place the accent. It was cultivated, but not the sort associated with the northeastern states.
«A man who’s in trouble often, mistakenly, looks for company.»
«What kind of trouble am I in?»
«You did get my note?»
«Of course. What did it mean?»
«Exactly what it said. Your friend Tanner is very dangerous to you. And to us. We simply want to emphasize the point as good businessmen should with one another.»
«What business interests are you concerned with, Mr. Blackstone? I assume Blackstone isn’t your name so I could hardly connect you with anything familiar.»
The man in the white suit and hat and dark glasses took several steps towards the Mercedes.
«We told you. His friends from California …»
«The Ostermans?»
«Yes.»
«My firm has had no dealings with the Ostermans. None whatever.»
«But you have, haven’t you?» Blackstone walked in front of the hood and stood on the other side of the Mercedes.
«You can’t be serious!»
«Believe me when I say that I am.» The man reached for the door handle, but he did not open the door. He was waiting.
«Just a minute! Who are you?»
«Blackstone will do.»
«No!… What you said! You couldn’t …»
«But we do. That’s the point. And since you now know that we do, it should offer some proof of our considerable influence.»
«What are you driving at?» Tremayne pressed his hands against the Mercedes’ hood and leaned toward Blackstone.
«It’s crossed our minds that you may have cooperated with your friend Tanner. That’s really why we wanted to see you. It would be most inadvisable. We wouldn’t hesitate to make public your contribution to the Osterman interests.»
«You’re crazy! Why would I cooperate with Tanner? On what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.»
Blackstone removed his dark glasses. His eyes were blue and penetrating, and Tremayne could see freckles about his nose and cheekbones. «If that’s true then you have nothing to worry about.»
«Of course it’s true! There’s no earthly reason why I should work with Tanner on anything!»
«That’s logical.» Blackstone opened the door of the Mercedes. «Just keep it that way.»
«For God’s sake, you can’t just leave! I see Tanner every day. At the Club. On the train. What the hell am I supposed to think, what am I supposed to say?»
«You mean what are you supposed to look for? If I were you, I’d act as if nothing had happened. As if we’d never met… He may drop hints—if you’re telling the truth—he may probe. Then you’ll know.»
Tremayne stood up, fighting to remain calm. «For all our sakes, I think you’d better tell me whom you represent. It would be best, it really would.»
«Oh, no, counselor.» A short laugh accompanied Blackstone’s reply. «You see, we’ve noticed that you’ve acquired a disturbing habit over the past several years. Nothing serious, not at this time, but to be considered.»
«What habit is that?»
«Periodically you drink too much.»
«That’s ridiculous!»
«I said it wasn’t serious. You do brilliant work. Nevertheless, at such times you haven’t your normal control. No, it would be a mistake to burden you, especially in your current state of anxiety.»
«Don’t go. Please!…»
«We’ll be in touch. Perhaps you’ll have learned something that will help us. At any rate, we always watch your … merger work with great interest.»
Tremayne flinched. «What about the Ostermans? You’ve got to tell me.»
«If you’ve got a brain in your legal head, you won’t say a thing to the Ostermans! Or hint at anything! If Osterman is cooperating with Tanner, you’ll find out. If he’s not, don’t give him any ideas about you.» Blackstone climbed into the driver’s seat of the Mercedes and started the motor. He said, just before he drove off, «Keep your head, Mr. Tremayne. We’ll be in touch.»
Tremayne tried to marshal his thoughts; he could feel his eyelid twitch. Thank Christ he hadn’t reached Tanner! Not being prepared, he might have said something—something asinine, dangerous.
Had Osterman been such a gargantuan fool—or coward—to blurt out the truth about Zurich to John Tanner? Without consulting them?
If that were the case, Zurich would have to be alerted. Zurich would take care of Osterman. They’d crucify him!
He had to find Cardone. They had to decide what to do. He ran to a corner telephone.
Betty told him Joe had gone into the office. Cardone’s secretary told him Joe was still on vacation.
Joe was playing games. The twitch above Tremayne’s left eye nearly blinded him.
9
Tuesday—7:00 A.M.
Unable to sleep, Tanner walked into his study, his eyes drawn to the gray glass of the three television sets. There was something dead about them, empty. He lit a cigarette and sat down on the couch. He thought about Fassett’s instructions: remain calm, oblivious, and say nothing to AIi. Fassett had repeated the last command several times.
The only real danger would come if Ali said the wrong thing to the wrong person. There was danger in that. Danger to Ali. But Tanner had never withheld anything from his wife. He wasn’t sure he could do it. The fact that they were always open with each other was the strongest bond in their strong marriage. Even when they fought there was never the weapon of unspoken accusations. Alice McCall had had enough of that as a child.
Omega, however, would change their lives, for the next six days, at any rate. He had to accept that because Fassett said it was best for Ali.
The sun was up now. The day was beginning and the Cardones, the Tremaynes and the Ostermans would soon be under fire. Tanner wondered what they’d do, how they’d react. He hoped that all three couples would contact the authorities and prove Fassett wrong. Sanity would return.
But it was possible that the madness had just begun. Whichever the case, he would stay home. If Fassett was right he’d be there with Ali and the children. Fassett had no control over that decision.