璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第132部分

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‘Excuse　me？‘
‘My　husband；‘　Gloria　said　without　turning。　‘He　died　a　month　ago。‘
‘I‘m　very　sorry　to　hear　that；　ma‘am。‘
‘He　was　sick　a　long　time；‘　said　the　woman；　not　yet　recovered　from　the　shock　of　her　loss　but　accepting　the　fact　of　it。　She　handed　him　the　keys。　‘Here；　take　a　look。‘
Kelly　unlocked　the　door。　It　looked　like　the　car　used　by　a　college　student　and　then　by　an　elderly　man。　The　seats　were　well　worn；　and　one　had　a　long　slash　in　it；　probably　by　a　packing　box　of　clothes　or　books。　He　turned　the　key　in　the　lock　and　the　engine　started　immediately。　There　was　even　a　full　tank　of　gas。　The　ad　hadn‘t　lied　about　the　mileage；　only　52；000　miles　on　the　odometer。　He　asked　for　and　got　permission　to　take　it　around　the　block。　The　car　was　mechanically　sound；　he　decided；　bringing　it　back　to　the　waiting　owner。
‘Where　did　all　the　rust　e　from？‘　he　asked　her；　giving　the　keys　back。
‘She　went　to　school　in　Chicago；　at　Northwestern；　all　that　terrible　snow　and　salt。‘
‘That‘s　a　good　school。　Let‘s　get　you　back　inside；‘　Kelly　took　her　arm　and　directed　her　back　to　the　house。　It　smelled　like　an　old　person‘s　house；　the　air　heavy　with　dust　that　she　was　too　tired　to　wipe；　and　stale　food；　for　the　meals　she　still　fixed　were　for　two；　not　one。
‘Are　you　thirsty？‘
‘Yes；　ma‘am；　thank　you。　Water　will　be　just　fine。‘　Kelly　looked　around　while　she　went　to　the　kitchen。　There　was　a　photo　on　the　wall；　a　man　in　a　high…necked　uniform　and　Sam　Browne　belt；　holding　the　arm　of　a　young　woman　in　a　very　tight；　almost　cylindrical；　white　wedding　dress。　Other　photos　cataloged　the　married　life　of　Kenh　and　Gloria　Boyd。　Two　daughters　and　a　son；　a　trip　to　the　ocean；　an　old　car；　grandchildren；　all　the　things　earned　in　a　full　and　useful　life。
‘Here　you　go。‘　She　handed　over　a　glass。
‘Thank　you。　What　did　your　husband　do？‘
‘He　worked　for　the　merce　Department　for　forty…two　years。　We　were　going　to　move　to　Florida；　but　then　he　got　sick　so　now　I‘m　going　alone。　My　sister　lives　in　Fort　Pierce；　she‘s　a　widow　too；　her　husband　was　a　policeman　。。。‘　Her　voice　trailed　off　as　the　cat　came　in　to　examine　the　new　visitor。　That　seemed　to　invigorate　Mrs　Boyd。　‘I‘m　moving　down　there　next　week。　The　house　is　already　sold；　have　to　get　out　next　Thursday。　I　sold　it　to　a　nice　young　doctor。‘
‘I　hope　you　like　it　down　there；　ma‘am。　How　much　do　you　want　for　the　car？‘
‘I　can‘t　drive　anymore　because　of　my　eyes；　cataracts。　People　have　to　drive　me　everywhere　I　go。　My　grandson　says　it‘s　worth　one　thousand　five　hundred　dollars。‘
Your　grandson　must　be　a　lawyer　to　be　that　greedy；　Kelly　thought。　‘How　about　twelve　hundred？　I　can　pay　cash。‘
‘Cash？‘　Her　eyes　became　fey　again。
‘Yes；　ma‘am。‘
‘Then　you　can　have　the　car。‘　She　held　out　her　hand　and　Kelly　took　it　carefully。
‘Do　you　have　the　paperwork？‘　It　made　Kelly　feel　guilty　that　she　had　to　get　up　again；　this　time　heading　upstairs；　slowly；　holding　on　to　the　banister　while　Kelly　took　out　his　wallet　and　counted　off　twelve　crisp　bills。
It　should　have　taken　only　another　ten　minutes；　but　instead　it　was　thirty。　Kelly　had　already　checked　up　on　how　to　do　the　mechanics　of　a　title　transfer；　and　besides；　he　wasn‘t　going　to　do　all　of　that。　The　auto…insurance　policy　was　tucked　into　the　same　cardboard　envelope　as　the　title；　in　the　name　of　Kenh　W。　Boyd。　Kelly　promised　to　take　care　of　that　for　her；　and　the　tags；　too；　of　course。　But　it　turned　out　that　all　the　cash　made　Mrs　Boyd　nervous；　and　so　Kelly　helped　her　fill　out　a　deposit　ticket；　and　then　drove　her　to　her　bank；　where　she　could　drop　it　into　the　night　depository。　Then　he　stopped　off　at　the　supermarket　for　milk　and　cat　food　before　bringing　her　home　and　walking　her　to　the　door　again。
‘Thank　you　for　the　car；　Mrs　Boyd；‘　he　said　in　parting。
‘What　are　you　going　to　use　it　for？‘
‘Business。‘　Kelly　smiled　and　left。
At　quarter　of　nine　that　night；　two　cars　pulled　into　the　service　area　on　Interstate　95。　The　one　in　front　was　a　Dodge　Dart　and　the　one　behind　it　a　red　Plymouth　Roadrunner。　Roughly　fifty　feet　apart；　they　picked　a　half…full　area　north　of　Maryland　House；　a　rest　stop　set　in　the　median　of　the　John　F。　Kennedy　Highway；　offering　full　restaurant　services　along　with　gas　and　oil　…　good　coffee；　but；　understandably；　no　alcoholic　beverages。　The　Dart　took　a　few　meandering　turns　in　the　parking　lot；　finally　stopping　three　spaces　from　a　white　Oldsmobile　with　Pennsylvania　tags　and　a　brown　vinyl　top。　The　Roadrunner　took　a　space　in　the　next　row。　A　woman　got　out　and　walked　towards　the　brick　restaurant；　a　path　that　took　her　past　the　Olds。　
‘Hey；　baby；‘　a　man　said。　The　woman　stopped　and　took　a　few　steps　towards　the　vinyl…topped　automobile。　The　man　was　Caucasian；　with　long　but　neatly　bed　black　hair　and　an　open…necked　white　shirt。
‘Henry　sent　me；‘　she　said。
‘I　know。‘　He　reached　out　to　stroke　her　face；　a　gesture　which　she　did　not　resist。　He　looked　around　a　little　before　moving　his　hand　downwards。　‘You　have　what　I　want；　baby？‘
‘Yes。‘　She　smiled。　It　was　a　forced；　uneasy　smile；　frightened　but　not　embarrassed。　Doris　was　months　beyond　embarrassment。
‘Nice　tits；‘　the　man　said　with　no　emotional　content　at　all　in　his　voice。　‘Get　the　stuff。‘
Doris　walked　back　to　her　car；　as　though　she‘d　forgotten　something。　She　returned　with　a　large　purse；　almost　a　small　duffel；　really。　As　she　walked　past　the　Olds；　the　man‘s　hand　reached　out　and　took　it。　Doris　proceeded　into　the　building；　returning　a　minute　later　holding　a　can　of　soda；　her　eyes　on　the　Roadrunner；　hoping　that　she‘d　done　everything　right。　The　Olds　had　its　motor　running；　and　the　driver　blew　her　a　kiss；　to　which　she　responded　with　a　wan　smile。
‘That　was　easy　enough；‘　Henry　Tucker　said；　fifty　yards　away；　at　the　outdoor　eating　area　on　the　other　side　of　the　building。
‘Good　stuff？‘　another　man　asked　Tony　Piaggi。　The　three　of　them　sat　at　the　same　table；　‘enjoying‘　the　sultry　evening　while　the　majority　of　the　patrons　were　inside　with　the　air　conditioning。
‘The　best。　Same　as　the　sample　we　gave　you　two　weeks　ago。　Same　shipment　and　everything；‘　Piaggi　assured　him。
‘And　if　the　mule　gets　burned？‘　the　man　from　Philadelphia　asked。
‘She　won‘t　talk；‘　Tucker　assured　him。　‘They‘ve　all　seen　what　happens　to　bad　girls。‘　As　they　watched；　a　man　got　out　of　the　Roadrunner　and　got　into　the　Dart‘s　driver‘s　seat。
‘Very　good；‘　Rick　told　Doris。
‘Can　we　go　now？‘　she　asked　him；　shaking　now　that　the　job　was　over；　sipping　nervously　at　her　soda。
‘Sure；　baby；　I　know　what　you　want。‘　Rick　smiled　and　started　the　car。　‘Be　nice；　now。　Show　me　something。‘
‘There‘s　people　around；‘　Doris　said。
‘So？‘
Without　another　word；　Doris　unbuttoned　her　shirt　…　it　was　a　man‘s　shin…leaving　it　tucked　into　her　faded　shorts。　Rick　reached　in　and　smiled；　turning　the　wheel　with　his　left　hand。　It　could　have　been　worse；　Doris　told　herself；　closing　her　eyes；　pretending　that　she　was　someone　else　in　some　other　place；　wondering　how　long　before　her　life　would　end　too；　hoping　it　wouldn‘t　be　long。
‘The　money？‘　Piaggi　asked。
‘I　need　a　cup　of　coffee。‘　The　other　man　got　up　and　walked　inside；　leaving　his　briefcase；　which　Piaggi　took　in　his　hand。　He　and　Tucker　walked　off　to　his　car；　a　blue　Cadillac；　without　waiting　for　the　other　man　to　e　back。
‘Not　going　to　count　it？‘　Tucker　asked　halfway　across　the　parking　lot。
‘If　he　stiffs　us；　he　knows　what　happens。　This　is　business；　Henry。‘
"；That‘s　right；‘　Tucker　agreed。
‘Bill　Murphy；‘　Kelly　said。　‘I　understand　you　have　some　vacant　apartments。‘　He　held　up　the　Sunday　paper。
‘What　are　you　looking　for？‘
‘A　one…bedroom　would　be　fine。　I　really　just　need　a　place　to　hang　my　clothes；‘　Kelly　told　the　man。　‘I　travel　a　lot。‘
‘Salesman？‘　the　manager　asked。
‘That‘s　right。　Machine　tools。　I‘m　new　here　…　new　territory；　I　mean。‘
It　was　an　old　garden…apartment　plex；　built　soon　after　the　Second　World　War　for　returning　veterans；　posed　exclusively　of　three…story　brick　structures。　The　trees　looked　about　right　for　that　time　period。　They‘d　been　planted　then　and　grown　well；　tall　enough　now　to　support　a　good　population　of　squirrels；　wide　enough　to　give　shade　to　the　parking　areas。　Kelly　looked　around　approvingly　as　the　manager　took　him　to　a　first…floor　furnished　unit。
‘This　is　just　fine；‘　Kelly　announced。　He　looked　around；　testing　the　kitchen　sink　and　other　plumbing　fixtures。　The　furniture　was　obviously　used；　but　in　decent　shape。　There　were　even　air　conditioners　in　the　windows　of　every　room。
‘I　have　other　ones　…‘
‘This　is　just　what　I　need。　How　much？‘
‘One　seventy…five　a　month；　one　month　security　deposit。‘
‘Utilities？‘
‘You　can　pay　them　yourself　or　we　can　bill　it。　Some　of　our　renters　prefer　that。　They‘ll　average　about　forty…five　dollars　a　month。‘
‘Easier　to　pay　one　bill　than　two　or　three。　Let‘s　see。　One　seventy…five；　plus　forty…five　。。。‘
‘Two…twenty；‘　the　manager　assured　him。
‘Fine。‘　Kelly　took　out　his　wallet；　handing　over　the　bills。　He　stopped。　‘No；　six…sixty；　we‘ll　make　it　three　months；　if　that‘s　okay。　And　I　need　a　receipt。‘　The　helpful　manager　pulled　a　pad　from　his　pocket　and　wrote　one　up　on　the　spot。　‘How　about　a　phone？‘　Kelly　asked。
‘I　can　have　that　done　by　Tuesday　if　you　want。　There‘s　another　deposit　for　that。‘
‘Please　take　care　of　that；　if　you　would。‘　Kelly　handed　over　some　more　money。　‘My　stuff　won‘t　be　here　for　a　while。　Where　can　I　get　sheets　and　stuff？‘
‘Nothing　much　open　today。　Tomorrow；　lots　of‘em。‘
Kelly　looked　through　the　bedroom　door　at　the　bare　mattress。　He　could　see　the　lumps　from　this　distance。　He　shrugged。　‘Well；　I‘ve　slept　on　worse。‘
‘Veteran？‘
‘Marine；‘　Kelly　said。
‘So　was　I　once；‘　the　manager　replied；　surprising　Kelly。　‘You　don‘t　do　anything　wild；　do　you？‘　He　didn‘t　expect　so；　but　the　owner　insisted　that　he　ask；　even　ex…Marines。　The　answer　was　a　sheepish；　reassuring　grin。
‘I　snore　pretty　bad；　they　tell　me。‘
Twenty　minutes　later　Kelly　was　in　a　cab　heading　downtown。　He　got　out　at　Penn　Station　and　caught　the　next　train　to　DC；　where　another　taxi　delivered　him　to　his　boat。　By　nightfall　Springer　was　headed　down　the　Potomac。　It　would　have　been　so　much　easier；　Kelly　told　himself；　if　there　were　just　one　person　to　help　him。　So　much　of　his　time　was　tied　up　with　useless　muting。　But　was　it　really　useless？　Maybe　not。　He　was　getting　a　lot　of　thinki