The October List Part 20

'Kiss me back,' she whispered.

He was startled but he did as ordered, firmly and with pa.s.sion his grip on her shoulders nearly hurt. She could sense his genuine desire. She felt a burst of longing within her.

Then Gabriela forced herself to tell him in a whisper, 'Step back, and look me over like you're enjoying what you're seeing.' She stripped her burgundy sweater off.

'I don't have to pretend about that,' Daniel mouthed.

In her pale blue bra and close-fitting stretch pants, she walked to the window, paused for a moment and slid the shade down. She then put the sweater back on.

'b.u.mmer,' he whispered.

She held her fingers to her lips. She grabbed the TV remote and muting the volume turned the unit and the cable box on, then scrolled through pay-per-view channels until she found an adult movie. Two clicks and the bad film came to life in medias res, depicting a young couple going at it poolside in a very stressed lounger. The volume rose.

Uhn, uhn, uhn ...

She nodded to the door then snagged the leather jacket from the rack in the hall. But her face grew somber as she looked at the garment on a neighboring hook: a child's faux-fur parka.

More tears flowed.

Daniel put his arm around her shoulder, gave an encouraging hug. Gabriela pulled on sungla.s.ses. He did too and they stepped out the door into the hallway, which smelled of carpet and cleanser. In ten minutes they were slipping out of the service entrance in the back of the building, and heading once more for Central Park, free of prying eyes and ears.

CHAPTER.

11.

11:15 a.m., Sat.u.r.day

45 minutes earlier

'I still can't believe it,' Gabriela whispered. 'If you ever met him, met Charles, you'd think it was impossible what those men were saying.'

She and Daniel continued walking in silence into the shadows of the Upper West Side. They were almost to her apartment. There, she'd explained, she'd call her co-worker Elena and Charles's lawyer and see if she could piece together what had happened.

She added, 'He was the nicest guy in the world. When I got divorced, he said anything I needed, just let him know. He found a lawyer for the divorce. One of the best in the city. He lent me ten thousand for expenses. But it wasn't a loan. I tried to pay him back but he wouldn't take a penny.' She took a tissue and pressed it to her eyes.

They turned down a canyon-like cross street to head west. In a moment they were at her building, a five-story brick structure a few blocks from Central Park, between Columbus and Amsterdam.

As they walked into the lobby a man, standing near the elevator, looked her up and down. 'Gabriela McKenzie?'

's.h.i.t. Another cop?' she whispered to Daniel.

Then their eyes noted he carried a paper Whole Foods shopping bag.

'What's this?' she asked softly.

'You are Gabriela?' The man was six-two. He was solid, but not fat. Solid the way a bag of fertilizer's solid. His hair was a ma.s.s of curly blond ringlets.

'Yes. I'm sorry, who are you?'

A giddy laugh. 'Hey, there. How're you doing? Beautiful morning, isn't it? Gorgeous. Predicting overcast and temperatures plummeting later, but let's enjoy what we've got now, shall we?'

He strode up to them, moving in a lithe way for a large man. A faint grin. 'I'm Joseph.' He didn't extend his hand. 'Don't try to rack your brains. We've never met.' A nod at Daniel, who gazed into the man's dark eyes. Under an unb.u.t.toned black overcoat, he wore a loose-fitting brown suit and a dress shirt with two slashes of crease across the belly. His teeth, curiously, had a slightly pinkish tint.

'And you ...?' She didn't complete the question but instead asked, 'How do you know me?'

'Oh, I don't yet. Not personally, that is. My loss, that. How you doing today? Not in the mood to chat? No worries. I've got something you'll be interested in.'

'What're you talking about? Leave us alone.'

'Wait. "Interested," I said. Aren't you curious exactly what?'

'No.'

'Oh, hey. I'll bet you will be. Betcha five bucks. Want to take me up?'

'Hey, f.u.c.k off, mister,' Daniel said, moving forward an inch or two.

Joseph held up a hand as if warding off a blow. Grinning, cringing. Playful. 'Just take a peek. Pretty please? I'm begging you.' He lifted the shopping bag.

Gabriela's head swiveled toward Daniel as Joseph reached into the bag and withdrew a windbreaker, black and blue like the water of New York Harbor at dusk. It was a child's size. He also displayed a plastic doll, similar to Barbie. But the dress had been removed from the toy. The beige flesh glowed in a band of sunlight.

Gabriela screamed.

Joseph frowned broadly. 'The ears. The ears!' He tapped his own. 'That was noisy.'

She raged, 'Where did you get those? That's Sarah's jacket! And her doll!' She stepped back and grabbed her cell phone.

Joseph said, 'Oh, about the phone. Just think about why I might not want you to make any calls. Is that too much of a stretch? I'll vote it isn't.'

'What the f.u.c.k is this?' Daniel barked.

Joseph wagged a finger his way but said nothing.

Her voice cracking, Gabriela repeated, 'Where did you get those? Where is she? Who are you?'

'So many, many questions ... Let's take 'em one at a time. I got the jacket from Ms Sarah. That's a no-brainer. And where could she be? Where do you think? With some friends of mine. As for question number three, I'll hold off on that for the time being.'

Gabriela lunged, grabbing him by the lapels. This caught Joseph off-guard and he stumbled back, an angry frown replacing the smirk. Daniel restrained her.

Then the slick grin was back on Joseph's face. 'Re-lax! Little Sarah's fine.'

Daniel eased closer yet. Joseph opened his coat and jacket and displayed the b.u.t.t of a pistol. 'More show-and-tell! So settle down there, Cowboy.'

Daniel, eyes wide, stepped back.

Gabriela gasped as she stared at the weapon.

Joseph looked Daniel up and down. 'And who exactly are you, Cowboy?'

'I'm a friend.'

'Friend. Okay. Let me see your wallet.'

Daniel hesitated, then dug into his pocket and handed him a wad of cash. Hundreds and fifties. Probably a thousand dollars.

'That's what goes into a wallet. That's not a wallet.'

'Take it.'

'I don't want it. I want your wallet.'

Gabriela shouted, 'Where's Sarah? What've you done?'

Joseph tapped his ears again. 'Let's not draw too much attention to ourselves. This' he tapped the pistol 'is even louder than your hysteria. Now, Cowboy, wallet.'

Daniel handed the supple leather over.

'No, no ...' Gabriela was crying now.

As he flipped through the billfold, Joseph seemed to be memorizing various facts. He slipped out one of the business cards and examined it. 'The Norwalk Fund. Sounds lucrative.' He handed everything back. 'Here you go, Cowboy Dan, a resident of Eighty Five Franklin Street. Nice area. That's all I want for now. But if I ever do have need of a loan, glad to know you're sooo willing to part with your cash.' Then to Gabriela, 'Now, about Ms Sarah. The reason she's visiting my friends is because of your boss. Which maybe you figured out. Charles Prescott disappearing. Which troubled me mightily. You've heard from the police about that, I imagine?'

'Yes, but what does-'

A finger to his lips silenced her. 'Yes'll do just dandy. Don't say any more unless I ask. Okay?'

She nodded, her hands clenched.

'Now, if the fine constabulary of the city of New York calls you again, don't talk to them. If your phone rings and you don't recognize caller ID don't pick up. If they leave a message don't return their calls. If they stop you on the street and ask you anything, from the time of day to where to buy good donuts when they're on break to details about your boss's underwear preferences, tell 'em you're not saying anything until you see your lawyer. If I find out you've been talking to the police I won't be happy. And that means Ms Sarah won't be happy.'

'Stop it! Quit playing these f.u.c.king games!' Gabriela swallowed and stared at the windbreaker and doll. 'How do I know you have her? Maybe you stole them.'

Joseph carefully rolled the blue windbreaker up and slipped it into the bag, dropped the doll on top of it. 'Here's what's happened. Your ex-husband, Timothy, dropped your daughter off at her dance cla.s.s this morning. Not long after that, an a.s.sociate of mine who looks like Tim's father came to the school and signed her out. Grandpa's name and picture are on the a.s.signed release list.'

'How did you know that?' Gabriela whispered in shock.

Joseph seemed not in the mood to answer. 'He said that there was a change of plans and he was supposed to take Sarah to some friends. You had an unexpected trip. Grandpa look-alike dropped her off with said friends. I.e., me. That's how it worked. And pretty d.a.m.n smooth if I do say so myself.'

'No! She wouldn't go away with a stranger!' Gabriela cried.

'The last time she saw her grandfather was two years ago. I learned that with a few mouse clicks. And I mean just a few. Tsk, tsk all that social network stuff. People are sooo careless nowadays.'

Wiping her eyes with her fingertips, she whispered, 'I don't have much money. But I'll get you whatever you want. I'll borrow it. I'll-'

Joseph's amused eyes took in Daniel again. 'You're gettin' tense there, Cowboy; you're getting antsy. I can see it. Like you're thinking about playing hero. You want to take a pen and stab me in the eye? Well, first, I'd kill you before you got six inches toward me. But if you managed to grab a bat or have an RPG hidden on your person and you took me out, what do you think would happen to our Sarah? Be a little smarter, okay?'

Daniel said evenly, 'The police'll get you. And the FBI. Kidnapping's a federal crime.'

Joseph sighed. 'Oh, pul-ease ...' His eyes swayed back to Gabriela. His voice was more reasonable now. 'Listen. She's fine. She's watching TV. She's got some toys. She thinks she's with some friends of yours she hasn't met. You had to go out of town for a day or two.'

'If you hurt her, I'll-'

'Movie dialogue alert ... Let's not waste time, okay?'

'I want to talk to her. I want to see her.'

'In a minute.'

'Please.'

'In a minute.' Joseph looked around them. There were no observers. 'Now, listen to me carefully. Are you listening?'

'Yes, but-'

'Shhh. All I want is you to listen.'

'All right.' She looked down past her trembling hands.

'Have you heard from Charles Prescott today?'

'No, I swear. He left work early yesterday. I'd tell you if I'd heard from him. Please ... What do you want?'

Joseph was nodding. Again he looked up and down the street through the front door. A few pa.s.sersby but n.o.body was paying this group any attention. 'There's a list with detailed information on some clients of Charles's. Thirty-two of them, to be exact.'

'Thirty-two?' she asked, looking quickly at Daniel.

'That's right. He called it the October List. These were special clients he did, let's say, some private work for.'

'I've never heard of it.'