Part 9 (1/2)
”Neither do I. Believe me, it's not by choice.”
Veil shrugged. ”As far as I'm concerned, we're not enemies.”
”I came to ask you a question, which I hope you'll answer.”
”Let's hear the question.”
”I'd like to know what you said to my partner.”
”Oh, that. I told Nagle I knew he was a Mafia enforcer, rapist, child molester, and all-around s.a.d.i.s.t. I also mentioned, in pa.s.sing, that he had executed Vito Ricci, that he was on the Mafia's s.h.i.+t list for his somewhat excessive behavior, and that for an act of penance he's supposed to make sure that the Nal-toon is delivered safely to any one of the remaining five families. I very politely asked him to decline the Mafia a.s.signment and request transfer to another case, since the K'ung obviously need the idol more than the Mafia does. That's about it. Is he still upset?”
Vahanian seemed stunned as he stared at Veil, his mouth slightly open, his breathing rapid and shallow. ”You got anything here to drink?” he said at last.
”Scotch or bourbon?”
”Bourbon.”
”Water? Ice?”
”Neat. A big one, if you don't mind.”
Veil went into the kitchen, removed a bottle of bourbon from a cabinet, and poured a heavy tumbler half full. When he returned to the other room, he found Vahanian sitting on the floor, back braced against one of the support pillars that ran down the center of the loft.
”Cheers, Lieutenant,” Veil said as he handed the drink to the detective. ”You'll excuse me if I don't join you. It's still early, and I've got things to do.”
Vahanian downed the drink in three quick swallows, then set the gla.s.s down on the polished hardwood floor. ”I'm with the New York State Police, Kendry, on special a.s.signment to the NYPD. I've been investigating Nagle for close to a year, and I only know maybe half of what you just told me.”
”So the NYPD is on to Nagle?”
Vahanian nodded. ”They've suspected for some time, especially since the last big problem he had. But it's tough to nail him down. He's very good at what he does, Kendry, and he covers his tracks well.”
”Oh, he has great technique. It's called terror.”
”Are you sure of your information?”
”Yes.”
Vahanian studied Veil for a few moments, then nodded. ”I can see that you are. Will you give me the name of your informant?”
”No. I won't even confirm that I got the information through an informant.”
Vahanian sighed with resignation. ”One of the biggest problems we've been having is getting anyone to testify against him. Terror isn't the word for what Nagle instills in his victimsa”and we suspect there are a lot of them. Do you know of anyone who might be willing to come forward?”
”I might. But I wouldn't even think of mentioning this person's name until you have Nagle nailed down tight. Sorry, Lieutenant, but Nagle's your problem.”
Vahanian rose to his feet, straightened his sport jacket. ”Judging from the presence of those bodyguards downstairs, I'd say he's also your problem.”
”I don't think of Nagle as a problem.”
”You know, the att.i.tude of the police department in this city toward you is very ambivalent.”
”I don't consider that a problem, either.”
”May I ask what your interest in this matter is?”
”I don't really have an interest. I'm just a friend of Reyna Alexander's.”
Vahanian grunted with disbelief, then headed toward the door. ”Thanks for the drink.”
”Lieutenant?”
The detective turned, raised his thick eyebrows slightly. ”What is it, Kendry?” ”Information for information? Now I'd like to ask you a question.”
”Let's hear the question,” Vahanian replied with a thin smile.
”I know that Nagle was ordered to execute Vito Ricci, because it was Ricci who was responsible for trying to squeeze the Nal-toon through an otherwise secure smuggling pipeline. Do you know why Ricci did it?”
Vahanian shook his head. ”Not really.”
”Not really?”
”No. To tell you the truth, wea”or I, at leasta”don't really care what Ricci was up to. My a.s.signment is to help the NYPD get Nagle. As far as the city and state are concerned, we'd just as soon all those Mafia b.a.s.t.a.r.ds shot each other out of existence. Still, for what it's worth, Intelligence did pick up rumors that the heads of the other five families were planning to shut him downa”forcibly retire him, you might say. h.e.l.l, he was pus.h.i.+ng ninety. Maybe he went senile.”
”Thanks, Vahanian.”
The detective hesitated a moment, then came back across the loft and extended his hand to Veil, who gripped it. ”You watch your a.s.s, Kendry.”
”I have some very skilled friends watching my a.s.s for me, Lieutenant. You're the one riding the back of the tiger. You watch your a.s.s.”
”I will. See you.”
”See you.”
”Veil!”
Veil turned off his flashlight, crossed the width of the empty boxcar in two long strides, and leapt through the open door. He hit the ground in full stride, darted between two uncoupled cars, and ran toward the sound of Reyna's voice. He rounded a car, slowed when he saw that Reyna was not in danger.
Reyna was thirty yards farther down a stretch of empty track, crouched down beside the rails and staring at something on the ground. Veil jogged down the tracks, squatted beside Reynaa”and winced.
Two broken teeth jutted from the middle of a pool of dried vomit that was marbled with streaks of blood. More blood had stained the surrounding gravel a dull brown.
”Toby's sick,” Reyna said, her voice catching. ”And he's hurt.”
”Take it easy,” Veil whispered, taking Reyna into his arms. ”We don't know for sure that it's Toby's.”
”It's Toby's,” Reyna said, her voice thick with grief and anxiety. ”I know it's his. It's on the route.” She drew a deep, shuddering breath. ”The vomit isn't that old. Toby was here.”
Veil led Reyna a few yards away from the spot, then held her until she stopped trembling. He gently sat her down on a rail, then slowly walked up and down the tracks, studying the ground. Fifteen yards to the right of the vomit he found wood splinters and a streak of white powder.