Page 24 (1/2)

"Giveto the corner of Stanton and Attorney I'll be walking slow Catch up with o fro?"

"It's not but a couple blocks"

I sipped ave her the head start she'd asked for Then I picked up e and left a buck on the bar I went out the door, up the stairs to the street

The cold air was bracing after the warood look around before I walked to the corner of Stanton and looked east toward Attorney She had covered half the block already, walking in that hip-rolling stroll that's as good as a neon sign I picked up ht her a few yards before the corner

She didn't look ata left at Attorney It looked a lot like Ridge Street, the sa tenements, the same air of unquiet desperation Under a streetlaround, all four of its wheels removed The streetlamp across the as out, and so was another further down the block

I said, "I haven't got much money with me Under fifty dollars"

"I said you could pay me later"

"I know But if this was a setup, there's not enough money to make it hile"

She looked at me, a pained expression on her face "You think that's what this is about? Man, I make more in a half hour than I could ever roll you for, and the ive it to ?"

"Next block You'll see Say, that picture of hiht"

"Looks just like hiht, too Man, he looks at you, those eyes just go right on through you, you knohat I , soht since I walked down the dark stairwell and into the bar I didn't kno ious anxiety that I'd picked up from Candy Whatever it was, I didn't like it

"This way," she said, reaching for my arm I jerked my arm free and she drew back and stared at me "What's the matter, you can't stand to be touched?"

"Where are we going?"

"Right through there"

We were at the mouth of an empty lot where a tenement had once stood Now cyclone fence barred the way, topped with concertina wire, but soate into the fence Beyond it I could see some discarded furniture, a burned-out sofa and some cast-off mattresses

"There's a back house to one of the buildings on the next block," she said, her voice little et in froh the lot here You could live on this block and never know about it"

"And that's where he is?"

"That's where he stays Look, man, just come with me to where you can see the entrance You'd never find it if I don't point it out to you"

I stood still for aI don't knohat I expected to hear Candy stepped through the opening in the fence, not even looking back at me, and when she was a few yards ahead I started in after her I knew better, but it didn't seem to matter I felt like Elaine He'd told her to pick up the phone and turn off the answeringbetter didn't help She did what he told her

I walked slowly, picking h the debris underfoot The street had been dark to begin with, and it got darker with every step I took into the lot I couldn't have been more than ten yards in when I heard footsteps

Before I could turn a voice said, "That's just fine, Scudder Hold it right there"

I started to pivot around to un to move, his hand fastened on htened and his fingers had found soh me and my arrasp her up, close to the shoulder, with his thu the ar with a wave of nausea rolling up from the pit of my stomach

I didn't make a sound, or lass crunched underfoot as Candy returned to appear a few feet in front of old hoop earrings

"Sorry," she said There was no y either

"Pat hiun, silly He's just glad to see me"

"Pat him down"

Her hands fluttered like little birds, patting at un tucked beneath my belt She dropped to her knees before s to the ankle, then ran her hands up along the inside of the legs to the groin There her hands lingered for a longThe touch was at once a violation and a caress

"Definitely pre-op," she announced "And no gun Or would you like h"

"Are you sure? He could have a weapon up his heinie, JL He could have a whole bazooka up there"

"You can go now"