the curb next to a fire hydrant. Angelo was half-sitting, half-leaning
against the trunk, smoking a cigarette.
Raymond followed Franco to the car. Angelo responded by straightening up
and stepping to the side.
‘We just want you to take a quick look in the trunk,’ Franco said. He
reached the car and keyed the luggage compartment. ‘Come right over here
so you can see. The light’s not so good.’
Raymond stepped between the Ford and the car behind it, literally inches
away from the trunk’s lid as Franco raised it.
In the next second, Raymond thought his heart had stopped. The instant
he glimpsed the ghoulish sight of Cindy Carlson’s dead body crammed into
the trunk, there was a flash of light.
Raymond staggered back. He felt sick with the image of the obese girl’s
porcelain face imprinted in his brain and dizzy from the flash of light
which he quickly realized was from a Polaroid camera.
Franco closed the trunk and wiped his hands. ‘How’d the picture come
out?’ he asked Angelo.
‘Gotta wait a minute,’ Angelo said. He was holding the edges of the
photo as it was developing.
‘Just a second longer,’ Franco said to Raymond.
Raymond involuntarily moaned under his breath, while his eyes scanned
the immediate area. He was terrified anybody else had seen the corpse.
‘Looks good,’ Angelo said. He handed the picture to Franco who agreed.
Franco reached out with the photo so Raymond could see it.
‘I’d say that’s your best side,’ Franco said.
Raymond swallowed. The picture accurately depicted his shocked terror as
well as the awful image of the dead girl.
Franco pocketed the picture. ‘There, that’s it, Doc,’ he said. ‘I told
you we wouldn’t need a lot of your time.’
‘Why did you do this?’ Raymond croaked.
‘It was Vinnie’s idea,’ Franco said. ‘He thought it best to have a
record of the favor he’d done for you just in case.’
‘In case of what?’ Raymond asked.
Franco spread his hands. ‘In case of whatever.’
Franco and Angelo got into the car. Raymond stepped up onto the
sidewalk. He watched until the Ford had gone to the corner and
disappeared.
‘Good Lord!’ Raymond murmured. He turned and headed back to his door on
unsteady legs. Every time he solved one problem another emerged.
The shower had revived Jack. Since Laurie had not included any
injunction about riding his bike this time, Jack decided to ride. He
cruised south at a good clip. Given the bad experiences he’d had in the
park the previous year, he stayed on Central Park West all the way to
Columbus Circle.
From Columbus Circle, Jack shot across Fifty-ninth Street to Park
Avenue. At that time of the evening, Park Avenue was a dream, and he
took it all the way to Laurie’s street. He secured his bike with his
collection of locks and went to Laurie’s door. Before ringing her bell,
he took a moment to compose himself, determining how best to act and
what to say.
Laurie met him at the door, with a wide grin on her face. Before he
could even say a word, she threw her free arm around his neck to give
him a hug. In her other hand, she was balancing a glass of wine.
‘Uh-oh,’ she said, stepping back. She eyed the wild state of his
close-cropped hair. ‘I forgot about the bike issue. Don’t tell me you
rode down here.’
Jack shrugged guiltily.
‘Well, at least you made it,’ Laurie said. She unzipped his leather
jacket and peeled it off his back.
Jack could see Lou sitting on the sofa, with a grin that rivaled the
Cheshire cat’s.
Laurie took Jack’s arm and pulled him into the living room. ‘Do you want
the surprise first or do you want to eat first?’ she asked.
‘Let’s have the surprise,’ Jack said.
‘Good,’ Lou said. He bounded off the couch and went to the TV.
Laurie guided Jack to the spot Lou had just vacated. ‘Do you want a
glass of wine?’
Jack nodded. He was confused. He hadn’t seen any ring, and Lou was
intently studying the VCR remote. Laurie disappeared into the kitchen
but was soon back with Jack’s wine.