“When?” Carlos asked.
“Tonight,” Shanahan said. “We know where he lives, and he lives alone. It’s in the Balmoral section of town.”
“I don’t know,” Carlos said. “He’s a big guy.”
“With the reputation you have, I didn’t think that would matter,” Shanahan said.
“It’s not the killing that will be hard,” Carlos said. “It’s getting rid of the body and the blood.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Shanahan said. “Just do the trick and walk out. Maybe you could make it look like a robbery by taking money and valuables. Just don’t take anything that can be traced.”
“I don’t know,” Carlos said. “The police don’t like us Mexicans driving around in the Balmoral neighborhood. I’ve been stopped up there.”
“Listen, Carlos,” Shanahan said. He was quickly losing his patience. “You don’t have a lot of choice at this juncture. You screwed up last night. As I understand it you had plenty of time to kill the doctor. Besides, you don’t even have a green card.”
Carlos shifted his weight and rubbed his upper arms against the damp cold. He had no coat and was still wearing his leather vest without a shirt.
“What’s the address?” Carlos asked with resignation.
“That’s more like it,” Shanahan said as he handed over a typed three-by-five card.
Defying the revocation of his hospital privileges by the medical staff as delivered by Robert Rathborn, Kim went around the hospital and visited all his in-patients. He spent the most time with Friday’s post-ops. As Tom Bridges had promised, he’d been following all the patients closely. Kim was pleased that all were doing well and without complications. By the time Kim left the hospital it was mid-afternoon.
Kim had considered trying to call Kelly Anderson to arrange a meeting but then decided it would be better just to drop in. Besides, he didn’t have her phone number, and he rationalized it was undoubtedly unlisted.
Kelly Anderson lived in a prairie-style house in the Christie Heights section of town. It wasn’t quite as upscale as Balmoral but it was close. Kim pulled to the curb and stopped. He turned off the ignition and gazed at the house. It took him a moment to build up his courage. For Kim. coming to Kelly Anderson was akin to conniving with the devil herself. He felt he needed her but certainly didn’t like her.
Kim trudged up to the front door; realizing that there was a very good chance he would not even make it across the threshold.
Caroline, Kelly’s precocious daughter, opened the door. For a moment, Kim could not find his voice. The child brought back the unwelcome image of Becky in the ICU.
Kim heard a man’s voice from inside the house, asking Caroline who was there.
“I don’t know,” Caroline yelled back over her shoulder. “He won’t talk.”
“I’m Doctor Reggis,” Kim managed.
Edgar Anderson appeared behind his daughter. He was an academic-appearing fellow, with heavy dark rimmed glasses. He was wearing an oversized, elbow patched cardigan sweater. A pipe hung from the corner of his mouth.
“Can I help you?” Edgar inquired.
Kim repeated his name and asked to speak to Kelly Anderson.
Edgar introduced himself as Kelly’s husband and invited Kim inside. He showed him into the living room, which had the appearance of never being used.
“I’ll let her know you are here,” Edgar said. “Please sit down. Can I offer you anything? Coffee?”
“No, thank you,” Kim said. He felt self-conscious, as if he were a mendicant. He lowered himself onto an immaculate couch.
Edgar disappeared, but Caroline stayed to stare at Kim from behind a club chair. Kim could not look at her without thinking about Becky.
Kim was relieved when Kelly swept into the room.
“My, my,” she intoned. “This is curious. The fox chasing the hound. Sit down, please!” Kim had gotten to his feet when she’d entered. She plopped into the club chair. “And to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?” she added.
“Could we speak alone?” Kim asked.
Acting as if she had been unaware Caroline was in the room, Kelly told her daughter to find something entertaining to do.
As soon as Caroline had left, Kim started by telling about Becky’s death. Kelly’s glib demeanor changed immediately. She was obviously deeply moved.