Barely Legal

93

Herbie didn’t know what to do. The whole world was crashing down on him. The cops were after him. The mobsters were after him. Now a loan shark was after him. And he didn’t have time for any of them, not if he was going to rescue Melanie Porter.

The thought was amusing. Rescuing the girl. What was he, the hero in some adventure story? No, he was just Herbie Fisher, attorney-at-law, and, sadly enough, the best chance Melanie Porter had.

He had to get out of his apartment building without being seen. Could it be done? Dino had advanced the theory that Taperelli’s men could have gotten in because they’d cut the cameras for the stairwell. Presumably he could go down those stairs. But what difference would it make? The cop wouldn’t be watching the security cameras. Herbie was a tenant. Nobody gave a damn if he used the elevator.

The stairwell led to the garage, presumably the method of egress used by Taperelli’s men. Well, the elevator did, too. He could take the elevator down to the garage. He didn’t have a car, but he could just walk out the entrance. The garage man didn’t know him, but he wouldn’t stop him going out.

Of course, if the cop was worth his salt, he would have made note of the garage entrance and taken up a position on the corner diagonally across from the building from which he could watch the main entrance and the garage entrance at the same time.

He didn’t dare risk it. He only had one shot, and if he guessed wrong, it could mean Melanie’s life.

Herbie paced up and down. Think, damn it, think. You don’t have to do this alone. Swallow your pride.

Herbie smiled slightly.

He snatched up his cell phone, punched in a number. “Josh? It’s Herbie.”

Joshua Hook chuckled. “Don’t tell me. You shot somebody, and the cops will be tracking the gun.”

“This morning you offered to help. Does that offer still stand?”

“What do you need?”

“How quick can you get to Manhattan?”

“Pretty damn quick. I’m there now.”

“What?”

“I had some business in town this afternoon. I’m about to have dinner.”

“Mind postponing it a little?”

“What do you need?”