Firebreak

10

Parker said, "Arthur, write Brock's address on the same sheet as that phone number."

"You can trust Mr. Albert," Meany said.

Parker waited.

Meany turned to Arthur. "Brock and Rosenstein are over in New York, in Greenwich Village. It's four-one-four Bleecker."

As Arthur wrote that down, Parker said, "Brock hired Charov for his own personal reason, but Brock was already connected here."

"He's like a supplier," Meany said. "He doesn't work regular for us."

"But he's another valuable asset. What makes him valuable?"

"You don't know?" Meany was surprised. "Electronics. He does all our debugging, all the phone lines in all our operations, comes through on a regular basis, like the exterminator. And specialty stuff. He made those bombs, set that up."

Parker nodded. "Gave you people one more reason to help him get rid of me."

Meany shrugged. "Seemed like it ought to be easy."

Arthur said, "Is Albert going to warn Brock we're coming?"

"No," Meany said. "We want no more of this. If Mr. Albert calls Brock, and Parker finds out about it, here he comes again."

"No," Parker said. "I'd go see Albert."

"He knows that, too," Meany said.

Parker got to his feet, put the .32 away in his pocket, picked the Beretta off the floor. "You two walk us out to the car," he said.

Meany held up his hands. "Still like this?"

"I don't need you to wave goodbye," Parker said. "Come along."

On Sixth Avenue, just into Manhattan from the Holland Tunnel, Parker said, "Let me off here."

Surprised, Arthur said, "Aren't I coming with you?"

"Not needed."

"Oh. Okay."

Arthur pulled to the curb by a fire hydrant. "I was getting used to going places with you," he said.

"Now you're retired again," Parker told him, and got out of the Volvo. A block north, at a pay phone, he called Lloyd at home in Massachusetts: "Tell the others, I'm finishing up here, I'll see them out there after tomorrow."

"Good," Lloyd said. "You're all done there?"

"One last detail," Parker said.