Lost Light

26

Since the Las Vegas ruse was no longer in play I drove out to Burbank Airport, turned in my rental and took the tram out to the long-term lot to collect my car. I had borrowed Lawton Cross’s dolly and it was in the back of the Mercedes. Before driving off I got it out and slid underneath the car. I detached the satellite tracker and the heat sensor and slid under the pickup truck parked in the next space. I attached the equipment to the pickup’s underside and then got into the Mercedes. As I backed out I saw that the pickup had an Arizona plate. I figured if Peoples didn’t dispatch somebody soon to collect the bureau’s equipment, then they’d have to chase it to the next state. That left me smiling to myself when I pulled up to the parking booth to pay.

“You must have had a nice flight,” said the woman who took my ticket.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that. I made it back alive.”

I went home and called Janis Langwiser on her cell phone as soon as I got in the door. She had changed my plan a little bit. She didn’t want me leaving a message on her office line every night. She insisted I call her directly on her cell.

“How did it go?”

“Well, it went. Now I just have to wait. I gave him until tomorrow night. I guess we’ll know by then.”

“And how did he take it?”

“About what we expected. Not well. But I think by the end he saw the light. I think he’ll call tomorrow.”

“I hope so.”

“Everything set on your end?”

“I think so. The memory card’s in the office safe and I’ll wait to hear from you. If I don’t, then I’ll know what to do.”

“Good, Janis. Thanks.”

“Good night, Harry.”

I hung up and thought about things. Everything seemed to be in place. It was Peoples who would have to make the next move. I lifted the phone again and called Eleanor. She answered immediately, no sleep in her voice.

“Sorry, it’s Harry. Are you playing?”

“Yes and no. I’m playing but I’m not doing well so I took a break. I’m standing outside the Bellagio watching the fountains.”

I nodded. I could picture her there at the railing, the dancing fountains lit up in front of her. I could hear the music and the splash of water over the phone.

“How was Commander’s Palace?”

“How did you know about that?”

“Had a visit from the bureau tonight.”

“That was quick.”

“Yeah. I heard that’s a good restaurant. Shrimp like marshmallow. Did you like it?”

“It’s nice. I like the one in New Orleans better. The food’s the same but the original is the original, you know?”

“Yeah. Plus it’s probably not so great eating by yourself.”

I almost cursed out loud at how lame and transparent that was.

“I wasn’t alone. I took a friend that I play with. One of the girls. You didn’t tell me there was a spending limit, Harry.”

“No, I know. There wasn’t.”

I needed to steer away from this. We both knew what I had been asking about and it was getting embarrassing, especially considering there might be other ears listening.

“You didn’t notice anybody watching you, did you?”

There was a pause.

“No. And I hope you didn’t get me into any kind of trouble, Harry.”

“No, you’re fine. I’m just calling to let you know the scam is over. The bureau knows I’m still here.”

“Damn, I never got the chance to go shopping and get myself that present you promised.”

I smiled. She was kidding and I could tell.

“That’s okay, you can still do that.”

“Is everything okay, Harry?”

“Yeah, fine.”

“You want to talk about it?”

Not on this line, I thought but didn’t say.

“Maybe when I see you next time. I’m too tired right now.”

“Okay, then I’ll let you go. What should I do with your cards? And you know you left your bag on my backseat.”

She said it like she knew I had done it on purpose.

“Um, why don’t you just hold on to that stuff for now and maybe when I get past this thing I’m working on I’ll come back out and get it from you.”

It was a long time before she answered.

“Just give me a little more notice than you did today,” she finally said. “So I’m ready.”

“Sure, no problem. I will.”

“Okay, Harry, I’m going to go back in. Maybe talking to you will have changed my luck.”

“I hope so, Eleanor. Thanks for doing this for me.”

“No problem. Good night.”

“Good night.”

She disconnected.

“And good luck,” I said into the dead line.

I hung the phone up again and tried to think about the conversation and what she had meant. Just give me a little more notice than you did today. So I’m ready. It was like she wanted a warning before I came out. So she could do what? What did she have to get ready for?

I realized that I could drive myself nuts thinking and worrying about it. I put Eleanor and all of that aside and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator and took it out to the back deck. It was a cool and clear night and the lights of the freeway far below seemed to sparkle like a diamond necklace. I could hear a woman’s laughter carrying up the hillside from somewhere down below. I started thinking about Danny Cross and the song she had gently sung to her husband. In love and in loss the night is always sacred. It’s only a wonderful world if you can make it that way. There are no street signs pointing to Paradise Road.

I decided that when all of this was over I would go to Vegas and not turn back. I would throw the dice. I would go see Eleanor and take my chances.