Tuesday The Rabbi Saw Red

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

As she had on similar occasions, aggie Nolan walked slowly along Commonwealth Avenue, alert for the three short blasts of an automobile horn, she had called the FBI earlier and told the agent she worked with: "Commonwealth at Fairfield. Eleven o'clock."

At a quarter past eleven she finally heard the signal, she stepped into the roadway and stuck out her thumb, almost at once a car slowed down and came to a stop beside her

."You're late,” she said, sliding in beside the driver. "I passed you twice,” he said. "The first time there was a guy standing on the corner. I thought he was looking at you."

"Well, guys do, you know." said Aggie. "I sure as hell do know,” he said appreciatively. "The second time you hadn't thumbed. I told you before, you've got to thumb."

"Yeah, well, all that cloak and dagger jazz is a drag."

"Maybe so,” he said, "but while you work with me, you'll do it my way. It's for your protection as much as mine, all right, what's up?"

"They've picked up Ekko and they're holding him."

"What do you care— he a boyfriend of yours?"

"He was once, that's all over, but he's a decent guy,” she said. "Well, you don't have to worry about him, they let the others go and they'll let him go. I'm sure, especially now that they've charged this professor with the murder."

"There's still the arson charge, the others are out on bail. Ekko couldn't raise the bail."

"I still don't think there's anything to worry about. Believe me. I don't think the case will go to trial, the D.A, just doesn't have the evidence, and if it does go to trial, they'll be acquitted for sure." She turned on the seat to face him. "Not good enough," she said. "You told me to get in solid with the Weathervanes, and I did. I even went along with this crazy bombing scheme of yours to show I meant business."

"It worked, didn't it?"

"I didn't expect anybody to get killed!"

"But nobody did. This Hendryx guy, the bomb had nothing to do with his death."

"And I didn't expect anybody else to get blamed. I got nothing against any of them, especially Ekko, well, I want him out." He sighed. "All right. I'll talk to my boss and have him tip off the D.A. Okay?" He patted her on the knee. She slid away from him. "You can drop me right along here."

"What's your hurry? How about a little ride?"

"No, at the corner there. It's right near school." He shrugged. "Whatever you say, baby."