Cesara was asleep in a cloud of feminine hangover. I lay down beside her in my coat, pants, and shoes. If she's a boozer, I'll drink myself to death with her. If I make it in time... And I will. In an hour and a half, the planes would be over the Atlantic... With that thought, I passed out.
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In half an hour, the planes would land. One at LaGuardia, the other at Newark.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVU0tzlTsj
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Cesara got up during the night and drank again. I threw another bottle in the trash and turned on the TV. Stupid to expect news — except the night reports — about my meeting with Pachèrito. On every channel, reporters were standing outside last night's pub, all saying the same thing. They hadn't shown my sketch yet — it was only a matter of time. Time to get out.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMA5SPTChO
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The ammonia I found on the kitchen shelf brought Cesara around a little, but I knew after that much booze it would only last ten minutes — twelve at most. She couldn't focus on anything. I managed to get her into jeans, a sweater, some boots... I threw a beige coat from some designer over my shoulder, and practically carrying her, made it down to the car. If we made it out of the garage alive, we'd be lucky. I gave us maybe three chances out of a hundred. And that was too many.
Four blocks from home, I saw them — held on for another seven. It wasn't a chase — it was a roundup. They were herding us like wolves to the flags. And finally, they boxed us in. Bastards. They did it clean. I'd have picked that spot by the construction site myself.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNa8leoVANl
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I killed the engine and looked at Cesara. She was half out of it, her glassy eyes drifting from me to somewhere out the window, then back. She tried to sit up a couple of times to see what was happening, but couldn't. I ran my hand through her hair. From somewhere deep inside, she smiled — is this the end for us? "No — we'll get out of this..." I kissed her on the lips. Then I opened the door and stepped out.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1w6carVqq
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They stayed in their cars — all except one. He walked up close, hands in his coat pockets, calm, with an icy stare. I hadn't seen him before:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzatbPfwIX
"Who are you?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel7THTtaBz
"Walter," — he shifted his gaze from me to Cesara's Chrysler.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGix0kSdc8E
"I killed Pachèrito."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpnPX5FXip
"We know."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyB8KyU04pD
"What are you going to do?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfWO5BZFD9
"What do you think?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfayvMeHqZ
"Who's taking over for Carlos? Call him out."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOhPE3Zjkw
"He won't help you. Talk — I'll pass it on."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4qYX8pjHf
I nodded toward the Chrysler:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJaAvpqeyr
"What about her sister?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQ54QrNdUS
"We got carried away," — Walter looked away. "Shit happens."
A heavy lead ball slowly swelled in my throat. I let out a hollow breath:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTDXOucrKR
"She's grateful to you..."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7weT9q6gc
Eyes that showed nothing stared back at me:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxaUb5D4S2
"What was the price on Carlos?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiI8X79VPhZ
"Two million."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMl0jaKWp0
He clicked his tongue:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgG3mXtjelH
"You got?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UFWuAvGAL
"No. And won't."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHCWxSltyh
"Then why'd you get out of the car?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFLemnOVIc
Time to talk business. Hope was slim — but human greed is all‑powerful.
"Here's the deal. You take the original canvas and walk away from Cesara. Revenge on Pachèrito is pointless — he's past caring. Last sane offer. I'll tell you how to get the da Vinci."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MgQ1AWXdg
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I could see him running through the options — but there were none left. In an hour, the canvas would be locked in a vault that could only be opened in the presence of both Cesara and Bathsheba. Together. The contract didn't cover the presence of a corpse.
Walter walked back to the cars. A light rain started — I turned up my collar, more out of habit than to escape the cold drops. My phone buzzed in my pocket.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0ICvNEEdB
"All good," — Pshchedbrzdzhynski's voice was a little drunk, but focused. "The girl cleared customs clean. I'm taking the goods to the address."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZebciO1BV
"Hold on."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbO7bhGuQip
"What do you mean?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGZV14GOsj
"Hold on — I'll call you back."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJh6rzvVwh
"Did something hap..."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWy2IZou4R
I hung up.
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Cesara sat up in her seat. The silhouettes beyond the windshield swayed like ghosts. Charles and someone else... Who? She tried to place him — familiar, not in person, but she'd seen his photo... One of Pachèrito's men. Yes. Bathsheba had shown her the file. What were they talking about? Why were Pachèrito's people here? She opened the glove box...
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Walter glanced at me from a distance and gave a firm nod. I dialed Pshchedbrzdzhynski:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakRYmrnPMV
"Did something happen?" — he repeated.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4pjqQEGrG
"Yeah. They'll tell you who and where to hand the canvas over to. The rest when we me..."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURF2aXTZdf
I turned around and went cold. Cesara was staring at me with a wild look. A gun stretched out in her hand:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3ZxbrpZri
"Charles — you trading me to Pachèrito?"
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"No..." — the word comes out with a tiny click.
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Something hits my chest — pain, sharp at first, almost sickening, then shooting from my spine to my skull. I see the sky tilt, roofs collapsing from above, walls flashing by as they tip me toward the gravel that was scraping under my feet a second ago. The pain swells, and a bolt of lightning hits my temple. My breath is fading — not enough of it left... It can't be — the air is right there, all around us, they're breathing it. Cesara drops to her knees beside me, she's screaming, but the sound is somewhere far away... gone. Endless silence. And then! Everything explodes — my eardrums are about to burst. Walter stands over Cesara, a gun to her temple — she can't see him. Cesara! — I shout — she can't hear me. Someone's hand lands on the gun... Sam Lockwood...
"Take your hand off," Sam's voice rolls like thunder. "Take it off — we have a deal."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQj6RErhFqZ
Walter shakes his head and steps back. Sam squats down, his eyes empty, and picks up my phone:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtMLgedCIn
"Who's this?.. Alright — we'll figure it out..."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCh9HF7EKoQ
Two more guys lift Cesara up. A car pulls up close — they open the back door and ease her into the seat. I see her looking at me, I see her tears... The cars slowly pull away.
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My turn too... Just a second — I want to see the sky one more time. Don't rush — I'm already looking up...76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjJGMF2Cey
The clouds parted. A ray of sunlight warms the spot where the bullet went in. Then it spreads... Probably in a perfect oval...76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7hP24sNiK
A blurry silhouette steps into it, his eyes sliding over me with curiosity as he sits down and takes my hand:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24wEX8xZOD
"Coffee?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4iRgN9Mn7
"Yeah," — I nod. "I'll have that coffee."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB0el96Xm3
"Good."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmNpsImLiS
"And, Loir..."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbpi41TBh5
"I know... You owe Worm two hundred and sixteen... plus change. Don't worry — I'll take care of it."
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THE END
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