Stuart Woods - Unnatural acts

“Carson has an addictive personality,” Dink said. “Some people are just made that way.”

“Yeah, I know. How the hell did you get out of that farm place?”

“Two ways. I snowed my keeper, and I turned twenty-one. The keeper took me to a movie in the village, and I took a hike and picked up my car from the place you left it. Thanks, by the way.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I came into my trust from my mother when I turned twenty-one,” Dink said, “and I’m well set up now. I snowed my dad, and he let me use a really nice apartment his firm owns. And guess who I’m having dinner with tonight?”

“Who?”

“Vanessa.”

“You dog. Fuck her once for me, will you?”

“I’d be delighted. If you see Carson, better not mention Vanessa.”

“Yeah, they’re, like, second-best friends, or something. Why did you come up here? It could be dangerous for you, you know. That cop that questioned me acted like he was going to make the world fall on you.”

“I figured that out,” Dink said. “They’re going to do nothing to any of us, because it would get Herb Fisher’s name in the papers, and his clients wouldn’t like it if their lawyer got charged with rape. It’s not dangerous, believe me, and I’ve got plans, sort of, for Mr. Fisher.”

Parker smiled. “Tell me.”

Dink leaned in. “Here’s what I need from you.” He had just finished telling Parker what he wanted when there was a knock at the door, and a woman came in. Dink and Parker stood.

“Mr. Fisher? I’m Mrs. Elliott. We spoke on the phone.”

“Of course, Mrs. Elliott. Do you have news for us?”

“Yes, I do. Mr. Mosely has been approved for discharge, just as soon as his father can come to sign him out.”

“That’s wonderful news, Mrs. Elliott. Congratulations, Parker, on completing your treatment. Mrs. Elliott, it occurs to me that I can give Parker a lift back to New York and save his father the trouble of a drive out here.”

“I’m afraid a parent will have to give written authorization,” she said.

“That’s all right, I have his father’s power of attorney, so I can sign him out. Isn’t this great, Parker? We can surprise your dad.”

“Oh, it’s great,” Parker said.

“Well, all right,” Mrs. Elliott said. “Parker, why don’t I walk you back to your room, and your can pack your things. Mr. Fisher, you may wait here, if you like, for Mr. Mosely to come back.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Elliott, for everything.” Dink shook hands with her, and she left with Parker.

Half an hour later, they were driving back to the city. “You can bunk with me for a while,” Dink said. “There are two bedrooms.”

“Great,” Parker replied. “I’m looking forward to this.”

The chopper slowed as it reached East Hampton and ran along the beach. The pilot looked back at Dino and Rosie. “It’s the smallest one,” he said over the intercom, while pointing down. “There’s a guy on the front porch. I’ll fly past and approach from the landward side. There’s a backyard.”

Dino looked down and from their height of about two hundred feet saw a man sitting at a table on the front porch of the house; he seemed to be eating breakfast. Dino gave the pilot a thumbs-up. “I see him,” he said. “There’s a hedge behind the house that separates it from what looks like a park. Can you put it down on that side of the hedge?”

“Sure thing,” the pilot said. Well past the house now, he swung inland.

Dino felt the deceleration and heard the chopper’s noise decline. “They must have some sort of quiet mode,” he said to Rosie.

“That’s right,” the pilot said, “we do. With the house and the hedge between us, he probably won’t hear us land.”

“Perfect,” Dino said. He looked out the window at the enormous beach houses. “Abney must have a very old house,” he said to Rosie. “His is a lot smaller than the others, and on less land.”

The chopper slowed again and Dino could look over the pilot’s shoulder through the windshield and see their landing spot coming. “Tighten your seat belt,” he said to Rosie.

“Can I take the train back?” Rosie asked. She was looking a little pale.

“Sissy!” Dino said, and he heard the pilot chuckle.

“Fifty feet and descending,” the pilot said. “How long will you be?”

“Just long enough to drag the bastard back here by his ears,” Dino said. “Keep it running.” The machine touched down and Dino opened the door and jumped out, followed closely by Rosie.

“Solid ground!” Rosie yelled, gleefully.

“Come on, we’ve got to find a break in this hedge,” Dino said, trotting along the twelve-foot-high thicket. “There’s no going through the thing.” They came to a road and turned toward the beach. The hedge turned, too. “The driveway’s gotta be along here somewhere,” Dino muttered, slowing down.

“Just ahead,” Rosie said. “You want to go in the back door?”

Dino got to the driveway and peeked around the hedge. A silver BMW was parked in the driveway. “Nah, I want to ruin the guy’s breakfast. Let’s go around.” He unholstered his weapon and held it at his side, as did Rosie, as they walked around the house. At the edge of the porch railing they stopped and looked around the corner. The table, chair, and some dishes were there, but no Abney.

“Which way, boss?”

“I’ll take the front, you go around back. He might be in the kitchen, so watch yourself. Yell out if you have trouble.”

The two parted company, and Dino walked casually around the corner of the porch and up the steps. The front door was open, but the screen door was closed. He tried it: latched. Dino took a credit card from his pocket, slipped it past the jamb, and moved it up, flipping the latch off. The gun at his side, he slipped through the screen door, closing it quietly behind him, then stopped and listened. Nothing. “Yoo-hoo, Mr. Abney,” he called out. “It’s your neighbor. Are you decent?”

He heard the rear screen door slam and heavy footsteps running. “Stop! Police!” he heard Rosie shout, then the footsteps were climbing stairs. “Mr. Abney, it’s the police!” Dino yelled. “Come downstairs with your hands up, or we’ll come up after you!” There was more running upstairs, then the noise stopped in what sounded like the front corner of the house.

Dino walked through the dining room and saw Rosie standing in the kitchen a yard or two from the stairs. She pointed upward, and he nodded. He walked to the stairs, and she joined him. “Follow me up, and walk near the wall. The steps will squeak less there.”

Rosie nodded. “Gotcha, boss.”

Dino started up the stairs slowly, his back to the wall and his gun pointed upward. At the top of the stairs, he stuck his head out for a second, then snatched it back. “Hallway,” he said to Rosie. “Mr. Abney! NYPD! Step into the hall, and let me see your hands in the air!”

“Go away!” a voice yelled back. “You can’t come into my home!”

“Mr. Abney, I’ve got a warrant for your arrest for murder, attempted murder, and assault on a police officer! I can do anything I want, and your house is surrounded by a SWAT team. Would you rather have them come in after you?”

Silence.

Dino stepped up the last step and into the hallway. Staying close to the wall, he moved quietly along toward an open doorway, perhaps twelve feet away.

“Ready?” he whispered to Rosie.

She nodded.

Dino swung around and charged through the door, his weapon extended. Abney was standing near a window, a gun pointed at his temple.

“Put the gun down, Abney, or I’ll shoot you where you stand,” Dino said.