Эд Горман - Stranglehold

Gwen came slow and gray out into the open area in front of the reception desk. She didn’t seem to quite know where she was. I was out of my chair immediately.

She leaned against me. I wondered if she was going to pass out. I got my arm around her shoulder and we started to leave the station. The bikers said something and giggled again. I’d have to stop back and kill them later. I’d be bringing an Uzi. I hurried her down the steps as soon as possible. I was waiting for Detective Kapoor to shout at our backs that she wanted to question Gwen.

There was a concrete bench half a block down. I helped her over there and we sat down. She put her head against me. I hugged her. I could smell her hot tears. There was nothing to say for now, so I just sat there holding her.

Cars and people came and went. Smoky melancholy autumn was on the breeze briefly and it was jack-o’-lantern time for a moment. I imagined Gwen dressing her little boy or girl up to go trick-or-treating. She’d have a good time taking the little one around all got up in costume with a bag ready for plunder. And all this misery would be forgotten. Or so I hoped.

She gathered herself in a self-conscious way. She stood up, drew her hands down her cheeks to dry her tears, then walked around in tight little circles taking deep breaths. People going into the station gawked at her, of course, but if she noticed she didn’t seem to care.

Then she came back and sat down and said, “You need to talk to Susan Cooper. I wasn’t supposed to mention her name, but right now I don’t know what else to do. They usually send me out of the room when they talk. But I think I’ve pretty much figured out who she is.”

“She’s his mother.”

“How did you guess? They don’t look alike at all.”

“She’s taking a lot of risks. And hurting her campaign. She wouldn’t do that unless she was really involved with Bobby in some way.”

“One night Bobby was crying and she was holding him and rocking him back and forth like a little child. That was when I knew she was his mother. But he won’t talk about her to me. And he won’t talk about Craig, either.”

“Who’s Craig?”

“I’m not sure. But he scares me. And sometimes he gives Bobby money.”

“What’s he look like?”

“He has red hair for one thing. He’s big, too. And he always — I don’t know how to say it — it’s like he’s always ready to explode. That’s why he’s dangerous.”

“Do you know his last name?”

“I only heard it once. Craig Donovan, I think.”

“And Bobby won’t talk to you about either of them?”

“He just says we’re going to have some serious money pretty soon. That’s how he always says it, ‘serious money.’ But when I ask him, he says I’m better off not knowing and that I’d just worry if I knew.”

“C’mon,” I said.

“Where’re we going?”

“I’m going to find you a decent motel. I’m hoping Jim Shapiro can get Bobby out pretty soon.”

“Really?”

“Jim’s good. And if all they have on Bobby is that he was seen running from Monica’s room, I doubt they can hold him much longer.”

It was nice to see her smile.

David Manning was climbing into his shiny, new silver Aston Martin convertible when I pulled into the headquarters parking lot. He wore tan slacks and a navy-blue blazer over an open-collared white dress shirt. He might have passed for dapper if his face wasn’t so drawn and his glance so tired. When he saw me he reversed course and came out of his car.

“Morning, Dev.”

“Morning, David.”

“Just stopped by to see if my wife had turned up yet.”

“She’s not inside?”

“No. And nobody seems to know where she is, either.”

The side door to the headquarters opened. Doris Kelly emerged and started walking toward us. Her pale blond hair caught the sun. In her shy way, she was a compelling woman, one of those quiet ones who become more interesting the longer you’re around them.

“Sorry I kept you, David. I just wanted to call and see how they were treating my mother at the nursing home. She just moved in yesterday.”

“That’s fine, Doris. How’s she doing?”

“Well, so far she likes it.” The shy smile again. “Of course, it’s just been twenty-four hours.” She turned to me. “I guess they’re having trouble finding Susan again.”

“That’s what David was saying. Was she home last night?”

“Got home late,” David said. “I waited up for her till about two and then just went up to bed.”

“You really need your sleep, David,” Doris said. “You work so hard.”

He laughed. “She not only helps me at the foundation; she’s also my substitute mother.” He touched a gentle hand to her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mom. I get plenty of sleep.”

“But Susan did come home, David?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m not sure what time. But she was there when the maid served breakfast. She told me she was at Jane Clarke’s after the fund-raiser.”

“I guess I don’t know that name.”

“Her best friend for years. They were inseparable for a long time. They had a little falling-out. Now they’re close again. She probably would have said more, but then Natalie came downstairs.”

“It didn’t go well?”

His mouth tightened. “Natalie started in on Susan about how she’s been doing this wrong and that wrong. You know Natalie when she gets going. I tried to get her to back off a little...” The way his voice trailed off indicated that he hadn’t had much luck. But then I’d seen him with Natalie. He was her prisoner, but instead of a gun she wielded a checkbook.

Doris’s blue eyes narrowed. “They’re always putting you in the middle, David.”

He smiled at me. “My defender here.” He checked his watch. “We’ve got a meeting at the foundation in fifteen minutes. We need to get going. I’m sorry this campaign seems to be coming apart for you, Dev. But I think Susan will come around. She usually does.”

The word that stayed in my mind was “usually.”

Inside, Kristin and Ben were both on their phones. I sat down at a free computer and started checking my e-mail. I decided against sending money to a Nigerian prince who promised to swell my bank account into a fortune, against purchasing a “male enhancement” drug that would make me the envy of all the guys in the locker room and ensure that the ladies would be lined up around my block, and against signing a petition to investigate our current president to see if he was an extraterrestrial. After that I logged on to the Web site of the local newspaper and saw a photograph of Greg Larson. The headline read CONTROVERSIAL POLITICAL CONSULTANT QUESTIONED BY POLICE.

Now I was sure Bobby would be back on the street sometime today. If the police were talking to Larson, then something must have happened to make him seem suspicious to them. There had been rumors for a year that Larson and Monica no longer got along. The story on the Web site indicated that they were in Aldyne because a political magazine wanted to do a lengthy profile of them. And this was a congressional seat that their party definitely wanted to win. The piece said they’d been here for five days.

I didn’t see who walked in the door because I was busy on the computer, but when I heard Kristin say, “Thank God,” I knew it had to be Susan.

“Morning, everybody. I thought I’d get a workout in before the day started. I’m ready to go to the luncheon, Kristin, if you are.”

I logged off the computer. By now Susan was walking to the coffeemaker. She took it black. She wore the usual impeccable suit — this one in dark brown — and two-inch heels. She must have sensed me watching her, because when she turned around she had her smile prepared and it was a good one. You couldn’t go wrong with that smile. It made me reconsider sending off for that male-enhancement deal.