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traffic. Crowds were just getting out of the darkening theaters, couples
arm-in-arm on the sidewalks, still laughing at the gag lines, humming the
tunes, occasionally pausing to window-shop. Drunks threaded in and out of the
milling throngs. Beyond the canyon walls the many-footed city murmured in the
neon night-mist, a monster stirring in its sleep
 They gotta be tailin us, Tony said.
Carney gave a look back.  Don t see anything yet.
 Wait till we turn off. Boss, this is gonna be suicide. One, they re gonna try
to zotz us before we cross the river; two, if we do get into Hellgate, we get
wasted before we drive a block; three, say you do get to the Tweeleries. They
either let you have it at the check station, or they take you in and do it,
maybe for
Tweel to watch.
 Drive to Manny s Garage first, Carney said.
Tony nodded slowly, then smiled.  I gotcha. Change cars, huh? The smile
faded.  But they ll just wait for us to come out.
 You drive in, drop me off. You take the new car and drive out with Velma.
They won t follow you. I ll slip through the celebrity duck-out hole into
Lucky s basement. I ll go up into the restaurant and out the front door. You
pick me up there.
 That s great, boss.
 Nobody but Lucky and his celeb customers know about the hole. And Manny. And
me, since I own half the joint. And Manny s employees. Carney chuckled.  Now
that I think of it, it s not such a big secret. Still, it should work.
 It s a little risky, but I like it, Tony said. He shrugged.  Hey, you gotta
take a shot, you know what I m sayin ?
 You pays your money and you falls on your face.
Tony laughed.  Yeah, that s exactly what we re gonna do if they tail me, maybe
thinkin you re hidin
in the trunk or some stunt like that.
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Castle MurdersJohn
DeChanciee-reads2002Texttext/html0-7592-6266-7en-usen-usCopyright © 1994 by
John DeChancie{59FFE082-6408-11
 If they do split up to tail you, what you do is  
 Hey, boss, whaddya think, I m some kinda mamaluke?
If they tail me, I drive around until they get sick of it. I lose  em and then
I come back for you.
 Hey, you gotta some brains.
Tony cackled, then checked the rearview window.  Hell, I see  em already.
That s Seamus Riordan s
Durant Roadmaster. I can tell by the grille.
 Seamus got first crack, Carney said.  But he won t have time.
Tony turned right onto 43rd Street and went half a block before turning into a
steep ramp under a sign that read MIDTOWN PARKING.
Down in the garage, Carney got out near the glassed-in office.
 Park it. Get the new car and get over there as fast as you can. If you re
delayed, when you pull up in front of Lucky s, blink your lights. The doorman
will let me know, so I don t have to stand out there waiting and maybe get
spotted. Got it?
 Got it, boss.
Page 64
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
 Manny will take care of you, or whoever s on tonight.
 Check.
He closed the door and went into the office. The night manager was Billy
Pinsk. Carney ordered a nondescript rental car.
 Got just what you need, Mr. Carney. A Leland sedan, gray, no flashy stuff.
 Tony Montanaro s out there. You fix him up. Right now I need you to let me
through to Lucky s.
 Door s unlocked, Mr. Carney. Always. You know where it is?
 That door back there and to the right?
 That s it, Mr. Carney. Straight to the end of the corridor, you can t miss
it.
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...20Castle%20Perilous%205%
20-%20Castle%20Murders.html (106 of 249)19-2-2006 3:40:43
Castle MurdersJohn
DeChanciee-reads2002Texttext/html0-7592-6266-7en-usen-usCopyright © 1994 by
John DeChancie{59FFE082-6408-11
 Okay, thanks.
 Dark back there, Mr. Carney. Watch your step.
 Right.
He walked to the back of the garage, opened the steel door, and stepped
through. It was quiet on the other side. He turned right and proceeded through
gloom until he came to another door. It was ajar. He went through and followed
a short corridor, came out among boilers and pipes, weaved through and around,
then mounted a wooden staircase.
He pushed open the door at the top and let himself into Lucky s kitchen. It
was big, full of men in white aprons and hats working furiously at counter and
stove. Steam mushroomed to the ceiling. The odor of chopped onions stood out
among myriad others.
Nobody gave him a look as he walked through. He thumped through swinging doors
and passed the men s room. He gave a fleeting thought to relieving his bladder
pro forma
, not really needing to, giving
Tony a little time. But he was anxious and in a hurry.
He went to the front door by way of the smaller of the restaurant s two rooms,
not seeing anybody he knew.
Outside, he looked up and down the street. No Tony. The doorman asked if he [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]