urged, but the President categorically refused. He wanted no one, especially those in government, to have any knowledge of her. He trusts his instincts and the background information my private sources developed. Marei has never been under official observation nor has she had her travels monitored. I have urged this repeatedly but he is inflexible on the matter. The consequence is a sea of uncertainties and limitless possibilities.”
“‘Sea of uncertainties’? The ‘planet hangs on a web’? You have a way with words, Mr. Lawyer.”
The man sighed. “This is no time for games. I need to know what you’ve learned. I don’t want to risk sending someone connected to the White House into that apartment, that is the entire reason you were asked to do this favor for a friend or have you forgotten that already?”
Powers didn't trust Karp, not for one instant, and found his use of emotion to manipulate him confirmation of this instinctive judgment, but much of what he said made too much sense to ignore. "I was only in the apartment a few minutes. It's a shambles. There is blood in the living room, a trail to the bathroom, more blood there. I found no body."
"And tapes?"
"There were some scattered on the carpet in the living room but they appear to be regular films. I didn't take the time to check them out. I've not searched the place so I can only speculate, but it's safe to assume anything someone was looking for has been taken."
"Then what you're telling me is that Marei is dead?"
Powers shrugged. "Perhaps. Probably. But I saw nothing to confirm it."
"Oh, sweet Jesus," Karp muttered. "That fool. I warned him and warned him." He removed his glasses, extracted a folded white kerchief from his suit pocket and slowly wiped his face. "Anyone could have done this. She’ll have been forced to talk before they killed her. The tapes are almost certainly gone. Oh, sweet Jesus."
The men sat in silence for several long moments broken only by an occasional sniff from Shanken. Karp slowly finished his cigarette and pondered the misty glass of the window nearest him. "You are to stay in contact," he finally directed. "Shanken and Lily will always be available in the event you need help. I’ll give you a number to reach Shanken. He's been with the President for some years and is more in your line of work. You just keep doing what Mrs. Tufts asked. That's the best way to serve your President and country. Don't be concerned about the rest of it, but watch your step. We don't know who's done this but if what you say is true about blood and violence, they aren't going to stand for interference. They will be very dangerous people. You understand? Remember your objective here. Find the Marei woman, dead or alive, because either way we have to know. And we must have all papers and tapes taken from her apartment if humanly possible. Go back and search the place thoroughly, then call Shanken. He'll arrange to have it sanitized." Karp nodded towards the man who reached into his pocket.
"Here's a key to the apartment," Shanken said with a know-all smirk. "No need for you to pick locks. And this is information on the broad and her associates that might help." The key was in a plastic baggie along with a small black dime store notebook. "A number for me is on the first page. You've got a cellular, so just use it. This way now."
Shanken and Lily slipped Powers from the limousine as easily as they had abducted him and they were scarcely on the sidewalk before it sped off. Shanken pulled a battered fedora from his worn raincoat then removed a pink and white peppermint from his other pocket, twisted off the wrapper then popped the candy into his mouth. He stared thoughtfully at the clouds, belted his worn raincoat, and said, "Fuckin' rain." He pulled a wadded handkerchief from his pants pocket and honked into it before turning to Powers, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him. "I'd give my left nut for a cigarette. I don't suppose
“‘Sea of uncertainties’? The ‘planet hangs on a web’? You have a way with words, Mr. Lawyer.”
The man sighed. “This is no time for games. I need to know what you’ve learned. I don’t want to risk sending someone connected to the White House into that apartment, that is the entire reason you were asked to do this favor for a friend or have you forgotten that already?”
Powers didn't trust Karp, not for one instant, and found his use of emotion to manipulate him confirmation of this instinctive judgment, but much of what he said made too much sense to ignore. "I was only in the apartment a few minutes. It's a shambles. There is blood in the living room, a trail to the bathroom, more blood there. I found no body."
"And tapes?"
"There were some scattered on the carpet in the living room but they appear to be regular films. I didn't take the time to check them out. I've not searched the place so I can only speculate, but it's safe to assume anything someone was looking for has been taken."
"Then what you're telling me is that Marei is dead?"
Powers shrugged. "Perhaps. Probably. But I saw nothing to confirm it."
"Oh, sweet Jesus," Karp muttered. "That fool. I warned him and warned him." He removed his glasses, extracted a folded white kerchief from his suit pocket and slowly wiped his face. "Anyone could have done this. She’ll have been forced to talk before they killed her. The tapes are almost certainly gone. Oh, sweet Jesus."
The men sat in silence for several long moments broken only by an occasional sniff from Shanken. Karp slowly finished his cigarette and pondered the misty glass of the window nearest him. "You are to stay in contact," he finally directed. "Shanken and Lily will always be available in the event you need help. I’ll give you a number to reach Shanken. He's been with the President for some years and is more in your line of work. You just keep doing what Mrs. Tufts asked. That's the best way to serve your President and country. Don't be concerned about the rest of it, but watch your step. We don't know who's done this but if what you say is true about blood and violence, they aren't going to stand for interference. They will be very dangerous people. You understand? Remember your objective here. Find the Marei woman, dead or alive, because either way we have to know. And we must have all papers and tapes taken from her apartment if humanly possible. Go back and search the place thoroughly, then call Shanken. He'll arrange to have it sanitized." Karp nodded towards the man who reached into his pocket.
"Here's a key to the apartment," Shanken said with a know-all smirk. "No need for you to pick locks. And this is information on the broad and her associates that might help." The key was in a plastic baggie along with a small black dime store notebook. "A number for me is on the first page. You've got a cellular, so just use it. This way now."
Shanken and Lily slipped Powers from the limousine as easily as they had abducted him and they were scarcely on the sidewalk before it sped off. Shanken pulled a battered fedora from his worn raincoat then removed a pink and white peppermint from his other pocket, twisted off the wrapper then popped the candy into his mouth. He stared thoughtfully at the clouds, belted his worn raincoat, and said, "Fuckin' rain." He pulled a wadded handkerchief from his pants pocket and honked into it before turning to Powers, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him. "I'd give my left nut for a cigarette. I don't suppose
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