The Watchman

by Robert Crais

  Cole smiled wider, and they went into the house. The girl was stretched out on the couch with the headset fixed to her ears. Her eyes were closed, but she looked up when they entered.

  Pike said, How's it going?

  She didn't sit up, and she didn't speak to him. She raised a hand in a kind of a wave, then closed her eyes again and went back to the music. Her foot bounced with the beat. Pike figured she was still pissed off.

  Cole left a few minutes later, and Pike went into the kitchen. Cole had made vegetable curry rice. Pike stood in the kitchen, eating from the pot. He ate it cold. When he finished eating, he filled a paper cup with the plum wine, drank it, then drank a bottle of water. He was drinking the water when the girl came to the door.

  She said, I'm going to bed.

  Pike nodded. He wanted to say something, but he was still wondering why Pitman had put the girl in this position. Meesh was a murderer, but his prosecution would be handled at the state level by the courts in Colorado. For Pitman, Meesh was nothing more than a way to bag the Kings. The Kings were his target, but his case against them was for money laundering. Paper. He had put this girl's life in jeopardy for paper, and he had somehow gotten LAPD to go along. Pitman had a lot of juice for a mid-level fed running a money case. Pike wondered if Bud knew.

  The girl turned away without another word, went into her bedroom, and closed the door.

  Pike finished the water, then went to the bathroom. He shaved, brushed his teeth, then flossed with great care. After the flossing, he showered. He brought the clothes he wore that day into the shower with him, and washed them with hand soap in the running water. He wrung them out as best he could, hung them, then dressed in fresh clothes. He washed his sunglasses, put them on, then looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was getting long. Almost an inch on top, and now touching his ears. Pike liked it short. He would have to cut it soon.

  The house was quiet in a way that made the emptiness seem larger. Pike checked the windows and doors, then shut the lights and took his place in the chair. He sat there for a while, in the dark, then went to the couch.

  Pike put his pistol on the floor in easy reach, then stretched out and closed his eyes. The couch was still warm from her, and the impression left by her body was soft.

  Larkin Barkley Jethro Tull woke her. She emerged from her dream as the lion disappeared into the dry grass, and pulled the headset from her ears, thinking no wonder everyone in the sixties was stoned all the time, their bands singing about disease. But then, still more asleep than awake, she glimpsed the lion again, its scarred head pushing through the grass, its muzzle stained with blood, the heavy muscles in its shoulders bunching in the last foggy moments of her dream before it dissolved.

  Larkin lay in the darkness, waking, then awake as she realized she had to pee.

  The house was dark, so she figured he was sleeping or just standing somewhere in that creepy way, so she went directly into the bathroom. She closed the door before she turned on the light. His clothes were hanging from the shower rod, but she didn't think anything of it. She peed, then drank water from the tap, using her hand as a cup. When she finished, she turned out the light, opened the door, and that's when she heard him.

  Soft, frantic grunts and a jerky, cloth-on-cloth swoosh came from the living room. She hesitated, listening as her eyes adjusted, then crept into the living room.

  He was asleep on the couch. His body was clenched; his arms rigid at his sides as he jerked and trembled. Even in the poor light, she saw the sweat on his face as his head snapped from side to side and the grunts hissed past his teeth.

  He was dreaming, she thought. Ohmigod. He was having a nightmare.

  She wondered if she should wake him. She couldn't remember if you were supposed to wake people who were having a nightmare or not. Maybe waking him would be bad.

  Larkin moved closer, trying to decide what to do. His legs lurched as if he was running, but in that paralyzed way when you're trapped in a dream. His hands flexed like claws, then shook and fluttered, and his eyes rolled wildly beneath the lids. Larkin thought, Man, this must be one monster of a nightmare. He looked like he was fighting for his life.

  Then he spoke. She couldn't make it out, but between the grunts and moans, she was sure he had spoken.

  Dah'a

  It sounded like dah. Dah or duh.

  She strained closer to try to make out what he was saying, but all she heard were mumbles and slurs.

  Then, little by little, he calmed. The lurching slowed. His hands relaxed. His head stopped jerking.

  Larkin was very close then, over him, when he mumbled again.

  Duh'adah'a

  It sounded like daddy.

  Larkin waited to hear it again, but he fell quiet, and she thought she was probably wrong. People mumbled nonsense when they dreamed. A man like him might have nightmares, but not about his daddy. It was difficult to imagine a man like him ever having been a child.

  She watched him. He was calm by then, and his breathing was even, but his expression seemed pained. No, she thought, not pained. He was afraid. It had been a nightmare. Even men like him were afraid in their nightmares.

  She wanted to touch him. She wanted to reach out the way you always want to reach through the bars at a zoo to touch the big animals.

  Larkin stood with him for a moment longer, then crept back to her room.

  Day Three Gun Money 19

  THE NEXT morning, Pike was cleaning his pistol at the dining table when the girl came out of her room. Pike had been up for three hours. It was ten minutes after eight. The girl had the puffy, bleached-out look she had every morning, but today she wasn't naked. She wore an oversize T-shirt draped to her thighs. She wrinkled her nose.

  Ugh. I can smell that all the way in my room. You get high breathing that stuff?

  Pike had broken down the pistol into its components. The barrel, bushing, recoil spring plug, recoil spring and its guide, slide stop, slide, frame, and magazine were laid out on a paper bag Cole brought from the Thai market. Pike was swabbing the barrel with powder solvent, which had the strong odor of overripe peaches. The girl didn't like it. She complained about it the first night they were together when Pike cleaned his gun, and had complained every time since. Pike cleaned his guns every day.

  He said, There's coffee.

  Pike's phone was on the table. He was waiting for Cole so they could meet at the girl's loft. Pike had also decided to call Bud. He was going to tell Bud about Pitman, and thought Bud might be able to find out what Pitman had done with the guns. Bud still had connections in the department. Even at Parker Center.

  The girl said, You were dreaming last night. You had a nightmare.

  Don't remember.

  It was bad. I didn't know if I should wake you.

  That's okay.

  Pike never remembered his dreams. When he woke from them, he could never go back to sleep.

  He said, I want to make sure I have something straight. Let's go back to the beginning--

  She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

  Not again. I hate the beginning. The middle and wherever we are now aren't so great, either.

  How many days after your accident was it when Pitman and Blanchette came to see you?

  Three days.

  Not the day after, not the second day?

  Didn't we go through this?

  There's a lot to keep straight.

  You know what it takes to find a clear spot on my father's calendar? And his attorney? People can't just drop over to our house. You don't just see us. You have to make an appointment. It was the third day.

  Pike finished swabbing the barrel and picked up the frame. The solvent in the barrel would loosen debris while Pike worked on the other parts.

  Uh-huh. So they came over and they wanted to know about King's passenger?

  Yeah. About the accident, and what happened, and all. They wanted to know who was in the car with the Kings. Because of their investigation.

>   They didn't know it was Meesh?

  They only knew what was in the accident report. They wanted to identify the other man. Jesus, I haven't even had my coffee yet.

  I'm going back to your neighborhood to see some people Elvis found. Then I'm going to see Bud.

  The girl didn't say anything. She stood quietly for a moment as if she was thinking, then went into the kitchen.

  Pike finished cleaning the frame. He saturated the swab with fresh solvent, then went to work on the slide, working the solvent into every groove and cut in the metal, and liberally over the breech face.

  The girl returned with a cup of coffee. She sat at the table across from him without saying anything. When Pike glanced up, he saw she was watching him. She looked serious.

  Pike said, Want to help?

  I hate guns.

  Pike wiped the excess solvent from the slide, then returned to the barrel. He ran a brass wire brush from the business end out through the chamber, then into the chamber and out through the business end. He followed it with a clean cotton swab dipped in more solvent.

  The girl said, We have to talk.

  Okay.

  I didn't like the way you left me yesterday. If you had told me what you were doing, it would have been fine, but you didn't tell me. You don't even talk to me. Okay, I know you're not a talker. I get that. Elvis says you barely talk to him. Okay. But I'm an adult. These people are trying to kill me. I don't need a babysitter, and I don't like being treated like a child. This is a trust issue. We have a trust issue, is what I'm saying, and we have to deal with this. Here we are in this crappy little house, and it is either safe here or it isn't. If you don't think it's safe, let's go somewhere else. I suggested Paris, but no, you want to stay in Echo Park. Fine. We've been here two days and they haven't found me, so I guess it's safe. Okay, good, thank you. But I don't like it here, and I also don't like spending all day in the car just because you think I'm stupid. I resent it. I don't know how those people kept finding me, but it wasn't me. I don't want to go see Bud, and I don't want to sit in the car while you and Elvis talk to people. It's boring, and I'm tired of it. I would rather stay here, and I can stay here by myself.

  Pike put down the barrel. He looked at her.

  Yes.

  Yes, I can stay here?

  I said I was going to see Bud. I didn't say we. I'm sorry about yesterday. I should have been more considerate.

  The girl's mouth opened, but she didn't say anything. She sipped the coffee, holding the cup with both hands.

  Pike slipped the barrel into the slide, dropped the recoil spring guide into place beneath the barrel, then fed the recoil spring onto the guide. He reassembled the gun in seconds. Pike could take the gun apart or put it together blindfolded, in the dark, dead on his feet from lack of sleep, and with gunfire raging around him. Putting the gun together was easy. Talking to the girl was difficult.

  The girl finally spoke.

  Okay. Thanks. That's cool.

  Pike said, Cool.

  His cell vibrated, making a loud buzz on the table. Pike read the screen, thinking it would be Cole, but it wasn't.

  Pike placed the phone to his ear.

  Ronnie said, You have company.

  The girl was watching him, but Pike showed nothing. They were hunting hard for him, just as he was hunting for them. And as he would return to the girl's home for their trail, they had no choice but to return to his condo. You went where the animals lived.

  Pike said, How many?

  One guy this time. I don't know if he's one you told me about, but he could be. Under six, I'd say; hair's kinda long and dark.

  Where is he?

  Inside. He just let himself in, walked right in like he owned the place. You want me to introduce myself?

  Pike watched the girl watching him. If she knew what he intended to do, she would be worried or ask questions, and Pike had used up his talking allowance.

  No, I'll come over and have a word. I'm on my way. If he leaves, you have my phone.

  Yup.

  Pike put down the phone, pushed the magazine into the gun, then jacked the slide and set the safety. If Pike could ever know bliss, it filled him now, but he showed nothing. He had them. He had a line that might bring him to Meesh, and then he would clear the field. All these bastards trying to kill this girl, this one girl, all of them ganged against her, and he would clear the field, but not for justice. It would be punishment. Punishment was justice.

  He said, So. What are you going to do while I'm gone?

  Who was that?

  Ronnie. He found someone who might be able to help, so I'm going to meet them. You're going to be okay?

  Uh-huh.

  Pike stood, pocketed the phone, then holstered the Kimber and clipped it to his waist. He pulled on the long-sleeved shirt to cover his tattoos and the gun.

  You want me to pick up something?

  Maybe some fruit.

  What kind?

  Strawberries. Maybe bananas.

  I'll be a while. You sure you're okay?

  She was still staring. Pike hoped she was having second thoughts about staying alone and had changed her mind.

  She said, How long will you be?

  Most of the day, maybe. I can have Elvis come over.

  No, that's okay.

  Sure?

  Yeah.

  Okay, then. I'll see you later.

  Pike was disappointed, but he showed nothing. He had mixed feelings about leaving her, but he had convinced himself there was more to protecting her than just keeping her alive. He didn't want her to feel abandoned again. If she needed to feel trusted, then he would trust her. It was a decision he would regret.

  PIKE WORKED his way south to the Santa Monica Freeway in the sluggish morning traffic. He didn't hurry. If the man in his condo left, Ronnie would follow. Pike filled Cole in from the car. Cole asked if Pike wanted help, but Pike declined, saying Cole's time would be better spent on Pitman as they had planned. Pike still wanted to talk with Bud, but everything might change in the next few hours, so Pike decided to wait. He told Cole about the girl. Cole said, You want me to watch her?

  Not watch her, but I'd like you to stop by.

  She wouldn't know I was watching her.

  I understand, but no. She doesn't want that. Maybe you could stop by. I don't know how long I'm going to be with this. Just stop by. Don't stay.

  I'll swing by later. I'll drop off some food.

  Strawberries.

  What?

  She wants strawberries. Maybe bananas.

  Sure. Whatever.

  See she's all right, then let me know.

  Joe. You worried?

  Just doing my job.

  Right.

  If she wants you to stay, you can stay.

  Cole laughed, so Pike hung up.

  Pike hadn't heard from Ronnie again by the time he left the freeway, so he called.

  Pike said, I'm five out. Is he still in my house?

  Nope. He only stayed inside a few minutes. Now he's hiding in the bushes. Bet the sonofabitch went in to take a dump.

  Only one guy?

  Yep.

  Where?

  You know the two dumpsters at the back of your parking lot? He's under the bushes behind the dumpsters, looking out between them so he can see your front door. Been there about twenty minutes now.

  What's he driving?

  No idea. He approached on foot along the main drive, so he's probably parked out by the main gate, but I'm only guessing. Somebody might've dropped him off.

  Pike thought it through as he turned toward his complex. Since the man had taken a position by Pike's condo, Pike could drive through the main gate and park on the grounds. This would allow Pike easy access to his car, which could be important.

  Pike said, What's he wearing?

  A short-sleeved green shirt with the tail out. The shirt has these little stripes. And jeans.

  Can you leave your position without being seen?

>   No problem.

  Call you when I'm in.

  Pike drove through the main gate, but turned away from his condo to a parking lot behind a group of adjoining pods. He left the Lexus without bothering to hide, and made his way forward. Pike knew exactly where the man was and what the man was able to see, so Pike wasn't concerned. When he reached the last of the adjoining pods, he stepped behind a large plumeria and once more disappeared into a world of green. Pike moved along the wall to the end of the building, then turned the corner. The parking lot where he normally parked and the dumpsters were directly in front of him. He studied the thick wall of oleander bushes behind the dumpsters. The man would have a narrow field of view between the dumpsters, but he had picked a good place to hide. Pike couldn't see him through the heavy lace of leaves. Pike changed his location twice before he found an angle he liked. He still didn't see the man, but thought the angle would work. Pike watched the oleanders for almost twenty minutes, and then a bar of light moved behind the leaves.

  Pike called Ronnie, cupping his hand over the phone.

  Got him. Thank Dennis for me. You, too.

  We going to take him?

  Ronnie lived for this stuff, but Pike didn't want him around for the rest of it. If Pike needed him, Pike would have asked him, but better for Ronnie if Ronnie was gone.

  Good-bye, Ron.

  Pike put away his phone. He didn't see Ronnie leave, but didn't expect to. Pike sat on the hard soil without moving and watched the play of light and color in the changing face of the oleanders that was not one face, but many-the outer leaves a pale grey-green patchwork bleached by the sun; the seams in the patches showing darker leaves beneath, while still smaller cuts and dimples revealed the linear shape of branches; light over dark over darker, the inner darkness finally dappled by pinpoints of light; until finally, as Pike watched, a shadow moved within the shadows, revealing a glimpse of green that did not fit with the surrounding greens; first one bit of shadow, and then another shade of green, until Pike saw a pattern within the pattern and the man within the leaves. A branch swayed, telling Pike the man was antsy and bored. Moments later, a different branch shivered. The man probably resented having to sit in the bush, and was unwilling to sacrifice his comfort to remain motionless. Pike read his lack of discipline as weakness. Pike could kill him now, or take him, but innocent people lived in these homes, so Pike waited.