matter of fact.”
Farnsworth Stillwell laughed, which surprised Wohl.
“I wondered what the hell that was all about. I’ll see you there, Peter,” he said, and hung up.
What the hell does he mean by that?
Farnsworth Stillwell broke the connection with his finger and dialed his home. “Helene, call the Peebles woman back, tell her that I was able to rearrange my schedule and that we’ll be able to come after all.”
Margaret McCarthy, trailed by Lari Matsi, came up the narrow staircase into Matt Payne’s apartment. Both of them were wearing heavy quilted three-quarter length jackets and earmuffs.
“I could have come and picked you up,” Charley McFadden said.
“Next time, take him up on it,” Lari said. “It’s cold out there.”
Jesus Martinez came up the stairs.
“Hay-zus, you don’t know Lari, do you?” Margaret said. “Hay-zus Martinez, Lari Matsi.”
“How are you?” Martinez said.
“I didn’t catch the name?” Lari replied.
“It’s ‘Jesus’ in Spanish,” Charley offered.
“Oh,” Lari said, and smiled.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” Margaret said, smiling, to the third young man in the room. “And Charley’s not too good about introducing people.”
He was wearing a mixed sweat suit, gray trousers and a yellow sweatshirt, on which was painted, STOLEN FROM THE SING SING PRISON ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. There was little doubt in her mind that he was a cop; a shoulder holster with a large revolver in it was hanging from the chair that he was straddling backward. He stood up and put out his hand.
“Jack Matthews,” he said.
“Where’s Matt?”
“In his bedroom with a woman,” Charley said.
“He thought you’d never ask,” Jack Matthews said.
“What are you talking about?” Margaret said, not quite sure her leg was being pulled.
“You asked where Matt was, and I told you. He’s in his bedroom with a woman.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Probably with his pants off,” Charley added, exchanging a pleased smile with Jack Matthews. Jesus Martinez shook his head in disgust.
Amy Payne came out of Matt’s bedroom, saw the women in the living room, and smiled.
“Hi! I’m Amy,” she said. “Matt’ll be out in a minute, presuming he can get his pants on by himself.”
Officer McFadden and Special Agent Matthews for reasons that baffled all three women found this announcement convulsively hilarious. Even Jesus smiled.
“Just what’s going on around here, Charley?” Margaret demanded.
“Let me take it from the beginning,” Amy said. “I’m Amy Payne. Matt’s sister. I happen to be a doctor. And knowing my idiot brother as I do, I felt reasonably sure that he would not change his dressings, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“Not very funny at all, Charley,” Margaret said, but she could not keep herself from smiling.