Alex Cross, Run (Alex Cross 20)

Then he made his way back up to the parking lot, popped his trunk, and changed quickly, bagging everything else for disposal.

By the time he was behind the wheel of his car again, heading south into the city, Bergman had come full circle and then some. He felt better now than he could remember feeling, ever.

And the night was young. It was time to take this party somewhere else.

CHAPTER

41

BY MIDNIGHT, BERGMAN WAS BACK DOWNTOWN AND READY FOR THE NEXT PART of his evening. He got out at the corner of Seventh and D, handed his keys to the valet, and headed inside.

The three-tiered lobby of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre was jumping, with the annual Fashion Fights Hunger fundraiser. They had the whole place awash in yellow light, with bright pink theatrical spots throwing shards of magenta around the room. It wasn’t exactly flattering, but it was festive, anyway. The deejay booth at the far end was spinning salsa, and it was a hoot to see some of these industry suits trying to shake the sticks out of their asses on the dance floor.

Bergman hit the bar first, then worked his way up to the third level, the better to take in the scene.

“Joshua!” a voice screamed out as soon as he hit the landing. He turned around and saw a big pair of red lips coming at him, with his friend Kiki attached.

“Incoming!” she said, and kissed him full on the mouth. “How’s my darling boy doing? It’s been forever and a half!”

Bergman nodded at the mostly finished pink concoction in her hand. “I think I have some catching up to do,” he said.

“Oh, you do,” she said. “You totally do. Garth and Tina are going to want to know you’re here, too.”

Unlike with Elijah, Joshua Bergman’s recent troubles in the press had only upped his stock. He was now Washington’s bad boy of style and fashion, it seemed. Well, if the shoe fit, why not?

He downed the rest of his watered half-rate Scotch and wagged the glass at Kiki. “Would you?” he said. “I have to make a call.”

“I would,” she said. “And stand by for Garth and Tina. I’m going to bring them back up here. I think Tina has coke, which is so freaking retro, I can’t stand it.”

As soon as she was gone, Bergman took out his phone and hit speed-dial one. He stood at the rail, watching the party and waiting for Elijah to answer.

“Josh?”

“Why do you always say my name like it’s a question?” Bergman said. “Don’t you trust caller ID?”

“I don’t trust my mother, Josh. Why would I trust my phone?”

Bergman loved the way they could just fall into it. Elijah acted like he didn’t care, Josh acted like he did, and both of them knew where the other was coming from. It was comfortable.

“Well, guess where I am,” he said.

“Someplace loud.”

“It’s the Fashion Fights Hunger thing. You should come down and have a drink with me. It’s been a big night.”

“Rain check,” Creem said. “I’m working at my desk, and I don’t want to put all of this away right now.”

Bergman felt a bubble of excitement rise up from his belly, and into his throat. It came out as a giggle.

“Let me try that again,” he said. “It’s been a very big night, Elijah, and I mean that in a way that only you could appreciate. I thought it would be nice to have a drink together.”

Elijah didn’t answer, or say anything at all for a very long time. Kiki, Garth, and Tina were on their way up the stairs now, and Bergman gave them a just-a-minute finger before he walked farther up the mezzanine.

“Elijah?” he said. “Are you still there?”

“I’m here,” Creem said. “And you need to slow down, my friend. This isn’t a race.”

“It’s not an anything,” Bergman said. “Isn’t that part of the beauty? It’s whatever we want it to be. Just like life.”