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“Who’s staying with Heather?” he murmured.
“Susan. She got home just before I went over to get mother. Large families are terribly useful in a crisis.” She stopped to listen as Roz made contact on the phone.
“She isn’t? Do you know where she is?” A pause. “Do you know where they went for di
“John, we can’t just wait here and watch Roz trying to telephone, can we?” asked Eleanor. “I mean anything could be happening to Amanda. Shouldn’t people be searching or something? Shouldn’t you get in touch with the department?”
“I did, darling. And they’re watching for her. But if she was picked up by him, and unless we accidentally stumble across him, it’s probably already much too late. I’m sorry—not that we won’t keep trying.” He reached out and took Eleanor’s hand. She turned and stared, white-faced at him.
“That poor kid! And poor Kate. I can’t bear it.” John handed her his handkerchief as tears poured down her cheeks.
Amanda swam back and forth between consciousness and black lurching oblivion. Voices rose and fell; each time they penetrated her conscious mind they were clearer and made more sense.
“We’ve got to get her the hell out of this car,” said one voice urgently. “The only time I can get it back in the garage without anyone noticing is between 8:00 and 8:30. Where did you leave yours?”
“I told you, Rick. It’s in a lot at the Chester Street subway station. And we’d better get a move on.” Amanda’s stomach gave an ominous heave as the car veered and speeded up. She breathed as deeply as she could through her nose and gradually the nausea eased.
“Where can we switch her over? It’s going to look goddamn peculiar if someone sees us dragging a girl out of a patrol car and dumping her somewhere else.” The voice called “Rick” sounded worried.
“I’ve got it all worked out, Rickie baby. Not everyone is as stupid as you are.” The other voice was venomous in its contempt. “You just let me out at the parking lot, go round the block, and follow me again. When I drive into the garage, come in after me. Then we’ll switch her.”
“Jesus, Jimmy, what if someone sees us?”
“No one will see us, okay?”
There was a ruminative pause as the car bucketed and bounced over potholes and obstructions. Amanda’s head began to ache fiercely. “Did you hear her? I think she’s awake again.” Rick’s voice was edgy, nervous.
Another pause. Amanda lay as quietly and still as she could, breathing, she hoped, with the languor of one heavily doped. “Naw. She’s out for the count. Listen, she’s coked up to here on that stuff.”
“I wish you’d give her some more. It gives me the creeps thinking she might wake up on me when I’m alone in the car.”
“For Chrissake, Rick. If I give her any more, it’ll kill her. Haven’t you heard of autopsies? You are the stupidest goddamn cop in the entire bloody force. They can tell what someone dies of, you know. And she isn’t supposed to die from too much chloroform.” The meaning of his words was slow to reach her, but when it did a wave of cold, hideous panic swept through Amanda.
“Well then, I don’t see why we have to wait. Why not bash her head in now? She makes me nervous.”
“Look, Rick, you do what you’re told. I’ve got this all worked out, and you’re sure as hell not going to fuck it up now. Shut up and drive.”
Roz came back into the office with a pot of coffee and three cups. “I hope black is okay,” she said wearily. “There doesn’t seem to be any milk left.” She poured coffee and passed the cups over the desk, then sat down. She looked progressively more haggard as the evening wore on. “Let me give A
Roz hung up the receiver and looked rather unhappily over at John and Eleanor. “According to A
The car lurched sideways; there was a screech of brakes and loud horns. Maybe they would get into an accident. Amanda prayed for a car to smash into them, preferably on the side her feet were wedged against, not her throbbing head. Then the car pulled up and stopped. She rocked back and forth on the floor between the front and back seats.
“Is this it? Look, will you check and make sure she’s still out?”
“Goddammit, Rick, she’s still out. If she comes to, she’ll make a lot of noise and stuff—like the last time. Stop worrying.”
“Well, hurry up, then. I don’t want her moaning and throwing up back there.” She felt the car shudder as the door slammed, then the monotonous bumping along the pitted road surface started up again. The horrible black swirl of unconsciousness started to take hold of her again, in spite of the pounding of her head and the ache of her pinioned arms. I mustn’t, she thought, I mustn’t fall asleep. Must stay awake. Awake. She was dimly aware of further stops and starts. Time telescoped; the surface beneath her heaved up and down. Then the vibration under her stopped. The change shocked her awake again just as the door beside her head was opened.