“Yep. We do it.”

She wet the lips again and looked at Pike, then me. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“If it doesn’t work, we go to the Gambozas and you go in to the cops for witness protection. It isn’t what you want, but it’s the best hand we’ve got.”

She made a hissing sound and her eyes sort of fluttered for a moment, but then she nodded. “Yes. I believe it’s the best we can hope for, too.” She went around behind her desk and sat with her fingers laced in front of her, very much like she did the first time I came into her office. Businesslike. “I’ve thought about what you said last night. I’ve decided that you’re right. It would be best for everyone if Toby went back to California with Peter until this is resolved.”

“Okay.”

“Peter can take Toby as soon as possible. I’d like him to be in California before we meet with Charlie.”

“All right. I’ll stop by the motel and set it up.”

She nodded tightly. “Thank you. I’ll tell Toby when I see him after school.”

Pike and I drove to the Howard Johnson’s looking for Peter, but the limo was gone. We went in to the front desk and asked if they knew when Mr. Nelsen would be back. They said they didn’t, but that his friends were in the bar and that they might know. We went into the bar.

Nick and T.J. were sitting at a little round table, drinking Heinekens and eating hamburgers. Nick said, “Hey, look, it’s Mike Hammer and his sidekick, Tonto.”

T.J. laughed with his mouth full.

I said, “Where’s Peter?”

Nick said, “Peter said you’re canceled, pal, so he’s taking care of business himself. We don’t need you anymore.”

I said, “What do you mean, Peter’s taking care of business?”

“He got tired of waiting around. He and Dani went to straighten out the wop.”

“He and Dani went to see DeLuca?”

“Yeah.”

“When?”

“A little while ago.”

Pike moved next to me.

“Where?”

Nick gave me the smirk. “Hey, fuck you. It’s not your business.”

Pike stepped in close, took out his .357, and touched it to Nick’s upper lip. “Tonto wants to know.”

Nick stopped smirking and T.J. stopped laughing. Nick said, “Some meat place. He got the address from the operator.”

Pike and I ran out of the Ho Jo and pushed the Taurus hard back along the state road to the expressway and then down to Manhattan.

We were half a block from the meat plant when a brown Nissan Sentra nosed out of the parking lot and into the street. Two guys I hadn’t seen before were in the front seat and Ric was in the back with Dani and Peter. Peter’s head was sort of lolling to the side.