Chapter 43

Edna Skylar had been right, Myron thought. Katie Rochester looked older, more mature somehow. She twiddled a cigarette in her hand, but it remained unlit. The dark-haired man stuck out his hand. I'm Rufus . Myron . They shook hands. Rufus sat down on the couch next to Katie. He took the cigarette from her hand . Can't smoke in your condition, honey, Rufus said. Then he put the cigarette between his lips, lit it up, threw his feet up on the coffee table, and let loose a long plume of smoke . Myron stayed standing . How did you find me? Katie Rochester asked . I t's not important . That woman who spotted me in the subway. She said something, right?Myron did not reply . Damn. Katie shook her head and put a hand on Rufus's thigh. We're going to have to find a new place now . What, Myron said, pointing to a poster of a naked woman with her legs spread, and leave all this behind?That's not funny, Rufus said. This is your fault, man . I need to know where Aimee Biel is . I told you on the phone, she said. I don't know . A re you aware that she disappeared too?I didn't disappear. I ran away. My choice . You're pregnant . That's right . So is Aimee Biel . So?So you're both pregnant, both from the same school, both ran away or disappeared A million pregnant girls run away every year . Do they all use the same ATM machine?Katie Rochester sat up. What?Before you ran, you went to an ATM machine I went to a bunch of ATM machines, she said. I needed money to run away . What, Rufus here couldn't spot you?Rufus said, Go to hell, man . I t was my money, Katie said . How far along are you anyhow?That's none of your business. None of this is your business . The last ATM machine you visited was at a Citibank on Fiftysecond Street . So?Katie Rochester sounded younger and more petulant with every response . So the last ATM machine Aimee Biel visited before she disappeared was at the same Citibank on Fifty-second Street . Now Katie looked genuinely puzzled. It wasn't faked. She hadn't known. She slowly swiveled her head toward Rufus. Her eyes narrowed . Hey, Rufus said. Don't look at me . Rufus, did you...?Did I what? Rufus threw the cigarette to the ground and jumped to his feet. He raised his hand as if about to slap her backhand. Myron slid between them. Rufus stopped, smiled, raised his palms in mock surrender . I t's okay, baby . What was she talking about? Myron asked . Nothing, it's over. Rufus looked at her. I'm sorry, baby. Youknow I'd never hit you, right?