Night and Day (16 page)

“So I’ve noticed,” Bain replied. “You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Welles. Takeda
views you as an equal. You both serve the same master.”

“You.”

“Correct. Also, I think she likes you.” He paused. “Perhaps like is not the proper word.
She seems to respect you. In her report, she described you as a very private man. I take that to
mean that you keep your emotions to yourself, a trait she values.”

“Great. I finally find a woman who admires my stoic nature, and she’s a vampire samurai.”

“Promptness is another of Miss Takeda’s virtues,” Bain said. “She should be there in six
minutes.”

I glanced at the clock on the wall. Six fifty-four. “Yeah, let me make sure everybody else is
here.”

“Good evening, Mr. Welles.” He hung up.

I put the phone back in my pocket and went out into the reception room. Sara, Cynthia and
Nedelmann were waiting. Sara was on one side of the room, next to her desk, Nedelmann and
Cynthia on the other behind Cynthia’s desk. All three looked at me when I came through the
door.

“Jimmy Mutz just called,” Cynthia said, glancing down at her pad. “He said he couldn’t get
through on . . . well, I thought he said your cell phone.” She laughed.

I nodded. “Yeah, I was talking to the client. What did Jimmy say?”

“You have a cell phone?” Cynthia’s eyes were wide.

“What did Jimmy say?”

“Oh, sorry.” Her eyes went back to the pad. “He said the two officers you asked about were
Detective Gutierrez and Detective Washington. They arrived at Downtown station at 8:30 pm.
And the Downtown lockup sergeant, Sergeant Starkovicz, talked to Sergeant Van Houten and
was passed to a Lieutenant Belnikov at Uptown District station.”

“Good. Would you write that down on a piece of paper for me. I’ll need it later.”

Cynthia nodded and began to write.

“Okay, we’re waiting for one more. Sara, could you and Cynthia wait in my office? I need
to have a word with Dick.”

Sara flashed a smile I can only describe as lascivious as she brushed past me. Cynthia
followed, handing me the slip of paper with the names. I stuck it in my pocket and
closed the door behind them.

“What’s up?” Nedelmann asked, sitting in Cynthia’s chair.

“First, I wanted to thank you for coming,” I said. “I know this is hard for you, and you’re
not happy about it.”

He shrugged. “Didn’t think I had a choice.”

I shook my head. “Don’t give me that shit. You know me, Dick. You had a choice. It
wasn’t like I was going to put the screws to you if you’d flat-out refused.”

“Yeah, whatever, I’m here,” he said. “What else?”

“We’re waiting on a Vee named Takeda. She’s on the Deputy Area Governor’s staff.”

“She your watchdog?”

I paused a moment. “Probably. She’s also been ordered to give me whatever assistance I
need in the investigation. So I guess you’d call her a useful watchdog.”

“I’ll try not to piss her off,” he said with a grin. “At least as long as she makes herself
useful.”

“Which brings us to the other subject we need to talk about,” I said slowly. “Miss Takeda is
Japanese . . .”

“I got that from the name,” Nedelmann interrupted with a thin smile.

“. . . and sees herself as some sort of . . . modern samurai,” I continued. “To be honest, all I
know about that stuff is from watching movies, which ain’t much. But I’ve been told that bad
manners and disrespect is pretty much an issue among those who follow the Bushido Code,
which is . . .”

“The way of the warrior,” he said.

“I guess you know more about this stuff than I do.”

Nedelmann laughed. “I have a passing familiarity with it.”

“Then you probably know what Takeda’s reaction will be if you come across as hostile or a
smart-ass.”

“She’ll give me the chop,” he said, smiling. “To her, you’re a fellow samurai, serving her
master. Me? At best I’m kohai, a junior member of the team. At worst, I’m just another
peasant to be killed if I step out of line.”

“I guess you do know this Bushido stuff.”

“I read.” He paused. “Okay, so you want me to be on my best behavior with
this bloodsucking bitch.”

“Exactly,” I said. “And please, try not to call her a bloodsucking bitch to her face.”

“You bet.”

I checked my watch. Seven o’clock on the nose. “Okay, she should be here . . .” We both
heard the ding of the elevator as it reached the fourth floor. “. . . right about now. Go on in with
Sara and Cynthia. We’ll be right behind you.”

Nedelmann nodded, stood, and came around the desk. As he passed, he whispered, “I’ll be a
good boy, boss.”

Chapter Fourteen

As Nedelmann closed the office door behind him, the hall door on the other side of the room
opened and Takeda stepped inside. She wore the same loose black pants she’d been wearing the
last time I saw her, tucked into ankle boots, her white blouse replaced by one that was blood red.
Over it all was a black leather duster that went nearly to her feet. She carried a leather portfolio
much like the one she’d given me the night before.

She stepped through the door and closed it behind her. “Mr. Welles,” she said with a slight
bow.

I mirrored the bow. “Miss Takeda. Right on time.”

“Of course,” she said. She opened the portfolio and passed me two leather ID holders, one
black, the other brown. “Identification for you and Officer Nedelmann.”

I opened the brown one and saw Nedelmann’s face staring back at me from the photo. I
knew she’d gotten him a State Police ID. I didn’t know she’d promoted him to sergeant in the
process.

I closed the holder and opened the other one. They’d used the lousy picture from my
Private Investigator license. Special Agent Charles L. Welles. Attached to the Area Governor’s
Office, Administrative Area Three. It even had my signature on the ID card.

What was more interesting was the other card, in the top window of the holder. “Attention,”
it read in big, bold letters. “This agent is assigned to critical duties involving area and national
security. All citizens are hereby ordered to render any and all requested or required assistance.
Failure to comply will result in severe consequences, including penalty of death.” It was signed
by Phillip Bain.

I whistled softly. “Impressive.” I looked up at Takeda. “You have something like this?”

She nodded. “Standard issue for Area staff in the field.”

“I don’t think anybody is going to give us any lip,” I said, slipping the holders in my pocket.

“That’s been my experience,” she said. “I also have the information you requested about
Gerald DiPierro. He works as a courier for Reynolds and Grant, and lives on Cortez Avenue.
Do you need the address?”

I shook my head. “Nope.” Reynolds and Grant was a big uptown law firm. One of the
biggest in the city. I’d met Grant once, through Joshua. He struck me as someone who was very
comfortable being a Vee. Considering his profession, I can’t say it was much of a surprise.

“Why did you require this information?” Takeda asked.

“He’s the husband...or was the husband of one of my secretaries. My human secretary,
Cynthia. He was turned during the war, and came after her Tried to . . . bite her.” I paused,
staring at Takeda’s smooth, blank face. “As you might imagine, it made an impression. She’s
terrified that he’s going to track her down and finish the job.”

Takeda nodded. “I see. I thought it might be something like that. I noted that you have an
employee named DiPierro.”

“Honestly, I was hoping he was dead or had moved out of town, or something.” I sighed.
“Well, at least I can let Cynthia know that he’s not living or working downtown.” I clapped my
hands together. “So, you ready to meet the rest of the team and start the ball with this thing?”

“Of course,” she said with the barest hint of a smile.

Takeda followed me into the office. Sara was sprawled in one of the armchairs by the coffee
table. Nedelmann and Cynthia stood in the middle of the room.

Before I could say anything, Takeda made a beeline toward Cynthia. I followed.

“Mrs. DiPierro?” Takeda asked.

Cynthia took a step back, then caught herself and nodded. “I’m Cynthia DiPierro.”

“Tiffany Takeda, Area Governor’s Office,” she said. “Concerning your husband, Gerald
DiPierro. Would you like me to have him destroyed?”

“Destroyed?”

Takeda nodded. “Yes. It can be done tonight, if you wish.”

“Whoa, hold on a second,” I said. I leaned forward. “Could I have a word with you,
please,” I whispered in Takeda’s ear.

She smiled. “Excuse me a moment,” she said to Cynthia. I led her back into the reception
area.

As she closed the door, I turned and said, “What the hell was that? Don’t you think you
could have mentioned that you were going to say something like that to Cynthia?”

“I’m sorry,” Takeda said. It almost sounded like she meant it. “I was only trying to promote
harmony in our investigative team.”

“Harmony? You just offered to have Cynthia’s husband bumped off. I may be crazy, but
that doesn’t seem harmonious to me.”

“Gerald DiPierro has no value,” Takeda said calmly. “On the other hand, his wife, your
secretary, performs a valuable service through her administrative support of your investigations,
and specifically this investigation. If she perceives this man as a threat, the obvious solution is to
neutralize that threat. Permanently.”

“Obvious to you, maybe, but let’s think this through. Cynthia says yes, you make a call, and
her husband gets destroyed, as you put it. Right now, maybe Cynthia feels like she did the right
thing. But what about next week, or next year? They were married for eight years. They were
probably in love for some, if not all of that time.” I shook my head. “One day she’ll realize that
whatever he became, he didn’t ask for it. He went out to protect her and came back a monster.”
I paused. “No offense.”

“None taken. To her, I’m sure he seemed like a monster. Which is why I offered to have
him destroyed.”

“And in the process you saddle her with the guilt of having signed off on her husband’s
murder?” I shook my head. “Look, Cynthia has been through a lot. She’s got enough problems.
She doesn’t need that kind of guilt on top of everything else.”

“I see,” Takeda said. “I hope I haven’t upset her.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” I said. “Let’s go back . . .”

The door opened and Cynthia stepped into reception, closing the door behind her. “Excuse
me, Charlie.” She turned to Takeda. “Takeda-sama, I really appreciate your offer, but I don’t
think I want you to . . . kill Jerry. It isn’t his fault he became . . . what he is.”

“I was trying to ease your mind,” Takeda said.

“I know,” Cynthia said. “But if you really want to do something, maybe you could just . . . “
She shrugged. “. . . relocate him, send him to another city or something. And tell him to never
come back.”

“Do you have a preferred destination in mind?”

Cynthia smiled. “Jerry always liked cold weather.”

Takeda nodded. “One moment.” She took a cell phone from her pocket and dialed a
number. “This is Takeda. I want a Priority One personnel transfer. Subject is DiPierro, first
name Gerald, home address 377 Cortez Avenue, work address Reynolds and Grant, 3299 Cooper
Street. Subject is to be relocated to . . . “ She glanced at Cynthia. “. . . Butte, Montana. Have
him out on a plane tonight, find him housing and employment upon arrival. And advise the
subject that if he attempts to return here, he’ll get a sunburn. Any questions?”

She listened for a moment, then hung up. “I hope that meets with your approval, Mrs.
DiPierro.”

“Thank you,” Cynthia said.

“Great, now that’s settled, can we please get to work?” I said.

Cynthia smiled and opened the office door. We filed back in.

Sara was still sprawled in the armchair. Nedelmann was sitting opposite her, on the couch.

“Okay, Cynthia, have a seat. Takeda, sit or stand as you choose.”

Cynthia sat down next to Nedelmann. Takeda moved to my right and stood, legs apart,
hands behind her back. It was a stance I remembered from the army. Parade rest.

“Let’s get the formal introductions out of the way. You all know who I am.“ I nodded to
Takeda. “Tiffany Takeda, Area Governor’s Office, our liaison with the client.” I pointed to
Sara. “Sara Tindell, night receptionist and secretary here at Night and Day. On the couch we
have Cynthia DiPierro, day receptionist and secretary here. Beside her, Dick Nedelmann, an
officer with the city police department, temporarily attached to the State Police and this
investigation. Dick will be the secondary during this investigation.”

I took a deep breath. “The investigation. As everybody here knows, Joshua Thomas was
murdered the night before last. Phillip Bain, the Deputy Area Governor, has hired this agency to
find out who killed Joshua.”