Jean had been absorbed in the publishing discussion. She realized her question put a damper on the humorous anecdote Nick told to ease tensions about how he would feel at a book signing with a heckler. “Sorry, Dad. I should have asked the question later.”
“No use ducking questions at any time, kid. If I can answer them, I will. You’ll be with me for the book signing. We’ll get a taste of this author book signing business together. Cassie and Linda are New Yorkers. They’ll protect us.”
“Damn right,” Linda said, grasping Jean’s hand, but looking at Nick with an uneasy chill that had nothing to do with temperature.
“You again!”
Nick allowed a slow spreading grin across his features as Mohammed Dafar strode toward their table with his two bodyguards flanking him. “Well… here comes trouble. Stay quiet. I’ll handle this on my own.”
Dafar smiled with a sneer of arrogance, thinking he had the upper hand. “You will never touch me again! Twice, you have attacked me. I will not permit a third time!”
Nick, well aware of his presence in a public New York restaurant with he was sure video surveillance, waved off Dafar. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Sir. We’re here having a nice meal together. Please go away before we have to summon the police to remove you.”
“He’s not kidding, pal,” Cassie said, holding her smartphone where Dafar could see it. “I have the NYPD on speed dial. Go about your business or I will summon them here in an instant. They are unusually fast responding to a disturbance in this area.”
Dafar’s fists clenched, but his bodyguards began pulling him away from the table, urging him to leave. They knew there would be no way to keep from being arrested if the police were called. “You will pay for what you have done McCarty!”
“Would you like an autograph, sweetie?”
Nick enjoyed the moment as it took Dafar’s bodyguards every ounce of strength they had to drag him away. The moderate Friday night crowd reacted with quiet shock as Dafar was urged out of the restaurant. “I don’t think Mr. Dafar and I will ever be friends.”
*
After returning from dinner, Nick and Gus dressed for the February New York cold, and harnessed Deke for a walk. When they reached the park, Nick chuckled. “Feel it, Gus.”
“Yeah, I’m freezing my ass off.”
“Don’t look around. We’re being followed.”
“How the hell do you know that?” It took all of Gus’s will power not to look around.
“Heel, Deke.” Nick stopped with Deke next to him. “Hear it?”
Gus tuned out the city noise, closing his eyes to concentrate. “Crunching footsteps?”
“On our right, outside the park. I saw a shadow in my peripheral vision. I caught sight of it twice more since we entered the park. Dafar is having us followed. It looks like my new plan will work after all. I need to log in some more Deke walks on a schedule, especially at night. The only problem I see is if he doesn’t participate himself, and only sends his thugs. There won’t be any witnesses here at night during this cold spell.”
“That’s the only problem? What about you taking on three guys in the dark. You can shoot them, but then you have the same situation as before with weapon disposal, or you being seen leaving the hotel. Also… you don’t want Deke hurt. They’ll be looking to shoot him before they do you.”
Nick started walking again. “Here’s how we’ll do it. I want you to take our rental car near 69th Street. Enter the park from there and walk towards our hotel on the path nearest the street. I’ll enter as we have been with Deke. Once I know they’ve entered the park, I’ll jog toward you. I’ll pass Deke along to you, and go do some hunting. Wait for me with Deke at the car. I’ll exit the park after the job’s done. We’ll go back to the hotel after a few hours pass.”
“Supposing all this goes according to your hair-brained plan, what do you plan to do with the bodies, and what are you planning to use as a weapon?”
“I’ll drag the bodies off the path into the bushes along the way, where they won’t be found by anyone for who knows how long. Then I’ll tidy the snowy trail before joining you and Deke.”
“I don’t like it, Muerto. Let me help you.”
“Absolutely not,” Nick answered with finality. “I do the wet-work in this partnership, Gus. You provide support and logistics. It’s working fine that way. Besides, the weapon I’ll be using won’t be a gun.”
“You’re bringing a knife to a gun fight? Are you stupid, Muerto?”
“I’ll have a couple of items to get the job done. Not every contract can be a walk in the park… heh…heh. Get it… a walk in the park.”
Gus sped away in silence, ignoring Nick.