“You will have to get away clean from anything you do to Dafar. With the incident at the airport, and now this Kader thing here at the book signing, even the police will be able to piece this crap together – there are too many coincidences, Nick. I say we abort, and get Dafar later.”
“You may be right, partner. We’ll play everything through, but on the down low. If anything seems too risky, we’ll do what you suggest, and take him out after the book tour road trip. If Paul complains, I’ll tell him to hire someone else. With this weather, and him already taking the bait, I thought maybe this would be the perfect setting. Did you obtain the keys for the rental at the front desk? I forgot to remind you.”
Gus picked up the last of his notepads, and small pack. “I did, and they showed me exactly how to get to where it is. I’ll grab the range finders, and watch for your dog walk shadows. You do understand I can’t simply fly down to the rental and materialize where you want me to, right?”
“I understand that, partner. I’ll have you in my ear every moment. We won’t get a bite tonight anyway. The most Dafar will do is have one of his goons shadow us like before. He’s not ready to sink his teeth in yet. If I didn’t think you were right about aborting this for now, I’d walk a signed copy to his room of ‘Caribbean Contract’ as a peace offering. That would juice him into hysteria I believe.”
Gus enjoyed that little tidbit immensely. When he could speak, he shouldered his pack with a sigh. “Only you, Muerto, could imagine playing out an ace like that. You wouldn’t have to do him in the park. His head would explode when he saw you offering him an autographed novel.”
Nick saw more people in the bookstore hesitantly trying to approach him through the store’s security guys. He walked to the two security guards, and gave them three hundred dollars each. “Thanks guys. It was crazy and boring today, huh?”
They appreciated Nick’s spot on description, shaking his hand, happy to be tipped, and surprised.
“It was a pleasure, Nick,” the older one said with Garner on his nametag. “Jimmy and I watched the YouTube video of you out on the sidewalk already. I doubt you needed us here anyway. Thanks for the bonus.”
“I did need you here, Charlie. These signings can get ugly. The reason they don’t is because you and Jimmy are here in uniform. Goodnight, guys. I’m going to mingle with the rest of the people who are still hanging around. That won’t be a problem for you will it?”
“Not at all. Jimmy and I will hang back on the perimeter.”
Nick and Gus walked to the small group of people who had been waiting on the outskirts. They had been holding their ‘Caribbean Contract’ novels like shields to show they were fans. Nick signed books while conversing with them.
“It was great for you to bring Jed along with you for the signing,” an older woman in her fifties remarked while shaking hands with Gus.
“Very perceptive of you. My partner Gus here is indeed my inspiration for the character Jed in the novel. He is a master mariner, who has sailed all over the world. It became so apparent I needed his input on so many things, he consented to coming along on the book tour too.”
In no time at all, the introduction of Nick’s character Jed’s real life model excited a host of questions, and plot observations that went on until the store closed with everyone saying reluctant goodbyes. Nick could tell Gus enjoyed the added recognition, as he recounted many real life sailing adventures in the area where the ‘Caribbean Contract’ had been based. The fact Gus survived actual happenings from the novel added an ironic thrill to the interaction.
Out in the limousine shortly after the store closing, Gus leaned back with a big smile as they rode toward the Trump Hotel. “That was neat as hell, Nick. Thank you.”
“The lady fan put me on to it. We’re going to ride that wave through all the book signings if you’re agreeable, Jed.”
“It was a lot of fun, so if you don’t mind sharing the spotlight, Muerto, I’m fine with it.”
“Anything that gets readers interacting is a good thing. I find out more and more how they feel about plot lines, characters, and their visions of where they want the series to go by what they say. I wish I’d introduced you as Jed before, which proves the point, because it was a reader who triggered the idea.”
“You mean having the real Jed as a sidekick?”
“Exactly. It will make the book signing conversations a lot more lively. Fans love this kind of live action mimicry. It’s fun for us, because you are Jed. Of course things will be different after the sex change.”
“Oh… you no good… rotten…”
*
Nick let Deke take lead into the park, happily sniffing everything in sight. Powdery snow fell at a forty-five degree wind driven slant, stirring the drifts on the ground along with what blew down from the sky. Central Park sparkled under the pathway lights, a winter wonderland. Although nearly eleven at night, the sounds of the city knifed into the silent wooded sentry with horns, engine roars, and sirens.