‘Tell me about Parker,’ said Quayle.
The Principal Backer took a moment to dab at his mouth with a napkin and collect his thoughts. To his credit, he had been aware that the possibility of such a question might arise, given Quayle’s intrusion on Parker’s territory, but he hoped Quayle might be able to obtain what he wanted without ever crossing Parker’s path. It was, admittedly, a pipe dream: the mere fact that Quayle’s search had led him to Maine meant Parker must somehow be involved, even if only peripherally. The detective was as implicated as Quayle and the Principal Backer in all that would transpire. The only question was how, and it remained unanswered for the present.
‘That you are asking about Parker suggests you already know a great deal. Did Giller tell you of him?’
‘Mr Giller inadvertently secured an introduction.’
‘You’ve met Parker? He’s seen you?’
Giller had not informed anyone of this, despite being under strict instructions to relay any and all information relating to Quayle’s activities back to those who had organized his employment. Someone would have to remind Giller of his obligations.
‘For the first time, you actually sound anxious for my well-being,’ said Quayle.
‘Our experience has been that it is best to keep Parker at one remove.’
‘Your experience with him is precisely what troubles me.’
‘How is he connected to your search?’
‘It seems he’s been hired to find Karis Lamb’s child.’
‘You’re certain that the body is Lamb’s?’
‘Few doubts remain.’
‘Then I recommend you start paying Giller double, to encourage him to speed up his efforts on your behalf. You don’t want Parker to find the child first.’
‘Perhaps I should have hired Parker to begin with.’
‘I’m sure you could always ask him,’ said the Principal Backer. ‘I imagine he’d be intrigued to hear your side of the story.’
‘Your sarcasm rings hollow coming from one who has allowed this threat to persist. Why is Parker not dead?’
‘He was dead. Apparently he was resuscitated on the operating table – more than once. So his continued presence in the world is not for want of attempts to remove him from it.’
‘Attempts on your part?’
‘Not directly.’
‘Why not?’
‘No single reason, but mostly because he has allies, and to act against him would bring them down on us. Even though we had nothing to do with the attack that almost finished him, the repercussions affected us. As a consequence, I continue to spend valuable time trying to hobble a federal investigation.’
Quayle drank his wine. He waited. When no further information appeared to be forthcoming, he prodded.
‘And?’
This was deeper than the Principal Backer wished to go, but while he detested Quayle, and might have preferred to believe the lawyer was an isolated figure, he knew better: Quayle was an agent of the numinous.
‘And,’ said the Principal Backer, ‘Parker may be different.’
‘In what way?’
Having proceeded thus far, the Principal Backer had no option but to continue, even though it pained him.
‘There are some among us who believe Parker’s nature to be partly divine.’
For a time there was silence in the room, until Quayle broke it with laughter.
‘Why: because he survived a gun attack?’
‘Because he has survived any number of attacks.’
‘You and your associates are even more unsound than I thought.’
The Principal Backer didn’t react to the insult. Americans had endured centuries of patronization by the British. One became inured to it after a while.
‘You’ve met Parker,’ said the Principal Backer. ‘What was your impression of him?’
‘Perceptive. He picked up on my interest in him, although I barely glanced in his direction. He also detected Mors’s presence. He’s dangerous, I suppose. The evidence would suggest as much. But divine? No.’
The Principal Backer didn’t try to argue.
‘Even if we’re mistaken,’ he said, ‘it was felt that the risks involved in removing him outweighed the benefits.’
‘Until now.’
The Principal Backer gave up on obtaining any further enjoyment from his meal, and cast aside his knife and fork.
‘Let Giller do his work,’ he said. ‘He can be relied upon, and he has cash to spend. Parker doesn’t pay bribes. Giller does. He’ll find the child.’
‘And if Parker finds it first?’
The Principal Backer showed his teeth, literally and metaphorically.
‘You’re a visitor to our country, and there are certain rules you are obliged to observe. Do what you have to do. Set your silver drab to work if you must. But I’ve already informed you: Parker is not to be harmed.’
‘You didn’t answer my question. What if Parker finds the child before Giller?’
‘Listen to me, Quayle. I don’t care about your missing pages. I don’t care about your search. I don’t care about your Atlas. I don’t care how long you’ve lived, or imagine you’ve lived. I have no interest in seeing what may come to pass if, or when, your damned book is restored. I hope even my most distant descendants are long in the ground before that happens.
‘We didn’t invite you into this country, but you may well need our help in leaving it. Believe me when I say that such aid will be given gladly – although it comes at a price, of which you and Mors have already been made aware. But Parker is a piece of a puzzle, a single, perhaps crucial element in a complex construct, and he will not be harmed until we can be sure of the consequences of this action. Are we clear?’
‘Oh, very,’ Quayle replied. He set aside his napkin, and arranged his silverware on his plate, before carefully inverting his glass of milk, spilling its contents over the dish before him.
‘It stops the help from feeding on the same food as their betters,’ he explained. ‘Just in case they’re tempted to forget their place.’
Quayle stood.
‘Thank you for your hospitality. You’ll forgive me if I don’t stay for pudding, but as you’ve so helpfully pointed out, it ill behooves me to tarry if I’m to find the child before Parker. Mors will take care of your other problem as recompense for your efforts on our behalf. Parker I will leave to you, and I hope he kills you for your cowardice.’
The Principal Backer didn’t stand, or offer a farewell. As Quayle opened the door, a factotum appeared to escort him from the premises, and the door closed again behind them, leaving the Principal Backer briefly alone with his thoughts, his wine, and the smell of blood and milk.
66
With no sign of Maela Lombardi, and all calls to her cell phone continuing to go straight to voicemail, Kes Carroll decided that a Silver Alert was warranted. Newspapers and local TV channels were contacted, and a recent photo of Lombardi was distributed, along with her physical description, and the make, model, and license plate number of her car.
Meanwhile, Parker received a call from Lieutenant Solange Corriveau. Parker was cooperative with Corriveau, witholding only Molly Bow’s name for the present, although even then he made it clear to Corriveau that he was doing so.
‘You want to tell me why?’ Corriveau asked.
‘Because Lombardi was Jane Doe’s contact in Maine, which means Lombardi is the only one who might be able to identify her. I don’t see any reason to breach confidentiality when it comes to others involved in sheltering troubled women.’
‘So why didn’t Lombardi come forward when the body was found?’
‘Maybe because Jane Doe never made contact, in which case Lombardi had nothing to tell.’
‘But if that’s the case, where’s Lombardi?’