"I don't know and I don't care," Callahan replied. They were speaking in the low voices of conspirators, although the elevator was empty save for them. "If I can rob a sleeping chambermaid, stiffing a cab driver should be a leadpipe cinch."
"Yeah," Jake said. He was thinking that Roland had done more than rob a few innocent people during his quest for the Tower; he'd killed a good many, as well. "Let's just get this done and then find the Dixie Pig."
"You don't have to worry so much, you know," Callahan said. "If the Tower falls, you'll be among the very first to know."
Jake studied him. After a moment or two of this, Callahan cracked a smile. He couldn't help it.
"Not that funny, sai," Jake said, and they went out into the dark of that early summer's night in the year of '99.
Twelve
It was quarter to nine and there was still a residue of light across the Hudson when they arrived at the first of their two stops. The taximeter's tale was nine dollars and fifty cents. Callahan gave the cabbie one of the maid's tens.
"Mon, don't hurt yose'f," the driver said in a powerful Jamaican accent. "I dreadful 'fraid you might leave yose'fshote. "
"You're lucky to get anything at all, son," Callahan said kindly. "We're seeing New York on a budget."
"My woman got a budget, too," said the cabbie, and then drove away.
Jake, meanwhile, was looking up. "Wow," he said softly. "I guess I forgot howbig all this is."
Callahan followed his glance, then said: "Let's get it done." And, as they hurried inside: "What are you getting from Susannah? Anything?"
"Man with a guitar," Jake said. "Singing...I don't know. And I should. It was another one of those coincidences that aren't coincidences, like the owner of the bookstore being named Tower or Balazar's joint turning out to be The Leaning Tower. Some song...I should know."
"Anything else?"
Jake shook his head. "That's the last thing I got from her, and it was just after we got into the taxi outside the hotel. I think she's gone into the Dixie Pig and now she's out of touch." He smiled faintly at the unintentional pun.
Callahan veered toward the building directory in the center of the huge lobby. "Keep Oy close to you."
"Don't worry."
It didn't take Callahan long to find what he was looking for.
Thirteen
The sign read:
LONG-TERM STORAGE
10 - 36 MOS.
USE TOKENS
TAKE KEY
MANAGEMENT ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY
FOR LOST PROPERTY!
Below, in a framed box, was a list of rules and regulations, which they both scanned closely. From beneath their feet came the rumble of a subway train. Callahan, who hadn't been in New York for almost twenty years, had no idea what train it might be, where it might go, or how deep in the city's intestine it might run. They'd already come down two levels by escalator, first to the shops and then to here. The subway station was deeper still.
Jake shifted the bag of Orizas to his other shoulder and pointed out the last line on the framed notice. "We'd get a discount if we were tenants," he said.
"Count!" Oy cried sternly.
"Aye, laddie," Callahan agreed, "and if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. We don't need a discount."