Read Online Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker - Free Book Online Page B

last sentence. Paul looked at her as if shewere a cockroach and turned and went back up to his room.
    “I think I need a drink,” Patty said. “Could you put one together for me?”
    “Sure,” I said. “What’ll it be?”

CHAPTER 12
    The next time they tried, it was meaner. Patty Giacomin was food shopping when I went to pick up Paul at school. When I came back into the house with Paul, the phone was ringing. Paul answered and then handed it to me.
    “It’s for you,” he said.
    I took the phone and Paul lingered in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room to see who it was. It was a voice I didn’t know.
    It said, “Spenser?”
    I said, “Yeah.”
    It said, “There’s someone here wants to talk with you.”
    I said, “Okay.” Repartee is my game.
    There was a shuffling at the other end, then Patty Giacomin’s voice came on. It sounded shaky.
    “Spenser. That man Buddy and some other men have me. They said if you don’t give Paul to them they won’t let me go.”
    I said, “Okay, put Buddy on. We’ll work something out”
    She said, “Spenser …” and then Buddy’s voice came on.
    “You there?”
    I said, “Yeah.”
    Buddy said, “Here’s the plan. You bring the kid to the Boston end of the Mass. Ave. Bridge. We’ll bring Momma to the Cambridge end. When we see you start the kid we’ll start Momma the other way. Get the idea?”
    “Yeah. Shall we do it now?”
    “One hour. We’ll be there in one hour.”
    “Okay.”
    “Spenser?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Don’t fuck this up. I got people with me that ain’t Harold, you understand?”
    “Yeah.”
    Buddy hung up.
    I broke the connection and dialed information.
    “Harbour Health Club in Boston,” I said to the operator. I looked at my watch. Two twenty-five. The operator gave me the number. I punched it out on the push-button phone. It rang. A woman answered.
    I said, “Henry Cimoli, please.”
    The woman said, “One minute.” She sounded like she was chewing gum.
    Henry said, “Hello.”
    I said, “Spenser. I need Hawk. You know where he is?”
    Henry said, “I’m looking at him.” Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
    I said, “Put him on.”
    In a moment Hawk said, “Umm,” into the phone.
    I said, “You know Buddy Hartman?”
    Hawk said, “Umm-hmm.”
    I said, “He and several others have a woman. They want to exchange her for a boy that I have. At three twenty-five they are going to be at the Cambridge end of the Mass. Ave. Bridge. I’m going to be at the Bostonend. We’re going to start them together. When they meet, halfway across, I want you to discourage Buddy and his pals while I drive out onto the bridge and pick up both of them, the woman and the kid.”
    Hawk said, “It’s five minutes’ work, but I gotta drive there and go home again. Cost you a deuce.”
    “Yeah, I haven’t got time to haggle fee with you. I’m on my way.”
    “I be there,” Hawk said. We hung up.
    Paul was staring at me.
    I said, “Come on, we gotta go get your mother.”
    “You going to give me to them?”
    “No.”
    “What if they try to shoot me?”
    “They won’t. Come on. We’ll talk in the car.”
    In the car I said, “You heard what I said on the phone to Hawk?”
    Paul said, “Who’s Hawk?”
    “Friend of mine, doesn’t matter. You heard what I said?”
    “Yes.”
    “Okay. I can’t believe we’re talking a lot of danger here. But here’s what I want you to do. When I tell you to go, you start walking along the Mass. Ave. Bridge toward Cambridge.”
    “Where’s the Mass. Ave. Bridge?”
    “Across the Charles, by MIT. You’ll see. When your mother reaches you, say to her, ‘Lie flat on the ground, Spenser’s coming,’ and then you drop flat down on the pavement. If she doesn’t get down, tell her to. I’ll drive out onto the bridge and I’ll get out of the car. Tell her to get in the driver’s side. You get in the other side.”
    “What about that Buddy?”
    “Hawk will look after