"Maybe. But look in my eyes. Look in Ama's. Tell me I'm crazy then."
He glanced across the room. Ama was watching us, an amused frown creasing her face, wondering why the act had paused in the middle. He licked his lips. "She'd never leave me. We're too close. Even if you did marry her, she wouldn't just abandon me."
"You're sure of that?"
"I am."
I shrugged. "Maybe you're right. You know her better than I do. Maybe she'll stick by you, regardless of what I ask of her. But wouldn't you like to be certain? Wouldn't you like to insure her long-term loyalty?" I gave him my sneakiest smile and sat back.
His nails were digging into my finger. His right hand hovered above the top of the guillotine. The diners were looking on curiously, whispering, catching whiffs of the tension. The magic might be on the point of turning nasty and they relished the prospect of some unexpected blood.
Cafran looked up, smiled abruptly and brought his hand crashing down. I convulsed reflexively, in my mind's eye seeing the finger cut in two, blood spurting, harpies and vampires converging to suck me dry. But the blade came to rest harmlessly at the bottom of the guillotine. The crowd gasped, then clapped as I withdrew my finger and flexed it. Cafran stood, bowed and sat again. "Now," he said, "where are these papers you want me to sign?" A pause. A charming grin. He tapped me on the chin and winked. "Son."
I thanked Cafran for the meal, shook hands on the deal and took my leave. He was still smiling ruefully. Ama was waiting outside, arms crossed, serious as a judge in a hanging case. I walked over. We stood, staring silently for a minute, uncertain of ourselves. For all I knew she was one of The Cardinal's assassins, on orders to seduce, tempt and murder one Capac Raimi. For all she knew, I was The Cardinal's man through and through, here to make up for last night's error. Neither of us knew if the other was a potential lover or killer. It would have been comical if our lives hadn't been on theline.
Ama broke the silence. "Have fun the other night?"
"Fuck yes," I said, and then we were both laughing. "I never did it on the stairs before."
"Me neither. Kind of different, wasn't it?"
"Pretty exciting."
"And intoxicating. Invigorating. And incredibly, ridiculously stupid."
"I know. Screwing like rabbits on the stairs of Party Central. If anyone had chanced upon us…"
She chewed her upper lip. "So you're Capac Raimi."
"And you're Ama Situwa."
"Ever hear of me before today?"
"No."
"I'd heard of you."
"Word of mouth?"
"No. I read about you in the files at Party Central."
I hesitated, smile fading. "Can you tell me what you were doing there?" I asked.
She looked around nervously. "How close are you to The Cardinal? How loyal are you?" She watched closely for my response.
"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "Up to a couple of days ago I'd have said I was loyal to my last breath. He was the key to all I wanted, riches, glory, power. Now I'm not so sure. A friend's gone missing and I think The Cardinal might be implicated, that he's playing games with me. If pushed, I'd describe myself as loyal but wavering."
"I broke into Party Central," she confessed. "There's an unguarded window on the second floor. I get up there with a rope. I've been sneaking in three or four nights a week, searching the secret files on the top floors. I've enough evidence set aside to tear The Cardinal to shreds. I could destroy him in the blink of an eye tomorrow if I wanted."
It was a tall story, a lone woman breaking into Party Central unassisted, but I believed her. "Are you going to attack him?" I asked.
"Probably. Eventually."
"Why? What were you looking for? Why did you go there?"
"I'll explain later. For now, know there's nobody behind me. I've done this for and by myself. If you betray him, it's for me, a woman you don't know, a woman you've screwed once on a flight of stairs, who thinks she's in love with you, though she doesn't know why." She smiled sickly. "If that sounds reasonable, you're as crazy as I am for telling you this."
She was trembling. I was a total stranger yet she'd entrusted me with everything she had, her body, her heart, her life. Nobody had ever placed such faith in me before. I never thought anybody would. I felt weightless. Torn. For some reason I wanted to run with her madness and join her against The Cardinal, but that would mean risking everything, putting my future on the line.
"Do you know Adrian Arne?" It wasn't an important question, but if she lied the way others had lied, I'd shop her to The Cardinal before the night was out.
"Not in person," she answered. "But I know the name. He's one of the people on the Ayuamarca list."
"What?" I'd heard that name before.
" Ayuamarca. It's what I went to Party Central to find. It's the answer to the questions I've been tormented by since I came to this city. I haven't been able to crack its secret but I know it's the key. It's full of names. Mine, Adrian Arne's, Leonora Shankar's, yours. Dozens of names and a puzzle to go with each." She checked her watch and tutted. "I have to go in. Father needs me. A couple of the regular waitresses are off sick."
"We have to meet again," I said quickly, afraid she was going to vanish like Adrian once we said goodbye. "I want to hear more about this list and what you're looking for."
"Of course."
"Where? When?"
"Tomorrow. The docks. Pier 15. Come about six. That'll give you enough time to think things over. You might decide I'm too much of a risk and choose to remain true to your boss. I won't blame you if you do. I'm asking more than any stranger should. Maybe you'll come with Ford Tasso and a squadron of Troops." She sighed. "I can't stop that now. If I've made a mistake, I'm dead. I'm gambling on the chance that you love me-and that's so crazy that thinking about it makes me sick."
She left. I stood staring after her, mouth hanging open. A couple of seconds later she was back for one last question. "Do you remember your childhood?" I must have jumped because she smiled knowingly. "Neither do I," she said. And then she was gone again, this time for good.
I filed my papers back at the office. Sonja was there, sullen, glaring at me, but she brightened up when she saw the signed forms. She'd been trying to land Reed for almost as long as The Cardinal had. She asked how I did it, making an effort to bridge the chasm between us. I only grunted. She'd tricked me and lied to me. I wasn't prepared to forgive and forget. I gave her the forms to finish, made a curt excuse and left.
I wandered the streets of the city for a few hours before making my lonely way back to the Skylight. Could I really betray The Cardinal? It should have been an unthinkable question. He'd spared me. Brought me into the fold, set me up with a great job, told Ford Tasso and Sonja to teach me. I was going to turn on him after all that, on account of a cat burglar who'd seduced me on the stairs? It was crazy.
I had to give her to him. For all I knew she was a plant, and he'd put her in my way to test my loyalty. If she wasn't-if she was genuine-revealing her was all the more imperative. I should go home, shower, pick up my phone and tell The Cardinal all about Ama Situwa and the threat she posed. Feelings-the stirrings of what might be love, but which was probably just horniness-be damned.
I'd about made up my mind when my cell rang. It was one of The Cardinal's secretaries. He wanted to see me ASAP. He'd heard about my deal with Cafran and wanted to congratulate me in person. That was the deciding factor. I'd go there and tell him face-to-face. Ama Situwa was finished. The hell with Adrian too. I had my own neck to worry about and that mattered to me more than any other's.
Just when my future had been settled, my phone rang again. This time it was one of Conchita's doctors. She'd had a visit from her husband, suffered a relapse and tried to kill herself. He said she'd nearly succeeded. He asked me to come as swiftly as I could. They'd drugged her but she was still conscious. If I couldn't help her, she'd have to be taken someplace where professionals could care for her. He didn't come right out and say I was the only thing between her and the nuthouse but it was what he meant. Forgetting all my other troubles, I barked at Thomas and we made it to the Skylight in record time. The Cardinal would have to wait.
When I reached Conchita's apartment, I was told she'd calmed down since they called, due to exhaustion, drugs and the blood she'd lost. She was in her bedroom, resting, crying, staring at the ceiling, half-dozing. The doctors wanted me to come back in the morning, but then a nurse came out and said Conchita had been asking for me, so they decided I'd better go in after all. They warned me to be gentle with her, comforting, understanding. As if I needed telling.
I entered, closed the door and crossed the room to the frail figure stretched across the bed. "Hey, little one," I said softly.
Her eyes opened and she smiled weakly. "Hi." Her voice was faint and pained. "I thought you weren't going to come, that I'd die alone tonight, that I'd lost you."
"Don't be silly. You can't lose me. I have a homing device stitched into my skull. It always brings me back, whether I like it or not."
"Silly." She grimaced. "It's been so long since I tried to kill myself. I forgot how much it hurts." She began to weep. I cuddled her gently.