Adam scared him. He hated to admit it but it was true. This incredible power Adam had over him to hurt his feelings, to make him feel less than he really was
'Everything go all right?' Adam asked when they were in the car and on the way home.
'Went fine.'
'No trouble, then?'
'You were expecting trouble, Adam?'
'I was asking a civil question, Rick.'
'No, you weren't. You were implying that I couldn't pull anything off without you.'
Adam, blond Adam, shook his head and looked out the window at the fine autumn day. 'I'm really not up for this crap, Rick. I mean it.' He didn't look at Rick. Continued to stare out the driver's window.
'Meet anybody interesting in New York?' Rick said. He knew he shouldn't have said it but couldn't help himself.
'I'm not even going to answer that.'
'Maybe I'll find another note on the floor.'
Adam looked at him. 'Maybe you will. And you know what, Rick? I don't give a damn if you do.'
Scared, that's what Rick was. Scared that Adam was going to say goodbye to him. So what does he do? Pushes Adam into saying goodbye to him. Go figure.
'Maybe we should give it a rest, Rick, you ever think about that?'
'Meaning whatyou met somebody here in Chicago, too?'
Very dramatic sigh. 'Meaning that I'm not in the car two minutes before you're on my case. Meaning that we should be talking about how it went with Jill Coffey and instead we're arguing about some imaginary lover.'
'Imaginary. Right, Adam. Was that note I found imaginary?'
'One note. Not exactly the end of the world, Rick.'
'Maybe not for somebody who doesn't care about being true and loyal.'
Another sigh. 'The subject, Rick, is Jill Coffey.'
Rick's jaw clenched. He wanted to keep on talking about what an utter bastard Adam wasjust the sight of him had made Rick insane with angerbut he supposed he'd have to let Adam shame him into talking about Jill Coffey.
'Everything went fine.'
'You were able to get some of her clothes?'
'No problem.'
'And Eric Brooks has been found by now, I take it?'
'Two hours after I killed him. It's all over TV and the papers.'
'You know what our good friend the lawyer told usMrs Tappley plans a very big bonus if things go right.'
'You trust him?'
'Who?'
'Halliwell. Arthur K. Halliwell. I don't trust him.'
'Rick, you say that about half the people we work with. You ever think of seeing a shrink about your paranoia?'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
'What's what supposed to mean?'
'About me seeing a shrink. You think I'm losing it or something?'
Yet another sigh. 'Rick, you're all the time talking about how we can't trust this guy or can't trust that guy. I mean, it gets a little crazy after a while.'
'So that's it.'
'What's it?'
'Crazy. I figured you'd get around to using that word eventually.'
'Rick.'
'What?'
'Shut the hell up, will you? I'm half an hour off the plane and I'm already ass-deep into one of these things you insist on us having.'
And then Rick reached inside his sport jacket, felt for his shirt pocket and took out the photo, the lone photo he'd kept from the envelope in Adam's bottom drawer.
'Where the hell did you get that?'
'Where do you think, Adam?'
'That cuts it, pal. That cuts it clean. Once we start snooping in each other's private business…'
Rick tried not to smile. He was enjoying himself. Something about the photo of fifteen-year-old Peter Tappley had alarmed Adam greatly.
They reached the Dan Ryan.
'Adam?'
'God, Rick. You don't get it, do you?'
'Get what?'
'Who you are.'
'What the hell's that supposed to mean?'
'God,' Adam said. 'That youthat you're Peter Tappley.'
'What the hell are you talking about?' Rick said.
'The headaches, Rick, and the blackouts. They're part of the multiple personality thing. I did some reading about them.'
'You're saying I have this multiple personality thing?'
Adam looked at him and shook his head. Crazy sonofabitch. Pitiful crazy sonofabitch. That's what Rick was.
'Just drive,' Adam said. ''Just goddamm drive.'