Deadline for Lenny Stern Peter Marabell (best ereader for comics .TXT) 📖

It was Lenny. “Give it a rest. Let the man do his job.”

I reached over and put my hand on Lenny’s arm.

“Look,” I said, “you could explain publishing books, marketing books. I’d get what you tell me, doesn’t mean I’d understand your business. We’ll keep Lenny safe because this is our business.” I gestured across the table. “And Tina, we’ll keep her safe, too.”

“Tina?” Bigelow said, obviously caught off guard. “Is she …” he looked over at Tina. “Have you been threatened?”

“No,” she said, “not like Lenny.”

“But she’s here, and she’s with Lenny,” I said, “so we assume she’s in some level of danger because of that.”

“You’ll watch her, too?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“They think Kate might be in trouble, too, Charles,” Tina said.

Bigelow’s eyes widened. His mouth opened, and he sat back in his chair.

“Kate? Her, too?”

The wind had just been punched out of the man’s sails. He crossed his legs, smoothed the crease in his elegantly tailored slacks, and shook his head slowly.

“I … I hadn’t thought about that.”

I guessed the reality that he was in the middle of a dangerous drama had finally caught up with him. It didn’t settle in easily.

Bigelow looked up, first at Tina Lawson, then Lenny Stern.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It never occurred to me that you might … that your lives … because of a book contract.”

Tina smiled without enthusiasm. “Me either, Charles.”

“Something like this isn’t predictable,” I said.

“But what are we going to do about it?” Bigelow said.

“You’re already doing it, Mr. Bigelow,” I said. “You hired us.”

I’d just given him more credit than he deserved, but no point jumping on the man when he was trying to get his feet back on the ground.

“Lenny,” Bigelow said, “did you know this would happen?”

Lenny sat forward and put his elbows on the table. “I didn’t know, not for sure anyway. I’ve been a crime reporter for a long time.” He shrugged. “If it makes you feel any better, it never occurred to me my book would put anyone’s life in danger.”

“It doesn’t make me feel any better,” Bigelow said, shaking his head. “Does all this, the emails, the punks who roughed you up, does this scare you?”

Lenny thought for a minute. “Yes and no,” he said. “All my years on the streets, with the cops, got me used to a certain level of violence. But I can’t just ignore what’s happening. Somebody has it in for me — for real.”

Bigelow looked over at me. “Am I in danger, Mr. Russo?”

“Hard to tell,” I said, “but your name’s not out there like Lenny’s. And Tina’s name shows up in the publicity for the tour.”

“Let me ask you something,” Bigelow said. “Am I in more danger here or in Chicago?” He put his hand up, traffic cop-like, before anyone could answer.

“I didn’t mean that like it sounds. If I’m here with Lenny and Tina on the tour …” he glanced at Henri and me, “I assume you’ll have to guard me, too. Is that true, Mr. Russo?”

That was the sharpest thing this guy’s said about the whole case. He’s thinking, at least.

I nodded slowly.

“I also assume that we’ll all be in danger when we’re in Chicago. Is that correct?”

“Lot of Mafiosi in the Windy City.”

“But if I’m not here, on the tour, I mean, is your job easier?”

“Simpler, maybe,” I said. “One less person to cover. How much time did you plan to spend on tour?”

“The first night at the Carnegie,” Bigelow said. “I want to be here for that. We hadn’t discussed the rest of the tour. I don’t have to go, but I’ll host the events in Chicago. Chicago should be okay.”

“Why okay?” I said.

“Well, Gloucester has security services on call. They’re scheduled to be at the Chicago finale anyway. They could protect us.”

Bigelow paused. He was still thinking.

“So to be clear, Mr. Russo, if I’m not here, your job is less complicated.”

I nodded. Maybe there was more to this guy than I’d given him credit for.

“Then it’s done. I’ll attend the Carnegie event and go home.”

“I’ll keep you up to speed, Charles,” Tina said. “Texts, photos, whatever you need.”

“You’ll alert your security people?” I said.

“It’ll be the first thing I do,” he said, “as soon as I leave here.”

“I’ll need contact information for the security service,” I said.

“I’ve got it,” Tina said.

“It’s settled then,” said Bigelow as he stood up. “Well, I have work to do before I leave.”

“What time’s your plane?” Tina asked.

“Two-twenty.”

“You flying out of Traverse City?” I said.

“Yes.”

“Short turnaround for the Carnegie event,” I said.

“Such is publishing.”

“How are you getting to the airport?”

“Rented a car,” Bigelow said. He glanced around the room. “Do you see a problem?”

“Any stops on the way?”

“No. My bag’s in Maury’s office. We plan to have lunch before I leave for the airport.”

“Text Tina when you board the plane.”

“I will.”

Bigelow backed up two steps, as if unsure of what to do next. He wasn’t behaving at all like the arrogant man I’d met in Maury Weston’s office.

“Good-bye, then,” Bigelow said, and left the conference room.

“I almost feel sorry for the guy,” Henri said.

“I don’t think he understood … really got what’s going on,” I said.

“Charles lives the business,” Tina said. “It’s his whole world, publishing, his life. It’s all about marketing books. You just cracked his world a hard one, Michael.”

“Did he read the threats, the emails?”

“I gave him the file,” Tina said, “same one you have. Maybe he didn’t read it.”

“Or maybe the threats were only important for selling books,” Henri said.

“Not anymore,” Tina said.

“All right,” I said, “let’s wrap this up.”

“About time,” Lenny said, and stood up. “I’m on deadline.”

“I’ll be out front when you’re done tonight,” Henri said. “What time?”“How about I call you?”

“Not a chance. What time?”

“Five-thirty, quarter to six,” Lenny said. “Since you insist.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Henri said, smiling.

We ended the meeting and exited the newspaper offices into the summer sun. We crossed the street to Lenny’s SUV. The surface of the truck was hot to the touch.

“I’m surprised