The Book of Air and Shadows

like you’ve got the best leads on it, so we start to follow you…”
    “So it was you and not Shvanov’s, who mugged me in front of my apartment and broke into Crosetti’s house and made me kill two people?”
    He shrugged. “Someone associated with the syndicate set that up, and I have to say, you buy cheap, you get cheap. The fuckin city’s full of Russian patzers don’t know their ass from a hole in the ground. These boys here, on the other hand, are a whole different proposition, in case you get any ideas.”
    “But before that you sent someone to pretend to be Bulstrode’s niece and she stole the manuscript I got from Bulstrode.”
    “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
    I studied his face; no liar more skillful than Izzy, but the look of confusion appeared genuine.
    “Never mind,” I said, “so that was your gang following us in Europe?”
    “I don’t have a gang, Jake. Izzy Numbers, remember? I got nothing to do with any rough shit, never had, never will.”
    “So who are these eyeball-tweezer guys in this car?”
    “They work for people you don’t need to know their names. People in Israel, people in Europe-I told you, it’s a syndicate. Shvanov proposed a simple deal. If he gets hold of this thing, we make sure it’s authenticated up the ass, total legit, Shvanov has the guy to do it, and we agree to buy it off him. He’s asking ten million, the thing’s worth maybe a hundred, hundred fifty mill, but who knows?”
    “But you’re trying to grab it without Shvanov, aren’t you?”
    “Oh, the lightbulb goes off. Of course, we’re trying to grab it if it’s up for grabs. Ten million is ten million, and why should we give it to that cocksucker?”
    “So why did they send you? I thought you were above all this kind of work.”
    “Because if there’s an item in play might be worth a hundred fifty mill, they want someone honest on the scene.”
    “You? Honest?”
    Another dramatic sigh, a specialty of his. “Yeah, me. Tell me, counselor, did it ever fucking occur to you how come I’m still alive? I’ll tell you why. Because I been in this business nearly sixty years, handling fucking
billions
of dollars, almost all of it in untraceable cash, and I never skimmed a nickel. If Izzy the Book says the numbers add up, they add up. If he says they don’t, guys get whacked. This is in a business full of
momsers
who’d cut your throat for your shoes. So don’t you look down your nose at me!”
    “Oh, excuse me, I beg your pardon: you have a sterling rep with the scum of humanity. You walked out on us, you piece of shit.”
    “Oh, and you didn’t? The difference is you did it because you couldn’t stop chasing strange pussy and I did it so I wouldn’t do twenty in Sing Sing. You would’ve been happy to see me in the joint? How the hell would I have supported you?”
    “You didn’t support us.”
    “No? Did you ever miss a meal, ever not have a roof over your head or a warm bed to sleep in, ever not have toys and clothes? You think she supported three kids on her salary, pushing a mop in a hospital?”
    “She didn’t push a mop. She was an administrator.”
    “My sweet ass, she was! Schmuck! She could barely read the
Daily News
. How the fuck could you believe she was handling medical paper? Listen, I sent each of you a card with money in it every birthday and every Christmas, and every year they came back with ‘not at this address’ written on it in her writing. And no money in them either. She steamed them open, took the cash, and sent them back to me. Fuck you, Izzy!”
    “I don’t believe you,” I said, with my stomach roiling and a splash of bile high in my throat.
    “Then go to hell, you want to hold a grudge your whole life. Meanwhile, here we are. People live in factories now, I can’t believe it. Go up and get this fucking thing and then,
alivai
, you’ll never have to see my face again. Eli, go with him, make sure he doesn’t trip on the stairs.”
    When I got out of the limo, my knees were so weak with fury that I staggered. I had to lean on my front door for a few moments and my hand shook when I used my key. I entered and Mr..22 followed me at a discreet distance, enough, that is, to put a few rounds in me if I tried anything. When I reached my door I had a spasm of coughing.
    “I’m sorry,” I said to Eli, “I have a little asthma and it acts up when I’m upset.” He gave an uninterested nod and pointed to the lock. I opened