بخش 04 - فصل 14

14

Freddi gives a small scream when “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” starts tootling away from somewhere in the apartment. Holly puts a gentling hand on her shoulder and looks a question at Hodges. He nods and follows the sound, with Jerome on his heels. Her phone is on top of her dresser, amid a clutter of hand cream, Zig-Zag rolling papers, roach clips, and not one but two good-sized bags of pot.

The screen says Z-BOY, but Z-Boy, once known as Library Al Brooks, is currently in police custody and not likely to be making any calls.

“Hello?” Hodges says. “Is that you, Dr. Babineau?”

Nothing . . . or almost. Hodges can hear breathing.

“Or should I call you Dr. Z?”

Nothing.

“How about Brady, will that work?” He still can’t quite believe this in spite of everything Freddi has told them, but he can believe that Babineau has gone schizo, and actually thinks that’s who he is. “Is it you, asshole?”

The sound of the breathing continues for another two or three seconds, then it’s gone. The connection has been broken.