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He d asked the doctor about a brain scan after all, he was pay-
ing for the consultation, so might as well get his money s
worth and the doctor had actually laughed. It was obvious no-
body ever sued the doctors in Britain. You went to a doctor in the
States, they practically wheeled you from the waiting room to the
examination room and back, just so you didn t trip over the car-
pet and start yelling for your lawyer.
 You re lucky I don t have my fucking gun with me, Hoffer had
told the doctor. Even then, the doctor had thought he was joking.
So he wasn t in the best of moods for his visit to Draper
Productions, but when Draper found out who he was, the guy
started jumping up and down. He said he d read about Hoffer.
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Bleeding Hearts
He said Hoffer was practically the best-known private eye in the
world, and had anyone done a profile of him?
 You mean for TV?
 I mean for TV.
 Well, I ve, uh, I m doing a TV spot, but only as a guest on
some talk show. It had been confirmed that morning, Hoffer
standing in for a flu-ridden comedian.
 I m thinking bigger than that, Leo, believe me.
So then they d had to go talk it through over lunch at some
restaurant where the description of each dish in the menu far ex-
ceeded in size the actual dish itself. Afterward, Hoffer had had to
visit a burger joint. Joe Draper thought this was really funny. It
seemed like today everyone thought Hoffer was their favorite co-
median. Draper wanted to come to New York and follow Hoffer
around, fly-on-the-wall style.
 You could never show it, Joe. Most of what I do ain t family
viewing.
 We can edit.
Early on in their relationship, Draper and Hoffer had come
to understand one pertinent detail, each about the other. Maybe
it was Hoffer s sniffing and blowing his nose and complaining of
summer allergies. Maybe it was something else. Draper had been
the first to suggest some nose talc, and Hoffer had brought out
his Laguiole.
 Nice blade, Draper said, reaching into his desk drawer for
a mirror . . .
So it was a while before Hoffer actually got round to asking
about Eleanor Ricks.
 Lainie, Draper said in the restaurant,  she was a lion tamer,
believe me. I mean, in her professional life. God, this is the best
pâté I ve ever tasted.
Hoffer had already finished his salade langoustine. He poured
himself a glass of the white burgundy and waited.
 She was great, really she was, Draper went on, buttering
bread like he was working in the kitchen.  Without her, three of
my future projects just turned to ashes. He squashed pâté onto
the bread and folded it into his mouth.
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Ian Rankin
 How much would I get paid for this documentary? asked
Hoffer.
 Jesus, we don t talk money yet, Leo. We need to do costings,
then present the package to the money men. They re the final
arbiters.
 What was Eleanor working on when she died?
 The Disciples of Love.
 I think I saw that movie.
 It s not a film, it s a cult. So then it took a while for Draper
to talk about that.  I ve got some info in my office, if you want it.
I should be selling it, not giving it away. I had two detectives took
copies away, on top of the half dozen I d already handed over. It
was worth it though. One of them suggested Molly Prendergast
take over from Lainie on the Disciples project.
 That s the woman she was with when she got shot?
 The same.
 What about these two detectives?
 The man was called Inspector Best.
 West? Hoffer suggested.  His colleague was a woman
called Harris?
 Oh, you know them?
 It s beginning to feel that way, said Hoffer.  Did they ask you
what color clothes Ms. Ricks liked to wear? Draper was nodding.
 Uncanny, he said.
 It s a gift, my grandmother was a psychic. Joe, I d appreciate
it if you could give me whatever you gave them.
 Sure, no problem. Now let s talk about you . . .
After lunch and the postprandial burger, they went back to
Draper s office for the Disciples of Love? folder and a final toot.
Hoffer gave Draper his business card, but told him not to call [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]