The Dark by Andrew Neiderman

Author:Andrew Neiderman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

11

Jack Landry sat in his car across from the apartment building in an upscale neighborhood of Westwood in Los Angeles and studied the building for a few moments. It looked recently renovated, with a small patch of lawn in front, brass doors, ivy along one side. There was an underground garage and a small but elegantly furnished lobby with restored antique furniture and mirrors. But there was no doorman. Tenants entered with a key or buzzed in visitors and deliveries. Nevertheless, rents were surely high.

Jack wore his Air Postal Express outfit. He had hoped to get here earlier, but a complication with an investigation he was doing for a wealthy client who suspected his much younger wife of adultery had tied him up in Studio City for most of the morning. Then, after he had taken the freeway, he got caught in a traffic jam caused by a pickup truck colliding with a van. Neither driver was seriously hurt, but removal of the wreckage and the curiosity of passing motorists backed up the highway for miles. Still, it was only a little after one. Good chance Bois wouldn’t be at home, which would give Jack a chance to reconnoiter the man’s apartment.

Carrying an empty wrapped box, he stepped out of his vehicle, crossed the street, and checked the directory for Bois’ name and apartment number. He pressed the buzzer for the video entry system and waited, but there was no response after a second and third attempt. Just what he had hoped.

He then located the nearest apartment and buzzed it. An elderly female voice responded.

“Yes?”

“Good afternoon, ma’am. This is Air Postal Express. I have a special delivery for a Jules Bois, but no one answers the buzzer. Could you accept the package?”

He stood in front of the video camera so she could have a clear view of him in uniform.

“Oh. Oh, yes. Just bring it up,” she said.

Jack smiled. Bingo on the first attempt. Usually it took four or five, these days. He heard the buzzer and opened the outer door. Bois lived on the sixth floor. Jack took the elevator and went directly to the apartment of the woman who had responded. She looked like she was well into her seventies, if not eighty, and apparently living alone.

“This is very kind of you,” Jack said.

“Oh, we often help each other out in this building,” she said, taking the package. Jack turned the clipboard so she could sign.

“My first delivery here. It looks like a nice building. You live here long?”

“Nearly twenty years,” she replied, smiling and handing him the clipboard. “Mr. Bois is one of our newer tenants, but he’s been here more than six months and we’ve had some nice talks. He’s a very nice gentleman. I’ll see that he gets this.”

“Thanks again,” Jack said, and stepped back so she could close the door. He waited a moment, gazed down the corridor, and then went to Bois’ apartment. It took him only a minute to unlock the door, which surprised him as well.

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