The Gentlemen's Hour

127

Nicole finally calls him back.

“Where the fuck,” Bill asks, “have you been?”

“Out,” she says. “Listen, I wasn’t even going to call you . . . I . . .”

She starts crying, for Chrissakes.

“Nicole,” Bill says, “why don’t you come over and we’ll talk about this? We can work it out. You can have anything you want, I swear. Come on, we’ve meant a lot to each other. Do this for me, come over.”

There’s a long hesitation, and then she says, “Okay. I’m on my way.”

Ten minutes later his bell rings and he opens the door.

It isn’t Nicole.

“Hello,” Jones says.