Choke Point

Sonia Pangarkar’s newspaper article haunts him as he makes the call to his brother. The reporter was interviewing doctors at a local clinic about the cost of immigrant health care when an emaciated, unkempt girl arrived at the desk, feverish from a festering ankle wound. The writing is excellent—too good for Knox; too many well-crafted images left swimming in his head. Now he wishes he hadn’t read it. They had to include a photo because what would the article be without some nausea to go along with it? A girl of nine or ten, her face all bone and eyes. Pleading. Helpless. These children are used for their small fingers. Their knots can be tied tighter and more quickly. It’s efficiency, at any price. But now it’s their turn to pay the price, whoever’s behind this. Dulwich has his mission; Knox has his own.

Before calling Tommy, Knox tries to settle himself. His brother knows him way too well, and in an uncanny, telekinetic way, his condition—whatever name they’re putting on it this week—allows him nearly insight to where he can penetrate Knox even over a phone line, discerning his mood or state of mind. Knox will use the new job offer as an excuse to delay his scheduled visit; it’s not the first delay, nor likely the last, and he doesn’t want Tommy seeing through to the truth—whatever that truth may be; it continues to elude him. Knox has been focused on Tommy’s financial health for so long that he’s beginning to see himself as avoiding the realities of his brother’s physical and emotional health.

“Hey.”

“There you are!” Tommy comes in two flavors: apathetic and charged. It’s the latter today, which is easier for Knox. When apathetic, Tommy is unreachable.

“How are things?”

“You know.” Tommy feels responsible for the embezzlement of over three hundred thousand dollars by their company’s former bookkeeper, Evelyn, a woman Tommy became infatuated with. No matter how many times Knox explains Evelyn fooled them both, Tommy can’t forgive himself. Part of the guilt revolves around Tommy’s crush, allowing her to manipulate him. Knox has plans for Evelyn when he finds her, and he will find her.

“I’m taking a job with Sarge. I don’t know for how long, but it will pay well.”

“How’d the buying go?”

Knox isn’t sure he’s heard him. Tommy can be funny that way. “Good. You got my e-mails?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you know it went well.” There are those who treat Tommy like a ten-year-old. Not his brother.

“You shipped to the warehouse.”

“Correct.” They’re getting somewhere; Tommy is staying on top.

“We can put the new stuff online as soon as they’re inventoried.” There’s pride in his voice now, making Knox happy.

“Yes. That’s right. You can take care of the inventory?”

“No problem.”

That a boy. “You heard what I said about Sarge?”

“Yeah.”

“It doesn’t mean you can’t call me.”

“I know.”

“I want you to call me.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Seriously.”

“But not too serious.”

Knox can’t wipe the smile off his face as he answers. “You got that right.”

“What kind of job? With Sarge?”

“Just a thing.”

Much as he knows he needs to keep the lines of communication open, Tommy is a liability. Someone might try to track down Tommy to get to Knox. Ignorance is bliss. People who run sweatshops are not to be messed with. The kind of person who chains a ten-year-old to a worktable thinks nothing of taking out a thirty-something Curious George. He and Dulwich rarely discuss the risks. The pay grade reflects them up front. None of that does Tommy much good if Knox doesn’t come home. Knox is wearing a bull’s-eye on his back before he ever leaves for Amsterdam.

“Yeah, okay.” Tommy knows the rules.

“So we’re good?” A loaded question.

“You’re saying you’re not coming to see me.”

The question hangs over Knox like an executioner’s blade. He can’t speak. Who’s the child now? Knox resents the responsibility for Tommy even as he moves to meet it.

“Take care, Johnny.” It comes out as a memorized line.