It Was a Very Bad Year

SIXTEEN

Outside of Clipper’s, I looked for Jerry, but if he was there he was better at blending in than Danny was.

Speak of the devil, Danny came walking out of the bar. I headed for my car, got behind the wheel and waited for him to join me.

‘That’s a great disguise,’ I said, when he slid into the passenger seat. ‘Why didn’t you shoot off some flares, while you were at it?’

‘See,’ he said, ‘this is why I’m the pro and you’re the pit boss. When people see a shirt like this, they rarely look at your face. Admit it, when you walked in you didn’t see me right away.’

‘Never mind that,’ I said. ‘He didn’t have the right photos.’

‘I noticed you let him keep the envelope.’

‘We made a deal for ten grand,’ I said. ‘I’m supposed to meet with him tomorrow.’

‘Where?’

‘I haven’t decided,’ I said. ‘Someplace. . quiet.’

‘Quiet?’

‘Yeah, I’m going to have Jerry with me,’ I said. ‘I think I might let him ask Irwin about the photos one more time.’

‘Ask?’

‘Ask.’

‘Ah,’ Danny said, ‘someplace quiet.’

‘Yes.’

‘Maybe I can come up with something. You think Irwin will show?’

‘He will if he wants his ten grand.’

‘Where is the big guy?’ Danny asked. ‘I know he wouldn’t let you come here alone.’

‘He’s around here somewhere,’ I said, ‘probably not wearing an ugly Hawaiian shirt.’

‘Ugly? Penny said this shirt had character.’

‘I think she meant it makes you look like a character.’

‘Ha-ha.’ He opened the car door. ‘My heap is around the corner. If you need me to do anything else, let me know.’

‘Thanks, Danny,’ I said. ‘I will.’

I watched him walk down the street until he turned the corner. I was about to start the car when Jerry appeared at my elbow.

‘Shove over, Mr G.,’ he said. ‘I’ll drive.’

Jerry said he wanted barbecue so I took him to a place I knew just a few blocks away.

‘I discovered ribs last year,’ he said, working on the first of two racks. ‘I had a job makin’ a pick-up from this Texan who thought he was gonna come to New York and score big. Well, he lost and introduced me to ribs just before I broke his arm and collected the debt.’

I picked up a rib from my half rack and gnawed on it.

‘I mean, I knew what ribs was from, you know, Chinese food, but I was pretty much a steak, burger and hot dog guy until Bubba offered me some ribs.’

‘Chinese ribs are pork,’ I said. ‘These are beef.’

‘Well, that explains it then.’

‘So this guy Bubba, he offered you ribs not to hurt him?’

‘No, he pretty much knew I was gonna hurt him,’ Jerry said. ‘He was just bein’ polite. When I found him he was eatin’, so he offered me some.’

‘And you broke his arm, anyway?’

‘I was supposed to break his legs, but he was a nice guy, and he wanted to leave town so. .’ He shrugged, ‘I figured I’d let him walk.’

‘OK.’ I dropped the last bone on to my plate.

‘How did it go in the bar?’

I told him about the deal I’d made with Irwin for Abby’s pictures.

‘Ten grand?’ Jerry said. ‘You’re gonna give that asshole ten large?’

‘No,’ I said, ‘I just told him that so he’d meet us somewhere.’

‘Us?’

‘Yeah, us. I’m going to give you your shot at Mr Irwin.’

‘I get to squeeze him?’

‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘but that doesn’t mean you get to break anything. At least, not till I say so.’

‘Yeah, well, your call, Mr G.’

I started working on my fries. Jerry had dumped about half a bottle of ketchup and a pound of salt on his.

‘He didn’t show you any naked stuff?’ he asked.

‘No, just cheesecake. I think he’s holding the nudes back. If he is, you’re going to squeeze them out of him.’

‘Yeah, I am,’ Jerry said, with a barbecue-sauce-smeared grin.