It Was a Very Bad Year

TWENTY

We hung out in Jerry’s room the rest of the day, followed the day’s progress on the screen. The Governor had been shot in the back, but survived his surgery. His wife and the first lady had been unharmed. By the time we left at five thirty we had no news about who had fired the shots.

I called Danny before we left, told him we’d settled on a meeting place.

‘OK,’ he said, ‘I’ve got somewhere for you to take him.’ He gave me the address. ‘Do you want me to meet you at the studio?’

‘No, Jerry and I can handle that. We’ll meet you later.’

‘OK, but be careful.’

By the time we parked around the corner from Irwin’s studio it was five fifty-three.

‘Gimme ten minutes to get in the back door,’ Jerry said, ‘then go in.’

‘Gotcha.’

He went down the alley that led behind Irwin’s studio. I waited a full ten minutes and then walked around the corner and went in the front door. I had the money on me that Abby had given me, five grand.

I entered the studio, found it as musty and filthy as the last time. I decided not to go walking down the hall, looking for Irwin. Instead, I called out to him.

‘Irwin! Where are you?’

I suddenly found myself hoping we weren’t going to find a dead body. Jerry and I had found more than our share during the time we’d known each other.

‘Hey, Barney.’

‘Back here,’ Irwin’s voice called.

OK, so I would have to go down the hall. If Irwin did, indeed, have back-up with him I wondered if they’d be armed. Then I wondered if Jerry was armed. I hadn’t asked him. Maybe I hadn’t wanted to know.

I went down the hall and through the same curtained doorway. No naked girls, this time. Just Irwin, standing in the center of the room with his arms folded. He looked like he was posing.

‘You got my money?’ he asked.

‘I’ve got it,’ I said. ‘You got the pictures?’

Instead of answering the question he said, ‘Meet Wayne.’

‘Wayne who?’

‘Wayne me,’ a voice said from behind me. A big man in his fifties came in through the same doorway I’d used. He had broad shoulders and muscular arms, but sported a hard paunch. He shopped the same place for clothes that Irwin did. Still, I would not have wanted to try to handle him alone.

‘What’s this?’ I asked.

‘Give me the dough.’

‘Not till I see the pictures.’

Irwin shook his head and looked past me at Wayne. I turned, saw Wayne reach behind him and come up with a sap. I was glad it wasn’t a gun.

I also saw Jerry’s big forearm come through the curtain and snake around Wayne’s neck. His other hand relieved the man of his weapon. The big man immediately began to fight, but he was no match for Jerry. His face started to change colors, and by the time it reached purple he passed out. Jerry lowered him to the floor.

I turned and looked at Irwin, who seemed panicked.

‘H-hey-’ he said.

‘What was your plan, Barney? Have Wayne work me over and then take the money?’

‘Naw, naw,’ Irwin said.

Jerry stepped past me and approached the photographer. Irwin put both hands out in front of him and cringed.

‘Hey, I got neighbors,’ he said. ‘They’ll hear-’

‘Relax, Barney,’ I said. ‘We’re just gonna go for a little ride.’

‘Huh? Where?’

Jerry reached out, settled one big paw on the back of Irwin’s neck.

‘You’ll see,’ he said.

Irwin looked down at Wayne and asked, ‘Is. . is he dead?’

‘Naw, he’s just asleep.’

Irwin looked at me, his eyes pleading.

‘The pictures are here,’ he claimed. ‘I was gonna make the exchange. Wayne was just back-up.’

‘Where are they?’

‘There.’ He pointed. I walked over to a table where a brown envelope lay. It had stains on it, which it had acquired that afternoon in Clipper’s. It was the same envelope, with the same photos in it. No nudes.

‘Not good enough, Barney,’ I said. ‘Where are the nudes?’

‘How many times I gotta tell you-’ he started, but Jerry tightened his hand on the back of Irwin’s neck, which took away his ability to speak.

‘Come on, Barney,’ I said. ‘We’re going for a ride.’