Last Call

Chapter 4

The search was on. With the help of Uncle Cy, Theo was determined to find the perfect location for Sparky's II.

They checked out three locations before lunch. Theo saved the best for last.

"Holy crap," said Cy. He was dressed like Johnny Cash – black shirt, black shoes, and black pants. It was his serious jazz club attire, but he had a smile that brought the look to life.

They were standing in a vacant restaurant with old wood floors, redbrick walls, and high ceilings. On one side of the room was a huge U-shaped bar that would allow the bartender to work three sides; the top of the U was closed off by cafe doors that led to the kitchen. The bar stools had been sold off in the previous tenants liquidation, but Theo could pick up some used ones on the cheap. The chandeliers were also gone, but it didn't take much to imagine a big brass antique casting its moody glow as Theo served up drinks till the wee hours of the morning. The previous tenant had obviously over improved, the cost of the build-out making profit impossible. The restaurant owner's downfall was the bar owner's windfall. Capitalism, 100 proof.

"You like it?" said Theo.

"Holy crap," he said again.

Theo crossed the room. "This is where the dinner tables used to be. We could put cocktail tables here, and the ceiling is plenty high for us to build a little stage against the back wall for the band."

"I can hear that beautiful sax already," said Cy.

"I was thinking maybe fifteen tables or so."

“Twenty" said Cy "You need that crowded jazz bar feelin' with the lights dimmed and the smoke risin' up-"

"No smoking" said Theo. "It's against the law if we're gonna serve food."

"No smoke in a jazz bar? That's like no blue in the Blue Note."

"Things change," said Theo.

"Yeah," he said wistfully "they sure do." Then his face lit up. "Hey here's an idea. Why don't I take you on a tour? Overtown, old Miami, Miami Beach. I'll show you all the joints I used to play"

"Are they still around?"

"Yeah, every last one of them is still right here," he said, as he pointed to his heart. "Don't make no difference if they've been turned into parking lots or fancy office buildings. It's like visiting hallowed ground. It'll all come back to me when we walk the old streets. Maybe you'll even pick up some vibes of inspiration for this joint."

"I'd like that," said Theo. "We should have done it a long time ago.

Together, they fell into silence, remembering when Uncle Cy had made that very suggestion years earlier – before Theo got mixed up with the Grove Lords and ended up in prison.

His cell phone rang. He checked the number, and it was Trina. "Gotta take this."

"You go ahead. I'll just keep on dreamin'."

Theo wandered toward the bar and took the call. He could hear the excitement in Trina's voice.

"I figured out what I want," she said.

"Huh?"

"For my birthday. The replacement for the roach brooch. You said I could have whatever I wanted."

"Oh, yeah," he said. She's actually holding me to this.

"This may be asking too much," she said. "But would you even consider setting: a Prince Albert for me?"

Theo leaned against the bar. "A what?"

"A Prince Albert. You know what it is, right?"

"Uh… yeah. 'Course I know what it is."

"Can you get one?"

He ran his finger over the bar top and collected a good six months' worth of dust – a long time for commercial property to sit idle. Room to negotiate on the rent. "Sure. If a Prince Albert is what you want, I'll get it for you."

"Really? Oh, Theo, you are the absolute best."

"True. But we already knew that."

"Do you know where to go?"

"I'll figure it out."

"Be careful. There are good ones and bad ones. You can't just go anywhere."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Okay. But I've researched this. For people who are serious and don't mind paying a little extra, the go-to guy is down in Marathon. His name's Manny Ochoa."

"Okay. I've got a few sources of my own. But I'll check out this Manny."

"Thank you. I can't wait to see it. This is the best birthday present this girl has ever gotten."

"I aim to please."

"And your aim is getting better all the time."

They shared a laugh and said good-bye. Theo closed his flip phone slowly, then reached inside his pocket and clutched his wallet. It gave him an uneasy feeling. He had no idea what he'd just promised to get her.

"Everything okay?" asked Cy

"Yeah, same old bullshit. Where do we start on this tour of yours?"

"I thought we'd head on over to-"

The ring of Theo's cell interrupted again. He left it in his pocket, not even checking the number. "Head over to where?" said Theo.

The phone continued to ring. "Don't you need to get that?" said his uncle.

"I'm sure it's Trina calling back."

"Then take it."

"I don't feel like it. I swear she's always changing her mind."

"You want her to change her mind about you? Take the call, fool."

Uncle Cy was the only man besides Jack who could talk like that to Theo. But at least the old man made sense. Theo dug the phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Whassup, baby?"

"Whassup, baby yourself." It was Isaac's voice.

Theo struggled to show no reaction, but his uncle seemed to pick up his sudden annoyance. He drifted in the general direction of Theo's future stage, pretending to act busy by pacing off the room's dimensions.

"I thought we were done," Theo said through clenched teeth.

"We would be if you hadn't tried to change our deal."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Come on, dude. If I didn't know you so well, I'd think you got your phone calls open to the cops or somethin'. Quit playing games and stop talkin' like it wasn't you who helped me blow TGK in the first place."

Theo was on to him immediately. Isaac was making good on his threat: If Theo went to the police, he was going to convince them that Theo had "come to Jesus" only after he'd helped Isaac escape. Thank God he and Jack had decided not to let the cops monitor his phones.

Theo said, "I got nothin' to say to you."

"Hey, I know it didn't go exactly as we planned, but-"

"We never had no plan, you son of a bitch."

"I ain't askin' for freebies here. There's something in it for you, too.

"I already called the cops, all right? Don't bother me no more"

"You what? You motha'-"

"Don't call me." He ended the call and drew a deep breath as he rolled his head from one shoulder to the other, trying to release the anger. He opened the flip phone again, but the sound of his uncle's voice kept him from hitting Jack's speed-dial digit.

"What's wrong?" said Cy

Theo closed the cell phone. The old man had always been good about not butting into Theo's business, but he seemed to have a nose for real trouble.

"That definitely wasn't Trina," his uncle said. "Who was it?"

Theo slipped the phone back into his pocket. He'd already done the right thing. He'd called the cops. Like Jack had said: It was best to keep that between him and his lawyer. No point spoiling his afternoon with his uncle.

"Nobody," said Theo. "A real nobody."