Peril

MORTIMER

The car swept up beside him before he’d even noticed it, but once he saw Caruso get out, he knew he was in deep shit.

“Hello, Morty,” Caruso said.

“Vinnie.”

“Let’s take a ride.”

Mortimer climbed into the car. “I’m gonna pay you, Vinnie,” he said.

“Oh, I know you are, Morty,” Caruso said.

Mortimer could see that Caruso was trying hard to add a hint of the psychopath, the idea that not only would he hurt you, he’d have a great time doing it.

“It’s just a question of whether you do it now or after you’ve maybe lost a piece of yourself,” Caruso added.

“Yeah, okay.”

Suddenly Caruso grabbed Mortimer’s left wrist and squeezed. “Spread your fingers.”

“Oh, come on, Vinnie…”

“Spread your fucking fingers!”

Mortimer gave in and spread his fingers, then watched as Caruso’s gaze snagged on his wedding band.

“A married man,” Caruso said. “Your wife love you, Morty?”

Mortimer shrugged.

Caruso released Mortimer’s hand. “So here’s the thing. You’re down fifteen grand. So I ask myself, has Morty got that kind of cash? And I say to myself, I don’t know and I don’t fucking care. ’Cause if Morty don’t have it, he’s gonna get it. He’s gonna pay me. I’m right about that. I know I am. Because you’re not stupid, Morty. And you know what happens to a guy if he don’t pay me. Right?”

Mortimer nodded dully.

“So what are we looking at? Week?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Good,” Caruso said. He seemed glad that it was over, as if the psycho act were a heavy load he was happy to lay down. “So, we’re clear then.”

“We’re clear,” Mortimer said.

The car stopped and Caruso reached over and swung open the door on Mortimer’s side. “So, you feeling okay, Morty?” he asked like a guy who’d hurt another guy’s feelings and was now looking to make up.

“I’m fine,” Mortimer said a little sourly, but only because the pain had suddenly swept in again, reminding him of the little time that remained, and all the time before it that he’d wasted, and how time was like a river that swept you along invisibly, taking some people to nice well-lit places and others into the deep dark wood.