61

We were in my office. It was overcast outside, and raining tentatively with the promise of more vigor as the day wore on. Hawk was making coffee. I was gazing alertly out the window, assessing the rainwear of the women on the street.

“You know what I can’t figure out,” I said.

“Almost everything?” Hawk said.

“There’s that,” I said. “But more specifically, I can’t figure out why women can look sexy in few clothes, and equally so in ankle-length yellow slickers.”

“Maybe got to do with the woman more than it got to do with the outfit,” Hawk said.

“That’s a possibility,” I said.

“Or maybe it got to do with the observer,” Hawk said.

“You are a deep bastard,” I said.

“I am,” Hawk said. “And I’m glad you focused on the big issues.”

“Like why Heidi and Harden were pretending to be estranged?”

“No, I know we can’t figure that out,” Hawk said. “I was wondering why Bradshaw was boppin’ Miss Maggie.”

“Because he could?” I said.

“You and me could,” Hawk said.

“But you and me wouldn’t,” I said.

“So the question remains,” Hawk said.

“Supply and demand?” I said.

“Supply no issue in my life,” Hawk said.

“Nor mine,” I said.

“Not much variety,” Hawk said. “But very high quality.”

“So what else could it be,” I said.

“Taste,” Hawk said.

My phone rang and I answered.

“Do you know who this is?” the caller said.

Even his voice sounded gray.

“I do,” I said. “Thanks for asking.”

“This is the cell phone equivalent,” Rugar said, “of a white flag. I am perhaps five minutes from your office. I have a young woman with me. I want no trouble.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to come to your office with the young woman and talk with you.”

“Hawk is here,” I said.

“I assumed he would be.”

“Come ahead,” I said.

“No one else,” Rugar said.

“Nobody but me and Hawk,” I said.

“Your word,” Rugar said.

“My word,” I said.

“Five minutes,” Rugar said.

I hung up. Hawk looked at me.

“Rugar,” I said, “five minutes. Under a flag of truce. He has a young woman with him.”

Hawk nodded.

“Curiouser,” Hawk said, “and fucking curiouser.”

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