The Snake Stone

4

Yashim stirred his coffee and waited for the grounds to settle. Constantinedes tilted the cup against his lips. “We all got a choice. We don’t want aggravation, see?”

“Yes. Is George all right?”

“Maybe. I don’t ask.”

“But you’ll take over his pitch.”

“Listen. This was between them and George. Keep us out of it. I’m talking to you because you was his friend.”

“Who are they, then?”

The man pushed his coffee away and stood up.

“A little piece of everything, that’s all.” He bent down to pick something off the ground and Yashim heard him whisper: “The Hetira. I’d leave it, efendi.”

He walked back to his stall, leaving Yashim staring at the shiny thick dregs in his coffee cup, wondering where he had heard that name before.