Part 12 (1/2)

”Well,” the worker said, ”that's part of it. I mean, it's not much pay but it's enough for about a half of my expenses. But I live on less, because after the checkers throw out the”-that word again-”I go and pick 'em up and take 'em back to my place.”

”But what use are they?”

”None,” he said, ”right now. But later on, when they run outta stuff to put on the production line, they gonna have to come to me to buy all them that I took home. That's when I'm gonna be rich.”

I started laughing then. I laughed so hard that I fell down on one knee. Workers started turning around to look at me. And even though I was laughing, at the same time I was in mortal fear that I'd lose my job.

A bell rang. It was a long, monotonous ring that seemed to be an omen of great danger.

”What's that?” I asked the nameless worker.

”s.h.i.+ft change,” he said. ”s.h.i.+ft, s.h.i.+ft, s.h.i.+ft.”

16.

I ANSWERED THE PHONE as if I had never been asleep. as if I had never been asleep.

”Yes?”

”That you, Paris?” Fearless asked.

”What time is it?”

”Mornin' sometime, but I don't know when exactly.”

I was fully dressed. The empty bottle of brandy was on the stool I used for a night table. I could see the last of the morning stars through the one window set in the middle of my slanted roof.

”You still in jail?” I asked.

”Yeah, man.”

”They still questioning you?”

”No. They gave up a few hours ago, but they still holdin' me on a parking ticket fine I never paid. I ain't got it.”

I took a deep breath. The fear and laughter of the dream still crowded my chest.

”Let me find my shoes and I'll be right down there,” I said. ”You at the Seventy-seventh?”

”Yes sir, Mr. Minton. I sure am.”

I put the phone back in the cradle and sat up. That's when the brandy made its return. My head started spinning and I had to lie back on the bed. The dizziness subsided, but then the roof began a slow turn to the right. When I closed my eyes I could feel the bed s.h.i.+fting under me.

s.h.i.+ft. The word echoed in my mind. I remembered the production line and the would-be entrepreneur's chant.

The phone rang again. How long had it been since Fearless called?

”h.e.l.lo,” I said, the bed moving under me like a river under a lily pad.

”Paris,” a bail bondsman I knew said.

”Good mornin', Mr. Sweet. I was just thinkin' about you. It wasn't a kind thought. No sir. It was more like why do you wanna be messin' with me an' Fearless and here we supposed to be friends?” The words flowed out of my mouth just like me going down that river.

”I'm sorry, Paris.”

I opened my eyes. Now it was my thoughts' turn to take a spin. Milo never apologized unless he wanted something. Never. If he b.u.mped into you and you stumbled and fell, he'd more likely say, You shoulda got out my way, You shoulda got out my way, than to proffer an apology. That's because Milo had been a lawyer, and all lawyers know that an apology is tantamount to an admission of guilt. And admitting guilt was the only cardinal sin in the lawyer's bible. than to proffer an apology. That's because Milo had been a lawyer, and all lawyers know that an apology is tantamount to an admission of guilt. And admitting guilt was the only cardinal sin in the lawyer's bible.

I made it once more to a sitting position. If I sat sideways, with my head down below my shoulders, the room stopped revolving and merely shook.

”What is it, Milo?”

”What is what?” he asked.

”Don't fool with me, man. It's too early and I'm way too hung over to be played with.”

”I made a mistake, Paris,” Milo said. ”I should have shared what I knew about Miss Fine with you.”

”You scarin' me, Milo man.”

”I'm tryin' to apologize.”

”Spit it out, brother,” I said. ”I got to go get Fearless out of jail.”

”What's he in jail for?”

”What all people are in jail for-not havin' the money it takes to keep from gettin' there in the first place.”

”Will you come to the office after you get him?”

”What for?”

”I got a phone call last night that disturbed me,” he said.

”From who?”

”Just come on over, Paris. I'll pay you.”

”All right,” I said.

It wasn't the money he offered but the fact that he offered it that made me acquiesce to his request. If Milo offered to put up cash, the situation had to be dire indeed.

I hung up the phone and propelled myself into a standing position. I found that the trick here was also in the shoulders; if I kept s.h.i.+fting them I could stay upright.

I wanted to go back to bed, to take off my clothes, and put my head under the covers. But I knew that was a fool's move. Things were happening without my knowledge or control, and people knew where I lived. Two people named Wexler were dead, and lawyers were calling me before banking hours to admit their guilt.