ashaftofsunlighttickledoneofmyankles.iopenedmyeyesandsawthecrownofatreemovinggentlyagainstahazedbluesky.irolledoverandleathertouchedmycheek.anaxesplitmyhead.isatup.therewasarugoverme.ithrewthatoffandgotmyfeetonthefloor.iscowledataclock.theclocksaidaminuteshortofsix-thirty.

igotuponmyfeetandittookcharacter.ittookwillpower.ittookalotoutofme,andtherewasn’tasmuchtospareasthereoncehadbeen.thehardheavyyearshadworkedmeover.

iplowedacrosstothehalfbathandstrippedoffmytieandshirtandsloshedcoldwateronmyfacewithbothhandsandslosheditonmyhead.wheniwasdrippingwetitoweledmyselfoffsavagely.iputmyshirtandtiebackonandreachedformyjacketandtheguninthepocketbangedagainstthewall.itookitoutandswungthecylinderawayfromtheframeandtippedthecartridgesintomyhand,fivefull,onejustablackenedshell.thenithought,what’stheuse,therearealwaysmoreofthem.soiputthembackwheretheyhadbeenbeforeandcarriedthegunintothestudyandputitawayinoneofthedrawersofthedesk.

whenilookedupcandywasstandinginthedoorway,spickandspaninhiswhitecoat,hishairbrushedbackandshiningblack,hiseyesbitter.

「youwantsomecoffee?」

「thanks.」

「iputthelampsout.thebossisokay.asleep.ishuthisdoor.whyyougetdrunk?」

「ihadto.」

hesneeredatme.「didn’tmakeher,huh?gottossedoutonyourcan,shamus.」

「haveityourownway.」

「youain’ttoughthismorning,shamus.youain’ttoughatall.」

「getthegoddamcoffee,」iyelledathim.

「hijodeputa!」

inonejumpihadhimbythearm.hedidn’tmove.hejustlookedatmecontemptuously.ilaughedandletgoofhisarm.

「you’reright,candy.i’mnottoughatall.」

heturnedandwentout.innotimeatallhewasbackwithasilvertrayandasmallsilverpotofcoffeeonitandsugarandcreamandaneattriangularnapkin.hesetitdownonthecocktailtableandremovedtheemptybottleandtherestofthedrinkingmaterials.hepickedanotherbottleoffthefloor.

「fresh.justmade,」hesaid,andwentout.

idranktwocupsblack.thenitriedacigarette.itwasallright.istillbelongedtothehumanrace.thencandywasbackintheroomagain.

「youwantbreakfast?」heaskedmorosely.

「no,thanks.」

「okay,scramoutofhere.wedon’twantyouaround.」

「who’swe?」

heliftedthelidofaboxandhelpedhimselftoacigarette.helititandblewsmokeatmeinsolently.

「itakecareoftheboss,」hesaid.

「youmakingitpay?」

hefrowned,thennodded.「ohyes.goodmoney.」

「howmuchontheside—fornotspillingwhatyouknow?」

hewentbacktospanish.「noentendido.」

「youunderstandallright.howmuchyoushakehimfor?ibetit’snotmorethanacoupleofyards.」

「what’sthat?coupleofyards.」

「twohundredbucks.」

hegrinned.「yougivemecoupleofyards,shamus.soidon’ttellthebossyoucomeoutofherroomlastnight.」

「thatwouldbuyawholebusloadofwetbackslikeyou.」

heshruggedthatoff.「thebossgetsprettyroughwhenheblowshistop.betterpayup,shamus.」

「pachucostuff,」isaidcontemptuously.「allyou’retouchingisthesmallmoney.lotsofmenplayaroundwhenthey’relit.anyhowsheknowsallaboutit.youdon’thaveanythingtosell.」

therewasagleaminhiseye.「justdon’tcomeroundanymore,toughboy.」

「i’mleaving.」

istoodupandwalkedaroundthetable.hemovedenoughtokeepfacingtowardsme.iwatchedhishandbutheevidentlywasn’twearingaknifethismorning.wheniwascloseenoughislappedahandacrosshisface.

「idon’tgetcalledasonofawhorebythehelp,greaseball.i’vegotbusinesshereandicomearoundwheneverifeellikeit.watchyourlipfromnowon.youmightgetpistol-whipped.thatprettyfaceofyourswouldneverlookthesameagain.」

hedidn’treactatall,noteventotheslap.thatandbeingcalledagreaseballmusthavebeendeadlyinsultstohim.butthistimehejuststoodtherewooden-faced,motionless.thenwithoutawordhepickedupthecoffeetrayandcarrieditout.

「thanksforthecoffee,」isaidtohisback.

hekeptgoing.whenhewasgoneifeltthebristlesonmychin,shookmyself,anddecidedtobeonmyway.ihadhadaskinfulofthewadefamily.