The Professional Part 17

"Even if it doesn't take you where you want to go," I said.

"I'm a tough guy," he said. "But not that tough. I can't take it."

"Too bad," I said.

"You gonna do something?" Chet said.

"Yeah," I said.

"I may have to send Boo and Zel to see you."

"You may," I said.

We looked at each other. I felt sort of bad for him. But the s.h.i.+eld was in place. The conversation was over. I stood and walked out.

Chapter26.

I CALLED HAWK on his cell phone.

"You with Eisenhower?" I said.

"I in the lobby of a motel in Waltham," Hawk said. "Gary upstairs, with a woman."

"First of the day?" I said.

"Uh-huh," Hawk said.

"Well, it's early still," I said.

"Uh-huh."

"He had anything to say since you been tagging along with him?"

"He want to know do I think I can handle Boo, if he shows up," Hawk said.

"And you said you could."

"But modestly."

"If it comes to that," I said. "Zel is the real issue."

"Shooter?"

"Yep."

"I never heard of him," Hawk said.

"Me, either, but if you meet him, you'll know."

"Like Vinnie," Hawk said.

"Or Chollo," I said.

"They do have the look," Hawk said.

"So does Zel."

"I keep it in mind," Hawk said.

"Anything else?"

"Eisenhower say he don't mind me tagging after him," Hawk said. "Long as I don't cramp his style."

"Are you cramping it?"

"Not so's I can tell," Hawk said. "Mostly I trying to learn from it."

"It's good to make the most of a learning opportunity," I said.

"He a pretty cool dude," Hawk said. "As you honkies go."

"He is," I said. "Maybe he's got some sort of natural rhythm."

"He ain't that cool," Hawk said. "But he don't seem scared. He seem like he can handle getting beat up, ain't gonna change him."

"He claims he's tougher than he seems," I said.

"Might be," Hawk said.

"He ask you for a gun?" I said.

"Uh-huh," Hawk said.

"And?"

"I say why you need a gun, you got me."

"And he said?"

"I may not always have you."

"Which is true," I said.

"It is," Hawk said. "So I tell him you could retire your d.i.c.k for a while, or at least use it someplace else."

"He didn't buy that," I said.

"Nope," Hawk answered. "Say he f.u.c.k who he wants when he wants and he ain't gonna change."

"Man of principle," I said.

"Sure," Hawk said. "People live by worse codes."

"And we know a lot of them," I said.

"Where you calling from?" Hawk said. "You sound kind of echo-y."

"Rowes Wharf," I said. "I'm looking at the water."

"You on you cell phone?" Hawk said.

"I am," I said.

"You dialed it by yo'self?" Hawk said.

"I did," I said.

"Man, you makin' progress," Hawk said.

"Susan's been helping me," I said.

Hawk's chuckle was very deep as he broke the connection.

Chapter27.

SUSAN AND I were in her booth in Rialto, where she always sat, because it was quiet and you could watch people come and go. We had just taken our first sip of our first drink when Hawk showed up with Gary Eisenhower.

"That's the best you could do for a date?" I said to Hawk.

"I just the babysitter," Hawk said. "You tole me to bring him."

Gary put out a hand to Susan and said, "Hi, I'm Gary."

Susan shook his hand.

"I'm Susan," she said.

Gary slid into the banquette next to Susan. Hawk took a chair on the outside next to me.

"So," Gary said. "This is the main squeeze?"

"Only," I said.

"Well," Gary said. "You going to limit yourself to one, this is a good one."

The waiter took their drink orders and went to get them. "You are not yourself monogamous, Gary?" Susan said.

"You know I'm not," Gary said.

"I'd heard that," Susan said.

"Gets me in trouble sometimes," Gary said.

"I'd heard that, too," Susan said.

She looked at Hawk and at me.

She said, "I think you're pretty safe tonight, however."

"Yeah, are these guys the best? I mean the best."

"Yes," Susan said. "They are."

The waiter came to announce the specials. We listened and looked at the menu and ordered. We had a second round of drinks, except Susan. After that flurry of activity, Susan turned and smiled at Gary.

"I know it's none of my business," she said. "But I'll try not to let that inhibit me. Why are you so, ah, unmonogamous?"

"Unmonogamous," Gary said. "You got a way with words, huh?"

Susan waited.

"Unmonogamous." He laughed. "Well, I guess I'd answer why would I be unmonogamous. I mean, if you got a whole orchard full of peaches, why would you eat just one?"

Susan smiled and nodded.

"So," Gary said, "lemme turn it around? Why would I be monogamous?"

"I'm not necessarily arguing for monogamy," Susan said. "Just why in your case that nonmonogamy is so all-consuming."

"No, no," Gary said. "You didn't answer my question, you did one of those shrink tricks, turn it back to me. First you need to answer my question."

"Very astute of you," Susan said. "Did you know I was a shrink?"