"Oh, Burke! Not clothes, just a jacket. You didn't give me enough money for…"
"Never mind. Is your mother around?"
"No. She went somewhere with Storm."
"Okay. You know Wolfe's number?"
"Sure. She's so stylish. She's going to take me to the…"
"Noelle, listen to me. Give her a call. Tell her to go to a good phone and call me. Understand?"
"Sure. Want me to do it now?"
"Yes."
"Okay. When you come over I …"
"Now, Noelle."
Well, fine!"
She hung up.
125
"Where's Luke?" I asked Mama after Teresa left.
"Nap," she said, nodding her head toward the kitchen.
The phone rang. I walked back to answer it. Caught a glimpse of Luke, curled up on a dark green futon just outside the kitchen door, the puppy asleep against his chest. Baby's breath soft between them.
"Hello," I answered the ring.
"What's up?" Lily's voice.
"I'm trying to arrange a meet. Let her see what's really going down."
"What if…?"
"There's no 'what if' here anymore. It's what we have to do, now. It's time."
"When is it? I'm coming too."
"No, you're not. Let me do this, get it done."
"I…"
"I'll call you."
126
Luke was up from his nap, playing with the puppy on the floor, Mama watching over the rim of her newspaper.
"I love her," the kid said, looking at me.
"Seems like she loves you too."
"Yes. She does. I can tell. Burke, will you help me with something?"
"Sure."
"I need a name for her. A good name, just for her."
"I don't know, Luke…I mean…a name, that's a special thing."
"Yes, I know. And it has to be a real name, Burke, you understand?"
"Sure. But…"
"Remember our names? Luke and Burke?"
"Yes. Lurk."
"That's right. Together we're more than just the two of us. Friends. That's what I want…" His forehead furrowed, thinking so hard his body trembled. I lit a smoke, wary of his eyes, but he was okay, still Luke.
"Do you know his father's name?"
"Sure," I said. Thinking how I'd never know mine. "His dad's name is Simba."
"I know Simba— I met him. What's his mother's?"
"Elsa."
"Simba and Elsa…Elsa and Simba…I know, Burke! Her name is Simsa! Do you like it?"
"Yeah. It's perfect."
"Simsa," the boy called. The puppy wagged its tail happily.
127
Wolfe called just past three.
"Can we do it tomorrow?" I asked her.
"What time?"
"I'll pick you up around ten…?"
"Okay. At the diner."
"I'll have a black Dodge. Gypsy cab. I'll be at the curb at ten."
"See you."
"Yeah. By the way, congratulations. Autopsy done yet?"
"See you tomorrow," she said. And hung up.
128
I drove over to Max's around eight the next morning. Went upstairs. He was arguing with Immaculata about something— I couldn't tell what.
"You ready?" I asked Immaculata.
"Everybody's ready. You can drop us off at SAFE, okay?"
"Sure."
Max and his woman got in the front seat with the baby, me and Luke and the puppy took the back.
"Wow, Burke! It's dark in here— I can't see outside."
"It's okay, Luke," I told him, switching on the Tensor light. "We're safe here. With Max up front and Simsa back here, nobody would dare bother us."
"Don't forget Immaculata," he corrected me gravely. "She's tough too."
"Yeah, you're right. You know you're going to see Teresa over at Max's house today?"
"It's Immaculata's house too."
"Okay, okay, kid. I got it. What are you…studying to be a feminist?"
"What's a feminist?"
"Ask Lily, okay?"
"Okay. Are you mad at me?"
"Hell no. I'm not mad at anyone. Just embarrassed that a kid's smarter than me sometimes."
"Oh, you're very smart. Lily said so."
"Lily said I was smart?"
"Tricky, is what she said."
"Oh."
"It's okay, Burke. You're my friend. Like my big brother."
"More than you know, kid."
Couldn't hear anything from the front seat. I wouldn't anyway— Max and Immaculata can battle to a fever pitch without making a sound.
"How was Simsa's first night?"
"Oh, it was good. Mac told me I could wrap an alarm clock in a towel and the puppy would feel like it was his mother's heartbeat…but she slept with me instead. My heart beat for her."
129
The cab slid to a stop. Luke scrambled out, holding his pup, eager to show everyone. Mac put a hand on the boy's shoulder, made some gesture at Max, stamped her foot. Max pointed at me, shrugged his wide shoulders. Mac stepped in close to me.
"He says you don't want Lily to be at the meeting with Wolfe."
"That's right. You guys are battling each other— I got no time for it. You asked me to persuade Wolfe to jump back— I'm trying to do that— what'd you want to get in the way for?"
"Oh, go away," she snapped. "Go someplace with your pal. Come on, Luke," turning away from me.
On the way to Queens, I tried to explain things to Max. He kept his eyes on the road, pretended he couldn't pick up my gestures.
130
We were waiting at the curb by the diner a good twenty minutes in front. I picked Wolfe up in the side mirror, stepped out and opened the back door like a chauffeur, climbed in after her. Max took off smoothly, heading for the highway. If she had people following us, they'd have an easy time until we hit Chinatown.
Wolfe threw a quick glance at the blackout windows. Her mouth twitched. "Very clever," she said.
"Better than a blindfold, huh?"
"Sure."
"Want a drink? This thing isn't air-conditioned," I said, offering her an unopened bottle of cold spring water I'd bought from the deli across from the diner.
"Thank you." She unscrewed the bottle cap, took a long pull.
"I appreciate you doing this."
She took another sip. "The baby's been positively identified."
"How'd you do that? He was in the water a long time."