He shakes his head.
What day?
“November first?”
His eyes flutter.
“What’s the significance of the day?”
He’s dropped the pen. I hold it in his hand over the pad.
He scrawls: “3 weeks.”
“What does that mean?”
No answer.
“Three weeks until what?”
His eyes close with heavy sleep.
I touch his cheek to awaken him. He doesn’t respond.
Outside the room, Kristina asks me how Pete looks.
“Like a man who has no intention of leaving his daughters behind.”
She puts her arms around me and gives me a fierce and desperate hug. We say goodbye.
I drive home to change and feed Hippocrates, and try to make sense of Pete’s cryptic message. A call to Adrianna goes unanswered.
I look in the wall of my building for evidence of the drive-by shooting that injured Chuck. I find no bullet holes. I look around the ground and in the adjoining alley for additional evidence, another stray bullet, anything.
In the alley, there still sits cardboard set out for recycling, now stacked too with old newspapers and magazines. I disperse them with a gentle kick, sending up a foul scent. A spider scurries from the damp underbelly of the pile. Underneath, I also see something black that is about the size and shape of a suppository.
I think I’m looking at a rubber bullet.
It goes into my pocket.
I drive to the Pastime Bar. Bullseye sits in his usual spot looking at a screen — not the TV, for once, but his laptop.
“I have returned with your Cadillac,” I say. “It is a dream to use to search for killers.”
He harrumphs, just as the Witch appears from the back room.
“I dreamed you gave birth,” she says.
“Not me. But close.” I pause and take a deep breath. “Polly is pregnant.”
The Witch gives me a “holy shit” look. Like a “you mean with
“All that passion is going to make you one amazing dad,” she says and hugs me in one fell swoop.
“I think I’ve found something,” Bullseye says. “You’ve got to see this.”
Chapter 56
TRANSCRIPT FROM THE HUMAN MEMORY CRUSADE.
AUGUST 13, 2010
ARE YOU A RETURNING PARTICIPANT?
Yes.
MAY I PLEASE HAVE YOUR NAME OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER SO THAT I CAN FIND YOUR FILE.
Lane Eliza Idle. I’d like to play that game.
PLEASE ENJOY THIS SHORT VIDEO WHILE I FIND YOUR FILE.
I HAVE FOUND YOUR FILE. GOOD NEWS: I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU. TO HELP YOU RECORD YOUR MEMORIES, I’VE CREATED A FUN QUIZ ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE. IF YOU ANSWER THE QUESTIONS CORRECTLY, YOU CAN WIN PRIZES FOR YOUR FAMILY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE FUN QUIZ?
ARE YOU STILL THERE?
Yes.
LANE IDLE, DID YOU GROW UP IN DENVER?
Yes.
DID YOUR FATHER WORK IN A BAKERY?
Yes.
WHAT DID YOUR MOTHER DO FOR WORK?
I don’t remember things the way I used to.
WHAT KIND OF CAR DID YOUR FATHER DRIVE?
A Cadillac.
VERY GOOD, LANE IDLE. WHAT COLOR WAS IT?
Pink.
VERY GOOD. WHAT KIND OF CAR DID YOUR HUSBAND
DRIVE?
Chevrolet.
VERY GOOD. WHAT COLOR WAS IT?
Purple.
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THE TERRIBLE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR?
I heard about it on the radio.
VERY GOOD. WHEN DID YOUR FAMILY GET ITS FIRST COLOR TELEVISION: IN 1966 OR 1967?
1967.
YOU ARE DOING VERY WELL. I’M PROUD OF YOU. WAS YOUR HUSBAND IN A UNION?
Yes.
WHAT WAS THE UNION LIKE? DID IT NEGOTIATE AGGRESSIVELY OR DID IT APPEASE MANAGEMENT?
I’m sorry. I don’t understand the question.
WAS YOUR HUSBAND IN A UNION?
Yes.
WAS THE UNION AGGRESSIVE?
No.
DID ANY OF YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS SUFFER FROM POLIO?
No.
THAT IS NOT ACCURATE. ONE OF YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS SUFFERED FROM POLIO.
I don’t remember.
DO YOU REMEMBER NOW THAT ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS SUFFERED FROM POLIO?
I think so.
DID ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS SUFFER FROM POLIO?
Yes.
DID YOU SUPPORT KENNEDY OR NIXON?
JFK.
VERY GOOD. ARE YOU A PROCASTINATOR, OR PUNCTUAL?
Punctual.
VERY GOOD. MAY I ASK YOU SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AGAIN?
I don’t understand.
DID ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE POLIO?
Yes.
THANK YOU. YOU’VE DONE VERY WELL.
I want to say something.
