'We've got company,' I told him.
He looked over his shoulder, not getting off me. 'Hi, Teresa!' he said. He looked at Wolfe. 'Hello.'
'Where've you been, Luke?' Teresa asked him. 'Playing with Bur…my friend,' the boy answered. 'I was showing him some card tricks.' Eyes on my face now, begging me to be his co-conspirator, not to rat him out.
'Yeah,' I said. 'The kid's a real gambler.'
'It's not gambling, playing with you.' Luke laughed, getting to his feet, extending his little hand to me to pull me off the floor.
'I got to talk to these ladies, Luke, okay? How about if you go next door, play with Simsa?'
'Can I show her to Teresa first?'
'Okay, go get her. But just for a minute, all right?'
'Yes!' He took off like a shot
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He came running back in, the puppy in his arms. 'Look!' he said, thrusting the dog almost in Teresa's face. She patted the dog dutifully.
'Can I hold her?' Wolfe asked him.
Luke turned slowly, cradling his pup, watchful. 'You be careful,' he said, walking to her.
Wolfe took the pup on her lap, patting the dog's large head, stroking its ears. She lifted the pup right into her face. The puppy licked her. She licked it back. 'Oh, ugh!' Luke laughed. 'You licked her!'
'Well, she licked me first. Probably smells my dog on me. Do you smell Bruiser, Simsa? You smell my big boy?'
The puppy yapped like she was answering.
'You're a real beauty, aren't you? A lovely dog. Look at those paws…you're gonna be a
'You have a dog?' Luke asked, stepping close.
'Yes, I have a Rottweiler. You know what that is?'
'No.'
'Want to see a picture?' she asked, playing the kid like a fighting fish— setting the hook before she jerked the line.
'Sure!'
She handed Simsa back to Luke, took a bunch of photos out of her purse. Handed them to the boy. He put Simsa on the floor, stood next to Wolfe, leafed through the pictures.
'Is that him?'
'Yes. That's Bruiser. When he was a pup.'
I looked over her shoulder. Wolfe holding a fat black puppy, one hand under its rump, the other around its chest. The little beast's paws draped over her arm, tiny tip of his tongue showing. Wolfe was wearing an old flannel shirt, her hair loose and free. Looked like a college girl.
Another photo: Wolfe all dressed up, wearing a black leather coat and heels. Bruiser at her side, his head at the top of her thigh.
Another: Bruiser bursting through the open gate at her house in full cry, ears flapping, mouth a snarl.
'He got real big, didn't he?'
'Yes, he did, Luke. He's my true friend. Bruiser will always protect me…like Simsa will you.'
'He was a puppy?' Luke setting a hook of his own.
'All dogs are puppies, once. He was a wonderful pup. Just like Simsa.'
'I love Simsa. Do you love your Bruiser?'
'Yes. I love my true friends. And I would do anything for them.'
'Anything?' The kid tugged at the line.
'Yes. Anything.'
'Is he your friend?' Pointing at me.
'We are…professional friends, do you understand?'
'No.'
'Well, it means we are on the same side. So we're friends. We don't do things together, the way some friends do. But we're close…in a way.'
'If he's your friend, what's his name?'
'Burke.' Wolfe smiled. 'He's the one who brought me here. To see you.'
'You don't like me,' the boy accused, remembering.
'That's not true, Luke. I didn't like you so much when I first met you. But that was my mistake. I see that
