spread out on the pillow next to me. Without disturbing her, I made my way to the kitchen to start the coffee.
'Mindin' your own business still is the best way to stay out of trouble.' My dear Uncle Moe. He's sitting at the kitchen table.
'And this would be advice that you yourself have followed, is it?'
A brief chuckle. 'No laddie. But bein' that your dear father is no longer with us, I felt it my duty to impart the wisdom of my experience upon you.'
'No offense Uncle, but you're full of shit.'
'None taken, boyo.'
Kelly came padding into the kitchen and sits. To me, 'Coffee.' To Moses, 'Good morning Uncle Moe.'
'Aye, and a lovely day it is.'
I deliver the cups to the table. 'Want to take a trip to London.' Kelly tilts her head ever so slightly; looks up to me and said, 'Sure. I can get away for a couple of days. What's this all about?'
'Connor needs some help.'
'You know what, tough guy. I suspect that deep down inside you're committed to dragging me into a life of crime.' Penelope Kelly Anne Lane is about as straight an arrow as the Good Lord ever created. My little acts of stepping over the line were a great source of consternation to her. Truth be told, it nearly destroyed our relationship. Today, while not thrilled with these transgressions, Kelly appears to have accepted me, blemishes and all.
She asked, 'Where's Connor?'
Last evening, upon our return, Connor repeated that he had a plan; that he would be gone for the better part of the day and to leave matters in his hands. My response was, 'Whatever you say.' He was off to bed and I haven't seen him since.
'What are you up to today, sweetheart? I'll be at the museum.'
'Kill some time until I hear from my brother. Run up to New Hope.'
Kelly rose, kissed me sweetly on the mouth and went off to shower. I loaded the Morgan, told the beast to hop in and took off. An hour and a half later I was parked in the courtyard of 96 E. Bridge Street in New Hope.
'What have you got today Picker?'
H amp; K Incorporated specializes in period garden accessories including urns, statues, fountains, fencing, and benches. Larry also carries fine Oriental rugs and antiques.
'I picked this up the other day.' I pulled the 8' x 11'5' carpet from the car and laid it out on the ground. 'Wiener Werkstatte,' I said. 'Probably Otto Prutcher. What do you think.'
Larry walked around the carpet studying it with a trained eye. Turned it over to check out the back. 'Nice. Very nice. How much?'
'I've got seventy-five in it. I'd be happy with… let's call it eleven five.' Warning: Telling another dealer what you’ve paid is a definite no-no. In this instance, however, I wanted to communicate that I wasn't being a pig. What I wanted was a fair mark-up. Larry is one of those rare breed of antique dealer; he's honest.
'Sounds fair. I'll cut you a check.' He went into the back door of his shop. I popped the trunk and pulled out a box of cigars. Went inside; he handed me a check for $11,500.00 and I passed him the cigars. 'Hope you enjoy these.'
Kato was waiting patiently when I returned to the car. The cell rang. 'Where are you?' Connor.
'New Hope. You?'
'Center City. How long?'
'An hour-fifteen.'
'The Ritz.' He cut the connection. I cranked up the Plus 8, the lightest V8 passenger car on earth. Maximum power of 367 horse power from the BMW engine.
I let her rip.
Bases loaded
'Give it to me.'
We're having lunch in the Bistro at the Ritz-Carlton.
Opened in the year 2000 in a turn of the century bank, the hotel features grand marble columns both on the exterior and in its spectacular lobby.
'I spent the morning buying the most expensive baseball cards at three local shops.'
'What was the spend?'
'Sixty grand, give or take.'
'Connor, are you crazy?'
Connor ignores my crack. 'I assumed that when anybody farts in this business everyone knows about it. By the time I arrived at Burger's the grapevine had informed him that I was a mooch.' A 'mooch' in our business is anyone that buys blindly and spends money like a drunk.
'I drop an additional twenty thousand with Leon on the cards from Mr. Bigfoot.'
'And your strategy, exactly…'
'I hint that I'm in the market for high end stuff. That money is no object.'
'Did he bite?'
'Are you kidding? He suggests that he may be able to lay his hands on something special. How high am I willing to go? I reiterate no limit. A large number will take less than a day to put together. Honestly Picker, you can practically see the dumb bastard drool. Leon tells me to meet him back at the store at eight this evening.'
'When the store’s closed.'
'You got it.'
'Perfect.'
The hotel manager walked over and politely inquired about 'the dog' lying at my feet. Next, he politely informed me that any animal that is not a 'helper animal' is not permitted. Connor stood and guided the man into a quiet corner. He returned a few minutes later.
'No problem.'
'Connor, what did you say to him?'
'You don't want to know.' Maybe he was right.
We finish lunch; indulge in dessert and coffee. Connor headed to a local branch of an American bank that he deals with to put the money together. I head home to put the final touches on our plan for this evening.
I heading west on Route 76, the Schuylkill Expressway when my phone rings. TJ. I asked him to make a second stop at Hocus Pocus and pick up some additional equipment for tonight. We agree to rendezvous at my place to eat and outline the plan.
I stop at the Trader Joe's in the quaint town of Wayne. Pick up some pasta, sauce, a baguette and the makings of a salad. Standard bachelor fare. Head east on Lancaster Avenue back to my house.
Kato and I have the place to ourselves for the time being. I get to work preparing dinner. By the time everything is on the table Connor and TJ have showed up. Even Uncle Moe managed to make an appearance.
'Very simple gentlemen,' I said as I twirled spaghetti onto the fork. 'Connor, you're up first. Enter the Sport's Emporium through the front door alone.'
“I’ll need a gun.” This is where Connor and I are different.
“No guns.”
“Whatever you say little brother. You’re the boss.”
After dinner we grab some coffee and light up our cigars. We spent the next hour going over the details and any contingencies we may encounter.
'You sure that you lads know what you're doing?' Uncle Moe making his contribution.
Connor attempts a steely glare at our Uncle, but you can still see the smile sneak onto his face. 'Uncle Moe, we're not virgins.'
'Aye, laddie. You must be remembering, though, that the best plans fall apart with the first encounter of the enemy.'
