?But suppose somebody see?? she asked.
?Ain't nobody gonna care, honey. And if they do it's only 'cause they jealous or stupid.?
Monica frowned and reared back like a wary kitten.
Socrates imagined her sensual lips kissing the handsome Asian's face.
?Hello,? a woman's voice said.
?Can I speak to Mookie??
?I think you must have the wrong number,? she replied.
?Hold on,? Socrates said quickly to stop her from hanging up. ?Mookie is my nickname for Moorland Kinear.?
There was silence from the other end of the phone. For a moment Socrates wondered if the woman had hung up, leaving the phone line caught in a few seconds of silence before the harsh buzz.
?Who is this?? Her voice had turned cold.
?Tell 'im it's Socrates.?
?I'll go see if he can come to the phone right now.?
There came a hard knock of the phone being put down and then loud voices speaking unintelligible words. One voice, a man's, became louder and louder until Socrates could make out, ?? he's just a friend, Delice. Aw come on, honey, don't be like that??
?Socco,? was the next word that the man's voice said, this time into the receiver, ?is that you??
?Hey, Mookie. Sorry if it's a bad time.?
It was seven fifteen on the Tuesday after Howard and Corina's barbecue. After talking to Monica Socrates decided that he didn't have to be afraid of talking to Mookie. He could make his own decisions and nobody could talk him into going bad. But still he hesitated until Tuesday evening.
?Naw, man. I ain't busy. Delice just get like that sometime. How you doin'? You know I didn't think you was gonna call me. I thought that you had broke it off with the life. You married??
?Uh-uh.?
?But you gotta good job,? Mookie said. ?Good job and your own phone. Hey, who woulda believed it back in the day??
?Half of 'em still there,? Socrates said.
?Yeah.? Mookie's tone turned somber. ?I heard that Joe Benz passed two years ago. He was still locked down. You know it's a shame.?
Socrates felt something snap then. It was in his mind but he felt just the same as when the assistant warden, Blake Riordan, broke his nose while three guards held him down. The break itself was just a snick in his sinuses?the pain came later. And when it came it spread over his whole head.
?He was sixty-seven,? Mookie continued. ?And he'd been up there forty-eight years.?
Socrates took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
?George Wiles got cancer and they let him go home to die,? Moorland said. ?I guess you could call him lucky. He called my brother to get my number out here.?
?How long you been in L.A., Mookie?? Socrates asked to make him talk about something else.
?Seven years,? Mookie replied. ?At first I was still up to breakin' in. But after that eighteen months in Folsom I cleaned up. Broke my back, you know. Cain't walk.?
?Broke your back??
?Had a disagreement and it got outta hand. That's why they let me out. You know, it was too expensive to take care'a me and I cain't ply my trade in no wheelchair anyway.?
