and nodded his head approvingly.
“It looks good,” said Pete. “You’ve got a nice place here.”
“We keep it clean.” Alex pointed to the prep area, where Johnny and Darlene were looking at a book spread out on the colds board. “That’s my son John.”
“Good-looking boy. Named after your dad?”
“Yes. Johnny made a good tuna fish salad today. With curry in it. It’s a combination I never would have thought to try, but the customers loved it. Would you like me to have them make you a sandwich?”
“I’ve eaten, thanks.”
“So what can I do for you, Pete?”
“Alex, we’ve got some catching up to do. We should try and get together. You, me, our wives. Have dinner or something.”
“Okay.”
“But that’s not why I stopped in today. I have some rather disturbing news.”
Pete told him about the letter and the meeting he’d had with Charles Baker. Pete described the Baker conversation thoroughly, recounting the details as Alex would expect an attorney to do. Alex feigned surprise. It had gone, apparently, as Alex thought it might, given Pete’s professional experience and personality. Pete had, in effect, shown Baker the door and threatened him with legal action if he did not cease his attempts at extortion.
“And what was your impression?” said Alex. “Do you think this is over?”
“I have no way of being certain, which is why I’m here. I wanted to warn you that this Baker character was out there in the world. If I remember correctly, he’s the one who assaulted you.”
“Yes.”
“Well, he might come to you next. I’m saying, it’s possible. Of course, I clearly stated the ramifications of any further contact in my meeting with him. But my impression was that he’s not very smart. Also, he could be violent. He has a history of it, after all.”
“I see.”
“And there might be others involved. I’m speaking of the boy who shot Billy. And wasn’t his brother there, too?”
Alex took a moment, to give the appearance that he was thinking it over, and then nodded his head.
“The three of them could be in this together,” said Pete. “You know how these people are.”
“These people?”
“ Criminals, Alex. You’re not going to get sensitive on me, now, are you? Because we’re talking about facts and statistics here. Criminals, in general, don’t change their stripes. I live in the real world, and I would think that you do, too. I’m only trying to make you aware of what’s going on here.”
“Okay,” said Alex. “The question is, what should I do if I’m contacted by Baker?”
“I gave him his last chance. If he contacts you, call the police immediately.” Pete reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a business card, which he slid across the counter. “And certainly you’re going to want to get me involved. I have, well, I have resources that you probably don’t have. Private detectives, police… I know people down in the U.S. attorney’s office. If Baker rears up his ugly head again, we can take care of this quickly.”
“I appreciate it, Pete,” said Alex, taking the card and placing it atop the deck of the register. “I do.”
“I felt it was serious enough to contact you. He came to my house in the Heights and delivered the letter himself, apparently.”
“The Heights?” Alex couldn’t resist.
“ Friendship Heights,” said Pete.
“And the letter…”
“Was typed and printed off a computer. He thought he was being slick, but the printer can be traced. His prints as well.”
“Right.”
“It won’t be a problem. But you needed to know about it.”
“Absolutely.”
“It’s funny,” said Pete. “Meeting Baker brought back that day to me. I hadn’t thought too much about the incident as the years passed because, well, I guess it’s because I’ve changed so much. It doesn’t even seem like I’m the same person that I was at seventeen. Does it feel that way to you?”
“Yes,” said Alex, not wishing to prolong the conversation any further.
Pete slid off the stool and shook Alex’s hand. “I’ve got to get back to the office. Let’s do that dinner and catch up.”
“Sounds good.”
“Take care, Alex.”
“So long.”
Alex watched him go. There would be no dinner. Neither of them wanted it. Pete was still the person he’d been at seventeen, but he’d never know it. He had run that day and freed himself. He’d then gone on to college and law school, a solid and lucrative career, a house in the Heights. He was still running, in a way. Billy, on the other hand, had stood his ground. The last thing Billy had done before he was shot was point at Alex and tell him to go. Among the many things Billy had been, some not of his own making, he had been a friend. As for Alex, he had not acted. He was simply the kid in the backseat of the car.
“Dad?”
Alex turned. “Yes.”
“What did you think about the special?” said John Pappas.
“It worked. The curry was a nice, what do you call that, complement to the tuna. Only…”
“What?”
“You gonna turn this place into an Indian joint?”
“Yeah, Dad, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Next thing, you’re gonna throw away the silverware, and the customers will be eating with their hands.”
“That would be Ethiopian.”
“Oh, really?”
“I don’t think you have to worry.”
“I’m saying, you sold twice as many burgers and chicken cheesesteaks as you did tuna fish sandwiches today, right? Don’t forget your bread and butter. That’s all.”
“I don’t plan on it.”
“Good. Here you go.” Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys that worked on the front and back doors and the freezer. He handed them to Johnny. “I made these for you.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re doing a real good job.”
“ Thank you.”
“So I’m gonna let you close today. I’ve got somewhere I need to be. I was thinking I’d take the rest of the afternoon off.”
“For real?”
“There’s nothing to closing. The help know their side work and cleanup duties. Darlene will help you with the ordering. Cut the register tape off in a half hour. As far as the money goes, tomorrow is not a day for bills, and it’s not payday, either. So leave about fifty bucks in bills and change, put it in the metal cash box, lock the box in the freezer, and take the rest home to Mom.”
“I can do that.”
“Don’t worry about making a mistake. Just make sure the doors are locked behind you. I can deal with anything else in the morning.”
“You trust me?”
“Sure, why not?”
“I don’t know. After you’re gone, we might all decide to, like, drop tabs of X or something.”
“You,” said Alex with a wave of his hand. Get out of here. You bother me. I love you.
John Pappas smiled at his father, walking down the mats. Darlene had her back to the grill board, watching
