Lullaby Town

through the big front window, she said, 'Oh, Jesus Christ.'

I said, 'Would you like me to get it?'

Karen shook her head and went to the door. 'No, thank you. This is my house, and my problem.'

The doorbell rang just as Karen opened the door. The tall, thin woman tried to step in past Karen, but Karen wouldn't get out of the way. The tall woman gave a nice local-news on-camera smile and put out her hand. Karen didn't take it. 'Hello, Ms. Lloyd. Janice Watkins, WKEL-TV. I do local color and human interest, and I was fascinated when I heard that Peter Alan Nelsen, the filmmaker, is your husband.' Janice Watkins seemed neither to mind nor notice that Karen hadn't taken her hand. Probably used to it.

Karen said, 'You've made some sort of mistake. I'm not married.'

The smile didn't falter. 'Ex-husband, then. I know how that is, I've got two.' She chuckled. Establishing rapport.

'I'm sorry, Ms. Watkins. I don't know what you're talking about.'

A corner of the smile gave way. 'Peter Alan Nelsen and his entourage are staying at the Howard Johnson's.'

Toby craned around the bucket of chicken, trying to see. Pike pushed the bucket out of his way.

The thin woman said, 'You've been seen with him. So has your son. Everyone is saying that Toby Lloyd is Mr. Nelsen's child and that Mr. Nelsen has journeyed across the country to find him.' Journeyed. She was working up the human-interest angle, all right.

'I've never been married to Peter Alan Nelsen and I don't know what you're talking about.'

The smile faltered. 'You weren't?'

'No.'

'Is Peter Alan Nelsen the boy's father?'

'No.'

Janice Watkins blinked. She tried to peek past Karen to see if Peter Alan Nelsen was lurking inside. I waved at her.

Karen Lloyd said, 'You've interrupted our meal. Do you mind?'

Janice Watkins narrowed her eyes. 'Ms. Lloyd, I have this information on very good authority.'

Karen Lloyd leaned toward Janice Watkins. 'Ms. Watkins, chew a used rubber.' Then she slammed the door.

Toby was staring at his plate when Karen came back to the table. His face was red and her face was tight and pale. When she picked up a piece of original recipe, her hand trembled and she put it back down.

Toby said, 'Why did you tell'm he wasn't my dad?'

Karen lifted the piece of chicken again and this time took a small bite. She didn't answer. After a while Toby got up, took his plate into the kitchen, then went down the hall to his room.

Karen Lloyd put down her chicken and said, 'Shit.'

At seven-fifty that evening the doorbell rang again and this time when Karen answered, Peter Alan Nelsen came in without Nick or T.J. or Dani. He said, 'I've been thinking about this and I've got a way to make everybody happy.' Toby must've seen the limo, because he came out of his room.

Karen stiffened as if someone had injected her with Super Glue and said, 'He can't keep that thing.' First words out of her mouth.

Peter started to say something, but then he didn't. Showing restraint. 'I'm not a dope. I know I'm here at a bad time. You're trying to straighten out this thing with the DeLuca people, and you've got me here, and you've gotta be worried about Toby. Lemme lighten the load for you. How about I take Tobe back to L.A. with me until you guys get this worked out?'

Toby said, 'Yeah!'

Peter looked from Karen to me and then back to Karen. He spread his hands. Toby'll be safe, and I'll be out of your hair, and you can take care of what you need to take care of. When it's done, you can give me a call and Toby and I will come back and we can work out our family situation.'

Toby was giving it the ear-to-ear. 'Great! Can I meet Sylvester Stallone?'

Peter said, 'Sure.'

Karen said, 'No.'

Peter frowned. 'No, he can't meet Sylvester Stallone, or no, he can't go to L.A.?'

Karen went back to one of the wing chairs and sat down. Her knees were together and so were her hands. 'He has school. He has basketball.'

I said, 'It might make things easier.'

Peter said, 'Jesus Christ, Karen, it won't kill him to miss a few days of school.'

Toby said, 'I can get Miss Garrett to give me the work. I won't fall behind.'

'No.'

Peter said, 'What do you mean, no?'

'It would be too disruptive. Who knows how long this is going to take?'

I said, 'I think it's a good idea.'

Karen flashed the hard eyes at me. 'Nobody asked you.'

Peter rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. 'Hey, am I being an asshole here or what?' Getting loud.

Karen said, 'Watch your language in front of my son.' They were starting to shout.

Peter gestured wide with the arms the way he had when I'd first seen him, reading the riot act because a couple of executives had been trying to fob off a TV guy on him. 'Hey, Karen, a mobster was here with our son. Do you remember that?'

Karen pushed up out of the chair and made a shooing gesture to Toby. 'Toby, I want you to go to your room.'

Peter said, 'Lemme take the kid back to L.A. He'll be safer there than here. You think I won't bring'm back?'

Pike stuck his fingers in his ears.

I said, 'Peter, maybe now isn't the time to talk about it.'

Peter whirled around and glared at me. 'I'm Peter Alan Nelsen and I'm tired of fooling around.' He wheeled back toward Karen. 'If you played it smart, I could set you up. You wouldn't have to worry about a thing and you could do whatever you want. You could even be an actress again. I'm Peter Alan Nelsen, and I could make you a star.' Like she was still nineteen and always would be.

Karen Lloyd put her hands on her hips and laughed at him. 'You arrogant asshole.'

Toby started crying and yelled, 'Why won't you let me go with him? Why are you being like this? You're gonna make him go away and I hate you!' He ran down the hall and slammed his door.

Pike still had his fingers in his ears.

Peter was giving us confused and frustrated, as if he were trying to explain that two plus one equals three and Karen just couldn't get it, and the frustration was giving way to suspicion, like maybe she got it but was pretending she didn't because something was going on. He squinted at me, then back at her, and then he nodded and made an oh-I-get-it smile and said, 'You're fucking this guy.'

Karen Lloyd slapped him. It was a hard, quick shot that took him off guard and backed him up. I stepped in between them, taking his wrists and keeping his hands at his sides and pushing him backward. Karen yelled, 'You piece of shit. You rotten piece of shit. Why'd you have to come back? Why couldn't you leave us alone?'

Peter jerked away from me and threw a punch that seemed to float down from heaven. I stepped outside of it, then stepped back in very close and pushed him up against the door and told him to relax. He tried to bite me and then he tried to butt me with his head, and when he did, I punched him once in the stomach. He made an urp-ing sound and went down onto his hands and knees and threw up on Karen Lloyd's beautiful bleached-oak floor. I hadn't wanted to hit him, and I was glad the boy wasn't there to see it.

Peter stayed on all fours, head hanging down, and made little burping noises. 'I'm sick.'

Pike said, 'Take deep breaths.'

Karen stood by the mantel, holding herself. Pike went into the kitchen and came back with a roll of Scot