'Smile!'
The man did not smile. He quickly shifted the car in reverse and backed out. Myron shrugged and lowered the camera. It was on a neck strap and bounced lightly against his chest. Another car approached. Myron lifted the camera again.
'Smile!' Myron repeated. .
Another man. Another no smile. This guy managed to duck down before shifting his car into reverse.
'Camera shy,' Myron called out to him. ' 'Nice to see in this age of paparazzi overkill.'
It didn't take long. Myron had been on the sidewalk in front of the Court Manor Inn for less than iive minutes when he spotted Stuart Lipwitz sprinting toward him. Big Stu was in full custom gray tails, wide tie, a concierge key pin in the suit's lapel. Gray tails at a no-tell motel.
Like a maitre d' at Burger King. Watching Stu move closer, a Pink Floyd song came to mind: Hello, hello, hello, is there anybody out there? David Bowie joined in:
Ground control to Major Tom.
Ah, the seventies.
. 'You there,' he called out.
'Hi, Stu.'
+ No smile this time. 'This is private property,' Smart Lipwitz said, a little out of breath. 'I must ask you to remove yourself immediately. ' '
'I hate to disagree with you, Stu, but I am on a public sidewalk. I got every right to be here.'
Smart Lipwitz stammered, then flapped his arms in frustration. With the tails, the movement kind of reminded Myron of a bat. 'But you can't just stand there and take pictures of my clientele,' he semi whined.
' 'Clientele,' ' Myron repeated. 'Is that a new euphemism for john?' 'I'll call the police.'
'Ooooo. Stop scaring me like that.'
'You are interfering with my business.'
'And you are interfering with mine.'
Stuart Lipwitz put his hands on his hips and uied to look threatening. ' 'This is the last time I'll ask you nicely.
Leave the premises.'
'That wasn't nice.'
'Excuse me?'
'You said it was the last time you'd ask me nicely,'
Myron explained. 'Then you said, 'Leave the premises.'
You didn't say please. You didn't say, 'Kindly leave the premises.' Where's the nice in that?'
'I see,' Lipwitz said. Beads of sweat dotted his face.
It was hot and the man was, after all, in tails. 'Please kindly leave the premises.'
'Nope. But now, at least, you're a man of your word.'
Stuart Lipwitz took several deep breaths. 'You want to know about the boy, don't you? The one in the picture.'
'You bet.'
'And if I tell you if he was here, will you leave'?'
'Much as it would pain me to leave this quaint locale, I would somehow tear myself away.'
'That, sir, is blackmail.'
Myron looked at him. 'I would say 'blackmail is such an ugly word,' but that would be too clichT. So instead I'll just say 'Yup.' '
'But' Lipwitz started stammering 'that's against the law!'
'As opposed to, say, prostitution and drug dealing and whatever other sleazy activity goes on in this fleabag?'
Stuart Lipwitz's eyes widened. 'Fleabag? This is the Court Manor Inn, sir. We are a respectable '
'Stuff it, Stu. I got pictures to take.' Another car pulled up. Gray Volvo station wagon. Nice family car. A
man about fifty years old was neatly attired in a business suit. The young girl in the passenger seat must have shopped as the mall girls had recently taught him at Sluts 'R' Us.
Myron smiled and leaned toward the window. 'Whoa, sir, vacationing with your daughter?'
The man splashed on a classic deer-caught-in-theheadlights look. The young prostitute whooped with laughter. 'Hey, Mel, he thinks I'm your daughter!?' She whooped again.
Myron raised the camera. Smart Lipwitz tried to step in his way, but Myron swept him away with his free hand.
'It's Souvenir Day at the Court Manor,' Myron said. 'I
can put the picture on a coffee mug if you'd like. Or maybe a decorative plate?'
The man in the business suit reversed the car. They were gone several seconds later.
Stuart Lipwitz's face reddened. He made two fists.
Myron looked at him. 'Now Stuart . . .'
'I have powerful friends`,' he said.
'Ooooo. I'm getting scared again.'
'Fine. Be that way.' Stuart turned away and stormed up the drive. Myron smiled. The kid was a tougher nut to crack than he'd anticipated, and he really didn't want to do this all day. But let's face it: There were no other leads and besides, playing with Big Stu was fun.
Myron waited for more customers. He wondered what Stu was up to. Something frantic, no doubt. Ten minutes later, a canary yellow Audi pulled up and a large black man slid out. The black man was maybe an inch shorter than Myron, but he was built. His chest could double as a jai alai wall and his legs resembled the trunks of redwoods. He glided when he moved not the bulky moves one usually associated with the overmuscled.
Myron did not like that.
The black man had sunglasses on and wore a red Hawaiian shirt with blue jean shorts. His most noticeable feature was his hair. The kinks had been slicked straight and parted on the side, like old photographs of Nat King Cole.
Myron pointed at the top of the man's head. 'Is that hard to do?' he asked.
'What?' the black man said. 'You mean the hair?'
Myron nodded. 'Keeping it straight like that.'
'Nah, not really. Once a week I go to a guy named Ray. In an old-fashioned barbershop, as a matter of fact.
The kind with the pole in front and everything.' His smile was almost wistful. 'Ray takes care of it for me.
Also gives me a great shave. With hot towels and everything.' The man stroked his face for emphasis.
'Looks smooth,' Myron said.
'Hey, thanks. Nice of you to say. I find it relaxing, you know? Doing something just for me. I think it's important.
To relieve the stress.'
Myron nodded. 'I hear you.'
'Maybe I'll give you Ray's number. You could stop by and check it out.'
'Ray,' Myron repeated. 'I'd like that.'
The black man stepped closer. 'Seems we have a little situation here, Mr. Bolitar.'
'How did you know my name?'
He shrugged. Behind the sunglasses, Myron sensed that he was being sized up. Myron was doing the same.
Both were trying to be subtle. Both knew exactly what the other was doing.
'I'd really appreciate it if you would leave,' he said very politely.
'l'm afraid I can't do that,' Myron said. 'Even though you did ask nicely.'The black man nodded. He kept his distance. 'Let's see if we can work something out here, okay?'
'Okeydokey.'
'I got a job to do here, Myron. You can appreciate that, can't you?'
