Page 70 of We Chase Shadows

‘You’d guess,’ says Tommy.

Amy continues to work on her steak and thinks back to her conversation with Ernesto. It wasn’t quite right, she’s sure of that. Automatic lights? Nope, Amy had checked. But Ernesto would have no reason to lie. And anyway, Steve and Rosie are both in love with Ernesto, so she’ll keep it to herself for now.

Rosie accepts her next drink and waves it at Tommy. ‘So three dead and three still alive.’

‘Congratulations on adding up, maybe I can get you a medal,’ says Tommy. ‘One killed in Bratislava, I think, one in Helsinki. The other one I couldn’t say.’

‘Minsk,’ says Amy.

‘Could be,’ says Tommy. ‘Good a place as any to get killed.’

‘All three killed by Jakob Eriksson,’ says Steve.

‘You don’t say,’ says Tommy. ‘You like stating the obvious, huh? That’s your thing? Here’s a table, here’s a plate. We used to have a thing in this country called critical thinking. Now you got kids at college and what are they learning? They’re tearing down statues, these kids, couldn’t tell you the date of the Gettysburg Address half of them.’

‘Are you finished?’ Rosie asks. ‘Or do we need to listen to more of this?’

‘Ignore me,’ says Tommy. ‘I’m enjoying myself.’

‘What was the date of the Gettysburg Address?’ Amy asks.

Tommy pulls a face and waves this away. ‘You think I give two tin hoots about the Gettysburg Address? Come on, the world’s on fire and you’re asking me about the Gettysburg Address.’

‘Now, Mr Griffin, I hope you don’t mind,’ says Rosie. ‘I wonder if I might propose a little thought experiment?’

‘I don’t go a whole hog on thinking,’ says Tommy. ‘Or experiments. But sure, you’re my guests.’

‘There were six men in the room,’ says Rosie.

‘In the room. And also when we all went to see Celine Dion after,’ says Tommy.

‘Only three of you are still alive,’ says Rosie.

‘Do I love her music? No,’ says Tommy. ‘But she put on a hell of a show.’

‘There’s Jakob Eriksson,’ says Rosie. ‘There’s Vern, who has just been threatened by Jakob Eriksson, and then there’s you? The only one who seems to have been left alone?’

‘I guess I’m lucky,’ says Tommy. ‘Always have been.’

‘You’re not worried?’ says Steve. ‘We heard a suggestion you might be expanding your operations into Europe?’

‘No law against it,’ says Tommy.

‘I mean, there are lots of laws against it,’ says Steve. ‘But, more importantly, you don’t think Eriksson will have something to say about it?’

‘Stevie,’ says Tommy. ‘I’ve been alive for seventy years, right? And I ain’t died yet. That can’t be a coincidence?’

‘I think that’s just how life works,’ says Amy. ‘No one dies until they die.’

‘All I know is what I know,’ says Tommy. ‘Hundred per cent record of not dying. I buck the trend. You wanna argue with numbers, go ahead, see if the numbers give a monkey’s thumb about it.’

Amy tries again. ‘And when you were in Europe, you didn’t take a little trip over to Italy to threaten Vern Blackwood?’

‘Threatening Vern Blackwood would be like shouting at a mouse,’ says Tommy.

‘So you didn’t threaten Vern, and you’re not scared of Eriksson?’ Rosie asks. ‘That’s your story?’

‘Honestly,’ says Tommy. ‘I think I bonded with Jakey Boy.’