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I was way out of balance in that curtained room. I should have taken the fishmonger’s offer and spent another day watching Chester and his men. I should have planned out the interrogation, but I was playing it fast and loose because sooner or later, I knew, the men who had framed me would catch on to my ad hoc investigation.

Chester pulled his head back, sensing my desperation.

“Cortez,” he ejaculated. “Detective Cortez. I didn’t get no first name.”

“What he look like?”

“I don’t know, man. That was a long time past, and back then I was high day and night. I think he was Puerto Rican. Short, you know? I don’t know.”

Something in my eyes was scaring the gangster. It scared me too.

“What was the deal he gave you?” I asked slowly.

“He didn’t want—he didn’t want me to make any noise about Tatty. He said that she had information he needed and he didn’t want no lawyers or nuthin’ askin’ about her.

“Is she your woman? Because you know that cop didn’t give me no choice. If I’d’a gone up against him he would’a put me down. It was her or me and—and—and he said he just wanted information. I figured me bein’ quiet would help us both.”

I was silent for quite a while then. Chester and I were looking at each other, but I was sure that we were both seeing things outside that storefront.

“What’s in the boxes your men drove off with?”

“You don’t know?”

“Don’t make me ask again, fool.”

“G-g-guns. It’s guns.”

Walking the six blocks to the parking garage, and then driving back to my place on Montague, I was going over and over recent events. From the college girl to A Free Man. From the old man across the street to Chester.

I was standing right at the edge of a line that had to be crossed sooner or later.

So far Chester was still alive. I was too.

“Hi, Daddy,” A.D. said when I walked through the office door.

“Honey. How you doin’?”

“Fine. You like my dress?” she asked in a bratty tone.

Standing up, she did a half turn. The dress was a dull orange color and the hem was down to her calf. It complimented her figure without broadcasting it. I knew that it cost $87.99 off the rack.

“Your mother let you wear that?”

“You remember this?” Surprise took over the spoiled look on her face.

“I was with her when she bought it. I’m surprised she still has it.”

“Mama don’t throw out nuthin’. I took it outta her back row in the closet.”

In some ways I’d be married to Monica for the rest of my life. At least we did this one thing right.

“Any calls?”

“A man came and said that he would be waitin’ for you at the wine bar.”

“What man?”

“White guy with funny eyes,” Aja said. “He said his name was Mel.”