“Yes. She called me hon and said I was a peach!”
“Yeah, you’re a peach alright.” He turned Daniel to face Andy. “What more did you tell him about the nice lady?”
“Hmm, nothing.”
“Andy, I’m not playing. Should I go tell Dad that youtold Daniel about the nice lady?”
“No!”
“Then tell me what more you said.”
The note in Daniel’s pocket felt hot like it was burning.I should have looked at the number and the name.Seconds from defeat, he tried the only thing he could think of. “He was going to tell me the name of the woman and the bank, but you just had to get in the way, you sick son of a bitch.”
“What’s that? Did your balls just drop?”
He tried to get away, but Trevor pulled him back. “Andy, is he telling the truth?”
Daniel signaled Andy with his eyes to play along, knowing how unlikely that was.
“Hmm, yes. That’s the truth. Are you angry, Trevor?”
“At you? Never. But Danny has a long night ahead of him.” He placed his hands on Daniel’s hips, inches above his pocket, then hurled him onto the bed.
“Bring your toys,” Trevor told Andy. “The ones with the electricity.”
“Really? Oh boy!”
Trevor moved closer with a sinister spark in his eyes.
Daniel hurried to pull down his pants and underwear before Trevor could do so. He let them fall to the floor, hoping his pants with the note would be ignored for the rest of how long this hell was going to take.
The two brothers climbed on the bed, but even inevitable pain wasn’t enough to put out his little flameof hope.
*
“Webster Bank, this is Susan speaking. How may I help?”
“This is Daniel Roberts.”
“And how may I help you, Mr. Roberts?”
“Hmm, I think you were looking for me.”
“Was I? Oh!Daniel!Bella’s grandchild?”
He hadn’t thought of his grandmother’s name for so many years that it took him a moment to conjure it from memory. “Yes, she’s my grandma.”
“You meanwas. Right, dear?”
“Was? So she’s dead?”
“Oh, my goodness, don’t tell me I just broke the news to you like that!” The woman sounded like she might cry.
“No, it’s fine. I figured it out myself. Why were you looking for me?”
“I was a friend of your late and wonderful grandmother, and I have it on file that you’re about to turn eighteen in a few days. Excited?”
Depends on what you have to tell me, lady.“Yes, I’m excited. Is there anything that I should know about?” He sounded impatient, but he didn’t know how long he had for this call. He was in Robert’s office because both he and Kim were out playing tennis. Andy waswatching TV upstairs, and Trevor was taking one of his long showers.
