He waited for the man to catch up. “If you want that money back, you said I could have it.”
“No, it’s not that.”
The old man waved him to the side. He looked agitated. Upset, not angry. Cole relaxed a little.
“If you need some of the money back, I could—” he began.
“No.” The old man turned. “It’s something else. There was a paw.”
“A what?”
“A monkey’s paw.”
Cole fixed the man with his best look of confusion. “A paw from a monkey? I took that money, and only because you said I could. If you dropped anything else, I didn’t see?—”
“I gave it to a man.”
Cole stiffened. “And you think I stole it? If you’re accusing?—”
“I don’t care if you filched it or found it.” He met Cole’s gaze imploringly. “This is very important, son. Do you have the paw?”
Cole felt a flicker of guilt. Maybe he could just give… No, it might be a trick, forcing him to admit to theft.
“I don’t have anything like that.” Cole opened his jacket. “Go ahead and check.” He’d left the paw safely in their cubby.
The old man shook his head. “All right. I’m sorry, son. That’s what the money was for, so I thought maybe you’d followed the man who got it. He says it was taken from his pocket.”
“He probably changed his mind and wants his money, without giving you the paw back. People do that kind of thing. They’ll take whatever they can get here.”
“I know.” The old man’s words came out on a sigh.
“I could look for it,” Cole said. “I’m pretty good at finding things.”
A faint smile. “No. With any luck, it’s gone for good. I only hope that bastard got a chance to try it first.”
“Try it?”
The old man clapped Cole on the back. “Nothing. Go on, son. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
As the old man started to walk away, Cole called, “Wait. If I do hear about it, should I tell you? Or does it go back to your friend?”
“Oh, he’s not my friend. And I would most gladly see him take the cursed thing. In fact, I’dpayto give it to him again.” He paused. “Let’s say ten dollars. If you do hear of it…”
“I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you.”
Colehad no idea what the old man had been talking about, but at least now he had a plan. He’d wait a day, and then say he’d scoured the alley where they’d first met and he’d found the paw there. Ten dollars was more than he’d hoped to get selling it.
Maybe the “accursed thing” did work, in its way. It was just like everything else in New Chicago. You had to lower your expectations. Significantly. Wish for five hundred bucks. Get ten instead.
Cole laughed softly as he approached his building. Then he stopped. There were three men outside. Two huge thugs and an older man in the middle. Russ McClintock.
When they heard him coming, they all turned. Cole couldn’t see their expressions in the gathering dark, but he called a greeting.
“Is Tyler looking for me?” he asked, hooking his thumb toward the building.
“No, Cole.” McClintock stepped away from his goons. “I came to talk to you.”
