“How much are we spending?” Jason opened a menu and started looking.
“Go crazy. Enough for a couple of days. Just in case.”
“Okay, I’m on it.”
When he turned toward the kitchen, Luca hugged me. “You’re the kindest person I know.”
I held him in my arms. “It’s nothing.”
“You’re wrong. It means a lot to me, and proves you aren’t the personyouthink you are.”
I didn’t respond. Wishing I could see myself through his eyes, keeping my mouth shut was the best thing to do. When Jason returned with three bags brimming with items, I slipped him my black card and left a tip. “She loves those Italian sandwiches Henry makes, so I packed a few. They reheat well.”
We thanked him and headed toward her retirement village. They were three-story apartments that luckily had a lift. When we arrived at her door, Luca knocked and called her name. “Edith, it’s me. Luca.”
The door swung open. “What are you two doing here?”
Luca looked around, surveying the property. It was a step above his, but if this was considered good, we needed a new plan. “We stopped by the diner to pick up some food, and Jason told us you were at home. So we came to check on you.”
Stepping into the apartment, it was stifling. A single window was up, and a makeshift screen covered one of them. A floor fan circulated the heat that radiated inside the place. It had to be unhealthy. “What’s going on? Why is it so warm in here?” Luca moved to the window and situated the fan to blow the hot air out. “Did you call the super?”
“Yes. The boiler is acting up again. I couldn’t leave Bambino here to suffer. He could die.”
Who? “Who is Bambino?”
She turned and picked up her short-haired, silver-gray cat that was stretched out under the table on the kitchen floor. “This is my baby. When he was a tiny little kitten, all he would eat wasNathan’shot dogs. No other kind. I called my bambino andlured him out of the alley with a trail of hot dogs from behind the dumpsters.”
I was confused until Luca explained. “That’s Babe Ruth. He played for the Yankees and is baseball royalty. He also loved hot dogs.”
“Ah, yes.” I glanced around the room. “Is there someplace else you can go? Like a hotel or something?”
Luca looked at me as if I were missing something. “Hotels cost a lot of money. We need to figure out a way to get this place cooled down.” He turned to Edith. “When did you call him?”
“Three days ago.”
Luca pulled out his phone. “I’m calling him. Have you eaten? Axel brought you a lot of food. He’s got a thing for big orders. You might want to put it in the fridge.” He motioned for me to distract her, so I headed toward her tiny kitchen.
“Okay, Miss Edith. Please show me what to do here.”
While we unpacked each item, Luca made his call, talking sternly to the man. When he wasn’t satisfied with what the person had to say, he made another call, this time to his boss. I couldn’t make out everything he said as I talked with Edith, but he wasn’t happy.
“I’m moving from my apartment today to my new home. Why don’t you and Bambino stay there until this is resolved?” I suggested.
Edith patted me on the arm. “Thank you, but we’re perfectly fine right here. It will cool down when the sun goes down.”
“Then let me buy you one of those window air conditioners. That might help.”
She waved her hand. “I’m afraid it would trip the breakers, then I’d have to go to the basement fuse box and flip them on. I’m vertically challenged, and climbing a ladder isn’t a good idea.” She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s really fine, sweets. It won’t be long before the temperatures cool down.”
I frowned. Stubbornness must be a common trait here, but I wouldn’t argue with her. I’d take it up with Luca when we left.
“They should be here tomorrow. I called the emergency line at the office to light a fire under them. If they don’t get it fixed, our legal department will look into it. I’m sure there’s a clause in the contract about maintenance upkeep.”
Edith patted Luca’s cheek. “Thank you, sweets. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He took her hand. “You should have called me when they didn’t respond to you. I know the building is old, but it shouldn’t be this hot.”
“I know. And I will next time. I promise.” She looked at me and winked. “I don’t mean to be rude, but as soon as you’re gone, I’m going to take a cool bath, then Bambino and I are going to share that ice cream Jason threw in.”
