But he stops the free fall of the dumbwaiter.
“What are you doing?” the man yells. His uniform readsThomas.
Pax blinks, then shoots Thomas his winningest smile. “George told me to haul up the flour. Sonofabitch is heavy!”
Thomas squints at Pax’s chest. “Petey? How come I never seen you around before?”
Pax’s skin on his palms is raw and screaming. “I think I heard Ben calling for you.”
“Ben? I didn’t hear nothin’.”
This is where I can finally help.
I streeeetch out, I brighten and widen, I find the human named Ben, and I implore him to call out, “Thomas! Little help over here?”
Thomas leaves.
Pax blinks, smiles his moonlight smile all around the room, until it lands on me, then it slides by me. He can’t see me but he knows I’m here.
He, if anything, believes. That is one of the things that keeps me on his side: his true belief. His Spiritualism.
“Thanks,” he whispers to me, and resumes pulling the dumbwaiter up.
The light that constantly pulses over my shoulder, calling me toward home, dims again after that stunt of mine with Ben.I sizzle on the edges of my soul, the smoke a threat:No more helping nefarious causes.
At last, Pax ties off the ropes of the dumbwaiter and flings open the door. A large sack of flour is indeed there. He hefts it aside.
There, crouched far inside, is Nirav, folded like a baby in a womb. He jumps out and sucks in breath, rolls his head.
He eyes Pax, and he’s angry:That drop? What was that all about?!
Pax reaches into the dumbwaiter and grabs a satchel. He rummages through it and mutters its contents, as if checking them off a list:
“Spool of fishing wire.
“A knife.
“Leather strap with bells.
“Kerosene.”
He nods, satisfied that everything seems to be there.
Nirav scowls as if to say,Of course it’s all there.
Pax places a gentle hand on Nirav’s shoulder. He gnaws at the thumbnail of his other hand and mumbles, “Be careful with that kerosene. Fire eats without discrimination.”
Nirav softens, nods.
Pax slides his eyes around the kitchen. He whispers, barely audible, “The safe. It’s in the parlor, behind the bookcases. Do you truly think you can find it? There isn’t much time.”
And Nirav, sweet, spicy Nirav, nods once, determined and confident.
I can find it.
Such lovely Fools.
The moment Nirav emerges from the dumbwaiter, determined to help his beloved Stella exact vengeance, he goes to work.
