Fall Guy

fellow. That's how he survives. You might say that being convincing is his profession.“
    „Did that happen a lot, the back-and-forth thing?“
    „Three times that I know of. Last time was the night before Tim's accident. I think that time he meant it, too. We were out here, having salmon au beurre noir. I was a chef, before 9/11. Now I'm a waiter. But that's another sad story. Everyone has one. If I had the time, I'd ask you yours. But I don't.“ Standing too close, his voice way too loud. „Instead of being served tonight, I have to smile and say, 'And how would you like that prepared, madam?' As if I give a shit. How annoying is that?“
    „So Tim got mad at Parker often?“
    „Especially this last time. You couldn't miss the shouting. Tim told Parker to pack up and go. He said he was sick of broken promises, of lies, of all the stealing. He said he didn't think Parker was even trying. And that was the point of all this, he said, that Parker put in some effort on his own behalf. Something like that. It's not that we were trying to listen. You couldn't help overhearing. And I said to Rob, 'Like hello. I could have told him that months ago. This one's a loser, period,' The funny thing is, Tim had no idea how bad it was, how many men were actually at his place, poor lamb. Half of them had come out this way“—pointing to the door I'd just used—“and gone that way“—pointing to the door on the west end of the long narrow garden, the one he and Rob and Jin Mei used. „Rob and I were so upset, we couldn't finish eating. I said, 'We should talk to him.' And Rob said, 'No, we shouldn't. We should butt out.' He's very ... He's got more dignity than I do. I would have told. But then the next day it was all too late. Tim had that terrible accident. It was an accident, wasn't it?“
    „Yes,“ I said. „Cleaning his gun.“
    He put two fingers to his lips.
    „Did you hear the shot? I was wondering if ‘anyone ...“
    r He shook his head. „We were all closed in, the f AC on, because of all the noise the evening before. We sleep in the front, so ...“ He shrugged !,his shoulders. „A waiter,“ he said. „Look at me, at imy age. Do you believe this? Well, I guess I'll see you again. Knock if there's anything you need. My career is calling. I hope you have a life outside ,of your job, Rachel. I hear that's a good idea.“
    I lifted one hand in lieu of a comment, but he'd already turned and started walking toward that |*last door. I headed back inside, Dashiell following behind me.

CHAPTER 9
    I was sitting at O'Fallon's desk when his phone rang. I checked to see that the answering machine was on and let it ring through, absorbed in what I was doing and not thinking about the consequences of my act. And then there he was, as close to me as if he were whispering in my ear.
    „O'Fallon,“ the recording said. „State your business, leave your name and number, and I'll get back to you. If this can't wait, call my cell phone.“ Figuring, they didn't have the number, it couldn't be all that important.
    There was a moment of silence and then the caller hung up. I played the outgoing announcement twice more before opening the bottom drawer of the desk and checking the labels on each file. Like most people's paperwork, O'Fallon's was dead boring—a file for his checking account, his rent statements, one on his car, the insurance policy, tune-up records, title. There was a file with instructions for equipment, booklets on how to use a tape recorder, program a VCR, operate the radio I'd seen in the kitchen, change the bags on his vacuum cleaner, use the electric can opener. In another file, he had duplicates of his tax returns for the last three years. I pulled those out and the bank statements and put them in the briefcase to get them to the attorney. I took the last rent statement as well, thinking his rent alone was reason to live forever—the huge main room, a kitchen with a window, and the use of the garden, all for under a thousand dollars a month, a New York miracle. I pulled the folder on the car out and left it on top of the desk. I wondered if he parked it on the street, because if he did, it had probably been towed already. I made a note to ask Brody about the car. If it had been towed, maybe he'd be able to get it back for me without payment of the fine, over a hundred bucks for sure. I didn't know what Mary Margaret was getting—I had no idea, for example, if O'Fallon's death benefits could pass