Fall Guy

attentive dog. „Me? Yeah. Tim? No. He drank club soda, or maybe coffee. You said you were taking care of his affairs?“
    „I am.“
    „What are you, with the bank or something? You his lawyer? What's the deal?“
    „A friend.“
    „No way, doll. Tim was dry, going on eleven years. You don't know that, you weren't a friend.“
    „Correct,“ I said.
    He raised his eyebrows.
    „I was more of a slight acquaintance.“
    „I don't get it, doll.“
    „Neither do I, Irwin. Neither do I.“
    „What's he do?“ He was pointing at Dashiell again. „I had a trick dog, I could get TV work. I can't just go on, make an ass of myself. It's not PC, you know what I'm saying. I'd get the fucking Little People of America on my case. You can't be an undignified dwarf anymore. But I could
    make an ass of him. Don't worry, doll. You'd get a cut. I'm a fair man.“
    He turned to Dashiell.
    „Roll over,“ he told him. „Speak.“ Then he turned to me, palms raised toward the heavens. „Help me out here, doll. You must have taught him something, big dog like this.“
    „Nothing fancy,“ I said. „He sits and gives his paw.“
    „Impressive.“
    „Semper paratus,“ I told him. „Like you said, he's a big dog. I had to train him.“
    „They get all the girls, you know.“ He pointed up, at the ceiling. „The high-wire artists. People think it's the lion tamer.“ He shook his head. „Not so. Never been so. You single, doll? You seeing anyone?“ He raised his eyebrows, looked me up and down, as if I were a piece of merchandise he was about to bid on.
    I raised my hand like a stop sign.
    „A guy can dream,“ he said. „You change your mind, doll, you know where to find me. Don't let my small stature fool you. I can show you a good time.“
    He reached for the doorknob. I raised my hand again. „Open it,“ I told Dash, indicating the door with a tilt of my head. Dashiell pushed in front of Irwin, grasped the knob, turned his head and backed up.
    Irwin squinted at me. „Always something up your sleeve, eh? I like that in a woman. Don't be a stranger, doll. You hear me?“
    I stopped at O'Fallon's apartment and dumped out the briefcase on his desk, refilling it with the things I wanted to take to Maggie's house—one of the photo albums, the coin collection, the silver ashtray that Parker had tried to steal. I decided to take the file on the car as well, in case there was any trouble at the lot.
    My cell phone rang as I was on the way to pick up the car.
    „Alexander.“
    „Rachel. I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner. I was away.“
    „Who is this?“
    „It's Ted Hank. I was John's partner. I guess you hadn't heard.“
    „Heard what?“ I asked, though I thought perhaps I knew.
    „John's dead, Rachel. He died of AIDS five months ago.“
    „I'm so sorry.“
    „He talked about you. And about Dash. He said he thought it was so weird, a private investigator doing pet therapy.“
    I stopped in the street. Dashiell began to sniff at the wrought iron around a tree pit, coleus growing around the tree, a plastic water bottle lying on top of two of the rich red leaves.
    „He knew that? I never told anyone in the group ...“
    „I'm sorry,“ he said. „I didn't mean to give you a double shock. I should have kept my mouth shut.“
    „No, just tell me how he knew.“
    „I don't know. I figured you told him. Not so?“
    I didn't say anything right away, so he kept on talking.
    „No harm meant. No harm done, I hope. It's not some big secret, is it? I mean, in order for you to get work, people have to know, don't they?“
    „Might he have told anyone else? Do you think he ...“
    There was silence on the line. Someone blew his horn on Washington Street. A dog across the street, a short-legged Jack Russell, all full of himself, began to bark at Dashiell.
    „I couldn't honestly say.“
    „No harm done,“ I said a little too quickly. „I appreciate your calling, and I'm so sorry to hear about John.“
    O'Fallon's car was a beat-up Toyota Celica. I was glad I'd brought along the file with his papers. The monthly fee for the lot was worth more than the damn car and was due the next day. I'd see if Maggie would agree to come in by bus on Saturday and then drive Tim's car home. If not, I could even pick her up. Either way, it would save the estate about three hundred dollars because I could just pay the day rate until then. One less bill to deduct from Maggie's inheritance, one less thing for me to worry