Fall Guy

that and his dignity a moment later.
    „Good to see you, doll.“ He bowed from the waist, one hand behind his back, the other covering his belt. „And Sergeant Brody, good to see you as well.“
    Brody smiled, excused himself and went over to talk to Maggie. I saw her look up, her brow wrinkled as he explained who he was. Then she was nodding, taking his hand, leaning closer to say something.
    I took a step closer to Irwin. „I doubt one of your friends will be attending today,“ I said.
    He looked up. „I read the paper, doll. He always did have poor impulse control. I tried to tell Tim that, but he wouldn't listen to me.“
    „What was it, a Messiah complex?“ I asked. „He had to save—“
    Irwin gave me a look that made me shut my mouth. But not for long.
    „What?“
    „Just something he felt compelled to do. We all have our little compulsions, don't we? What would you say yours were? You can tell me anything, doll, anything at all.“
    „So have you heard from him lately?“
    „Who are we talking about, doll?“
    „Parker.“
    Irwin smiled. „You mean they don't have him tinder lock and key?“ He began to laugh. „New York's finest,“ he said. „Some joke.“
    „They'll get him,“ I said, not so sure of it myself. Like any other predator, Parker studied his prey. When he found someone weak, he knew just how to play it. He might already be using another name, living with another sympathetic citizen with an overpowering need to save the world one drifter at a time, or with some lonely man or woman who thought Parker was not only willing but actually capable of offering them whatever it was they so sorely needed. Of course, he'd failed to get what he wanted from me, but he hadn't selected me. He'd gotten stuck with me, and despite the fact that I was a poor candidate, he'd given it a try. He wanted his stuff and I was the key.
    I wondered about Tim again, about Tim and Parker. I still didn't know what that was all about. I wondered if I ever would.
    „We'll miss Parker at the game,“ Irwin said. „He was a steady loser. By the way, did you happen to find—“
    „Your keys? Yeah. I'll bring them out later.“
    Irwin frowned.
    „It was...“
    „I know. For emergencies. And who better to trust with your keys than a cop?“
    He lifted one hand and I noticed again how short his arms were. Unless he used a step stool, reaching the light switches without some sort of extension stick would be impossible.
    „So, did you have his keys?“ I asked. „Was it a swap?“
    But before he had the chance to answer me, I heard the buzzer that opened the front door. I wondered if I'd know Dennis when I saw him, if he'd look faded and worn, the way his brother had, or too carefully put together, like his sister. But it wasn't a stranger at the door this time. It was Ape and Bill. They'd taken Irwin seriously and come to pay their respects. Or have a drink on O'Fallon, one last time. Ricky wasn't with them. Nor was Andy. Nor Parker. But no one was expecting Parker to show.
    „I see you got the mutt with you again,“ Ape said to me. „He's going to say a few words about the dearly departed, too?“
    „I doubt it,“ I told him. „He tends to play it pretty close to the vest. It's a pit-bull thing,“ I said, „not telegraphing what's on your mind.“
    „Yeah,“ he said. „Whatever.“
    Irwin snapped his fingers and pointed toward the table. „And don't forget one for the lady.“ Without another word, Bill went to get the wine. „He'll probably trip and spill the first round, that clown .“
    Bill was coming toward us with three cups of wine. For a moment, when he was stepping onto the flagstone path, I thought Irwin's prediction might come true. Bill took a step that seemed too big, his hands with the cups of wine flying up, about to spill, but he quickly righted himself. He looked puzzled as he continued heading our way. But when he handed me the plastic cup he was grinning, and once I had the cup in my hand and Irwin had his, Bill, too, took a bow. I wondered if all of Irwin's friends were circus people, drifters before, perhaps, drifters again now.
    „Rachel says our pal Parker is a suspected felon now,“ Irwin said, gesturing toward me with his cup of wine.
    „Say what?“ Bill asked.
    „They think he solved the New York housing shortage by offing his aunt.“
    „He wouldn't do that,“ Ape said, his hands awkwardly at his sides.
    I could see him as the strong man, gone to seed of late.