Jim Shepard - Kiss of the Wolf

“Joanie wanted to know about that guy you and Tommy worked for.”

Bruno looked immediately at Joanie.

“I was curious how you knew Tommy, that’s all,” she said.

Bruno shook his head. He lifted something in the pastry box and let it go again.

“Why, is he a mob guy or something?” Joanie asked.

Bruno made a disgusted noise and shook his head again. “Movies,” he said.

“Is that it?” Joanie asked.

He turned to face her and scared her a little. “’Mob guy’? What is this, the cinema? What are you, the G-man? You asking me if this guy is legitimate, one hundred percent? I say: No, he’s not. I say to you: Not many people are. ”

“I’m just ask ing,” Joanie murmured.

“You’re not ‘just askin’. You say to me: What does he do that’s not legitimate? I say to you: None of your business. Here’s a good rule of thumb if you want to do something that’s not legitimate: Keep it quiet. ”

The phone rang again. Joanie answered it. It was a garage in New Haven: they’d found the bumper but not the grillwork. She told them it was all taken care of, anyway.

“Gettin’ a lotta short phone calls,” Bruno said when she hung up.

Todd came into the room and opened the refrigerator.

“Man o’ the house,” Bruno said.

“Hey, Bruno,” Todd said, his head in the refrigerator.

“Hello, Todd,” Nancy said.

“Hello, Nancy,” Todd said.

“Todd know his mom’s bein’ questioned by the police?” Bruno asked.

Todd froze behind the door. The shifting and sliding sounds of his search stopped.

He stuck his head up and looked at Joanie.

“A friend of Bruno’s,” she said. “That’s all. He just wants to go over what they already know.”

She was about to say something else to reassure him, but the phone rang again. She made an enraged sound and snatched it up. Bruno chuckled.

It was the Orange garage. They couldn’t do it today, or tomorrow, either.

“So how’s your memory about drivin’ home that night?” Bruno asked quietly.

Todd spooned vanilla yogurt from the tub into a dish. He shrugged. His face flushed.

Joanie told the garage it was already taken care of.

“Todd,” she said. When Todd looked at her, angry, she said, “See if anyone else wants some.”

“None for me,” Bruno said. “Yogurt? Holy God.”

“Lemme make sure we’re canceling the right party here,” the voice on the phone said. “This is Mulenberg?”

“Muhlberg, yes,” she said. Bruno looked at her, and she rolled her eyes and circled her index finger near her temple.

“Muhlberg?” the guy said. “Not Mulenberg?”

“Poor Tommy. Terrible thing,” Nancy murmured to Todd. He nodded, but he couldn’t look at her.

“Muhlberg, Mulenberg, cancel them all,” Joanie said. She had to go; thank you. She hung up.

“Subscriptions,” she said to Bruno.

Todd stood in the doorway to the hall and ate his yogurt. “So when are you gonna be questioned by the police?” he asked.

“Sit at the table,” Bruno said. He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded. “You’re gonna get indigestion.”

“These kids don’t care,” Nancy said.

“Nobody gave Bruno any coffee?” Todd said.

“We never got Todd’s side of the story,” Bruno said. “You’re a passenger, you see a lotta things the driver misses.”

The phone rang again. Joanie swore.

“Get me a copy of Field and Stream, ” Bruno said. “And get a copy of Modern Bride for Nancy here.”

“Fuck you, Bruno,” Nancy said.

It was Nina. “Who’s over there?” Nina said.

“What happened to ‘Hello,’ Ma?” Joanie said.

“What’s your problem?” Nina said. “I just asked who’s over there.”

“Nancy,” Joanie said. “And Bruno.”

“Who’s that? That your mother? Send her my love,” Bruno said.

“What’d he say?” Nina asked.

“He said he’s sorry he’s always rude to you,” Joanie said.

“Tell him not to get fresh,” Nina said.

“Don’t you hafta be at the dealership?” Nancy asked. “Shouldn’t you be cheatin’ some widow out of her life savings at this point?”

“Yeah, I gotta go,” Bruno said. “Todd, Yankee game: tomorrow night?”

Todd blinked, still holding his yogurt dish. “At the Stadium?” he asked.

“No, at my house,” Bruno said. “I’ll buy chips. Acourse the Stadium.”

“When did this come up?” Joanie asked, a little panicked. “When’d you get this idea?”

“When did what come up?” Nina asked.

“Hold on, Ma,” Joanie said.

“What?” Bruno said. “Just now. You heard it.”

“I got Ad Altare Dei Wednesday,” Todd said.

Bruno shrugged and turned his head slightly to the side. “And I’m busy Christmas Eve. But I’m talking tomorrow night here.”

“Okay. That’d be great,” Todd said.

“I’ll pick you up six o’clock,” Bruno said. “We’ll get something down there.”

“Are you still there?” Nina said. “Hello?”

“I’m not sure about this,” Joanie said, trying to get Todd’s attention.

“Thanks for your input,” Bruno said, heading for the door. “I’m outta here. Tell your mother she drove me out of the house.”

“She’ll be thrilled,” Joanie said. “Ma, you just drove Bruno out of the house.”

“I’m thrilled,” Nina said.

Bruno pointed to Joanie. “You think about where you wanna go. Remember, the date was your idea.” He had the door open and he pointed to Nancy. “Nancy. Hang in there.”

“Fuck you, Bruno,” she said again.

Bruno spread his hands wide for Todd. “I come in, I’m polite, I get shit on,” he said. He went out the door whistling.

“Nancy,” Joanie said.

“Well, he pisses me off,” she said. “Rubbing my face in it.”

“I know,” Joanie said.

“Rubbing your face in what?” Todd asked.

“Todd, leave it alone,” Joanie said. He tossed his empty dish and spoon onto the counter with a clatter, and turned and stalked off.

“Is he getting fresh?” Nina said.

“Ma, come over if you wanna talk,” Joanie said, exasperated. “Between you on the phone and everybody, I’m goin’ nuts here.”

“Pardon me for living,” Nina said. “Good-bye and good luck.” She hung up.

Joanie looked at the phone and blew out some air before hanging up.

She turned to face Nancy. She wanted to get rid of her so she could talk to Todd. She didn’t want to imagine Bruno working on Todd for four hours at a baseball game, and they had to figure a way to get out of it.

“So what d’you got planned for today?” she asked Nancy. “You want more coffee?”

“Sure,” Nancy said. “Pisses me off when he does that.” She handed her mug to Joanie.

“Bruno’s Bruno,” Joanie said.

“Well, that’s helpful.”

“Well, it’s true.” She poured what was left in the coffeepot. “There’s only half a cup here.”

“Make another pot,” Nancy said.

Joanie closed her eyes, her back to Nancy, and rubbed her face. “I think I’m out,” she said.

“No, you’re not out,” Nancy said. “I felt the can.”

Joanie grabbed the can and ripped off the lid.

She heard Todd on the stairs and then at the front door. “I’m goin’ out,” he called.

“Todd?” she called back. “Todd?” She leaned sideways to see down the hallway. “Where you goin’?

“Out,” he called. The front door slammed.

“Ah, they’re something, aren’t they?” Nancy said. She sighed.

“Hold on a sec,” Joanie said. She hurried to the front door. She swung it inward and looked both ways down the street. He was already gone. Had he gone around the side of the house?