Absent Friends by S. J. Rozan Page B
Authors: S. J. Rozan
Tags: Fiction, General, thriller, Suspense, Psychological, Thrillers, Mystery & Detective, American Mystery & Suspense Fiction, Women Sleuths, Friendship, Secrecy, Fiction - Espionage, N.Y.), Fire Fighters, Women Journalists, September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001, Staten Island (New York
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they heard that, too. Tom says, winking at Marian, grinning at Jimmy: And that's true, you did hear it, because I'm telling it to you right now.
And the kids all be quiet, and they listen.
The next day, Sunday, after church, Tom and Jack are walking home with their dad, Big Mike. They turn the corner onto the block where the Spanos live. This is how the Molloys always go, and Tom, like it's just the house that made him think of it, tells his dad the Spano brothers, Eddie and Pete, the kids have to steer clear of them for a few days because they're really pissed off.
Why, Big Mike wants to know, what'd you do? And don't use that language in front of your mother.
Oh yeah, sorry, says Tom, even though his mom's walking ahead of them, talking with Vicky's mom, their heads leaning toward each other, Tom knows she didn't hear. Anyway, he says, they're not mad at us. Just, those guys, when they're mad, they'll pound on anything, you know? Especially, it's their dad they're pi—they're mad at, and you know Mr. Spano.
Oh, Big Mike knows Al Spano. He nods, rubs his jaw. Mrs. Molloy's gone ahead another few steps, she's listening to Vicky's mom real hard, so Big Mike grins down at Tom, winks, says, Guy's an asshole.
Tom grins back.
Serve him right, says Big Mike. Teach him a lesson if his kids took him on.
He'd cream them, says Jack.
Now, says Big Mike. Not someday.
Yeah, says Tom, but now's when they're mad. So I told everyone, watch out for Eddie and Pete, stay away.
Mike nods again. That's right, son, he says. You look out for your friends. The Spano boys, what's their beef?
The circus, says Tom.
What?
Mr. Spano, he said he'd take them to the circus. In Madison Square Garden. Now he won't.
Broke his promise?
Tom shrugs.
Bad business, breaking promises, says Big Mike.
What I hear, says Tom, Mr. Spano said Barnum and Bailey's, that's for spoiled rich kids and their snotty parents, all those folks in the city don't know what to do with their money. He said, All the way the hell into Manhattan? And seven dollars a ticket, a guy would have to be stupid to pay that so his kid could see an elephant take a crap. He said, Spivey's, that's the kind of show for people like us.
Spivey's? says Big Mike. That elephant they got at Spivey's, I thought he'd croak when they were here last summer. Wouldn't be surprised, that elephant don't come back with them this year. And that bearded lady? Ask me, she glues that thing on.
Well, I don't know about her, says Tom. But that sure is one sorry-ass elephant.
Tom and Jack and Big Mike share a laugh. But anyway, Tom says, that's what Eddie and Pete are so—Tom looks to make sure his mom is still out of range—so p.o.'d about. Because Mr. Spano, he says Spivey's was good enough for him when he was growing up, so it's good enough for any son of his.
Yeah? says Tom's father. That's what he says?
Two weeks later, the Saturday before Easter, the kids are bouncing up and down on Madison Square Garden's wooden seats. They're so juiced on cotton candy and the sawdust smell from the sideshow where they got to see the tigers up close in their cages, from the blaring music and the circling lights, they can hardly sit still. Mike the Bear, on one end of their row, says, Ah, settle down, you wild animals, but the kids can't. Mrs. Molloy, smiling on the other end, reaches over to stop Jack from tickling Vicky; to hand Markie a napkin so he can wipe purple cotton candy from the end of his nose; to calm them all down just enough so they're ready, really ready, when the lights go down and the music stops and the ringmaster booms, Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages! and not looking behind him, snaps his whip.
It's true then, Tom's ways are different from the old ways. And times are changing. Not that Mike the Bear's not smart, no one would say that. But the new times, they call for another approach. A guy like Tom, he makes everyone look legit. That's what's needed now.
Tom's
And the kids all be quiet, and they listen.
The next day, Sunday, after church, Tom and Jack are walking home with their dad, Big Mike. They turn the corner onto the block where the Spanos live. This is how the Molloys always go, and Tom, like it's just the house that made him think of it, tells his dad the Spano brothers, Eddie and Pete, the kids have to steer clear of them for a few days because they're really pissed off.
Why, Big Mike wants to know, what'd you do? And don't use that language in front of your mother.
Oh yeah, sorry, says Tom, even though his mom's walking ahead of them, talking with Vicky's mom, their heads leaning toward each other, Tom knows she didn't hear. Anyway, he says, they're not mad at us. Just, those guys, when they're mad, they'll pound on anything, you know? Especially, it's their dad they're pi—they're mad at, and you know Mr. Spano.
Oh, Big Mike knows Al Spano. He nods, rubs his jaw. Mrs. Molloy's gone ahead another few steps, she's listening to Vicky's mom real hard, so Big Mike grins down at Tom, winks, says, Guy's an asshole.
Tom grins back.
Serve him right, says Big Mike. Teach him a lesson if his kids took him on.
He'd cream them, says Jack.
Now, says Big Mike. Not someday.
Yeah, says Tom, but now's when they're mad. So I told everyone, watch out for Eddie and Pete, stay away.
Mike nods again. That's right, son, he says. You look out for your friends. The Spano boys, what's their beef?
The circus, says Tom.
What?
Mr. Spano, he said he'd take them to the circus. In Madison Square Garden. Now he won't.
Broke his promise?
Tom shrugs.
Bad business, breaking promises, says Big Mike.
What I hear, says Tom, Mr. Spano said Barnum and Bailey's, that's for spoiled rich kids and their snotty parents, all those folks in the city don't know what to do with their money. He said, All the way the hell into Manhattan? And seven dollars a ticket, a guy would have to be stupid to pay that so his kid could see an elephant take a crap. He said, Spivey's, that's the kind of show for people like us.
Spivey's? says Big Mike. That elephant they got at Spivey's, I thought he'd croak when they were here last summer. Wouldn't be surprised, that elephant don't come back with them this year. And that bearded lady? Ask me, she glues that thing on.
Well, I don't know about her, says Tom. But that sure is one sorry-ass elephant.
Tom and Jack and Big Mike share a laugh. But anyway, Tom says, that's what Eddie and Pete are so—Tom looks to make sure his mom is still out of range—so p.o.'d about. Because Mr. Spano, he says Spivey's was good enough for him when he was growing up, so it's good enough for any son of his.
Yeah? says Tom's father. That's what he says?
Two weeks later, the Saturday before Easter, the kids are bouncing up and down on Madison Square Garden's wooden seats. They're so juiced on cotton candy and the sawdust smell from the sideshow where they got to see the tigers up close in their cages, from the blaring music and the circling lights, they can hardly sit still. Mike the Bear, on one end of their row, says, Ah, settle down, you wild animals, but the kids can't. Mrs. Molloy, smiling on the other end, reaches over to stop Jack from tickling Vicky; to hand Markie a napkin so he can wipe purple cotton candy from the end of his nose; to calm them all down just enough so they're ready, really ready, when the lights go down and the music stops and the ringmaster booms, Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages! and not looking behind him, snaps his whip.
It's true then, Tom's ways are different from the old ways. And times are changing. Not that Mike the Bear's not smart, no one would say that. But the new times, they call for another approach. A guy like Tom, he makes everyone look legit. That's what's needed now.
Tom's
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