Page 4 of Concluded
That brought a chuckle.“My people don’t believe in evangelizing.And even if we did, I don’t think I’d be anyone’s first choice to do it.C’mon, kid.Let me in and I’ll tell you everything.”
Although Dee was tempted to slam the door in his face, he was also curious.And fuck it—he didn’t have anything better to do with his afternoon.Maybe this guy would buy a charm from him.
As soon as Dee stepped aside, the man came in.He hung his coat and hat on the rack near the door, revealing a body that was surprisingly good for someone his age.His compact muscles and trim waist reminded Dee of a gymnast.
The visitor glanced around and nodded, as if the apartment pleased him.“Nice place.Those modern houses, I guess they’re practical, but they lack soul.They lackspirit.”He laughed, although Dee didn’t understand the joke.Then he stuck out his hand and they shook.“Abe Ferencz.”
“What can I do for you, Mr.Ferencz?”
“Call me Abe.”For the first time, Abe looked entirely serious.“And you can do a great deal.Maybe.”
“Can you just?—”
“I’m here on behalf of the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs.You heard of ’em?”
Dee slowly shook his head.They didn’t sound friendly.“Look, if you’re here ’cause I skipped probation, that was a long time ago.I don’t think apprehending me is a real priority for the great state of Wisconsin.”Or New Jersey or Tennessee, but those had been in the more distant past and so he didn’t mention them.
“The Bureau doesn’t care about whatever you did to offend Wisconsin.”
That was a small relief.Dee squinted at him.“Aren’t you kinda past retirement age?”
Clearly not offended, Abe’s hearty laugh echoed.“You have no idea, boychik.I retired from the Bureau years ago.But I get a little bored sometimes, since my partner died.I do some contract work for them now and then.Right now, the chief is tied up in some kind ofmishegasand his agents are spread thin, so he hired me to come visit with you.”
“About what?”
Instead of answering, Abe strode to the couch and sat down as if he owned the place.There was something odd about him, although Dee couldn’t put his finger on it.Maybe it was his eyes—warm and brown, but brighter than they ought to be.“You don’t happen to have any whiskey, do you?”Abe asked.“Or any other liquor will do.”
“Your boss know you drink on the job?”
“My last boss drank more than I do, and that’s saying something.The new one doesn’t drink at all.”
Dee folded his arms.“Well, neither do I.”Alcohol didn’t agree with him.It made him unpleasantly dizzy without truly getting him high.Screwed-up brain chemistry, probably.According to his father, Dee’s mother had been the same way.Drugs worked just fine, though.
Abe sighed.“Shoulda brought my own.Okay, I’ll make this quick.I’m here because of your charms.And I don’t mean that handsome face of yours.”
Shit.Not again.Dee threw himself heavily onto the other end of the couch.“They’re just rocks and stuff, okay?I don’t give my clients any substances that might harm them, I don’t encourage my clients to do anything illegal.Yeah, they might be a little poorer when they leave me, but I’m not charging that much.And people spend money on useless shit all the time.”
“Oh,sheifale, we don’t care about your charms that don’t work.”Abe stared at him for a moment through eyes that seemed ancient.“We care about the ones that do.”
Although Dee’s gut clenched, he tried to keep an even tone.“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Fake charms are a good schtick.Tell a schmuck that the tchotchke you sold him will give him good luck, and every time something positive happens to him, he’ll give the charm credit.If he stops believing in it, he’s not going to run to the cops.He didn’t lose enough for it to be worth the hassle, and besides, he’s a little embarrassed about being taken in.”Abe shrugged.“Not much harm done.Back in the day, I used to… well, let’s just say it’s a con I know well.”He winked.
“Then why are you here?”Dee was thoroughly confused by this encounter.He hated not having his feet firmly beneath him.
“Because from what we hear, with you it’s not always a con.Sometimes you sell a schmuck a good-luck charm and he wins the lottery five days in a row.A woman comes to you because she wants a baby and all the doctors have given up on her.You sell her a charm and nine months later, she’s a mother.Or someone?—”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dee lied.He was caught.If he kept denying what he could do, then he was committing fraud and would get hauled back to jail.If he admitted it, then he was… something else.
“Don’t look so frightened,” Abe said gently.“I’m not here to get you in trouble.Remember what I said before: I’m here because maybe you can help me out.Help usallout.”
“You want to buy a charm?”Dee asked doubtfully.
Abe shook his head.Gently, he asked, “How do you make them work, Dee?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Dee was a big man, a good six inches taller than Abe and heavier, not to mention twenty years or so younger.Logic said that Dee would have no trouble taking him in a fight.But Abe showed no sense of fear no matter how heavily Dee glowered, no matter if Dee’s hands were drawn into tight fists.If anything, he looked slightly disappointed, like a teacher who’d expected more from a student.
