Chapter 97

Vic closed his eyes in frustration. Why could she never remember Matt’s name? “No, no, Matty. The guy I live with, Matt. Have you seen him?”

Mrs. K affirmed, “Pat, yes, I know who you mean. What about him?”

The phone’s plastic casing crackled threateningly, and Vic forced himself to relax his grip. “Matt,” he corrected. “Do you know if he’s home?”

In an offhand way, Mrs. K said, “Oh, I don’t know. Is he supposed to be?”

Ten, nine, eight,Vic counted silently, taking a deep breath with each number. He didn’t trust himself to speak again until he reached one. A glance at the clock on his dash told him he had to wrap this up in another minute or two, but somehow he didn’t think Mrs. K would make it that easy. Calling her hadn’t been one of his brightest ideas, to be sure.

Finally, he said, “Mrs. K, is your phone near the living room window?”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, it’s pouring out,” she told him. “Can’t see across the street. I sure hope you’re not out drivingin this mess?”