Chapter Thirty-Three

J anza, can't you do anything right? "

" What the hell are you talking about? By the time we got through with him, he'd been willing to sell a million boxes of chocolates. "

" I mean those kids. I didn't tell you to make it a gang bang. "

" That was a stroke of genius, Archie. That's what I thought it was. Let him get beat up by a bunch of kids. Psychological — isn't that what you're always talking about? "

" Where'd you get them? I don't want outsiders involved in this? "

" Some animals from my neighborhood. They'd beat up their own grandmothers for a quarter. "

" Did you use the queer pitch on him? "

" You were right, Archie. You called it beautiful. That really spaced him out. Hey, Archie, he isn't queer, is he? "

" Of course not. That's why he blew up. If you want to get under a guy's skin, accuse him of being something he isn't. Otherwise, you're only telling him something he knows. "

The silence on the phone indicated Emile's appreciation of Archie's genius.

" What's next, Archie? "

" Let's cool it, Emile. I want to keep you in reserve. We've got some other stuff going now. "

" I was just starting to enjoy myself. "

" You'll have other chances, Emile. "

" Hey Archie. "

" Yes, Emile. "

" How about the picture? "

" Suppose I told you there was no picture, Emile? That there was no film in the camera that day…"

Wow, that Archie. Full of- surprises. But was he kidding around? Or telling the truth?

" I don't know, Archie. "

" Emile, stick with me. All the way. And you can't go wrong. We need men like you. "

Emile swelled with pride. Was Archie talking about The Vigils? And was there really no photograph after all? What a relief that would be!

" You can count on me, Archie. "

" I know that, Emile. "

But after he'd hung up, Emile thought: Archie, that bastard.