“And your blood, your mother, refused even to talk to her,” I said. “Your blood, your father, murdered Robin and Feather’s father rather than have it known that his daughter had made a black child. Don’t talk to me about blood, son. It’s not blood that sat up with her through nights of whooping cough and fever. It’s not blood that put food on the table and clothes on her back.”

Milo listened. He really did. He knew about his father and sister. His mother knew about it and lied to the white world they lived in.

“Okay,” he said after one nod and then another. “You’re probably right. I can’t just walk in and say I’m her uncle. I can wait.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Nowhere. Just got in last night. I found your office in the yellow pages and came over about nine.”

“You slept on the steps?”

He nodded and I pondered.

“I know a good guy,” I said. “Longhair like you, lives up above the Sunset Strip. He has a big house and lets people stay with him most of the time. Why don’t I bring you over there? Then I’ll know how to get in touch after I talk to Feather.”

“All right. Yeah.”

The decision made, we sat in the aftermath staring at each other.

“Look,” I said. “I got to make a call. Why don’t you gather up your things and go downstairs? I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Milo stood up and went about the tasks assigned. I picked up the phone to take care of a task of my own.

“Hello,” she answered on the first ring.

“You soundin’ sour, Etta.”

“Hey, baby,” she said. “That friend’a yours like to get on my last nerve. He didn’t get home till after three in the morning. Three! Come in the bed drunk and kissin’ my neck. It’s only deep religion kept me from killin’ him in his sleep.”

“He still asleep?”

“I’ll roll him out for you.”

I’d been holding the line for a few minutes when Mouse said, “Hello,” his voice thick with sleep.

“Raymond,” I said. “What you doin’ this afternoon?”

“Sleepin’.”

“I might need a hand and both’a my partners are outta town.”

“What kinda hand?”

“I gotta go ask some questions over at the Dragon’s Eye. You know what it’s like in there.”

“The Dragon’s Eye? Damn. You right, that could get kinda strenuous. An’ you know I need me some exercise. I gained three pounds in the last two years.”

“You remember what time they open?”

“Four . . . Uh-huh, yeah, they open at four.”

“I will see you there at five.”

“You got it,” he said and then he hung up.