“Listen,” Raymond said, trying to be patient, “maybe it would be best if you go watch some TV and let me suffer in peace.”

“How about some toast or a little cereal?” Darlene asked.

“Leave me alone!” Raymond shouted. He’d sat up suddenly and was clutching his ice pack in his hand. His eyes were bulging and his face was flushed.

“Okay, I can tell when I’m not wanted,” Darlene pouted. As she was leaving the room, the phone rang. She looked back at Raymond. “Want me to get it?” she asked.

Raymond nodded and told her to take the call in the study. He also said that if the call was for him, she should be vague about where he was, since he wasn’t up to talking with anyone.

Darlene reversed her direction and disappeared into the study. Raymond breathed a sigh of relief and put the ice pack back on his head. Lying back, he tried to relax. He was just getting comfortable when Darlene returned.

“It’s the intercom, not the phone,” she said. “There’s a man downstairs who wants to see you. His name is Franco Ponti, and he said it was important. I told him that I’d see if you were here. What do you want me to say?”

Raymond sat back up with a new jolt of anxiety. For a moment, he couldn’t place the name, but he didn’t like the sound of it. Then it hit him. It was one of Vinnie Dominick’s men who’d accompanied the mobster to the apartment the previous morning.

“Well?” Darlene questioned.

Raymond swallowed loudly. “I’ll talk to him.” Raymond reached behind the couch and picked up the telephone extension. He tried to sound authoritative when he said hello.

“Howdy, Doc,” Franco said. “I was going to be disappointed if you hadn’t been at home.”

“I’m about to go to bed,” Raymond said. “It’s rather late for you to be calling.”

“My apologies for the hour,” Franco said. “But Angelo Facciolo and I have something we’d like to show you.”

“Why don’t we do this tomorrow?” Raymond said. “Say between nine and ten.”

“It can’t wait,” Franco said. “Come on, Doc! Don’t give us a hard time. It’s Vinnie Dominick’s express wish that you become intimately acquainted with our services.”

Raymond struggled to come up with an excuse to avoid going downstairs. But given his headache, nothing came to mind.

“Two minutes,” Franco said. “That’s all I’m asking.”

“I’m awfully tired,” Raymond said. “I’m afraid…”

“Hold on, Doc,” Franco said. “Listen, I have to insist you come down here or you’re going to be very sorry. I hope I’m making myself clear.”

“All right,” Raymond said, recognizing the inevitable. He was not naive enough to believe that Vinnie Dominick and his people made idle threats. “I’ll be right down.”

Raymond went to the hall closet and got his coat.

Darlene was amazed. “You’re going out?”

“It appears that I don’t have a lot of choice,” Raymond said. “I suppose I should be happy they’re not demanding to come inside.”