“Ruining the street? Ruining the street?” The woman in spandex barked sharply. “Todd and I improved this rattail block. We spent a hundred grand fixing up that house and yard—they’d look like her place if not for us.”

“Yeah, but you’re disturbing her peace, trying to force her out of her home, put her dogs to sleep, whatever.”

Before the argument could escalate further, Carol put a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go see if the lady’s home and awake, Vic. We can sort out who’s done the most harm to the street later.”

The older woman smiled gratefully at her. “Yes. I’m kind of worried. Only, she can be rude if you bother her, but if we all went together …”

Our convoy moved slowly to the front sidewalk. “I’m giving her fair warning,” Pichea said to Vinnie. “The next time those dogs are out barking past ten I’ll see her ass in court.”

“And that will make you feel like a real he-man, I suppose?” I shot over my shoulder.

Pichea gave a contemptuous laugh. “I can understand why you’re so worked up: you’re scared you’ll end up alone and crazy at eighty-five, with nothing but a bunch of flea-ridden dogs to keep you company.”

“Well, Pichea, if you’re an example of the available talent, I’d rather be alone till I’m eighty-five.”

Carol grabbed my arm and hustled me up the street. “Come on, Vic. I don’t mind you dragging me into your business, but don’t make me listen to this crap. I could lean out my back door and hear it in the alley if I were interested.”

I was sufficiently abashed to ignore Pichea’s follow-up comment—an ostentatious whisper to his wife that I needed a good lay—but not sorry I’d picked up the cudgels to begin with. In fact, I kind of wished I’d given him a good punch in the sternum.

6

Down and Out on Racine Avenue

As soon as Pichea and I stopped brangling we could hear the dogs. The Lab was filling the night with a deep-throated baying; the earmuff responded with a higher-pitched antiphon, and the three inside were providing a faint accompaniment echoed by the rest of the dogs on the street. Behind us even Peppy interrupted her nursing with an occasional bark. So maybe Mrs. Frizell wasn’t the most wonderful neighbor in the world. But why couldn’t the Picheas have stayed in Lincoln Park where they belonged?

When we opened Mrs. Frizell’s front gate the Lab rushed over and jumped up at me. I grabbed his front paws before he could knock me off balance.

“Easy, guy, easy. We just want to see if your mistress is okay.”