Geraldo looked from the house to us. I’d been talking to his granny, we knew his name. Of course I was just guessing about what she might have said, but it wasn’t hard to imagine what she might say about a kid like him. Geraldo bit his lip, backed away from us. We got into the Mustang without any other trouble from the gang, although they struck a defiant pose until we turned the corner at the end of the street and were out of sight.

“Gosh, Vic! I was so scared I thought I was going to pee back there. When you hurt that one guy, I was sure the others were going to attack us.”

“Yeah, I wondered about that, too. But in broad daylight … And once a bully’s taken a hit, he’s more uncertain of his ground. At night, in an unlit alley, I’d be rat’s meat by now.”

“Could you have beaten them if they’d jumped us?”

“Nope. I could have done some serious damage, but me against five young men, not great odds—not unless you’re a street fighter yourself?”

“Are you kidding? I can use my elbows in beach volleyball, but that’s about it. Could you teach me some moves? If we get in a jam again, I don’t want to be the helpless damsel while you do all the fun stuff.”

I laughed a little ruefully. “I’ve spent my share of time in the hospital after doing the ‘fun stuff,’ but I’d be glad to show you some moves. Every woman needs to know what to do in a tight spot. Eighty percent of it’s mental, not physical. Like just now. I was betting that Geraldo was too afraid of his granny to attack us right in front of her house.”

We drove north in a peaceful silence. I suddenly realized I hadn’t heard my cousin’s phone ring all day.

“I switched it off because I figured it would annoy you if I kept talking, but I’ve been texting here while you drive.” She paused, and then said, “Not to piss you off about something else, but did you ever look at your dad’s stuff?”

“All I found were rubies, his false teeth, and the secret plans for the invasion of Canada.”

“Canada? Why would he want to invade Canada? Why not Mexico, so we could be warm in the winter? Seriously, Vic, did you find, like, diaries or anything?”

“No, darling. Just his old softballs and a White Sox baseball. That might be worth something. It was signed by Nellie Fox.”

“Nellie? A woman played for the White Sox? Daddy never—”