Yoshio wondered what he had in mind. He decided to follow him on foot and find out. He’d been so bored with the recent lull in events, but things had become interesting since this man arrived on the scene. Yoshio had a feeling something very interesting might happen tonight.

But even if it didn’t, this was still more to his liking than sitting and watching Kemel’s apartment.

3.

3.

When Jack reached the corner he untied his sneakers and pulled them open, leaving the tongues sticking up. He buttoned his coat wrong, and then started up the sidewalk opposite the security car.

About halfway there, he shambled across the street, approaching the car from the front. He didn’t want to startle these two by appearing out of nowhere—somebody might do something stupid.

Jack stopped about ten feet from the front bumper and pointed at the car, grinning. He pulled his window-cleaning squeegee from the bucket and held it high as he approached.

Squeegeeman had spotted a customer.

Through the windshield he could see the two beef jerkies inside waving him off, but Squeegeeman is never deterred by a reluctant driver. Drivers so rarely seem to appreciate how much more efficiently and safely they will be able to perform the task at hand, namely driving, after their windshield has been smeared with soapy water and then wiped clean.

The driver’s window slid down and a head leaned out. The few features Jack could make out in the dim light suggested that evolution sometimes worked in reverse.

“Keep moving, asshole,” said the head.

Jack leaned over the fender and quickly lathered up the windshield.

The front door started to open. “Fuck!” said the voice. “Didn’t you hear me—?”

“I heard you, man,” Jack said, launching into his patter, “but Squeegeeman’s offering a Try-Before-You-Buy special tonight. Here’s how it works: I do your window, just like I’m doin’ now, and when I’m through, if you don’t think it’s the cleanest window you ever seen, then you don’t pay. I mean, you can’t beat that, can you? I mean, I’m out here in the cold doin’ all the work while you’re in there nice and warm and cozy. You tell me what could be better than that. Go ahead—you tell me.”

The beef jerky hesitated and stared at him, both of his brain cells obviously working overtime as he considered Squeegeeman’s offer. Then the guy in the passenger seat said something, and the driver door, pulled closed.

Jack smiled. He’d been counting on their reluctance to cause a scene and risk someone calling the police. But if worse came to worst, he had a Tokarev 9mm automatic in his shoulder holster.

“That’s right,” he said. “Roll up your window, sit back, and watch how beautiful the world looks when I’m finished with your glass.”