Peter grunted when I said it and looked interested, forgetting about the hurt and the pissed. “You talked to her about me?”

“Yeah.”

“What’d she say? She excited?” He was leaning forward now, wanting to hear about himself.

“She’s got a life here, Peter. She’s scared that your coming in is going to change that. You need to be sensitive to that.”

“Sure, sure. I’m sensitive. I’m caring.” He made a little hand move to show me how sensitive and caring he was. “How about my kid? Is Toby okay?”

“Yes. He plays basketball. He seems happy.”

“Good, good.” Peter was moving around now, looking pleased with the way things were working out. Karen wouldn’t be pleased, but there you go. “So maybe you weren’t trying to fuck me over. You were trying to smooth things out and that takes time. I can understand that.”

“Thanks.”

He gave me beaming. He was wearing a blousy white tuxedo shirt, black jeans, and black leather jump boots. The boots hadn’t been polished in about three hundred years. “I knew you were on my team. You’re my kind of guy. We’re two of a kind.”

I spread my hands. Two of a kind.

James L. Grady cleared his throat. “You need me for anything else, Mr. Nelsen?”

Peter said, “You got the address on my kid?”

Grady took a small spiral notepad from his jacket, tore out a sheet, and handed it to him. “Yes, sir. Home and work addresses for the ex-wife.”

Peter gave the slip of paper to Nick without looking at it. “Terrific, Grady. You’re on the A list, just like Cole. A couple of A-team players.” He made another little hand gesture to Nick. “Pay’m off, Nick-ster. Give’ something extra for the good work.”

Grady said, “Just what we agreed to, Mr. Nelsen. I don’t need extra.”

“Whatever.”

James L. started out with Nick, then turned back and looked at me. “Good work finding the woman, Cole. I’ll see you around.”

“Sure.”

He went out.

Peter strutted around the room, giving everyone more of the beam job. “I’m excited. I’m jazzed. I’m ready for action.” He strode to the bar and picked up the phone. “This is Peter Alan Nelsen. Have my cars ready in five minutes.” He hung up before whomever he had spoken to could answer, then he addressed the room. “Everybody get ready. We’re going to see my kid.”

I said, “Peter, I know you want to see your son, but going out there like this isn’t the way to do it. The boy doesn’t know you’re here.”

“I’ll tell him.”

“He doesn’t even know that you’re his father. He needs to be prepared.”

Peter stopped grinning and frowned at me. “What are you talking about? What does he need to prepare for? I’m not some kinda test.”