Steve was a decent-enough guy, Lou convinced himself as he walloped the bag with his hardest punch yet. Maybe he was a little dull and set in his ways, but at least he had a big heart and good intentions. Besides, Lou knew sparks were not a guarantee of a successful marriage. Heck, he’d given Renee enough of them to start a matrimonial forest fire, and look where that got him.

Lou had come to believe that Renee loved a solid 95 percent of him during their eight years of marriage. It was that remaining 5 percent, the addict who lied about his drug and alcohol use, that Renee could not endure. As in many failed marriages, she discovered Lou’s unacceptable 5 percent only after she had said, “I do.” As a recommended part of his recovery, he had done his best to make amends to her. Now, all he could do was to support her in her marriage and continue to push that 5 percent further and further from his life. When the time was right, someone would show up who could help him get over her.

Thud. Thud. Renee. Thud.

Lou slammed the bag a few more times, then stepped aside when Cap came over and hit the bag with a beautiful sequence of jabs. He seemed to be exerting little effort, but his punches sounded like gunshots. Throughout the remarkable barrage, he continued smiling.

It’s good to be the king.

“Where you been?” Cap asked as he unleashed an uppercut that would have put a full-grown gorilla on its back.

“Long story,” Lou said.

“Well, you might want to make it a short one,” Cap said without sounding the least bit winded. “I just got a call from the street that there are two guys lurking outside the gym, snapping pictures of this place, your building, and what I think is your car. What have you been up to?”

Lou felt as if he’d just been on the receiving end of one of Cap’s punches.

“I guess stirring somebody’s pot,” Lou said, wrapping his arm around the swinging bag like they were dancing partners. “What kind of guys are we talking about?”

“They look like muscle,” Cap said. “Thick, beefy guys. The kid who called seemed sure they were packing heat, and I don’t think he’s ever wrong about such things.”

“So do we invite them up for a workout?”

“That’s up to you and how interested you are in them.”

“I’m plenty interested.”

“Then we turn the tables and follow them,” Cap said after delivering a right cross that sent Lou staggering backwards off the bag. Sooner or later they’ll get tired of hanging around, and probably nervous, too. I’m betting sooner. This is hardly their kind of neighborhood.”

“How am I gonna tail them in the car that they’ve been tailing?”