Trying to make sense of it all, he was furious but, like Hershfield said, it wasn’t all bad. Tonight the immediate family was going out to dinner at a steak house labeled by the boys as awesome. Then he and Rina would catch a little music, have a couple of drinks. Be adults for a change, and why the hell not? He took a final sip of coffee, then threw it in the trash.

It was a little after two. Decker was down to counting the hours until they left. He stopped at the corner of Fifty-third and Second Avenue and lifted his finger to signal a cab, hoping he’d find a driver willing to make the trek out to Brooklyn. Eventually a bee-pollen-yellow taxi pulled over, answering his signal. As Decker opened the back door to get in, a voice carried over his shoulder.

“Share it?”

Decker turned around. Donatti’s face was placid.

“I’m always one for saving money.” Decker stepped aside. “Beauty before age.”

Donatti slid in. Decker followed, giving the driver Donatti’s uptown address. The young man slumped in his seat, his face as expressionless as plastic. The ride was silent until Chris’s cell rang. He waited until it stopped ringing, then regarded the number, distaste flitting through his eyes. Then his face went slack.

The ride took over twenty minutes. Decker paid, and Donatti didn’t argue. As soon as they entered the loft, Donatti said, “I’ve gotta return a call from my office. Wait here. You can make some coffee if you want.”

Decker said, “Want me to make enough for two?”

“Nah, I’m coffeed out. I’ve also got some Glenlivet single malt in the cupboard underneath the pot. Help yourself.”

Ordinarily, Decker wouldn’t drink. But he poured two glasses of scotch, trying to get some kind of camaraderie going. When Donatti returned, Decker gave him a glass. “Was that Joey on the phone?”

“How’d you guess?” Donatti took a healthy swig.

“You made a face in the car.”

“Some things never change.”

“How’s he feeling?”

“Terrible. He’s working on fifty percent of his heart and that’s after quadruple bypass. Actually, fifty percent is pretty good for a guy who never had a heart to begin with.”

Decker smiled and clinked his tumbler onto Donatti’s glass.

Donatti said, “What’re we toasting to?”

“Whatever you want.”

“How about obscene financial success?”

“You’ve got it.”

Donatti picked up the scotch bottle, then took out a ring of keys. “Let’s go into my office.” He opened the door.

Decker said, “After you.”

Donatti said, “Age before beauty.”

Decker shrugged, then stepped inside the windowless chamber. The fan kicked in, so did the lights. The video monitors gave the decor a space-age module look. Decker stared at the TV screens. “Good security.”

“It pays to be careful.” Donatti took another belt of scotch. “I’ve got it set up with every bug-blocking gadget on the market. I’m not saying I can’t be had, but currently this is as good as it gets. Besides, after September eleventh, Feds got more important things to do.” He downed his drink, then poured himself another. “After you left this morning, I got curious.” His eyes met Decker’s. “What’s your interest in the whack? It’s a local matter.”