“Hershfield told me that certain parties resented my nosing around Ephraim’s death. I was wondering if that was you?”

Donatti glared. “Do I seem like the type who’d whine to my lawyer? Christ, Decker, I gave you more credit than that.”

“Well, someone isn’t happy.”

“Then I would suggest you find out who’s doing the bitching. It may help solve your problem.” Donatti frowned. “You didn’t mention me to Hershfield, did you?”

“No, I did not. Although if he’s your lawyer, I think he’d know that we have a history together.”

“He knows about your putting me in prison. He also knows that you reopened the case and got me out of jail. But he doesn’t know about Teresa McLaughlin. And he certainly doesn’t know about the kid. I’d like to keep it that way.” Donatti swirled amber liquid around his glass. “Being as you do know about them, I want you to promise me something. I want you to promise me that if anything ever happens to me and Terry’s left out in the cold, that you’ll take care of her and the kid.”

“You mean your son, Chris.”

“That’s subject to debate.”

Decker fixed his eyes on Donatti’s face. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

“No, I’m not kidding.”

“Well, you should be kidding.”

“Let me tell you something, Decker. I was married for three years and never came close to knocking up my wife.”

“That’s because you have to bed her to get her pregnant.”

Donatti laughed. “Man, ain’t that the truth. Being married to my ex-wife says a lot about the state of my hard-on. I can literally fuck anything. Problem is, I shoot blanks. I took tests. If there was one healthy little motherfucker swimming in my gonads, the doctor didn’t find it. Needless to say, I’m skeptical about the kid.”

“We’re talking about Terry, Donatti.”

“All it takes is one little motherfucker from one other cock, Decker.”

“The boy is yours.”

“So she says.”

“C’mon! You’ve seen Gabriel, haven’t you, Donatti?”

“Of course, I’ve seen him.” Donatti scowled. “All that says to me is she probably fucked some guy who looks like me.”

“Take a paternity test. I guarantee you she won’t object.”

“True. She says anytime, and that’s worth something. She knows what would happen if I caught her lying.” Donatti looked up at the ceiling. “Gabe’s a smart little motherfucker. Gifted too. He’s already playing several of Mozart’s piano concertos. How do I know this? Because I not only paid for the piano, but also for the bastard’s lessons.”

“Good for you.”

Donatti looked up. “He has an ear, I’ll give him that much. So maybe he is mine. He certainly didn’t get that kind of talent from his mother. Brains, yes, looks, yes, but not the gift. All that means is she fucked somebody who looked like me and who was musically tapped.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous. Take the test, Chris. Then you won’t have to think about it.”

“But what if she’s lying?” He made a face. “Then I’d have to pop her. I don’t want to pop Terry. I love her.”