They told the guy what they wanted: just the twelve, keep it simple, and he could have the money left over.

The three boys started to spread out. Hutch’s hand went into his jacket pocket to take out the money, and Evan walked past the entrance to the store and stood on the other side. Ben walked to the edge of the sidewalk. Ben realized as the money came out that he was the last barrier in case the man decided to take the cash and run. Just as Ben realized it, he saw that the man understood what he was thinking too.

Then he went into the store. Ben was immediately convinced that there was a back exit he hadn’t noticed and that they would never see the guy again. But a few minutes later he came out with the duffel loaded down, and without looking at them he walked slowly farther into Chinatown. They followed as nonchalantly as possible and then they all turned a corner and the guy lowered the bag to the ground. Evan knelt down and unzipped the bag, counted the twelve bottles, and nodded.

The guy pointed to the bag.

“Careful with this,” he said.

“Sorry?”

“This is sadness waiting for you.”

“Okay,” Hutch said. “You got your money, right?”

The man pressed his side pocket. “So I apologize. For making you all unhappier.”

“That’s all right.”

He walked away toward the arch, and Ben thought they should have asked his name, but he hadn’t asked their names either.

*  *  *

On the way back to school, with the bags safely underneath their feet, Hutch finally seemed to look at Ben with durable esteem. When Evan was in the bathroom at the back of the bus, Hutch said quietly, “That was right, man.”

They decided to take everything to Ben’s room to divvy it up because that was closer to the cab drop-off than Woodruff. When they walked in through the back entrance, unseen as far as they could tell, Markson was there coming the other way.

“Hey, Ben. I’ve been looking for you. Hey, boys.”

The three of them were still, and Markson looked at the big duffel that Evan Pingree was carrying, and instantly the knowledge of what was inside became plain in everyone’s eyes. Markson smiled and looked down.

“So come by when you have a second. All right?”

Ben kept nodding and had a hard time stopping. Finally they were up in his room, and none of them were in the mood to drink, and Ben played “Blue Sky” on repeat as the three of them sat with their eyes closed, Hutch and Evan on the beautiful couch, Ben in his hard desk chair with his elbows on his knees.

*  *  *