Tony wasn’t surprised that the issue had something to do with Danny. Unfortunately, Danny was always finding one way or another to screw up his life, from bad financial decisions to marital problems to a less-than-exemplary work ethic. The truth was that Tony had pulled Danny’s chestnuts out of the fire more times than he could remember. However, since Danny had married Rachel—really, since his two boys had come along, around ten years ago—for the most part, he’d seemed to get his act together. Tony now even trusted him to run five of his stores, under Nick’s supervision.

Tony’s irritation turned to concern. “Okay, could you just tell me what you’re talking about already?”

“You know that Logan kid who works for Danny at the Copley Street store?”

“You mean that sleazeball creep he was supposed to fire?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s the guy. He’s here with me now and he’s really freaked out. He says he just came from Danny’s … says he was there all night, and—”

Tony raised his voice, starting to lose it. “Why would Logan have been at Danny’s all night? I told Danny to fire that jerk because he said he caught him red-handed. Why would he let that loser stay at his house after he fired him? That makes no sense.”

“I don’t get it either, but he says he was there all night, and Danny did some really weird stuff. The dude is freaked, man, really. You better talk to him.”

“Okay, then, put him on.”

“Hey, Tony, sorry to bother you,” Logan said, “but I’m kinda freaked out and not sure what to do.”

Tony pictured the skinny creep, with his hat on sideways, probably high on something, stogie in his mouth, trying to get over on him with some BS story.

“What’s this all about, Logan? Just be straight with me.”

“Umm, well, I met up with Danny last night at the Copley store. And, well, he told me, ya, know, to follow him to his house and wait in the garage until he needed my help. So, ya know, I did that, but then I fell asleep, and I don’t know what Danny did, but he woke me up this morning and told me I had to leave right away. So I did, but he was acting real strange—spooky, ya know?”

“No, I don’t know! Asked for your help with what?”

“I don’t really know, man, but I don’t wanna put ya on. I can’t really say. It’s so crazy, you wouldn’t believe me anyway. I just stayed in the garage all night; I didn’t do anything, but I just thought you should know, because he was acting real strange.”