“Adam Levy . . .” Hawkins said. “The Jew on Sterling Street with thirty dollars and the plastic briefcase full of books. The short, thin, pale man . . . you remember,” Hawkins said. The boys stared. “He had hay fever and carried pills for it. He was a philosophy teacher and carried books. It’ll come back to you . . .” The boys pushed themselves back against the wall. “He had a father, a wife . . . the wife’s pregnant, by the way. . . .”

One of them started to cry, and the others looked at him, then at Hawkins. Another one turned to the wall, and Hawkins was stunned. He stood still for a moment, then he went to the door and left the boys alone.

He had three drinks with Ableson, told Baer to go home, and got his own car from the lot. Then he drove into the Heights, parked and walked back and forth in front of Alma’s house. Finally he found a phone booth and called her.

It was after one and only a few die-­hard, run-­down-looking hookers were left on the street. One passed the phone booth and oozed against the glass door so her breasts, pushed up in the street light, looked enormous.

Alma sounded sleepy.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“A block away.”

“Anything wrong, Roger?”

“Bad night.” Which was so inadequate he almost laughed.

“Okay, honey, come over.”

Alma had a duplex on the promenade, overlooking the bay, the bridges, the whole city. Some nights he’d turn off the lights and sit there in the dark watching the city like he’d watch a movie.

Alma’s ex-­husband owned an insurance agency and he paid alimony on time. She broke dates to see Hawkins and she was sweet and funny and Mo said she was gorgeous. She was gorgeous tonight; her dark skin showed through her nightgown and her nipples looked black. He pushed her back and actually tore the nightgown getting it off. He was usually the gentlest lover; but tonight he was rough with her. For some reason he didn’t want to see her face and he turned her away from him and pushed into her so hard she gasped. When it was over, she fell asleep almost at once and he felt bereft. He wandered through the dark apartment for a while, then took a shower, half hoping the noise would wake her so he wouldn’t be alone, but it didn’t and he left her asleep, got dressed, and went down the stairs to the lobby.