“I think you’ve been looking for me.”

Riff nodded slowly as he looked Bernardo over from the tip of his pointed, highly polished shoes, to the tight knot in Bernardo’s tie. “You heard right,” Riff said. “Because we Jets want to talk to your war council—if you have one.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Bernardo said, and bowed stiffly from the waist. Even in discussing war, he was going to teach the Americans how gentlemen went about it.

“Let’s step outside,” Riff suggested.

Before Bernardo favored Riff with a cynical smile, he moved his right hand to indicate Anita, Stella, Margarita and the other girls. “My boys and I will not leave our ladies alone. Where could we meet you in—say an hour?”

“In front of the candy store in the middle of the block?” Riff suggested.

“Why not the candy store next to where I live?” Bernardo said, after a short laugh. “We will meet in front of the Coffee Pot, that’s neutral territory. You know where that is? Or do you want us to drop a stink bomb so you’ll find it? The American who owns it wouldn’t mind.”

“The Coffee Pot,” Riff nodded. “And no jazz before then.”

Bernardo flicked a thumb to include all the Sharks. “We know the rules—Native Boy,” he spat the epithet.

“It’s good to hear you know something,” Riff said before he turned to Diesel. “Spread the word,” he ordered.

Diesel made a circle with his thumb and forefinger. “Right, Daddy-o”—he winked at Bernardo—“I’m looking forward to introducin’ my knuckles to your mouth.”

“Stop jawin’,” Riff ordered Diesel. “We’ve got to get the chicks home.” He looked around and was relieved to see Tony still staring at the door. “Tony!” he called and snapped his fingers. “Over here.”

Riff never knew if Tony had heard him, because the guy he considered his best friend had started to walk toward the door as if he were in a fog. There was something wrong with him, Riff concluded. He was definitely sick, mainly in the head.

But this was another secret he wasn’t going to share with anyone, and to forestall any questions, he turned to speak to Action and Diesel. They were to get down to the arsenal and start moving things up, because they didn’t know what Bernardo’s pleasure was going to be. But whatever it was, he’d be sorry for his choice.

First things first, Tony thought, when he realized that he was on the sidewalk in front of the center. The thing was to get away, so that Riff and the boys couldn’t tie him up for the rest of the night.

Her name was Maria, a really beautiful name, one that made him think of all the most wonderful sounds possible—church bells that weren’t too loud, the sweet song of a bird, the low voices of lovers, the way his mother spoke since he had gone to work. Why, even the stars in the summer sky seemed brighter.

It had happened, the thing he had been searching for, the thing that had eluded him.