JULIO LEFT A MESSAGE for me at Mama's. I called him at his club.
"What d'you want, old man? You think I'm setting up a meeting now, you're crazy. You got nothing to threaten me with."
He sounded strong, alive. In control. "Who said anything about threats? Cut that out. Talk sense. We're on the same side. Your problem disappeared with my problem, okay? I'm gonna make some moves of my own now. There's one little thing…"
"What?"
"The bitch, she has something for me. Something I wrote down once. She says she'll give it back, I give her a present."
"Why tell me?"
"She's a crazy woman, you know that. She has something stuck in her head, there's no talking to her. She wants to give it to you. You bring it to me, you take the present back to her. Then it's done."
"Get somebody else."
"I would. It's her, okay? You know what she's like."
"I'm not going to see her."
"Hey! Somebody's gotta do it. I'll take care of you, don't worry."
"And then we're quits."
"On my honor."