Ive never heard that, Estelle said.
She was genuinely interested, but there was that sound in her voice that doctors get which says, in effect, If I havent heard of it, its probably wrong.
No one is willing to incur the vast outrage that would ensue, Susan said.
Its your experience, Hawk said.
One ought not to have such an experience, Susan said. And if one were stupid enough to have it, one should surely not talk about it.
Shrinks, too, I said.
Hard to believe, Hawk said.
Weve all known people who were married, Susan said, and left the marriage for a same-sex lover. Why is it so impossible to imagine it happening the other way?
But who would be gay, if they could choose? Estelle said.
That is, of course, the existing prejudice, Susan said. But it also implies that those who led straight lives could have chosen not to before they did.
Estelle didnt look too pleased about existing prejudice, but she didnt remark on it.
I guess, as I think of it, that if a gay person entered into a straight relationship Id assume it was only a cover-up.
As if gay is permanent but straight is tenuous, Susan said.
I hadnt thought of it quite that way before, Estelle said.
Susan nodded. Its a hard question, she said.
Kid making any progress? Hawk said.
Susan smiled without pleasure.
Yes. But it wasnt the direction hed come to me looking for.
He was discovering that maybe he wasnt going to change? I said.
Yes.
You did what you could, Estelle said.
I wonder if hed have been better off without my help, Susan said.
The rescue business is chancy, I said.
Susan smiled at me slowly, and patted my forearm.
It is, isnt it, she said.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Hawk was standing at the window of my office looking down at the green Chevy idling in front of Houghton Mifflin.
Aint it about time you and me pulled the plug on the followers? Hawk said.
Nope.
How bout we go out to the Soldiers Field Development Corporation and shake up their boss?
Whom you believe to be Felton Shawcross, I said.
Whom else? Hawk said.
CEO doesnt always know what his employees are doing, I said.
True, Hawk said. You and me for instance.
My point exactly, I said.
We could yank one of the followers out of his car and hit him until he tell us why hes following you.
He may not know, I said.
Cause he a employee, Hawk said.
Yes.
We could ask whom employs him.
We can always do that. Just like we can always call on Felton Shawcross, I said. Right now I figure if they wanted to make a run at me they would have by now.
Probably.
So theyre just trying to keep tabs on me.
Probably why they following you around, Hawk said.
Because they want to know if Im getting closer.
Which theyll decide based on who you see.
Whom, I said.
Hawk turned around and looked at me and smiled.
So when you see somebody thats important, maybe theyll do something.
Yep.
And then yall gonna know whom is important.
Youre doing that whost.whom thing on purpose, arent you? I said.
Ah is a product of the ghetto, Hawk said. Ahs trying to learn.
And failing, I said.
So it is your professed intention, Hawk said, to continue visiting with principals in the case until you get a discernible reaction from those monitoring your movements?
That be my professed intention, bro, I said. You be down with that?
Jesus Christ, Hawk said.
I dont sound like an authentic ghetto-bred Negro? I said.
You sound like an asshole, Hawk said.
Well, I said. Theres that.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Brinkman Brink Tyler had his office in a recycled warehouse on the recycled waterfront, not so far from the Harbor Health Club. I couldnt find an open hydrant, so I parked my car on the fourth level of the garage near the aquarium and walked, with Curly behind me looking intensely like he was just out for a walk. The Lexus that had been following me was pulled up across from me on the little side way that led to the aquarium. To my left the biggest urban renewal project in the country was chattering very slowly along, and corrupting all of the downtown traffic patterns in the process.
I found Tyler Financial Services on the lobby directory and took the elegant brass-and-rosewood elevator to the second floor. I could have found stairs, I suppose, but no one of stature would use them in this building. There was a lot of brick, and a lot of pickled oak, and a lot of hanging plants, and in Tylers front office one crisp female secretary with a British accent. To her left a half dozen people were working in front of computer screens. To her right was a large office with an etched glass door. A discreet sign on the door said simply BRINK. I gave her my card and smiled her the smile that made me look just like Tom Cruise only bigger. She smiled back, though not very warmly. She seemed to sense that I wasnt a client. She checked her appointments, saw that I had one, and took me to the office door that said BRINK. She had a surprising amount of hip sway for one so crisp.
Brink Tyler was in full uniform: striped shirt, wide yellow suspenders, polka-dot bow tie. He looked to be maybe fifty, with a fresh haircut and a good tan. His hair was smooth.