Rook rolled a gum wrapper between his right thumb and forefinger, over and again. The Juicy Fruit had lost its flavor long before. It was like chewing Silly Putty. It's keeping me warm though.
He shifted on the bench at the corner of Hamilton and Chestnut. Columbus Park couldn't be emptier. A cold Saturday morning like this. I stick out like a boombots. He pulled his wool coat over his leg, he continuously shook it off.
From here, Rook could see all points. But the boss wanted him to keep an eye out on the Pharmacy.
"This time of morning?" Mauro answered with a scowl. He was being questioned dummy. Rook quickly followed with, "I got it."
He measured the next question, "What am I looking for?"
Mauro opened a drawer and Rook instinctively shifted back, a plastic bag packed full with script bottles. He sat back and turned his head to Chuck.
"What time does the owner come in? We know they open at ten on Saturday, but maybe the doctor comes in earlier. Is it even the owner that opens up? Does he come alone?" Chuck gave him a $50. "Don't get picked up is all. Don't look like a disgraziat."
I got here way to early. His watch had 8:23. I gotta sit here another hour?
Rook had stopped smoking a year ago. Cold turkey. He had a rough couple of weeks after that, made it up with fries. "Time to quit smoking, ah." It would be perfect now. Calms the nerves. It's forty degrees, no wind. Perfect drag and then get a coffee.
Twenty minutes went by. Something ain't right. It was too quiet. He scanned all points again. Stood up and walked over to use the trees right on the corner as cover. Nothing. But not a good nothing. A nothing like something was going to go down.
He left the car three blocks over, like he was told.
"You know what he should do?" Mauro put the bag of bottles away. "He should sit in the park, the one across the street."
"Yeah, maybe keep your car a few blocks down though." Mauro snapped his fingers and agreed.
His chewing slowed. It's a fix. Rook spit the gum out and scanned the walk back toward his car.
"Shit." Mauro set him up. Fifty dollars. He saw the grill about a block down from the Pharmacy, a cruiser grill shining in the sun.
Rook crossed the street toward the Pharmacy, just as the cruiser pulled out at the same time. He broke into a run, making a hard turn around the building, jumped over a small fence and through an alley to the other side.
Think. Can't go back to the car, they'll have another car waiting there. Maybe. Chuck had him out in the open, so they wouldn't have thought about the car. Car. His run broke wide and he met the street again. He hadn't run that fast since middle school.
The car was not watched, at least by what he could see. Stay or take off? He started the car, did a 'u' and headed south toward Clinton. If I can get to Broad I can lay low for a while.
Mauro. He gave him up. He meandered purposefully down the streets, making his own switchbacks, but each time trying to get to Clinton. He thought he saw pulotti once, but going cross.
He made Clinton and then Broad, he lined the speed limit but didn't go a mile above. Can't go back home for a while. Have to go West or Upstate. Rook figured to put 20 miles north until he had to get gas. Mauro. What do I do about him?
...
