The Second Hand Man
August 13th, 2001

I had aprivate number call me today.

I had pushedthe button and answered, “Crane!”

The voice wascalm but dripped with the venomous malice of a Gestapo agent about to extractinformation from a reluctant informant. “Cornelius Crane, I apologize fortaking so long to get back to you, but I’ve been catching up on some…reading.Some very interesting and enlightening stuff.”

“Tallis? Youthieving bastard.”

“It’s good tohear your voice again too, Crane. Although the last time we spoke it was a fewoctaves higher. It’s been a long time; a very long time, indeed. Why, the lasttime we ever spoke was…”

“Not nearlylong enough! How did you get this number?”

“We need totalk, Crane. Mano-a-mano.”

“Where?”

“Your place.”

“When?”

“Tomorrownight.”

“Time?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Morning or…”

“In theevening.”

“I’ll bewaiting.”

“See youthen.”

I pushed thebutton to end the call.

“Bastard! Notagain!”

Yep, onceagain he has me by the short and curlies. A most painful situation to be caughtin. What will it cost this time. A lot more than $400 I guarantee! A lot, lotmore!