Manny Guzman stood across the street from Walter Ferguson’s apartment waiting patiently.
It was a warm, almost sultry evening, the air pregnant with the feel of a rainstorm coming. He’d called Walter while waiting in the bar on Atlantic. Walter said he should arrive by nine. Sure enough, two minutes before nine the all-black Mercury Marauder pulled up in front of Walter’s apartment on Livingston Street.
Manny strolled across the street and slipped into the passenger seat.
“Hey, Walter.”
“Hello, Emmanuel.”
“How’d it go?”
Walter rubbed the back of his neck to release tension from the long drive. He’d stopped only once for a bathroom break.
“I think I found some information that helped James.”
“Which was?”
“It seems this thing with Packy might involve correction officers.”
Manny scowled. “How?”
“It’s not completely clear. I made contact with a guard on the staff who seemed to know something, but all she did was give us a name of another guard who works at Eastern. He was there when James was there. Name of Oswald Remsen.”
“But you don’t know how he’s connected to Packy.”
“No. That’s what James stayed to find out.”
Manny stared out the windshield of the Mercury, nodding to himself, then he turned to Ferguson and said, “Well, I’m glad you’re back, Walter. I wanted to check in with you, remind you to follow up on what the cops are doing. See where those two detectives are on Paco’s case.”
“Yes, James told me the same thing when I left him. I’ve already called them, but I haven’t heard back. Not all that surprising. Before I left Ellenville, I put in a call to their precinct. Got the name of their supervisor and left a message for him.”
“And?”
“He hasn’t called me back either.”
“What you going to do?”
“Head up to the Bronx in the morning and find the man. His name is Levitt. I’m going to sit in that precinct until I find him and get answers.”
“Good.”
Walter turned again to Manny. “Anything I should know about that happened while I was gone?”
Manny pursed his lips. “Like usual. Things gets worse before they gets better.”
“Any details you want to share?”
Manny paused, squinted for a moment.
“Walter, we both know a man gets murdered the way Paco did, it most likely ain’t a simple thing. We’re finding out what’s behind it. When it’s all over, you’ll know everything we know.”
“That’s what James said to me.”
“He told you the truth.”
“But why not tell me what you’re finding out as it happens?”
“Things keep changing.”
“Why not keep me up with the changes?”
Manny turned to Walter. “I understand what you’re trying to do, my friend. You’re trying to decide if you’re doing the right thing. But you won’t know until this is all figured out.”
“By then it might be too late.”
Manny shrugged.
“So I have to have faith that you all are doing the right thing?”
“Yes.”
“And after it’s all over, what if I decide you didn’t do the right thing?”
“Walter, you’re gonna do what you think is right. Now, later, whenever. That’s the kind of man you are. And when this is over, you’re going to go to your church down the street, and kneel down, and think it through. Maybe you talk to your priest, or maybe you talk in your mind to your beautiful wife. Or maybe you ask God. And then you will decide if you did the right thing. Maybe you get the answer. Maybe you don’t.”
Walter sat silently for a few moments. “And if I decide I did not do the right thing?”
“Then you ask for forgiveness, amigo. You ask for forgiveness.”
“From whom?”
Manny tipped his head. “Yourself.”
Walter frowned, nodding. After a few moments, he said, “Thank you, Manny. I’ll let you know what I find out tomorrow.”
Manny patted Walter’s shoulder. “Gracias.”
They both stepped out of the car. Walter retrieved his carry-on from the backseat and headed for his empty apartment. Manny took his place in the driver’s seat and headed for Red Hook.