AS SOON AS IVORY PRISCO left I called the police department. Miller was at his desk. He said, “I don't have any spare time, Al. I nearly didn't take the call,”
My voice shook. “You've got time for this, Jerry.
Miller paused. Then he said, “What's that?”
“I can tell you things about the Scum Front. I've done things for them.”
“What?”
“You heard.”
“What can you tell me? What have you done?”
“I think I better come down.”
It felt like I could hear him thinking. Then he said, “O.K. Now.’‘
I'll be on my way in five minutes,” I said.
I hung up. I was breathing hard.
I stood and tried to remember where all the Scum Front bits and pieces were. But I felt faint. I sat down.
The telephone rang.
I considered not answering it.
I went halfway. I picked up the receiver but said nothing.
“Al? Albert?”
My woman.
I said, “Have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“The bastards blew a building up. On Ohio Street. I used to live in a building on Ohio Street.”
“The radio news said there was an explosion downtown.”
“They left me a letter this morning. They fired me. They threatened me. And all the time they'd already gone and blown up a building.”
“The Scum Front did that?”
I hesitated. “A cop told me they did.”
“The reporter on the radio said it might be somebody else. They sent a message, but it was about abortion.”
“What!?”
” 'According to reports from senior police officials,' was what the radio said.”
I tried to speak, but it came out as unintelligible sound.
“Besides, Al,” my woman said, “you know who one of them is. If they were going to start blowing things up wouldn't they, like, kill you first or something?”
“I didn't think.”
“That's what women are for,” she said. It was a comment meant to lead to lighter subjects.
“I've just made the most colossal mistake,” I said.
“What's the problem?”
“I told Jerry Miller.”
There was a long silence at the other end of the phone.
“I told him I know things about the Scum Front.”
“Oh, Al,” my woman said.