While Vincent was dealing with the Caddy, Valerie has been busy on his behalf. She’s been looking into the other guy Shoes wants found, Manny Valdes, a master welder and safe cracker.
Valerie tracks down Valdes’ sister, Gloria, and then gags her by telling her a story about a fake romance she had with Manny. Gloria tells her that Manny moved to East Chicago, Indiana, about twenty-five miles outside of Chicago proper—another world. Manny’s sister doesn’t know his new address, but she does have Manny’s new telephone number, in case his frail mother has to reach him. Gloria gives it to Valerie who swears her to secrecy, saying that she wants to surprise Manny. She and Valerie even giggle about it.
Vincent feels a thrill when Valerie tells him the whole story later. There’s something he finds sexy about a woman who uses her brain, but there’s also something else about her. In any event, they’re a good match. Vincent then calls Todd Billings, his contact at the phone company. He gives the phone number to Todd, who tracks down the address. It’s good to have friends, thinks Vincent.
Vincent, Mikey, and Angelo drive to East Chicago. On the way, Mikey asks, “What do you hear from Paulie the G, Vincent?”
“They think he’s gonna be a superstar and he’s going for more training. He may be home for Christmas, him and his new girlfriend, some white bread chick he’s got the hearts for. His mother is thrilled, but I get ice cream headaches thinking about it. I love him like a brother, though, so keep your comments to yourself.”
“Jeez, don’t be so sensitive, Vincent, I was only asking.”
Mikey looks over his shoulder to Angelo, who merely shrugs.
Manny’s basement apartment is in a bad neighborhood and from the outside looks even worse than they thought.
“What a fucking pigsty, Vincent. I doubt this guy has two pennies to rub together. I cannot imagine how he got into Shoes for two large.”
Mikey leans back. “There are no lights that I can see, Vincent. Drop me off at the corner. I want to scope out his place.”
“Why? We know where he lives. That’s all I need to give Shoes.”
“I gotta feeling,” Mikey says. “This is a safe guy, right? Didn’t he used to work with the North Avenue crew with Larry Rosselli?”
“Yeah, so what?”
Angelo says, “Let him look, Vincent. What harm can it do?”
If Mikey suggests doing anything, it means he actually has to move, the lazy fuck, thinks Vincent, so he drives to the end of the block and drops Mikey off. Angelo climbs up front. They circle the block and park with the basement apartment in view.
A few minutes later, Mikey gets back in the car. His shirt and pants are soiled. He looks at Vincent and says, “I knew it. It’s a work pad. There’s only a mattress, some other junk, a shit load of tools, drills, and other shit. There is a telephone in there with an active dial tone.”
Vincent shrugs and says, “So?”
Mikey looks at Angelo and says, “Maybe we should trail this fuck and check out his route. If he’s lining up a score, maybe we should bump into him, whaddya think?”
Vincent says, “You guys do what you want, but after I give this information to Shoes, I want to be done with him.”
They drive back to Chicago. Vincent drops them off in the Neighborhood and drives to Valerie’s place. Valerie Franck lives in an apartment in Lincoln Park, the near north side. She has a small, modest, really tidy apartment, which pleases Vincent, a bit of a neat freak himself.
When Vincent arrives, Valerie is downstairs talking to a neighbor. She sees Vincent and walks over to the car.
“Nice wheels,” she says. “Am I ever going to meet any of your friends or family, Vincent?”
“No,” he replies.
Valerie looks at him agape but says nothing. She knows better. He won’t give her any information, anyway.
Their relationship evolved from training at work to friendship. Now it’s evolving into something more. Vincent’s not ready for this, but Valerie definitely is, which might be a problem. Sometimes he thinks about introducing her to his mother. But he knows Teri would latch onto Valerie and hear wedding bells. Valerie herself has spoken from time to time about her divorced parents. Vincent doesn’t pry because he doesn’t care. He wants to enjoy this relationship as long as it lasts, but he has no intention of taking it much further. He has too many plans for his own future. No way is he going to introduce Valerie to his mother.