Steve stopped off at the Starbucks on Victory near the Warner Center. As he thought, Norm was there, laptop open, fingers flying, eyes wild with a desperate search for inspiration.
“Hey, Norm,” Steve said.
The writer looked up, startled. “Don’t do that!”
“What?”
“I’m in flow here.”
“I need to talk to you, Norm.”
“I’m working here!”
“Can I get you a refill?”
Norm’s eyes flashed to the venti cup on the round table. He rubbed the stubble on his chin with his right hand, then nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Straight drip.”
Steve took the cup and got in line. He bought a tall drip and got a refill for Norm, then took them back to the table, pulling up a chair.
Norm took a slug of coffee, then said, “What are you doing here?”
“I thought maybe we could finally settle that account,” Steve said.
“Oh, man! Don’t hit me now. Give me some time, will you?”
“Norm, we can work it out another way.”
“What way is that?”
“Your brother works for the DMV, right?”
Norm narrowed his gaze. “What are you asking?”
“I need an address.”
“Can’t do that.”
“Of course you can. You did it before.”
He cocked his head. “Now you’re not gonna bring that up, are you?”
“Don’t you remember me keeping that out of the public record? The prosecutor was going to present that evidence to the judge, that you used your brother to get that dealer’s address. I kept that from happening, my friend.”
Norm shook his head. “Man, you guys are like elephants. You never forget what you can use against somebody.”
“I’m not against you. I’m asking you for a favor. Do this favor for me and we’ll call our account all square.”
“All?”
“Interested?”
“Do you realize what you’re asking me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you realize the trouble my brother could get in?”
“Yes. You in or out?”
“In.”
“Good.” Steve took out a pen and wrote the name Dr. Walker C. Phillips on the back of a brown Starbucks napkin. “Here’s a clue. Temecula or Tehachapi.”
“That’s a clue?”
“He may be in one of those two places.”
Norm ran his hand over his face, his chin, the back of his head. “All right! Fine! But I don’t want any nickel-and-diming after this, are we clear?”
“Clear, Norm. You’ll be doing a big favor for society.”
“Yeah, right. If I sell this series, then I’ll be doing a favor.”
Steve nodded. “You’re exactly right, Norm. We need a television show about a boy who becomes mayor. World peace to follow.”
“You know,” Norm said, “if I didn’t know lawyers better, I’d say you were making fun of me.”