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I went up to Carole on the break and asked if Toni had been a roup "Came here all the time," she said "Sober three years Toni Cleary"

"I can't place him"

"Her I'e Worked in the gar what but she used to talk about how she was having an affair with her boss I'm positive you knew her"

"My God," I said

"She never struck uess you never know, do you?"

"We went out and spoke together in Queens less than a week ago," I said "The two of us and Richie Gelether" I scanned the roo for Richie, as if he could help confirreat shape," I said "She sounded fine"

"I saw her Friday night and she seemed fine then I don't re"

"We had a bite afterward She seemed solid and content, happy with her life What was it, pills?"

She shook her head "She went out aIt was in the paper and there was soht It was freaky, because she landed on some kid fresh out of church services and he was killed, too Crazy, isn't it?"

Call your cousin, the h the answering"He called," she said

"And?"

"He said, 'Elaine, I know you're there Pick up the telephone and turn off your machine' And I did"

"Why?"

"I don't knohy He told e for you"

"What was the e?"

"Matt, why did I turn off the machine? He told me to do it and I did it What if he tellsto do it?"

"No, you're not"

"How do you know that?"

"Because that would be unsafe and you'd know not to do it It didn't put you in any danger to turn off the machine There's a difference"

"I wonder"

So did I, but I would keep ht It didn't make any sense, at least I don't think it did To et it Where did I put it?"

I suppose I knehat it was Ito take all his woe for the kid on the street He was a dividend' Does any of that make any sense to you?"

"No," I said "But I knohat it means"

I called Anita She had remarried, and it was her husband who answered the phone I apologized for calling so late and asked to speak to Mrs Car her that, but the whole call felt strange

I told her I was probably bothering her for nothing, but that there was a situation she ought to know about I went through it quickly, explaining that aon a psychopathic vendetta, trying to get back atall my women

"Except I don't have any," I said, "so he's been forced to interpret the phrase loosely He killed one woo, and he killed another as the ine I didn't even know her last name"

"But he killed her Why don't the police arrest hi they will But in the er?"

"I honestly don't know He may not know you exist, and if he does there's no reason to assuuy's resourceful"

"What about the boys?"

One was in the service, the other in college on the other side of the country "They don't have anything to worry about," I said "It's wo, you estions That she think about taking a vacation, if it was convenient Failing that, that she notify the local police and see what protection they could provide She and her husband uards And they should certainly pay attention and see if they were being followed or watched, and should avoid opening doors to strangers, and-

"God damn it," she said "We're divorced I'm married to somebody else Doesn't that make a difference?"

"I don't know," I said "He nize divorce"

We talked some more, and then I had her put her husband on the line and went through the whole thing with hi that he'd think it through and do so positive I only wished I could say the same for myself

I went over to theand looked out at the city When I moved in you could see the World Trade Center towers fro, eating up different portions of the sky I still have a fairly decent view, but it's not what it used to be

It was raining again I wondered if he was out there Maybe he'd get wet, maybe he'd catch his death

I picked up the phone and called Jan

She is a sculptor, with a loft south of Canal on Lispenard Street I had ood drinking at her place, she and I Then she got sober and we stopped seeing each other, and then I got sober and we began again And then it stopped working, and then it ended, and neither of us ever quite understood why

When she answered I said, "Jan, it's Matt I' so late"