Outcasts

Chapter 11 - Slam-Dunk

They turned down one of the crosstown streets and headed west toward the Hudson River. It was mostly warehouses and shipping companies over here, the loading docks for the trucks quiet now, it being night, just an occasional rig pulled up with a late delivery, or getting an early start for tomorrow's run to wherever. Ahead was the waterfront, where the great ocean liners used to berth (a few still did) that went back and forth to Europe. There was a breeze coming off the water, an almost constant presence here. He'd once given it a name, Windigo, an Algonquin spirit, when he lived in this part of town some years ago.

Janna said, "How's it feel?"

"It'll be fine. Thank you for the help."

"No problem. Be sure to keep it clean." She had noticed his bleeding knuckles back at the hotel and had gotten a couple of bandages from the front desk and put them on the cuts before they went outside. 

"So back to what you were saying," he said.

"What I'm saying is that I didn't know about that review in the paper when I saw you earlier. It's gotta be like money in the bank."

"How do you mean?"

"You still got that agreement, right?"

"With Mavro?"

"Of course with Mavro."

"What about it? The gallery's bust."

"So why can't it be with another gallery? Use that review to do a deal. I mean, Mavro's hot now, right?"

"If he's hot and it's another gallery," Sykes said, "what do you need me for?"

"'Cause you know how to do these things. If we have to, we can set it up in his space over in Queens. But I'm betting there's a better way."

They stepped out into the street around an eighteen-wheeler, the driver giving them a nod as he climbed up into the cab. Sykes returned the nod and went back to staring down at the cobblestones as they continued walking, giving thought to what Janna had said. "If you really want to do it, there should be some kind of draw."

"Mavro's the draw."

"I mean an event. Something that'll get attention that we can hook onto, while he's got the buzz."

"You see?" she said.

"What?"

"That's why I knew we should talk."

They continued along the dim street, Janna watching him think.

"And besides...," she said.

Sykes looked up.

"... you're too big to throw back."

~~~~~~

She took the subway to Long Island City, made a call on her cell when she came out of the station. "Hi, I just got off the train home."

Helen Carty was in her living room on the other end of the call. "How did it go?"

Janna turned down the street toward the loft where the paintings got made, passing by two kids under a streetlight on the other side, tagging a building with their spray cans. "I said what I could. It's up to him now."

~~~~~~

Sykes had come back to his room and was lying on top of his bed in the dark, staring at the ceiling, pizza crusts and a balled-up napkin in a delivery box by his side.