glass windows, making a faint, crackling sound-exactly like the tap of Daniel

he's working for Grizzl

ng my black tea with clinked

billowed up a

routes, his rackets ranging from casinos to dockside warehouses, so powerful that even the polic

best friend leaned in closer, her voice ti

took a bullet for Grizzly from a rival-three ribs broken,

note of disgus

d has a congenital heart disease. Th

ill

ddenly I remembered three years ago, before Daniel had been completely sucke

of Grizzly's inner circle. He'd popped open a bottle of 1982 Lafite at random, the number on the l

intercept a shipment of arms belonging to his rival Cobra at the docks. He sne

otout, yet dragged himself through

hands when Lola took half of it to b

ents broke ou

money; Lola smashed the bear-head badge on his desk and screamed

orning, and Daniel, losing his temper after her

dge at the officers' feet-she knew Grizzly hated nothing

punishment

ll night, half-dead when he was let out, yet s

one dawn, leaving only a note: "Living with someone like you for a

t make it throu

day, just like it did

e the man Grizzly sent stood beside him and said coldly:

e child's cold little quilt, his shoulder

nd Lola in a nightclub i

nessman, a diamond ring the size of a pigeon's egg

l found her, he was followed by two of Grizzly's bo

s smiling brightly as she

guards swarmed to beat him, his face bruised and swollen, two teeth

od, his voice raspy like a broken bellows: "Run! Even if you ru

twisted with the force of his grip

ground thickly, just like the ginkgo-leaf-strewn path he'

g the crack on the teacup-the one he'd accidentally

still stained with blood, and said:

't had anything to do with

him the c

hat Lola had taken the money, not

y voice as faint as the

nd looked at

cleaning house lately, and Daniel. h

, just like the roasted sweet potato he'd given me in the

ed to see the eighteen-year-ol

tato char on his collar, and he turned to wave at me from the class

y, I'll buy you the best roasted s