him. And I never got the chance to take him out in an alley.
“On New Year’s Eve, the year I turned eighteen, they were gunned down coming out of a party in Miami Beach. Lots of witnesses, but no arrests, so you had your pick between one of Charlie’s legion of enemies or just a bad night on Collins Avenue. Six months later, my father was skiing the Himalayas when he got caught in an avalanche. And all of a sudden, a Black and Black was down to one Black.”
“My God, how dreadful.”
“In some ways, yes. But in another, I wasn’t going to witness my mother drinking herself to death. And my father, well, one could argue he had fifty-six terrific years and five bad minutes.”
Kim looked away. “I like that way of looking at it. Relief isthe only word I could come up with when Mom passed away. She was so sad all the time. I promised myself that no matter how much I hurt, I’d never wear it on my sleeve.”
I nodded. “The bonus was that I fell in love with America—and everything it stood for. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Legally, I’m a dual citizen, but there is no other country in my heart.”
Kim took the last sip of her wine. “So you went to college, and now you run your father’s empire.”
I shook my head. “I couldn’t work up much enthusiasm for college. After what I’d seen and done, a frat party seemed inconsequential. So I went into the army. As for Part Two, I run the ‘empire’ only in the sense that I make the decisions who does.”
“So you’re a man of leisure who helps people. I like that.”
“It keeps me off the streets,” I said.
“Only I think there’s more to it.”
“Why?”
“I’ve felt your arms around me. You don’t hold a woman like a dilettante. You’re lean and hard, but not just because you work out. You know exactly what you’re doing every time you move. And there’s that little bit of tension in your body, even when you’re asleep, that tells me you’re never completely relaxed, always on alert. Listening. Anticipating. You’re a very mysterious man, Rail Black, and I aim to find out everything about you.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for truth serum and cattle prods.”
She laughed. “Did you inherit Clarissima too?”
I wasn’t prepared for the question.
And suddenly, there it was again. The flash of sun-glinted hair…her face. Sanrevelle Adriana Marcelino Carvalho. Then the explosion…and the fire. And her scream.
When I managed to speak, my voice rasped. “Yes, but I don’t go there anymore.”
Kim opened her mouth, then seemed to realize somethinghad entered our space. “Whatever happened to your mother’s songs?”
I looked away until she had to ask me again. “I had them recorded once, but just for me.”
“You know what I want, Mr. Strathmoor Hall, Proud American? I want to go home, get into that big bed of yours, and listen to ‘Christmas Always Breaks My Heart’ with you inside me.”
“In that case, you’ll have to be a fast listener.”
She reached across the table and put her hand over mine. “Rail, I want you to know that wherever we end up, or if we don’t end up at all, I’ll always remember tonight.” She paused, then said, “And if I ever have a daughter, I’m going to name her Amarante.”
I put my other hand over hers. “It has been a terrific night. So I want you to promise me that, a little while from now, when we get into your favorite position, you’ll drop the evasion and tell me what you’ve been holding back.”
She looked down, bit her lip and nodded. Her voice was almost a whisper. “Okay. I promise.”
“So I know you’re serious, how about a preview.”
Kim looked off into the trees around the patio. After several moments, she lit a cigarette. “Sooner or later, I’ve got to start trusting someone.” Still looking away, she said softly, “City of War.”
“Should I know what that is?”
She started to answer, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone
“On New Year’s Eve, the year I turned eighteen, they were gunned down coming out of a party in Miami Beach. Lots of witnesses, but no arrests, so you had your pick between one of Charlie’s legion of enemies or just a bad night on Collins Avenue. Six months later, my father was skiing the Himalayas when he got caught in an avalanche. And all of a sudden, a Black and Black was down to one Black.”
“My God, how dreadful.”
“In some ways, yes. But in another, I wasn’t going to witness my mother drinking herself to death. And my father, well, one could argue he had fifty-six terrific years and five bad minutes.”
Kim looked away. “I like that way of looking at it. Relief isthe only word I could come up with when Mom passed away. She was so sad all the time. I promised myself that no matter how much I hurt, I’d never wear it on my sleeve.”
I nodded. “The bonus was that I fell in love with America—and everything it stood for. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Legally, I’m a dual citizen, but there is no other country in my heart.”
Kim took the last sip of her wine. “So you went to college, and now you run your father’s empire.”
I shook my head. “I couldn’t work up much enthusiasm for college. After what I’d seen and done, a frat party seemed inconsequential. So I went into the army. As for Part Two, I run the ‘empire’ only in the sense that I make the decisions who does.”
“So you’re a man of leisure who helps people. I like that.”
“It keeps me off the streets,” I said.
“Only I think there’s more to it.”
“Why?”
“I’ve felt your arms around me. You don’t hold a woman like a dilettante. You’re lean and hard, but not just because you work out. You know exactly what you’re doing every time you move. And there’s that little bit of tension in your body, even when you’re asleep, that tells me you’re never completely relaxed, always on alert. Listening. Anticipating. You’re a very mysterious man, Rail Black, and I aim to find out everything about you.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for truth serum and cattle prods.”
She laughed. “Did you inherit Clarissima too?”
I wasn’t prepared for the question.
And suddenly, there it was again. The flash of sun-glinted hair…her face. Sanrevelle Adriana Marcelino Carvalho. Then the explosion…and the fire. And her scream.
When I managed to speak, my voice rasped. “Yes, but I don’t go there anymore.”
Kim opened her mouth, then seemed to realize somethinghad entered our space. “Whatever happened to your mother’s songs?”
I looked away until she had to ask me again. “I had them recorded once, but just for me.”
“You know what I want, Mr. Strathmoor Hall, Proud American? I want to go home, get into that big bed of yours, and listen to ‘Christmas Always Breaks My Heart’ with you inside me.”
“In that case, you’ll have to be a fast listener.”
She reached across the table and put her hand over mine. “Rail, I want you to know that wherever we end up, or if we don’t end up at all, I’ll always remember tonight.” She paused, then said, “And if I ever have a daughter, I’m going to name her Amarante.”
I put my other hand over hers. “It has been a terrific night. So I want you to promise me that, a little while from now, when we get into your favorite position, you’ll drop the evasion and tell me what you’ve been holding back.”
She looked down, bit her lip and nodded. Her voice was almost a whisper. “Okay. I promise.”
“So I know you’re serious, how about a preview.”
Kim looked off into the trees around the patio. After several moments, she lit a cigarette. “Sooner or later, I’ve got to start trusting someone.” Still looking away, she said softly, “City of War.”
“Should I know what that is?”
She started to answer, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone
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