Free Avenging Alex by Lewis Ericson

him.
    â€œWhere’s Anthony?”
    â€œI don’t know. He wasn’t here when I came in last night and he wasn’t here when I got up this morning. Probably spent the night with some woman.”
    â€œSpeaking of women, what’s goin’ on with you and Lorraine?”
    â€œNothin’, but that hasn’t stopped her from wanting to get back together.”
    â€œI take it you don’t want to?”
    â€œIt’s complicated.”
    Hank scratched at the grayed temples of his faded haircut and took a sip of his coffee. “Complicated, huh? Sounds like there’s another woman.”
    â€œWhat would make you say that?”
    â€œLook, I’m almost sixty-three years old, and if I ain’t learned nothin’ else in all this time I know that nothin’ can complicate a situation between a man and a woman more than another woman.” Hank’s dark brow furrowed. “Unless it’s another man.”
    John caught his meaning. “Hell, no. Not up in here.” He pressed his lips together and stared off. “To be honest with you there is this woman.”
    â€œIs she married?”
    John exhaled. “No. She’s uh . . . she’s in the program.”
    â€œAw, hell. You gotta be kiddin’ me.”
    â€œI didn’t plan on it. I didn’t expect it. It just sort of happened.”
    â€œJohnny . . .” Hank scratched his head again and planted his face in his large, calloused hand.
    â€œI know what you’re gonna say, Hank. Believe me it’s nothing I haven’t said to myself over and over again.”
    â€œYou have feelings for this woman?”
    John put his cup down on the table in front of him and vigorously rubbed his face. “Yeah . . . God help me I do.”
    â€œWalk away, son,” Hank admonished. “Maybe you should concentrate on some of your other cases. No good can come of the situation with this woman.”
    â€œI have to finish the job I started. She’s counting on me.”
    â€œJohnny, I can’t tell you how to feel. You’ve always been as stubborn as your mother. And you always did like the rush of livin’ on the edge. But, are you sure this woman is worth you puttin’ everything on the line you’ve worked so hard for? Have you thought about passin’ this one off on somebody else?”
    â€œYeah, I thought about it.”
    â€œBut you’re not doin’ anything to change it? This must be one helluva woman.”
    John retreated to his bedroom, and when he reemerged he passed Hank a picture of Alex.
    Hank removed his eyeglasses from the inside pocket of his skiff jacket and slid them up his nose. “Is this her?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œDon’t tell me you sleep with this under your pillow.”
    John snatched the picture back. “Not funny, man.”
    â€œShe’s good-lookin’, that’s for sure. I can see why you might be tempted.”
    â€œAnd that’s not even a good picture of her. Man, this woman is somethin’ else. There’s just something . . . I can’t really explain how I feel when I’m around her.”
    â€œSo, it’s more than sex then?”
    â€œI haven’t slept with her.”
    â€œAre you going to?”
    John shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”
    â€œIs it the danger of being with this woman that appeals to you?”
    John shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe.”
    â€œYou need to figure it out, son, and soon. I think what you need is to step away for a minute and get a fresh perspective. How about a drive to Santa Monica? We can do some fishin’ and you can do some thinkin’?”
    â€œI can’t today.”
    Hank stood up and his six foot four inch frame towered over John, making him feel like that hapless fourteen-year-old again. “All right. Watch your step. I don’t want your mother throwin’ another fit