weight. “Thanks for rescuing me from starvation.”
“I was working all day. What is your excuse for not eating?”
“I dunno. It took me a long time to settle down.”
“From the news about Dylan Lashay.”
“Yeah. Wow, what a relief! I’ve been a basket case this last month just thinking about testifying. God, I’m glad it’s over! Maybe I can finally move forward.”
“Maybe you can put on a couple of pounds. I’ve heard that Manhattan has one or two good restaurants. Take my daughter out and the check is on me. When are you going back?”
“Tuesday.”
Decker was taken aback. “You’re staying through the weekend?”
“Yeah, like I explained to Rina, I just want to unwind a little bit.”
Decker threw him a look, and Gabe blushed. “So when are you meeting her?”
“What?”
“Don’t snow me, kid. You’re a terrible liar.” Gabe was silent. Decker said, “Don’t do it, Gabriel. It’ll set you back. Just as important, it’ll set her back. And from a selfish point of view, I don’t want to have to deal with her parents again.”
“They won’t find out.”
“That’s what you said the last time. And stop clenching your teeth.”
Gabe tried to relax. “Are you going to rat me out?”
“I should, but I won’t.” The boy had curled into in a ball. “Gabe, you need to think of her welfare.”
“Peter, I swear we’re not gonna do anything.” A lie: Decker wasn’t buying it. “I barely had contact with her the past couple of years.” Another lie that didn’t wash. Finally Gabe threw up his hands. “What’s the big deal?”
“Gabriel, if her parents find out, she’s got a lot more to lose than you do.”
He ran his hand over his head. “For the record, she called me.”
“That’s irrelevant. You’re the one who has to say no.”
“I don’t want to say no. Why should I?”
“Because she’s smitten with you and can’t think straight.”
“I’m smitten with her.”
“I don’t doubt that, but guys function differently. You’re both way too young for commitment. Surely there are girls in New York that come with a lot less baggage.”
“Surely there are, but I’m not interested, okay?”
Decker smiled. “Must be true love.”
“Can we change the subject? How’s the tiger doing?”
“Funny you should ask. I’m going to visit her tomorrow at a wild animal sanctuary.”
“Cool. Can I come with you?”
Decker looked at him. “You want to come with me?”
“Sure. It sounds interesting. I love what I do, but occasionally it might be fun to venture outside.”
“Uh, it’s official business.”
“Okay. I understand.”
Decker shrugged. “I suppose you can tour around while I conduct my interviews.”
“That would be great! Who are you interviewing?”
“Can’t say. It’s part of an ongoing murder investigation.”
“Can I help?”
Decker held back a smile. “Uh, I think I’ve got it covered.”
“I’m sure you do.” Gabe laughed. “Thanks for letting me come. I promise I won’t get mauled by a lion.”
“Maybe you’d rather face a lion than face Yasmine’s father?”
“We’re back there again?”
“All I’m saying is we both could use a good steak dinner and everyone’s entitled to a last meal.”
“Nothing is going to happen!” Gabe said.
“Yeah, yeah, famous last words.” Decker parked the car in front of a kosher steak house. “Let’s go, Romeo.”
The two of them got out of the car. Gabe said, “Thanks for taking me out to dinner.”
“My pleasure.”
“And thanks also for being a cool guy.”
“I’m a cool guy?”
“Peter, you are the essence of coolness. If everyone was as cool as you are, we’d never have to worry about global warming.”
SLIDING UP THE on-ramp of the 210, Decker followed the Foothill freeway for forty-plus miles until it hit Highway 15, a dividing line between Angeles Crest and the San Bernardino Mountains. The range, going north and south, cleaved Southern California
“I was working all day. What is your excuse for not eating?”
“I dunno. It took me a long time to settle down.”
“From the news about Dylan Lashay.”
“Yeah. Wow, what a relief! I’ve been a basket case this last month just thinking about testifying. God, I’m glad it’s over! Maybe I can finally move forward.”
“Maybe you can put on a couple of pounds. I’ve heard that Manhattan has one or two good restaurants. Take my daughter out and the check is on me. When are you going back?”
“Tuesday.”
Decker was taken aback. “You’re staying through the weekend?”
“Yeah, like I explained to Rina, I just want to unwind a little bit.”
Decker threw him a look, and Gabe blushed. “So when are you meeting her?”
“What?”
“Don’t snow me, kid. You’re a terrible liar.” Gabe was silent. Decker said, “Don’t do it, Gabriel. It’ll set you back. Just as important, it’ll set her back. And from a selfish point of view, I don’t want to have to deal with her parents again.”
“They won’t find out.”
“That’s what you said the last time. And stop clenching your teeth.”
Gabe tried to relax. “Are you going to rat me out?”
“I should, but I won’t.” The boy had curled into in a ball. “Gabe, you need to think of her welfare.”
“Peter, I swear we’re not gonna do anything.” A lie: Decker wasn’t buying it. “I barely had contact with her the past couple of years.” Another lie that didn’t wash. Finally Gabe threw up his hands. “What’s the big deal?”
“Gabriel, if her parents find out, she’s got a lot more to lose than you do.”
He ran his hand over his head. “For the record, she called me.”
“That’s irrelevant. You’re the one who has to say no.”
“I don’t want to say no. Why should I?”
“Because she’s smitten with you and can’t think straight.”
“I’m smitten with her.”
“I don’t doubt that, but guys function differently. You’re both way too young for commitment. Surely there are girls in New York that come with a lot less baggage.”
“Surely there are, but I’m not interested, okay?”
Decker smiled. “Must be true love.”
“Can we change the subject? How’s the tiger doing?”
“Funny you should ask. I’m going to visit her tomorrow at a wild animal sanctuary.”
“Cool. Can I come with you?”
Decker looked at him. “You want to come with me?”
“Sure. It sounds interesting. I love what I do, but occasionally it might be fun to venture outside.”
“Uh, it’s official business.”
“Okay. I understand.”
Decker shrugged. “I suppose you can tour around while I conduct my interviews.”
“That would be great! Who are you interviewing?”
“Can’t say. It’s part of an ongoing murder investigation.”
“Can I help?”
Decker held back a smile. “Uh, I think I’ve got it covered.”
“I’m sure you do.” Gabe laughed. “Thanks for letting me come. I promise I won’t get mauled by a lion.”
“Maybe you’d rather face a lion than face Yasmine’s father?”
“We’re back there again?”
“All I’m saying is we both could use a good steak dinner and everyone’s entitled to a last meal.”
“Nothing is going to happen!” Gabe said.
“Yeah, yeah, famous last words.” Decker parked the car in front of a kosher steak house. “Let’s go, Romeo.”
The two of them got out of the car. Gabe said, “Thanks for taking me out to dinner.”
“My pleasure.”
“And thanks also for being a cool guy.”
“I’m a cool guy?”
“Peter, you are the essence of coolness. If everyone was as cool as you are, we’d never have to worry about global warming.”
SLIDING UP THE on-ramp of the 210, Decker followed the Foothill freeway for forty-plus miles until it hit Highway 15, a dividing line between Angeles Crest and the San Bernardino Mountains. The range, going north and south, cleaved Southern California
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