Chubby Pooch

Somewhere On The New England Coast

Tango put on quite a few pounds while I was gone, so I run him ragged in the mornings. I asked Eve about it, and she said, "He got used to going to the shop, and he likes the burnt croissants with butter." It's time to get my boy in fighting shape. He's got gulls to chase and lots of driftwood to carry home. 

He'll never be in pit bull shape, but I want him mobile, alert, and ready for action. 

I considered getting him a cape, but Eve thought it might be too much. 

It's nice to be home for a while. Eve and I took a trip up north for pizza and bowling, and Ron Strier and I split the two contests. I beat him in bowling, and he beat me in pizza—four slices to three. It was a tie in the draft beer drinking.

Ron loves we are engaged, and he asked about a date, which we have not decided yet.

I learned ​Sophie is doing great at school and is in the Naval ROTC with two other Boston College students at M.I.T. According to Ron, she's a young woman on a mission. 

"I wish my daughter would drink some of Sophie's Kool-Aid." "Meghan's only ambition is another tattoo and a new lip ring."

I added, "Meg will come around, Ron; she's a good kid." "And hey, you have tattoos."

Eve showed off her ring with her usual shyness.

I swore ​I would never get married again, but the right woman changed everything. I thought a lot about it while sleeping alone all those nights in San Diego.

There is something special about Eve. We are friends, lovers, and conspiratorial magpies with two million dollars buried under our deck. 

I love she's not obsessed with it. 

She has her business to run, and I have mine.

Ron and I downed one more pitcher and called it a night. It was good to see him.

He told me he still gets calls from Brit reporters trying to develop a story.

Last night, Eve and I went to our secret margarita spot, the scene of the crime—our first date.

I told her everything about San Diego, Tijuana, and Barcelona.

Eve was not happy. At any point I could have been killed, I said, "Oooo Rah," "This is my life, Eve; it's how I was when you came along."

I cheered her up by singing Johnny Nash's "Poor Side Of Town," ​I sent her over the edge with my Anatoly imitation, "Mr. Manolo, we will go to streeep club and have maaaargaritas". This is a slice of American cheese imitating a Russian doing a Mexican accent.

We toasted Anatoly. I gave him some thought and sincerely hoped he was doing well. He kind of grew on me.

Shoop Shhooobee Wah Doobie Doobie.

Tijuana, Mexico - The Agapov Organization Office

Anatoly was listening to the Big Boss on his phone, and he looked out the window into the alley bordering the strip club and the building he was in.

He knew his fate would be remarked on soon, and this was the call. He was pale white as he listened.

"You will apply all you learned from the American to your workforce." "You must understand something, Anatoly."

"We as an organization cannot fail now." 

"If we fail, we "sleep with the fishes."

"Do you know what that means, Anatoly?"

"Yes, Sir"

"in the next ten weeks, I will send each branch manager to Mexico to study how you do things."

Anatoly swallowed hard and wondered what he could teach a branch manager.

Somehow, Manolo, or whatever his name was, kept things fun. It did not feel like work when he was running a shift. Anatoly had to find a way to duplicate his style.

Anatoly smiled when he thought of Manolo. Why did he have to be a spy? He was so much fun and had a way of getting the best out of everyone.

Anatoly had a lot of work to do before he could attend the Winter Festival in Saint Petersburg.

He missed his mother and sister.

He now had to work not just for money but to stay alive.

Cambridge, Massachusetts - The Home Of Lisa Tanaka And Ben Mason

Ben Mason was home from a lengthy European trip, during which he guest-spoke at three conferences on Artificial Intelligence.

When Lisa told him Allston was home, he immediately got on his phone.

"Allston, you loser! I'm on one knee, and I'm going to pop the question!"

"Do you want me to follow Lisa to make sure she is who she says she is?"

"No, that's absurd."

"Do you need a dozen muffins from The Cardinal And The Jack?" "You know I sleep with the baker."

"Nope"

"Will you be my best man?"

I thought for a second. I knew it was a lot of work to get best man duties right, but I gave an immediate answer: Ben was my best civilian friend.

"How is Laura taking this?" I asked.

"She wishes I was dead of course he said, but now that there is a baby coming, she may take the whammy off me."

"Eve told me that you have it all going on." "Is she the right girl, Ben?"

"I have no doubts."

"Then let's get it done."

Please ask Lisa to give Eve all the details, and we will plan all the Best Man stuff.

Ben sounded happy, then said, "Where the fuck have you been?"

"I've been out in the field studying Phone Scammers and nice call girls from Barcelona."

"Stories better relayed at The Muddy Charles."

"Turkey Clubs tomorrow?"

"Deal! - See you there at 12:30?"

"Deal"