An Ordinary Decent Criminal - By Michael Van Rooy Page 0,66

employment status is also listed. Third, we’ve only been in the place a brief period of time and we’ve kept it in fine condition. Fourthly, your professional reputation is fine, unless you want to try to press charges against me under a slander/libel suit, which, I tell you three times, you’ll lose.”

Unconsciously I raised my voice. “Regarding the property we’ve rented. The locks are bad and the roof leaks. The damage done during a robbery attempt has not been repaired. The heating vents are badly maintained and heat doesn’t reach to the second floor. There are insects in the basement. There are no fire alarms.”

I controlled myself and managed to lower my voice. “You refused to meet with me when I asked. And, lastly, you attempted to evict me and my family for no reason at all.”

I started to walk to the front door. “A copy of that letter will go to the authorities tomorrow morning. You have until 9:45 a.m. to respond to the letter in specific. The mail pickup near our place is at ten.”

Both women followed me to the foyer and Gantz blurted out, “You’re bluffing.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then you’re delusional.”

“Probably, but your response should be in writing. As a matter of fact, I insist.”

It was still raining, harder now, if anything. I went on. “Find a lawyer. Talk to them. I assure you that I’m within my rights.”

“You can’t be serious.” She had grabbed my arm and was looking at me from about eight inches away, and I felt a surge of anger.

“Of course I’m fucking serious. You’ve tried to kick my family out. What did you think I would do?”

The assistant was about two yards away and probably couldn’t hear me over the rain outside, but I really didn’t give a shit, so I leaned in and whispered. “You’re lucky I’m not as bad as you seem to think, or I’d cut your throat from ear to ear.”

Her face went white and I smiled and left. Before I’d made it to the end of the sidewalk, the assistant came running out. She had stopped to pull on a clear plastic overcoat. “Mr. Parker? Please wait.”

I waited and she stood between me and the street. “I’d like to talk to you about this.”

“So talk.”

She bit her lower lip and looked over her shoulder at the house and her boss.

“Not now, I’ve got to get She-Who-Must-Be-Ignored calmed down. She’s ready to send in the marines and I’m sure we can come to some kind of reasonable agreement.”

“She-Who-Must-Be-Ignored? Cute. Come to my place in an hour. I’ll be a little less pissed off.”

“Okay.”

She waited but I didn’t ask, so she offered.

“She-Who-Must-Be-Ignored is a name from the Rumpole of the Bailey book series. It’s what he calls his wife. Actually he calls her She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, but I like my version better.” She smiled engagingly. I walked home. All in all, I was relatively cheerful. I’d found out it was Walsh behind some of the crap that seemed to be coming down and that made me feel a little bit more in control.

28

It took her slightly longer than an hour to show up, which was fine by me. I arranged the dining room table so it was clear and then I stacked the pamphlets from the Tenancies office in the middle. When I was done, I put a chair for her in the middle of the biggest stain on the carpet.

“What the hell are you doing?” Claire had been working at finding me a job, using the newspapers and telephone, and when she came out of the kitchen, she had a pad of scrap paper.

“Our landlord’s assistant is coming over right away to talk. I’m just setting the stage.”

Claire looked at the table and the chairs and sat down on the stairs. “Trying to take the moral high ground?”

I went into the kitchen and came out with the good china service, which we kept in a large wooden wine crate, and I carefully removed each piece and dealt them around the table like cards.

“Nope. Just trying to make her queasy. Think it’ll work?”

“Maybe. She’s smart, I think. I dealt with her personally when renting this place.” Claire stared at the set-up and tapped the phone book with her fingers. Then she added, “Should work. I’m going to sit in, if that’s okay with you?”

It was so I got out another setting and then brought the missing chair from the back room where I’d stashed it. A few minutes after everything was ready,