Scriostóir - 9

“Hey, man, you alright?”

Godric looked up and nodded. “Better than alright, dude. Got what I went after. Just needed to take a breather for a sec.”

Manny stayed where he was, watching Godric. “Sounds like maybe you didn’t come by whatever it was legit.”

“Maybe, maybe not. What’s it to you?”

“Nothing,” Manny replied with a shrug. “Just that I’ve been keeping an eye on you for the last couple of days, whenever you were around. You’re sorta in my territory.”

Godric grinned. “Yeah, I know. Gonna do something about it?”

“Depends what you’re going after, and where.”

“Mostly whatever cash I can get my hands on. A guy’s gotta eat you know.”

Manny moved closer to the loading dock. “From hotel rooms? Cause I saw you going into a couple. Those are off limits.”

“Says who?”

“Says me. Like I said, my territory.”

“You seen me, you know I don’t go in alone.”

“Yeah, noticed that too. They pay, or you just steal from them? Or both?”

“With luck, and stupidity on their part, I make it out of the room with their cash and cards, and my ‘innocence’ intact. Sometimes I gotta put out.  Either way I got lunch money.”

“Ever get caught?” Manny was now within touching distance of Godric.

“Nope, not by the cops, not by someone thinking of jacking me off either.” Godric balled his fists, ready to fight if necessary.

“Hey, relax, I’m not interested in what you got on you. I probably pick up twice what you do on any given day, and I don’t have to fuck someone to do it.”

Dropping his hands, but keeping an eye on Manny just in case, Godric nodded. “You just break in? How the hell you manage that?”

“That’s my skill, just like yours is seducing your target.”

Leaning back on his hands now, Godric studied Manny. “Ever find anything real interesting, since you don’t have to worry bout someone being in there with you?”

“Interesting how?”

“Don’t know. Was just thinking. I found some pics once. Coulda used them for blackmail I bet.”

“You keep them?”

“Naw. Like what would I do? Say ‘Hey, bring me cash to the third dumpster on the left down such and such alley.’?” He laughed. “All what woulda got me was a visit from the cops at my classy domicile.”

Manny nodded, quite obviously thinking about something. When he stayed silent, Godric jumped down from the loading dock. “It’s been fun,” he said, a bit caustically, “but I gotta get moving. Got some cash, got an empty stomach. Gonna use A to fill B.”

“Hang on. I got a proposition for you. Maybe.”

Godric paused. “Like?”

“I gotta talk to someone first. You gonna be in the neighborhood for a while longer?”

“Eh, I was thinking of going downtown, getting dinner at Delmonicos.” Godric laughed at his own joke. “Yeah, I’ll be around and about.”

“Good. I’ll be back, one way or the other.” Manny turned on his heel and walked out of the alley.

“Hope so,” Godric muttered softly. “You’re my in.”