Darcy said, “Jesus Christ, don’t you see what I’m offering you? Fuck the government, I’ll get you all the meat you want to sell at whatever you ask, not what the government says to charge. You sell it without your customers having to use any ration stamps. Don’t you have German friends dying to serve a big pot roast every Sunday? Aren’t you tired of the government telling you how to run your business? Having days there isn’t any meat to sell?”

“You’re breaking the law,” Walter said.

“No shit.”

“You can go to prison.”

“I’ve been there. You want the meat or not?”

“How do you kill the animal?”

“Shoot her between the eyes with a .45. She throws her head, looks at you cockeyed, and falls down.”

“Are you serious?”

“Don’t the cow have to be dead before you skin her?”

“I could show you a way,” Walter said, “that doesn’t destroy the brains.”

“That mean we have a deal?”

It was tempting. Not only make money, take care of Vera Mezwa and Dr. Taylor. Send a few double sirloins to Joe Aubrey.

Walter said, “But I don’t know you.”

Darcy said, “The hell you talking about? We was brother-in-laws for Christ sake. I trusted you with my sister, didn’t I? You ever hit her I’d of come here and broke your jaw. No, me and you don’t have nothing to worry about, we’s partners. The only difference, you’re a Kraut and I’m American.”

Walter said, “Well . . .” and asked Darcy if he’d seen his sister or spoken to her lately, curious, wondering about Honey, what she was doing.

“I ain’t seen her yet or called,” Darcy said. “I’ll drop by sometime and surprise her.”

Walter said, “Oh, you know where she lives?”

Now the ones were here who needed his help the most, coming at the worst time. Or, was it the best time, if they were to play a part in his destiny?