“Yeah?”

“Listen, kid, I went through this twice. Everything comes out double.”

“That’s right. Gimme my receipt.”

The guy looked puzzled. He checked his tape again and turned to Benny. “Listen, kid. It’s double.”

Benny got up and went to the desk. “It’s double because I collected double. I’m reorganizing the territory.”

“You-you what?”

Benny didn’t answer. He stuck his hand out and waved it impatiently. “Come on, come on. Let’s have that receipt.”

“Now, wait.” The guy looked at the tape again. “Now, wait just a second. You mean this is from Paddy’s old district?”

“Not Paddy’s. Mine. I’m collecting double. You hard of hearing, Jack?”

“Hell, no. When did this come off? Pendleton never said a word about it. He was here around noon, just for a minute or so, but he never-”

“Pendleton doesn’t know yet. This is the first collection under the new rule.”

“New rule? Who’s making this new rule and I don’t know a thing about it?”

“I’m making the rule. Pendleton gave me the territory and I’m making the rule. So let’s have the receipt, huh, Jack?”

Jack leaned back in his swivel chair and looked up at Benny without saying a word. Then he swung forward, picked up the phone, and dialed. “Just wait a sec, will ya? Before I can-Hello? This is Imports. That you, Turk? Listen, lemme talk to Pendleton… Yeah, it’s kinda important. Lemme talk-Well, you know Paddy’s old territory; what was Paddy’s. This kid Tapkow has it and he just checks in with the receipts all double… How the hell do I know? He just made a new rule, he says… Yeah, I’ll hang on.” Jack looked up from the phone and nodded toward a chair by the desk. “Just park it for a sec, will ya, kid? Turk is talking to the boss.”

Benny bit his lip and waited. He wasn’t impatient any more, just nervous. This thing was out of his hands now.