It was Friday already and we were in the middle of a nasty, sordid mess that wasn’t going to be over soon. In the afternoon I had to make a tough phone call home to Washington. Nana Mama answered after a couple of rings, and I immediately wished that one of the kids had picked up instead.
‘It’s Alex. How are you?’
She said,’You’re not coming home for Damon’s concert tomorrow, are you, Alex? Or did you forget all about the concert already. Oh, Alex, Alex. Why have you forsaken us? This isn’t right.’
I love Nana tremendously, but sometimes she goes too far to make
her point. ‘Why don’t you put Damon on the phone?’ I said. ‘I’ll talk to him about it.’‘He’s not going to be a boy for very much longer. Pretty soon he’ll be just like you, won’t listen to a word anybody says. Then you’ll see what it’s like. I guarantee you won’t like it,’ she said.  ‘I feel bad enough already, guilty enough.You don’t have to make it worse, old woman.’
‘Of course I do. That’s my job, and I take it as seriously as you obviously take yours,’ she said.
‘Nana, people are dying out here. Someone died a horrible death in Washington to get me involved in this mess. It keeps happening.  There’s a connection I have to find, or at least try to.’
‘Yes, people are dying, Alex. I understand that. And other people
are growing up without their father around as much as they need
him to be - especially since they don’t have a mother. Are you aware of that? I can’t be mother and father to these children.’ I shut my eyes. ‘I hear what you’re saying. I don’t even disagree with you, believe it or not. Now, would you please put Damon on?’ I asked again.’As soon as I get off the phone, I’ll go out and see if I can find a mother for my children. Actually, I’m working with a very nice female detective. You’d like her.’
‘Damon’s not here. He said if you called, and weren’t coming home, to tell you thanks a lot.’
I shook my head, and finally smiled in spite of myself. ‘You got his inflection down perfectly. Where is he?’
‘He’s playing basketball with his friends. He’s very good at that, too. I think he’ll be an outstanding t............