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beat. “Gloria wants to know if the fan belt’s okay on three twenty-one.”
    â€œYou’ve been demoted to errand boy?”
    â€œYeah,” he said.
    â€œThat’s a shame. You could make big bucks in massage. Work your way up to personal trainer.”
    â€œFor you, anytime,” he said.
    I turned and faced him. Almost asked point-blank about the microphone. I couldn’t see one from where we stood. Which didn’t mean beans.
    I’d call him tonight. Sure. If the garage was miked, his phone could be bugged.
    Shit. I thought about taking his hand, pointing out the hanging mike. I considered the curious hordes who might observe us, decided against it.
    Sam doesn’t dress up for trips to the garage. Jeans and a navy sweatshirt, nothing fancier than cabbie garb. But you’d never mistake him for a cabbie. It’s the little things: the shoes, the haircut, the posture.
    You’d never peg him as Mafia, either. Honestly, around here those guys wrap themselves in enough gold jewelry to sink a galleon. Like they’ve seen too many Hollywood movies. Sam didn’t even wear a ring when he was married.
    â€œSam,” I said, keeping my voice low, “Lee Cochran, from the Small Taxi Association, just tried to hire me. You have anything to do with that?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œYou didn’t put him up to it, to keep me from driving nights?”
    â€œScout’s honor.”
    â€œAs if you were ever a Boy Scout. Does Lee have any history with Phil Yancey?”
    â€œJust that they hate each other’s guts,” Sam said. “I was a Girl Scout.”
    â€œCut it out. Do you know why they don’t get along?”
    â€œCarlotta, you could hold a Phil Yancey Admiration Day at Fenway Park and bring back Carl Yastrzemski to play left field and nobody would come.”
    â€œNobody?”
    â€œNobody who knew Phil. That’s how popular the man is. Why do you want to know?”
    â€œCan’t say.”
    â€œWell, if you ever consider going to work for Yancey, get the check in advance, and cash it before you lift a finger.”
    â€œYancey’s not hiring,” I said. “I’m not sure I’m taking any case. So could you forget we had this little talk?”
    â€œWhat talk?” Sam said obligingly. “Let’s go tell Gloria I found you. She seemed to think you were pissed at me.”
    â€œJust because I never see you.”
    â€œYou could stay home nights.”
    â€œIf I had a reason, I might,” I said. “I’m not staying home in case you decide to drop by for a quickie.”
    He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. “I’m glad Gloria was wrong. Angry? You?”
    â€œSam,” I said. “Grow up.”
    Gloria grinned when she saw us. She’s convinced this “marriage” can be saved, and she’s the one to do it.
    â€œFan belt?” she asked.
    â€œLousy, like the rest of them.”
    â€œThree twenty-one’s got inspection next week. Don’t you check the schedule?”
    â€œIt’ll never pass.”
    â€œLeroy’ll make it purr like a pussycat,” she insisted.
    â€œOnly if he sticks one in the carburetor.”
    â€œSam’s gonna get me a computer,” Gloria announced, deftly changing the subject. “He tell you? We’re on our way to high-tech city.”
    â€œNo kidding,” I said, thinking about the microphones.
    â€œWell, you don’t have to get sarcastic,” Sam said.
    â€œNo, really, I’m interested. Believe me. What kind? Where? I’ve been looking—”
    Gloria interrupted, sotto voce. “He’s got a friend, gonna give us the deal of a lifetime.”
    Sam leaped on the bandwagon. “It’s ridiculous, running this place without a computer. Gloria can link up with my PC, and I won’t have to keep racing around with trip sheets and insurance forms and medallion renewals. We can