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〃There's no blood tie between me and。。。〃
〃I didn't mean a real blood tie； for God's sake。 I know he's not your relative or anything。 But； you know； you're both Spanish。 That sort of makes you brothers； you know what I mean？〃
〃No。 What the hell do you mean； Parker？〃
〃Aw； forget it。 If you're gonna get sore； there's no sense talking。 You're the touchiest guy I know； Frankie。 I mean it。 You oughta get over that。 It don't help you none； believe me。〃 He smiled at Hernandez and put his arm around his shoulder。 〃All I was saying； in a manner of speaking； is that I'm gonna kill your brother up there。 I'm gonna put a dozen bullets in his goddamn skull and watch him bleed all over the sidewalk。〃
Hernandez shook the arm free。 〃You know something； Parker？〃
〃What？〃
〃He's more your brother than he is mine。〃
A half…dozen patrolmen had begun erecting barricades across the street。 The people crowded the barricades。 The kids began sitting on them； spilling over onto the side where the policemen and the squad cars waited for the word from the next street。 Byrnes came out of the squad car and yelled； 〃All right； everybody back！ Step back！ Back of the barricade！ Let's go！〃 He walked rapidly to Hernandez； pulling a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiping at his sweating face。 〃Frankie； do me a favor； will you？〃 he said。 〃Make with some Spanish。 These people are gonna get shot up if they don't respect that barricade。 Get them to move back； will you？〃
〃Sure；〃 Hernandez said。 He moved up to the wooden horses with their supporting crossbars； the stenciled POLICE DEPARTMENT letters shrieking against the white paint。 〃Bueno！〃 he shouted。 〃Todos retroceder； Detrds de la barricada！ Todos retroceder！〃
The crowd began moving back from the barricade。 On the edge of the crowd； Zip grabbed Cooch's arm and said； 〃You hear that？ You hear what that bull said？ There's gonna be shooting！〃
〃With Miranda up there； there's gotta be shooting；〃 Cooch said； his eyes wide。
〃Who's Miranda？〃 Papa asked。
〃Don't you know nothing； you dumb tiger？〃 Cooch said； shoving at him。 〃Miranda's the greatest thing ever happened to this neighborhood。〃 He turned to Zip。 〃How you like this jerk？ Don't know Miranda。〃
Zip shook his head； his eyes searching the first…floor windows for a sign of life。 He could see nothing。
〃When he lived around here；〃 Cooch said to Papa； 〃this neighborhood really jumped； I kid you not。〃
〃Even in my old neighborhood we knew about him；〃 Zip said； his eyes never leaving the first…floor windows。 〃He was down there once； you know。 I seen him。 He was driving a big yellow Caddy。〃
〃No crap？〃 Cooch said。
〃Sure； I seen it。 And he had this blonde with him。 Man； you could see she was gassed pletely out of her skull； just being with him。 This was before things got so hot for him。 Man； he was swinging then； swinging。〃
〃A Caddy； huh？〃 Cooch said。 〃That's for me。 Give me the wheel； man。 I'll know just what to do with it。〃
〃You should see the way this guy walks； Cooch；〃 Zip said。 He stepped away from the barricade and did a quick imitation。 〃This real cool glide； you know？ Like he owns the world。 That's the way to walk。 Pepe walks with his head up。 He ain't afraid of nothing or nobody！〃
〃Look at the way he got out of that Riverhead apartment！〃 Cooch said。 〃A dozen cops； and they couldn't touch him。〃
〃Nobody can touch him；〃 Zip said。
〃Man； when he lived here； Zip； you shoulda been here； I mean it。 A nice guy； you know？ I mean； you think him being a big shot an' all； like he'd think us kids was dirt。 But he was always nice to us； I swear。 Used to hand out nickels； like that； you know？ And stories？ Man； the stories he used to tell us。 You know； real straight…from…the…shoulder stuff。 Not like the crap you get from your people。〃
〃Man； I read you；〃 Zip said； 〃If my old man gives me his pitch about the island one more time； I'm gonna lose control。 Who gives a damn about customs on the island； huh？ Who cares about the hospitality there； or the sunshine there； or the way the people close the doors when a stiff goes by； huh？ This is here； man！ This is where people are living！〃
〃You can bet Pepe knows how to live。〃
〃Ohhh； brother； does he？ This cat knows the story； dad！ Hey； hey； look at that！〃
〃What？〃 Cooch said。
〃Over there。〃
Two patrolmen were entering the tenement。 They moved cautiously and with their revolvers drawn。
〃It's about to start；〃 Zip said； straining to see over the heads of the people in front of him。 〃We gotta get something to stand on； Cooch。 We won't be able to see nothing this way。〃
〃What about our other business？〃 Cooch asked。
Zip glanced cursorily over his shoulder； looking into the luncheonette where Jeff sat at the counter。 〃The sailor？ Forget him。 We scared him half to death。〃
〃I mean Alfie；〃 Cooch whispered。
For a moment； Zip seemed to have forgotten something that had kept him awake most of the night； something that had acpanied him as he'd got out of bed this morning； roaring in his mind as he dressed。 For a moment； Zip seemed to make no association with the name 〃Alfie〃 and puzzlement showed plainly on his face。 And then； as if being called away from something which was extremely pleasant and entertaining to take care of some simple task which was at best boring； he said； 〃Well； what about him？〃
〃We got a date； remember？〃
〃Of course I remember；〃 Zip said angrily。 〃But how we gonna get to the church？ The block's shut off。 Besides； the kids with the pieces are on the other side of the street。〃
〃Iss better this way； Zip；〃 Sixto said。 〃We let heem。。。〃
〃Oh； shut up； will ya； Sixto？〃 Zip snapped。 〃Man； where'd we scrounge up this yo…yo？〃
Papa burst out laughing。 〃You a yo…yo； Sixto；〃 he said。
Cooch looked thoughtful for a moment。 Then he said； 〃Zip； I can cut around the avenue and reach the kids that way。 I can get those pieces for us。〃
Like a business magnate who cannot be bothered by a petty administrative detail； Zip answered； 〃Yeah； good。 Gc ahead； get them。 Bring them back here。〃 His eyes wanderec up to the first…floor window again。 〃Man； I wonder how manj pieces Miranda has in that pad with him。〃
〃They say he took guns from all them cops in the。。。〃
〃Oh； man； this is gonna be the unholiest！ Jee…sus； is he gonna give it to them bastards！ Go ahead； Cooch。 Go get the pieces。 e on Sixto！〃
〃Where we going？〃
〃Get something to stand on。 There's always a million boxes in that empty lot on。。。〃
The shots exploded from inside the building； a short volley with the echoing roll of distant thunder。 The crowd went instantly silent。 The silence hung over the street； and then was shattered instantly when a woman in the crowd screamed。 An instant chorus went up after the scream； filling the street A wisp of smoke drifted from the mouth of the building。 The smoke hung on the air for an instant； silencing the crowd again； as if they had been a crowd in St。 Peter's Square waiting for the smoke to rise from the Sistine Chapel； announcing the new pope； and now that they had seen the smoke； they still did not know who the pope was； and so they fell silent； and they waited。
From inside the building； a voice shouted； 〃Lieutenant！ Lieutenant！〃
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