27A gnat was buzzing near my ear. I tried shooing it away. I tried harder but without success. Then I realized that it was the phone ringing. It was Phil.
“Hey, Dickie, where the hell have you been? I tried calling you a couple of times late last night. Did you get lucky?” he chortled.
Yeah, I sure got lucky. I told him what had transpired and reminded him that the kidnappers would be calling. Not to worry, he said. He had the money and we would be prepared for them.
“You have the money?” I was incredulous. I might as well have heard that my ex-brother-in-law had picked up the tab at a restaurant. “Where did you get it?”
“Don't ask so many questions, buddy boy. I'll only say that it's not mine and it's not real. Okay?”
“Sure it's okay,” I managed to stammer, “but what's all this about
