I've eaten at Chu's for five years and for some reason I can't even begin to explain he likes me. When he came out from the kitchen with his sushi cleaver in his hand, I wasn't worried, at first. What I had seen in the two notes already had my brain in overdrive, and what's a Buddhist razor or two between friends? He came over and shook hands with his left -- the cleaver was occupying the other hand -- and bowed to Lucky, who gave him the best Day Glo smile I'd seen from her all day.

"Meestuh Mattzin, you nee' know somfin!" Chu told me sotto voce. "Dey some guy parke behinna kitchen, big stletch rimo, de chauffeur look like Attira or sombuddy... 'bout three hunnert poun!!!! Not too firenly, you know??"

"Thanks, Chu. You're top Dlawer!" I said, and slipped him a fin I found in my shirt pocket.

"Follow me, darlin'" I told Lucky, and led her into the men's room along the side of the building. I didn't care what was written on those walls, or what it smelled like. We had to blow that nightclub, and we had to do it fdast, and this was the only way I knew how.