BENEATH BLACK STARS

-TRACK 6-

BENEATH BLACK STARS

Reggie called me back the following morning and told me to meet him at a small diner a couple blocks away. “Bring the guys,” he said, “and let’s talk about this.” I told him I would, but I didn’t say which guys. I roused Hank and Bobby from their rooms, but none of us bothered calling Johnny. He’d been staying at Camilla’s loft, an invitation which had been extended to all of us, but none of us were brave enough to accept it. Hank and Bobby had had various trysts with her since that night in the hotel, but like I said before, I’d made it a point to stay as far away from her as possible. Besides, Johnny wasn’t invited to this meeting.

Our manager was waiting for us in a booth at the far end of the diner. Three mugs of coffee were already on the table.

“Thought you might need this,” he said, moving over. “Drink up. It’s fresh.”

We took our seats and nursed our coffee. Reggie was silent for a few minutes, watching each of us, inspecting us. Afterward, I