Hymie became quiet and contemplative, while Sarah Chandar opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself. This was their decision. It was a setback, of course, but there would always be another chance, people were basically greedy.
Mike smiled at Hymie and shrugged. “It was good while it lasted,” he said, resigned to his fate. Hymie smiled back. He had looked forward to this moment for so long but he had forgotten what was important.
“I’m afraid the deal’s off, Sarah,” he said. “Mike’s right, we can’t sell the business, it’s all we have. It’s kept me going for the last few years, when otherwise I would have thrown in the towel.” Tears began to well up in his eyes, so he blew his nose quickly and surreptitiously wiped them away.
“I understand,” said Sarah, and left them.
Later, Hymie began to doubt whether he had done the right thing, but Mike was steadfast and the business couldn’t function any longer without him. Instead of an ending, the meeting became a new beginning for the two detectives. Cases increasingly seemed to find them; good cases, providing interesting work and rich rewards. But all that lay in the future, and the future, as they said of the past, was another country.
The Golden Pig Page 24