what I was saying to keep my thoughts straight, “but I need out. I am glad to hear I’m square on the loan. I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t, but I can’t do this anymore.” Hector nodded. I could tell he knew where I was coming from. “Not just yet. We got some loose ends still and I can’t have loose ends. Let me see what I can do. I might have something. One or two more jobs,” he stopped, but kept eye contact with me. “Big jobs."
I was across the garage when Hector called out to me. He jogged over. “Until I get this straightened out, don't let Chucky know we spoke. When does he expect another payment?” “Not for a couple more weeks.” “Good. You let him keep thinking everything is normal. Just for another day or two. I'll text you later and let you know when we can close this out. Okay?” He could see I was not too thrilled with the idea. “I’ll be in touch,” he said and extended his hand to me. I shook his hand and walked out. *** I walked by the shoreline to get my mind off Chucky. Dozens of Canadian geese floated across the lake. Grandpa's fishing boat sat upside down on the beach near the dock that jutted out into the water. The same dock I watched my father and grandfather put out every spring and take in every fall when I was a kid. I hadn’t thought about the dock. It had to come out of the water before winter. I put on Grandpa's waders and grabbed his tool box. The soft lake bottom was congested
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