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KEVIN DOYLE ARRIVED early to his meeting in Central Park. He wanted to make sure he could warm up and stretch a little before he saw Tammy. Although he tried to stay in shape and exercised a couple of times a week, Tammy was serious about it. She was also a little younger than him. He didn’t want to embarrass himself.

It was cool outside, so he wore a sweatshirt he’d bought from a sidewalk vendor over an old Army T-shirt. The gaudy I NEW YORK on the front made him smile. He didn’t know why. Maybe because it was so unlike his usual drab clothes.

Doyle strolled to the front of Belvedere Castle, where Tammy had said she’d meet him. He soon saw her jogging toward the castle as he stood waiting for her.

Her smile immediately lifted his spirits. This was one of the best decisions he’d made since coming back to New York. Tammy surprised him by coming right up and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Then she said, “Let’s go!” And took off in an easy sprint toward the interior of the park. The overcast sky and the fact that it was a weekday meant they didn’t have to dodge many people.

Doyle caught up with Tammy and they started to chat as they jogged along. Doyle kept up a decent pace despite the shrapnel in his left knee. It was like being on a first date. He guessed it was kind of a first date. He learned that she had her AA degree in biology and was enrolled in City College to finish her BA. He told her about his time in the Army but left his post-military career vague, referring to himself as a consultant who traveled quite a bit. Which wasn’t entirely a lie.

Tammy surprised him by occasionally stopping to do push-ups and a couple of times even pull-ups on the low branches of trees. It was nothing he hadn’t done a thousand times before, but it felt like she was evaluating him. His competitiveness kicked in and he made sure to show perfect form when he did his own push-ups or pull-ups.

Finally, they ended up back in front of Belvedere Castle. They went through a few stretches as Doyle tried to figure out the best way to invite her to dinner. She certainly seemed interested in him. He even wondered if his hotel room was clean enough to bring her back. That was something he should have thought of before he came to the park.

After a few minutes, Tammy said, “I knew you were in good shape, but that was very impressive. Especially for a guy who has to hold down a job. And I think I can figure out what kind of job you have.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“A guy with your background doesn’t stay in shape like you are unless he’s still doing physical work. There was just something about the way you came into the diner every morning. I could tell you weren’t like other guys I knew. I’ve been wanting to ask you a question for the last few days. Now that I’ve gotten to know you better, I feel like I can finally ask it.”

“Okay, you’ve got my attention. What’s the big question?” Doyle’s mind raced with possibilities.

Tammy stood up from her stretch and turned to face Doyle. She moved closer and reached out to take hold of his right hand. She glanced around to make sure no one was near them.

His heart started to beat a little faster.

She leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “My uncle has ruined my life. He’s basically holding me in servitude. If something happened to him, I’d be free to do whatever I wanted.”

Doyle stepped back and said, “What?”

“Would you kill my uncle for me?”