Billy hates that pronoun, but he doesn’t correct it. He only has a ghost of a plan, and when it comes more into focus, maybe he can leave Alice out of it. He remembers what Bucky said: She’s in love with you and she’ll follow you as long as you let her and if you let her you’ll ruin her.
6
‘Ohhh, look – it’s a palace!’ So says Alice when they pull into the Wendover Ramada Inn at quarter of nine that Sunday night. ‘I mean, compared to the last three motels.’
Their adjoining rooms are far from palatial, but they’re nice, and the hallway carpet looks as if it’s been vacuumed recently.
‘Will you be able to sleep?’ she asks.
‘Yes.’ He doesn’t actually know if that’s true.
Her eyes are fixed on his. ‘I’ll sleep with you, if you want.’
Billy thinks of Roger Klerke’s taste for the young ones – on at least one pestiferous occasion a very young one – and shakes his head. ‘It’s a kind offer and much appreciated, but better not.’
‘Are you sure?’
Still looking directly at him, and is he tempted? Of course he is.
‘Thank you, Alice, but no. Will you be able to sleep?’
‘Will we be back at Bucky’s tomorrow?’
‘Should be.’
‘Then I’ll be able to sleep. I like him. He’s, you know, safe.’
Billy isn’t sure she’d feel that way if she knew even half the deals Elmer ‘Bucky’ Hanson has been involved in over the years, but he knows what she means and thinks she’s right. She and Bucky have made a connection.
‘Goodnight.’ He kisses her for the first time, on the corner of the mouth.
‘Goodnight. Oh, and here.’ She hands him the white Quik-Pik bag. ‘Baby oil and Handi Wipes. Clean off as much of that goop as you can, then get in the shower. You won’t get it all, but you can get most of it.’ She goes to the door, uses her keycard, then turns back. ‘And leave a good tip, because more of it will come off on the sheets.’
‘Okay.’ He wouldn’t have thought of that himself, although he probably would have tomorrow, when he looked at the bed.
She starts to go in, then looks at him over her shoulder. Her face is solemn but calm. ‘I love you.’
Billy doesn’t even think of lying. He tells her he loves her, too, then goes into his room.
7
He calls Nick. He’s not sure Nick will answer, but he does.
‘Who’s this?’ And then, without waiting for a reply: ‘Is it you?’
‘It’s me. Are you getting things right there?’
‘They will be by tomorrow.’
‘I didn’t cool anybody that I didn’t have to.’
A long pause with just the sound of breathing. Then Nick says, ‘I know.’
‘What’s up with Frank?’
‘In the hospital. His mother called my pet medic. Doc Rivers sent a private ambulance. She went with him.’
‘That’s a hard woman.’
‘Marge?’ Nick gives a short laugh. ‘You don’t know the half of it.’
I believe I do, Billy thinks. If I’d hit her in the back of the head with that Glock instead of Frank, it probably would have bounced right off.
‘Is our fat friend still in the land of the living?’
‘He was as of an hour ago when I called to tell him about what happened. He said I should have taken you more seriously. I said I thought four made guys – plus Marge – was pretty serious. Why do you ask?’
‘Did he procure for Mr K when he came to Vegas? It seems like the kind of job you’d delegate to him.’
‘You are a lot smarter than I thought,’ Nick says, as if talking to himself. ‘Smarter than anybody thought. Except maybe for Pigs.’
‘Did he or didn’t he?’
‘Well, yeah. Kinda. Pigs’d get with Judy Blatner when he knew K was coming. They’d go over her picture books, try to find one he’d like. Ten, twelve years ago he woulda wanted two, but his stamina’s declined. He ain’t what you’d call a gentleman, but he does prefer blondes.’
‘And they have to be young.’
‘Well duh,’ Nick says. ‘But the girls he went with in Vegas were never under eighteen. Judy’s been around a long time and runs a legal escort service. That means she can’t say the girls are for sex, but she doesn’t have to. Everyone knows. She steers clear of jailbait, though. Like it was poison. Which it is.’