It Was a Very Bad Year Read Online Free Page B

‘Oh, no, baby, he ain’t the guy.’
    He must have already promised her she’d meet a guy who would give her a job. Sorry, I thought, not me.
    â€˜Whataya want?’ he asked me, but he was looking past me, at Jerry.
    â€˜We need to talk.’
    â€˜About what?’
    â€˜Abby Dalton.’
    â€˜Abby . . .’ He turned to the girl. ‘Get dressed, baby.’
    â€˜Are we done, Barney?’
    â€˜Yeah, baby, we’re done.’
    â€˜When will I get to meet—’
    â€˜Get dressed!’ he snapped. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’
    â€˜OK, Barney.’
    She stepped down from the stage and trotted off toward another door, and through. We all watched her jiggle until she was gone, then looked back at each other.
    â€˜You remember Abby Dalton, don’t you, Mr Irwin?’ I asked.
    â€˜She was Marlene Wasden when I knew her,’ Irwin said. ‘A pretty little thing. You can see her picture in my window.’
    â€˜But she’s a TV star now,’ I said. ‘Famous.’
    â€˜So she is.’ He walked to a table and set his camera down on it. ‘What’s that got to do with me?’ He started walking around the room, stooping to pick up the spent bulbs.
    â€˜What was that girl’s name?’ I asked.
    He straightened and looked at me. ‘Who? Jenny?’ He jerked his thumb in the direction of the door the girl had gone through.
    â€˜You ever take pictures of other girls like the ones you were takin’ of Jenny?’ I asked.
    â€˜Sure,’ Barney said. ‘I got connections. I can get them jobs at the casinos.’
    â€˜As what? Cigarette girls?’
    â€˜Show girls,’ he said. ‘That’s why they come to me. That’s why they pose.’ He dropped all the bulbs into a trash can.
    â€˜And what about Abby? Or Marlene? Did she pose for pictures like those?’
    â€˜Like those?’ Barney asked. ‘No, she was classy, even as a teenager.’
    â€˜So that means no naked pictures of her?’
    Irwin turned to look at me.
    â€˜Why are you interested?’ he asked. ‘Why should I talk to you about that?’
    â€˜I’m just askin’ questions, Barney.’
    â€˜Yeah, but why?’ Irwin asked. ‘Say, who sent you here? Who gave you my name?’
    â€˜Ask anybody in Vegas who takes the best cheesecake pictures,’ I said. ‘Don’t they say Barney Irwin?’
    Irwin frowned. ‘You tryin’ to do a stroke job on me?’
    â€˜Me?’ I said. ‘Stroke the great Barney Irwin?’
    â€˜Aw, whataya want here?’ Irwin said, growing annoyed. ‘I got work to do.’
    â€˜Got another girl comin’ in?’ I asked. ‘Another young girl to make get naked in front of you?’
    â€˜Hey, I’m an artist,’ Irwin said. ‘All artists use girls as models.’
    â€˜Yeah,’ Jerry said, ‘but most artists got talent.’
    â€˜Hey, I got talent,’ Irwin said. ‘I been in this business a long time.’
    â€˜Yeah,’ Jerry said, ‘we can tell that from all the dust on everything in here.’
    â€˜Oh, that?’ Irwin said. ‘Yeah, I got a woman who comes in – only she’s been sick.’
    â€˜You got any copies of the photos you took of Abby Dalton, Barney?’
    Irwin hesitated, then said, ‘That was a long time ago.’
    â€˜Does that mean no?’
    â€˜I’d have to look.’
    â€˜I tell you what,’ I said. ‘If you find any, I’ll buy them from you. Top dollar.’
    Irwin got a greedy look in his eyes.
    â€˜Top dollar?’
    â€˜For every photo. And the negative.’
    â€˜I’ll have to look,’ he said, again.
    I took out a business card and placed it on a table.
    â€˜Give me a call at the Sands when you find them.’
    â€˜And what about my girls? Like Jenny? What about her? Can you get her a job in your