Red Baker Read Online Free

gotten from seeing the movie
Spartacus
(there were also a lot of crucified Christians in the movie, but he couldn’t figure any way to work that into the general theme). In the midst of all this splendor, you might expect Roman slave girls to bring in suckling pigs and all. But the best that simple-assed creep could come up with was pizza with names like El Greco’s Supremo and Attila’s Revenge. The point being that just last week Vinnie had suggested to Crystal that the Paradise and Mona Lisa and all the rest of his greasy kingdom could be hers and his if only she would put out for him from time to time. She had told him that there was as much chance of this happening as the Colts staying in Baltimore, and now, in his stupid, savage way, he had to break her chops and mine whenever he had the chance.
    But tonight he had pushed it too far, and he knew it. His fat belly was quivering with fear and hatred, and he was breathing in short, deep bursts. Behind him Frankie picked himself off the floor and looked at Crystal with those little eyes, narrow slits like the edge of a knife.
    “You’re gonna be sorry for that,” he said.
    “Shut up, Frankie,” Vinnie said. “Go out and get the car started. Joey, you go with him.”
    “No broad’s going to push me around and get away with it,” Frankie said.
    “You bother her and it’ll be carnival time for you, shithead,” I said.
    “You think so, Baker? You think so?”
    “Come on—right now.”
    I stepped forward, but Dog grabbed me from behind and Vinnie and Crystal both jumped in the way.
    “Frankie,” Vinnie said, “go out and warm up the car. Crystal, get back up on that stage. What the hell am I paying you for?”
    “Sure Vinnie,” Crystal said. She gave him a sexy, mocking little pout and then ran the back of her hand across his cheek. Vinnie turned red-faced and backed away from her, stunned.
    “Am I gonna see you tonight, honey?” she asked me.
    Vinnie heard this as he followed his cretins out the door. But when he got there, he turned back and looked at me. His gold chains were shining in the hot red lights from the stage.
    “You gonna push it too far one time, Baker.”
    “Blow it out your ass, fat boy,” Dog said. “You scare nobody!”
    “You’ll see. One of these days. You’ll both see!” Vinnie waved his fat finger up and down and twisted his lips so he looked like a blowfish. Then he turned and made a movie exit out the door.
    “You’re breaking his heart, honey,” I said to Crystal, putting my arm around her shoulder and feeling her perfect, smooth skin.
    “Just like you’re breaking mine, Red.”
    “Hey, hold on.”
    “Am
I going to see you tonight?”
    I stared down at my drink, ran my hand through my hair.
    “I can’t tonight, hon. I gotta go home and break the news to Wanda and Ace.”
    Crystal fluttered her long lashes and shook her head.
    “Well then, I guess I’ll just have to find someone else to listen to my records with me.”
    She looked at me and then over at Dog, who was having a drink with Billy.
    “Count me out of this one,” Dog said. “Life is trouble enough without humping you, Crystal.”
    “Well, you’ll never know what sweetness you missed, hon,” she laughed.
    I felt a pain go right through me to the bone, and I wanted her so badly I almost grabbed her and hustled her out to Dog’s truck.
    “Tomorrow night,” I said. “Can you make it then?”
    “Maybe, Red,” she said. I guess I got so long-faced that she kissed me, and she whispered, “You know I can. I love you, honey.” That cheered me up, and I ordered another round.
    “Gotta dance, hon,” she said. She went back behind the bar and blew me a kiss on the way up to the stage.
    “Son of a bitch,” Billy Bramdowski said. “That is one beautiful woman.”
    “Kicked old Frankie’s ass too.”
    “Yeah,” I said, “some woman.”
    Dog looked over at me and shook his head.
    “We’re out of fucking work and you’re in love. Ain’t life