chunk of feta.
“You ever gone there? The Flamingo, I mean.” he lifted the coffee to his mouth and talked through the steam. “Naw. Haven’t had the time. I’ve been meaning to.”
I mopped up the last of my omelette with a piece of toast. Louie waited for me to finish and took my plate away. I was full, but not uncomfortable. The tobacco crackled as I inhaled. I leaned down and pulled one of the McKinley’s out of my shoe. When Louie returned, I handed him the 500 dollar bill. “Does this bring us up even?”
Louie seemed a little shell-shocked. Maybe he’d already claimed me as a deduction on his tax return. He turned to the cash register, opened it, then swung the around and laid three C-notes in front of me.
“That oughtta cover it.”
What a liar. I knew I’d run up at least a 400 dollar tab over the past two months or so. I slid off the bar-stool, pocketing one of the bills and my pack of smokes. Louie braced himself on the counter and jerked his head in the direction of the two bills. “Don’t even think about leavin’ here without those.”
I walked to the door. “Thanks, Louie. If there’s a God, he’s saving a seat for you.”
I stepped outside and looked up and down the street. I could hear the air traffic picking up, but no one in the neighbourhood was out and about yet. My next stop would have to wait until later. Chelsee first, then the Fuchsia Flamingo. My full tummy and I walked back to the office.
Chapter Four
“A little late, aren’t you?”
She looked tired. Through the partially open door, I could see the kitchen table. Burned down candles. Slightly wilted flowers. An open container of Haagen Dazs with a spoon stuck in it. A simple “I’m sorry” wasn’t going to cut it.
“I’m sorry. I… I really didn’t…”
“Couldn’t you at least call? Don’t you have any respect for me at all?” Chelsee’s eyes glistened. She dried her eyes on the sleeve of her bathrobe. “Leave me alone, Tex. I can’t talk right now.” She started to close the door.
I reached out and stopped it. “C’mon, Chelsee, it’s not like you think. Just… give me a chance to explain.”
She looked at me defiantly. The tears were coming back. She turned away.
“Look, I know this is gonna sound ridiculous, but…” I paused, then said it as quickly as possible. “I couldn’t come because someone knocked me out.”
It sounded like the lamest lie ever told. Chelsee gave me a look that said what kind of a fool do you take me for?
“Really. I’m serious — feel my head. I was out for, like, sixteen hours.”
Chelsee’s hard stare was merciless.
I took her hand and placed it carefully on my still tender goose egg. “See? I swear, I really wanted to be here last night, but I was out cold the whole time. You gotta believe me — I wouldn’t stand you up. Ever.”
She pulled her hand away. Her gaze seemed to penetrate me, reaching straight into my flawed male soul. After a long moment, she released me. Her voice was softer now. “What happened? Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s not like I’ve ever taken a shot to the head before.”
Chelsee pulled a tissue from the pocket of her robe and smiled as she dabbed at her nose.
I grinned and felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. “Why don’t you get dressed and let me buy you a drink?”
She opened the door and motioned me inside. “Might as well. I wasn’t planning on opening the newsstand today anyway.” She picked up the Haagen Dazs, licked off the spoon, and replaced the cover. “Where should we go?”
I knew that we should go somewhere in the new city, a nice, quiet place where we could discuss the pros and cons of romantic love, get a little light-headed, maybe go for a walk and watch the sunset — in short, get away from this Malloy case that had gotten me into trouble in the first place. But if we went to, say, the Fuchsia Flamingo, maybe I could make things up to Chelsee and get a little detective work