you weren’t hurt any worse than you were, but you were asking for trouble and you got it. And you got a lot of people hurt, including an innocent bystander and my partner. So you’d better watch your step, buddy. You cause any more trouble around here, I’ll be on you like wet on rain.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, looking stunned and guilty. Dave suspected that the look was a sham. “I’m sorry.”
She glanced at Dave. “Let’s go.”
He stayed beside her as she hurried away.
“Couple of shitheads,” she muttered.
“Well, they got hurt pretty good for their trouble.”
“I think the Wayne kid enjoyed it. He stripped the shirt right off that one gal. Probably got in some feelies.”
“Two against one, and they were both bigger than him.”
Joan smiled. “You on his side?”
“He had to defend himself. Even if they were girls. Some are tough.”
“Yeah? Think so?”
“I know of one, for sure.”
“She’s bigger than you too. But you’ve got prettier legs.”
Dave looked down to compare. “I’d say it’s even.”
She patted his rump.
“Watch it, partner. None of that.”
“Forgot myself.”
“Not that I don’t appreciate it. When you get to my place, you can do it to your heart’s desire.”
“What time do you want me?”
“How’s six?”
“How about seven? I’ll need some time to take a bath and get my costume together.”
The costume. They hadn’t discussed her plan since early morning. Dave had been hoping the whole idea might just evaporate, but he supposed he had known, all along, there wasn’t much chance of that. Once Joan had made her mind up about something…
You wouldn’t want it any other way, he told himself. Suppose she had been happy to wash her hands of Gloria? Said the bitch got what she deserved, it’s none of our business, forget about her and let’s have a ball? You’d think she was a heartless jerk.
It’s her heart making her do this.
Making her take such a risk.
She sure doesn’t want to come back here after the place closes. She’s probably more scared than me. But she isn’t going to back out.
Heart and guts.
“Let’s wear vests,” he said.
Joan gave him an amused frown. “Who’s going to be shooting at us?”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I. Those things cramp my style, and we’ve got no reason to think the trollers go around with guns.”
“I’d wager they carry knives, at least. I’d rather catch the next blade in Kevlar.”
She met his eyes. And nodded. “I’d rather you did too. Okay, we’ll go with the vests.”
“How about the rest of your ensemble?” he asked.
“Violins, a clarinet…”
“No brass,” he added. “You’ve got too much of that already. But have you decided what you’ll wear?”
“In addition to the vest? I don’t know.”
“You haven’t got a closet full of filthy rags?”
“Maybe we could roll a bag lady.”
“I could stop by Gloria’s and pick up her stuff for you.”
The cheerful, mischievous look vanished from her face. “Wouldn’t fit.”
“The tights might be a little snug…”
“God, I’m not gonna wear Gloria’s tights. Or anything else. They’re hers. And they’ve been pawed by the creep who…took them off her.”
Joan’s words jammed images into Dave’s head of Gloria on her back, struggling and screaming as rough hands ripped at the clothes.
“Besides,” Joan said, “if I wore her stuff, it might destroy evidence.”
“Yeah.”
Evidence. The hairs of a stranger. Maybe blood. Maybe semen. Dave hadn’t noticed anything like that, but the crime-scene guys were experts. The smallest trace…
“Are you all right?”
“Thinking about evidence.”
“I’m sorry. I should’t have mentioned it.”
“No, you’re right. I made a mistake touching her stuff in the first place.”
“That’s how you figured out…”
“Yeah. That too. Exactly. Just like I said, a mistake. If I’d kept my hands off her things, we wouldn’t be any the wiser. We wouldn’t be doing this tonight.”
“Shame I can’t get her in stereo,” Cowboy said, cupping a hand behind his bandaged ear.
“She’s pretty good, isn’t she?”
The banjo girl was standing near the long line in front of the Hurricane, tapping her foot as she pounded out “The Rock Island Line.” Wearing what she was, she didn’t look like a bum anymore. Jeremy liked her dress. It was short, showing off her slender legs, and the weight of the banjo pulled it tight against her breasts.
She’s still no Tanya, Jeremy thought.
How could a guy like Nate go for her, when he already had Tanya? It didn’t make sense.
Unless it might be something about the way she seemed kind of innocent and mysterious.
Innocent. Sure. Jeremy remembered how she’d snapped at him Wednesday night. She’s a bitch, he thought. And tough as nails.