drunk was subtle; he never took it too far. “Mighty nice piece’a ice, ain’t it?” he said, pointing to a particularly ugly diamond choker.
“Whatever you say, Daddy,” she said tentatively.
The store clerk caught a glimpse of Beano’s wide-brimmed Stetson and fixed on him like a heat-locked missile.
“I’m Matthew; may I help you, sir?” he said, rushing up.
“Well, I s’pose we gonna have to go an’ get us a little bauble fer Honeybee here. Ain’t that right?”
“Whatever you want, Daddy,” she simpered.
“‘At’s right, whatever I want.” He grinned at Matthew.” This lady, she already brung me a powerful heap a’luck. Yesterday I got nothin’ but losers. Couldn’t draw a pistol from a holster. Then I met Sugar Plum, and today I been so lucky, if I was settin’ on a fencepost the birds would feed me. Gotta keep the good luck flowin’, don’t we, Baby?”
“Whatever you want, Daddy.” She was beginning to feel like she needed to broaden her responses.
“What did you have in mind?” the young salesman said, as Beano started looking around in the case.
“See, I’m a big un fer lucky charms. How it goes is, I live right smack on the edge of Black Pearl Mesa, in Locadocious, Texas. So fer luck I’m gonna give this little lady the biggest black pearl y’all got in the place.”
“Could I suggest instead the diamond choker you were admiring?” he said, pointing to it.
“I ain’t about ta go an squat on my spurs here. Y’all don’t know much about luck, do ya? Gotta buy some-thin’ with meaning, son, gotta be a black pearl.”
“Oh boy,” Matthew said, “that’s going to be hard. Excuse me.” The young man rushed off and minutes later he returned with a tall, unctuous scavenger in a three-piece black pinstripe. After one look at Beano he started wringing his hands like a praying mantis.
“I’m Donald Stine. I run this store. Matt said you were looking for a black pearl?”
“‘At’s right, Don. Justice R. McQueed.” Beano shot his hand out, and when Don Stine took it, he got his knuckles cracked, Texas style.
“Gonna buy the biggest, largest ol’ black pearl y’all got.”
“Black pearls are quite rare,” Stine said.
“Then we’re at the wrong rodeo. Come on, Honey-bun.” Beano started to lead her out. Victoria now knew why girls in five-inch platform shoes all looked stupid. It was impossible to walk. You had to sort of shuffle moronically. She was teetering along behind Beano when Don Stine stopped them. “We have a few small ones in settings … but matching black pearls of any size or quality are almost impossible to find.”
“This here is one pearl we’re talkin” bout, Bucko. Don’t have t’be a match. Only got one girl, only need one pearl … see?” he grinned broadly. “I’m ready t’go to fifty thousand dollars. How’s that sound, Sugar?”
“Oh, Daddy, you’re so sweet. Whatever you say.” Victoria was beginning to get into it.
Donald Stine was distracted. He couldn’t take his eyes off her chest. She had to admit the little black stretch dress was providing good energy.
“I could call around, see what’s in our other stores. We have reciprocity with the other shops here in Atlantic City. And I’ll check the Jewelry Mart.”
“Ya got me all spread out like a cold supper here, Donnie. Them tables is a-calling and I’m ready to go. … Let’s do the deal, that’s the Texas way.”
“If you would have a seat, I could see what I can get in the next ten or twenty minutes.”
“Well, hell, let’s give ‘er a shake, then.”
Stine hurried off and Beano and Victoria moved around the shop, looking at the trashy jewelry in the glass cases while the assistant, Matt, trailed them like a bloodhound. After a few minutes, Stine returned, wearing a greedy smile.
“We’re in luck. As you probably know, pearls are measured in millimeters.”
“Nope, never bought one before.”
“We found a twenty-two-millimeter, perfectly round, opaque black pearl. It’s got a beautiful dusky black luster and it’s only forty-seven thousand retail, plus tax.”
“Well, let’s get that little pigeon egg on over an’ take us a look-see.”
“In the interest of time, could we clear credit now? How will we be handling the transaction? That is, should the pearl meet your specifications,” Stine said. Beano wished he’d stop wringing his hands.
“Got me a checking account right here in the hotel,” Beano said proudly.
While Beano and Donald Stine went to the casino front desk to arrange the transfer, Victoria went to the ladies’ room, which was just outside the store off the casino