You know what I think …?”
“No.”
“Carol has brought us here. She put us together and she expects something from us. Maybe not revenge for her death … maybe it’s not that at all. Maybe she’s trying to teach us something. But I know this much, she’s watching.
“I’ve spent five years in courtrooms prosecuting scum like Joe and Tommy Rina. For them, people have no value except as criminal end users. They can kill us, but Joe and Tommy Rina can’t control us anymore, because they have nothing we want except them. Their usual tools of money, bribery, and intimidation won’t work against us, and that’s what gives us power. Carol wanted to protect you. She gave up her life trying. It’s a legacy, Beano. You can’t spend it or trade it, but it might nourish you with its memory.”
There was a moment of silence, and then he reached out and took her hand and held it for a moment, before he got up and walked inside. It was far from her best closing argument, but she hoped she had reached him.
* * * *
Tommy had taken a shower and had changed into a silk shirt that his brother Joe had brought back for him from China. Joe said the silk worms were specially cultivated and that the shirt had cost a fortune. He’d spent another thousand in “ditch Calliope” money, telling her he had business in the casino office. He had left her standing at the roulette table with a handful of hundreds, chewing on a nail, wondering whether to bet red or black … a decision that promised to consume all of her thoughts for hours.
When Dakota walked into the Flamingo Bar again, Tommy couldn’t believe his good fortune. She moved right to him and smiled. “You changed,” she said, looking at his green silk shirt and taking his hand.
“No, I haven’t,” he said, missing the point badly. “I’m the same guy I was this afternoon.”
“I can hardly wait to see what a High-roller floor looks like,” she said, still holding his hand.
Tommy led her to the elevator and put in his key. They went up to the tenth floor, exited the elevator, and went past Suite 10-B, where Duffy was at that moment doctoring the dice, then moved on to the end of the hall to a very small but beautiful gambling area. The Stickmen and Croupiers were all in tuxedos; the crap tables were hand carved and imported from European casinos. There were only half-a-dozen players, mostly Arabs and Asians. Crystal chandeliers hung low over the tables. The effect was startling.
“You really own this place?” she said, still holding his hand.
“Ask anybody. Ask him,” Tommy said, pointing to the Host of the room, and Tommy led Dakota to the tuxedoed man. “Go on, ask him.”
“He says he owns this hotel,” she said.
“If Mr. Rina says it, then you better believe it,” the Host replied.
“That makes me the luckiest girl on the island.” She sat on the bar chair, letting the slit on her dress fall open. Her long legs flashed in the incandescent chandelier light.
“Buy ya a drink?” Tommy said, hoping to get her blitzed.
“Only if you’ll join me. Scotch straight,” she said, smiling.
The challenge was drawn, and Tommy ordered two double Scotch shooters, falling into her trap. One thing Dakota Bates could do was drink. In fact, she could out-drink every man she’d ever met. It came in very handy in her profession. She would drink them under the table, romp them, roll them, and be gone with their money and credit cards before sun-up.
When the double Scotch shooters arrived, she teased … “I hope you wouldn’t take advantage of a poor girl?” She smiled as they clicked glasses.
Tommy grinned back. He intended to take advantage, all right. First, he was going to get this luscious creature to smoke his pink cigar. Then he was gonna screw her blind.
Trouble was, she matched him drink for drink, and by one-thirty he could barely stand. “Enough drinking,” Tommy slurred, “let’s fuck.” He spewed a spit-spray of Scotch mist and bad breath into her ear, then pulled back and leered at her through alcohol-dimmed eyes.
“My place or yours?” she cooed.
“Wishever closer.”
“I’ve got oils and lotions in my room. I’ll rub them all over you. I’ll massage you and lick you clean,” she promised.
“Fuckin’ A …” Tommy said.
She helped him up and led the teetering mobster out of the High-roller casino. She guided him to the elevator and down to her room on