Hunter's Moon.htm (25 page)

"I won't prescribe them." His hands raised in a placating gesture. "I deal with behavioral problems. Sue is missing tools that most people are born with. She calls it backbone."

He waggled his hands. "As a tag, it'll do. She needs reassurance that she has value. She thinks she's worthless, ugly, unlovable. For a while, constant encouragement couldn't hurt. Congratulate her when she does something firm where her family is concerned."

He wasn't telling me anything I didn't already know. I wouldn't have even bothered to sit down with him except I didn't want him to know that I'd heard the whole session.

"Oh, I think I'll get plenty of opportunity for that after I move in. I'll be all alone with her and her mother."

"Move in?" I could tell from his scent that he had found a bone to chew on. That's right. Sue hadn't mentioned it. Interesting. He sat with his mouth open just an inch, the question trembling on his lips. Then he dropped it. He blinked but his face gave nothing away. His scent did, though. He'd just realized that Sue wasn't being completely open. It was a pretty big thing to leave out of the session. His words were quiet and calm.

"Well, that will help. Really, though, she needs to be somewhere far from her immediate family. I suggested that but she didn't feel capable. With you there, she can learn how to deal with her mother and family one issue at a time with space enough not to feel trapped. If you can keep even a little professional distance and not get sucked into the mess, I know we can set the right wheels in motion."

Right is relative. My final diagnosis might end up being different than John's. If the tricks of the trade don't show a turn-around in her death wish in a reasonable time, I'd make my plans without telling him. Still, I nodded.

We talked for a bit longer, catching up on mutual friends. When we finished, I joined Sue in the waiting room. She spoke cheerily but it was a lie. "Am I a total fruitcake? You were in there a long time."

I smiled. "John didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. He says you need a buffer between you and your family. He also says that he wants to keep meeting with you. Would that be okay?"

She looked from me to John, then nodded shyly and a little embarrassed. "I enjoyed talking with you, Dr. Corbin. I'd like to meet with you again."

"I enjoyed it as well, Sue." His smile was warm and genuine. "Why don't we meet tomorrow, around the same time."

"Will Laura get pissy?" I asked

He shook his head. Just chocolate, no black pepper. "Nah. She's got some monthly meeting to attend. I was on my own anyway. I think this is important." He looked at Sue very pointedly. "I think you're important." She smiled but dropped her eyes. I guess I need to work with her on how to take a compliment.

We drove to my office next and signed the security consultant and bodyguard agreements. We agreed that a lease for my space in the basement would be a good idea. Sue read each document entirely and then initialed each page before she finally signed them. She even corrected a typo in the form.

"Do you really have to leave town?" she asked nervously after all the paperwork was signed. I gave a copy to her and kept one for my file. "What about the gate? And Vinny?"

"Yeah, I've got to go. They're expecting me. I wouldn't worry about Vinny. He won't come back for awhile. But if it'll make you feel better I can leave my car at your place. I'll take a cab. Vinny knows my car. But I don't think he'll risk his life for such a small amount of money."

I didn't want to alarm Sue, but I was a little worried. I called Gary right then and there and explained the problem. He agreed to fix the fence as an emergency call that day.

Chapter 21

Sue sat on the bed at my house. We drove there after the office so I could pack. The poker game sometimes lasts more than a day so I usually take spare clothes.

"Can I go with you?"

I shook my head and stuck a couple of shirts and a few pairs of underwear in a bag. "No ladies. No exceptions."

Sue hugged her knees to her chest. She looked miserable. Sad and embarrassed about Myra; about everything. "I'm sorry," she said, for the tenth time.

I sat down next to her on the bed. "Look, this doesn't have anything to do with you. This is something that I do every month. I'm not running out. But I told you—I won't change my life."

She smiled but it was sad. I hated seeing her sad when I was going somewhere to have fun. An idea occurred to me.

"Say, tell you what!" I sat down next to her and slipped my arms around her shoulders. "All of the wives and ladies of us guys will get together tonight while we're playing. Why don't I see if you can go along with them? I've heard they have a great time. They use a limo and everything!"

Her eyes lit up with equal amounts of excitement and fear. "Do you think they might? I don't know any of them."

"Hey, they're great gals. Lots of fun! I'm sure they won't mind."

I picked up my cell phone and dialed a number. Carmine answered and I explained my brilliant thought. He put Linda on the line. A few minutes later, it was all set up; Linda was real curious to meet anyone who had caught me, and she'd come to pick Sue up on the way to get the other women.

Linda suggested that Sue dress up, since they were going "clubbing." My brows raised. I've been clubbing with Linda before. It's an event. I chuckled and hung up.

I suggested that Sue not tell Myra that she was going out. We both knew the old bat would try to spoil it. Sue flat refused.

"No. I should be able to go out once in awhile. I should be able to have friends. Plus, I can't exactly sneak out with a limo sitting in the drive. I'll just have to ignore Mom's reaction. I hope it won't embarrass Linda too much, though."

I nodded, but added. "Don't worry. Linda will make sure you get out the door. She can handle Myra without even sweating."

I drove her home. When I kissed her goodbye, it took longer than I planned. I was hot and bothered by the time I left, and she was pleased and proprietary about that reaction.

Chapter 22

I arrived at Carmine's with a few minutes to spare. I stopped by the bank first. Then I remembered I had forgotten the briefcase from Vegas and had to go back to the house. I knew the case wouldn't make it past the guards, so I put it in the trunk after sliding the papers into an envelope using my gloves to keep any prints intact. The guards met me at the door. I handed them my Sig and the Colt derringer back-up. I pulled a wad of money from my pocket and turned that over, as well. The game is cash only. No checks. No house credit.

They still patted me down and ran a metal detector wand over me. Hey, it's a lot of money. I can put up with certain indignities. They got to look in the envelope without touching, but didn't get to read the contents. When I was cleared, I was given a tray of chips. They're normal plastic chips like you buy at the discount stores but they're assigned much higher values than dimes, nickels, and quarters. More like fives, tens and hundreds.

Carmine has a great house. It's a rambling ranch-style with a separate enclosed poker room where we can lock ourselves away from the world. If you can think of a debauched activity, you can find it at Carmine's. Drinking, smoking, gambling; as much and as often as you want. No sex or drugs, though. At least, not on poker night. The poker games are guys only and drugs are out.

Five of us play each month. Me, Carmine Leone, Joey "The Snake" Karasiuk, Ira Hillyard, and last but not least, Louis— pronounced "Louie"— Perricone. The five of us grew up together in the Family.

The drill is that you arrive, pay the guards the buy-in of ten thousand, plus a grand each for their fee. It's the same guards every time, so no surprises. The fee from each of us keeps them neutral. They clear you, hand you a rack of chips, and keep your weapons. We play until there is one winner, and the winner always takes home the fifty thousand. It either pays the rent or lays you low. On a good month the game lasts a couple of days

Carmine was at the bar fixing a drink when I was ushered in the room. Carmine smells like whiskey, cigar tobacco, and recent sex. Carmine always smells like recent sex. Today he smelled specifically like Linda.

It took awhile for me to find something that smells like Linda. When I did, I had to laugh. She smells like a sarracenia rubra. I didn't take much botany, but when I smelled one in a little flower shop back east, I looked it up. The common name is the Sweet Trumpet Pitcher. It's carnivorous, like a venus fly trap, but the flowers smell like roses. That's her, all right. Sweet but deadly.

"Hey, Tony! Glad you could make it!" His hearty words were tinged with curiosity. He motioned to the bulky envelope I carried.

I lowered my chin to acknowledge his unspoken question.

"Wouldn't miss it. Do you have a second? We need to talk."

He nodded and motioned with his head for me to follow him to the back. On the way past, I said my hellos to Ira, who's an accountant, and Louis, who handles protection gigs like Vinny. Ira smells like fresh cut lemon grass with overtones of cherry cough drops. Louis reminds me of the desert. Sort of dry and sandy.

Carmine closed the door behind me as I entered a small conference room off the back of the bar. He sat down at the table and motioned me into a chair.

"What's up?" His face was serious. I could smell his anger. I had invaded a "play" night with work.

I told him about the whole Vegas trip as quickly as I could. He kept his eyes on me and listened with his whole body. He didn't interrupt me once; he just waited until I finished.

I handed him the envelope. I watched his face and scent flow from concerned to angry to outright fury.

"Any ideas who's been telling tales?"

I was sitting back in my chair with my arms crossed over my chest while he looked over the papers. I shook my head. "Not one. I'm just the bearer of bad tidings, I'm afraid. They wanted you to think it was me."

His scent muddied— too many things to sort.

"I'll take care of this," he said flatly. "I hate to say it, but I'm glad you brought this with you. Nothing can be done today, but I'll start the wheels in motion. You just keep doing what you're doing— and watch your back," he added.

"Always do. Let me know when you find out anything. I want a piece of it." My voice was flat and cold. I don't like being set up.

He nodded his head once. "Let's go play some poker. It'll help me think."

Joey the Snake arrived just as we sat down at the table. Joey probably has a scent, but he always smells like Vick's Vapo-Rub. I don't know why he uses it so much, but the eucalyptus overpowers everything else.

Carmine was the host so he dealt first. After that the deal goes around the table, clockwise. We were six deals in when the phone rang. Carmine turned to watch one of the guards answer it. It didn't slow down the conversation for the rest of us. We were discussing the state of affairs in the Middle East. No business talk; sports or current events only.

"Tony?" Marvin was holding the receiver out to me. "Phone call. It's Linda."

Carmine looked at me sharply. It's amazing— and flattering— that after all these years he's still jealous of me. He crossed the room, took the phone and the guard backed off. "What's up, baby?" I didn't watch him. I went back to my hand. I had four out of five for a straight flush. The odds of drawing into it were hopeless but what's life without risk? I put one card on the table. It wouldn't be dealt until Carmine returned.

"Hell no!" Carmine growled. "No way."

I could hear Linda's voice over the receiver. If I focused I could listen. Linda has a real penetrating voice. Not shrill or sharp, but it carries. If you want to save your eardrums when you're talking to her, hold the receiver away a few inches. In fact, Linda's whole personality carries. Her essence. You can walk into a room and you just know that she's there or has been there.

Linda is lovely. That's not a word that you can use to describe most people but she is. She's not beautiful, or hot, she's lovely. She looks delicate and fragile, but she's as tough as nails.

She's probably about 5'6" with straight, blonde hair. Her piercing eyes are ice blue. Her body will stop traffic but only because she works at it. She knows her assets and her faults and plays them right. Linda's bubbly and outrageous and intelligent. If she hadn't been so damn avaricious, we probably would have stayed together. Still, you can't help but like her. I figured that she and Sue would hit it off.

The table conversation had moved on to sports. The Broncos were having an undefeated season but the puppy quarterback was hurt. The discussion was whether he would play the next game. Since Carmine was the dealer, we couldn't play without him. The bet was six hundred to him. Joey folded when I only wanted one card. Ira was hanging in there. He doesn't bluff, so I was in for some stiff competition.

Carmine came over, the portable phone to his ear. He said, "Yeah, hang on," and handed the phone to me. "Your lady needs a sitter."

I nearly spit out a sip of beer. "Oh, shit. Don't even tell me!" I took the phone. "What's up, Lin?"

I could hear loud voices in the background. Someone was arguing. "Hang on, Tony, let me get outside." I could hear her staccato steps on the polished hardwood. A door opened, then closed and then there was blessed silence.

"Tony, baby, you there?" She calls everyone baby, and everyone hates it.

"I got here about half an hour ago. Ohmagawd! Did you see this place! It's Tara! I didn't know this place even existed. I really like Sue, Tony. She suits you." There was static and she faded out for a second.

"You're breaking up, Linda," I said. Carmine dealt me a card. It wasn't what I needed so I folded. Then I told Joey to deal me out of the next hand and backed up my chair so the others could play.

"I've got a situation."

I moved to the other end of the room and sat on a bar stool. The static cleared on the phone and I heard Linda's voice again. "Can you hear me now?"

"Yeah. Go ahead."

There was silence for a moment. "Eeww, there's goose poop all over the ground! I just got it on my new shoes. Just a second." I heard movement again.