over her head at Benny. The smile never faded, but his eyes changed. They looked cold, and hard. “I’m shore sorry, podnah,” he said to Benny. “I didn’t mean to run into your purdy little wife.”
Benny’s brow furrowed while that sank in. Finally he said, “Uh, she ain’t my … anyway, watch where the hell you’re goin’ next time!”
“Shore, shore!” the bearded man said. “I didn’t mean to almost knock her down, but that’s better than knocking her up , right?” He laughed, and poked Benny playfully—but hard—on the arm. Then he walked away, still laughing. Benny glowered after him.
Felicia’s knees would scarcely support her as she climbed the steps and walked to the microphone. “Hello, boys,” she said to the band. They gave her a standing ovation.
I watched from the outer edge of the crowd. The lights dimmed until the stage was in total darkness. A soft blue spotlight fell on Felicia, who stood in the circle of light, head down. Her long red gown was daring, even by Vegas standards.
I thought about my five grand in winnings, folded up in my pocket. A new wardrobe would be the first thing I’d buy this lady.
Felicia lifted her eyes to the crowd, and softly began to sing. I watched her performance, totally amazed and fascinated. The crowd loved her as much as I did. And the boys in the band stood once again and joined in the applause when she finished her first song.
Varchetta’s goon sat at a small table close to the stage, looking up at Felicia in awe—perhaps reverence. He was a big mother. He would look right at home swinging from tree to tree.
So he was the creep that I had heard in Jilly’s recorded conversation. I thought about what an animal like him could do to a gentle, sensitive woman like Vi Evans. And I thought about him with Felicia and found myself gritting my teeth.
As her act grew to a close, I left the lounge area and walked briskly down a long hallway. Minutes later, I stood in the elevator as it swept me upward. The door opened with a pneumatic hiss.
I glanced out. Nothing. I walked down the red carpeted hallway toward the door to Varchetta’s apartment, trying to figure out where I could hide long enough to surprise the monster who would bring her to this very spot, just minutes from now.
I spotted an alcove just to the left of a window looking down on the strip, thirty stories below. Rain lashed against the window. I glanced out at the sea of vehicles in the parking lot, catching the movement of people dashing to their cars through the wind and rain, and the headlights of cars creeping along the Strip through the downpour.
I stepped into the narrow space and waited.
After a few long minutes, I heard a “ding” and the elevator door opened. I peered around the corner as Felicia stepped out and quickly turned and pressed the palm of her hand against Benny’s chest.
“No, Benny,” she said, smiling up at him. “You don’t have to take me to the door. I’m safe here; this will be just fine. Thank you for seeing me home.”
I saw him hesitate, not quite sure what to do. He said, “Mr. Varchetta would want me to see you to the door.”
Felicia smiled, then reached up and adjusted his tie. She had his undivided attention. He looked down at her, puzzled. Even from where I was standing, it was obvious that he was flattered, amazed that she was showing him some attention.
“That’s fine, Benny. And thank you for looking after me.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “I feel lucky to have a man like you to protect me. That bearded man would surely have tried to pick me up if it hadn’t been for you.”
Dumbo’s chest puffed up. Flustered, he grinned and mumbled something about it really being nothing at all. He backed into the elevator and the doors slid shut in his face. The last glimpse I got of the cretin, he was still grinning.
Felicia glanced around just as I stepped out of the alcove. A
Benny’s brow furrowed while that sank in. Finally he said, “Uh, she ain’t my … anyway, watch where the hell you’re goin’ next time!”
“Shore, shore!” the bearded man said. “I didn’t mean to almost knock her down, but that’s better than knocking her up , right?” He laughed, and poked Benny playfully—but hard—on the arm. Then he walked away, still laughing. Benny glowered after him.
Felicia’s knees would scarcely support her as she climbed the steps and walked to the microphone. “Hello, boys,” she said to the band. They gave her a standing ovation.
I watched from the outer edge of the crowd. The lights dimmed until the stage was in total darkness. A soft blue spotlight fell on Felicia, who stood in the circle of light, head down. Her long red gown was daring, even by Vegas standards.
I thought about my five grand in winnings, folded up in my pocket. A new wardrobe would be the first thing I’d buy this lady.
Felicia lifted her eyes to the crowd, and softly began to sing. I watched her performance, totally amazed and fascinated. The crowd loved her as much as I did. And the boys in the band stood once again and joined in the applause when she finished her first song.
Varchetta’s goon sat at a small table close to the stage, looking up at Felicia in awe—perhaps reverence. He was a big mother. He would look right at home swinging from tree to tree.
So he was the creep that I had heard in Jilly’s recorded conversation. I thought about what an animal like him could do to a gentle, sensitive woman like Vi Evans. And I thought about him with Felicia and found myself gritting my teeth.
As her act grew to a close, I left the lounge area and walked briskly down a long hallway. Minutes later, I stood in the elevator as it swept me upward. The door opened with a pneumatic hiss.
I glanced out. Nothing. I walked down the red carpeted hallway toward the door to Varchetta’s apartment, trying to figure out where I could hide long enough to surprise the monster who would bring her to this very spot, just minutes from now.
I spotted an alcove just to the left of a window looking down on the strip, thirty stories below. Rain lashed against the window. I glanced out at the sea of vehicles in the parking lot, catching the movement of people dashing to their cars through the wind and rain, and the headlights of cars creeping along the Strip through the downpour.
I stepped into the narrow space and waited.
After a few long minutes, I heard a “ding” and the elevator door opened. I peered around the corner as Felicia stepped out and quickly turned and pressed the palm of her hand against Benny’s chest.
“No, Benny,” she said, smiling up at him. “You don’t have to take me to the door. I’m safe here; this will be just fine. Thank you for seeing me home.”
I saw him hesitate, not quite sure what to do. He said, “Mr. Varchetta would want me to see you to the door.”
Felicia smiled, then reached up and adjusted his tie. She had his undivided attention. He looked down at her, puzzled. Even from where I was standing, it was obvious that he was flattered, amazed that she was showing him some attention.
“That’s fine, Benny. And thank you for looking after me.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “I feel lucky to have a man like you to protect me. That bearded man would surely have tried to pick me up if it hadn’t been for you.”
Dumbo’s chest puffed up. Flustered, he grinned and mumbled something about it really being nothing at all. He backed into the elevator and the doors slid shut in his face. The last glimpse I got of the cretin, he was still grinning.
Felicia glanced around just as I stepped out of the alcove. A
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