Casino Moon

56

TEDDY AND JOEY SNAILS were in the stash house apartment in Marvin Gardens, trying to get ready for their guest.

“I was going to buy almonds,” said Joey, putting on his red-and-blue Gore-Tex windbreaker. “You want anything else from the store?”

Teddy was lying on the black leather couch, still exhausted from his dialysis. He slowly raised his eyes. All six of the stolen digital clocks in the room said it was 9:53.

“Does he eat almonds?” he asked.

“Last time he was over my house, he ate the whole bowl,” said Joey.

“That’s funny,” said Teddy. “Whole time I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him eat almonds. Forty-five years. It’s unbelievable. You can know somebody and not know them at all.”

He raised his head and looked around the apartment. The bar was crowded with untaxed bottles of Chivas Regal and Canadian Club, but he couldn’t drink any of them. He didn’t even have the strength to move the swag and stolen carpets in the next room to the car downstairs.

Joey looked at him with vacant eyes and a slack jaw. “What else you want me to get?”

“Get me some fruit,” said Teddy, clutching his side as his eyes glistened. “Where you got that gun anyway?”

“In the bathroom. Where I always keep it.”

“That the one you’re gonna use?”

“Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

“Just don’t fuck around. He carries one in his waistband.”

“Don’t worry,” said Joey, grabbing the doorknob. “I ain’t gonna shoot the place up.”

“That ain’t what I’m concerned about,” said Teddy. “You aren’t careful, you’ll get us both shot. He’s a tough old man. I know him.”

“Yeah, I know him too.”

“Where’s Richie?”

“He said he’d stop by later.”

“Tell him to hurry. We ain’t gonna be here all night.”

Joey sucked his cheeks in concentration. “Maybe I’ll pick up some chink food while I’m out. I ain’t had any dinner.”

“Yeah,” said Teddy, “and don’t get too many of them almonds. They’re hard on my stomach the way it is.”