Hey There (You with the Gun in Your Hand)

Fifty-nine

“Hello, Jack.”

“Don’t hello me, Eddie. Where have you been?”

“Tryin’ to stay alive.”

“Is that supposed to be dramatic?”

“It’s supposed to be truthful, Jack.”

He hesitated a moment, then-in a tone not quite so aggressive-said, “Well, the cops were here lookin’ for you. Your old friend Detective Hargrove.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“Seems he thinks you had somethin’ to do with killin’ four men.”

“Did he say that?”

“No,” Entratter said, “he insinuated it. But he was in your house and he said somethin’ about how clean your living room carpet was. In fact, he said it was still wet. Why’s he interested in your wet shag carpet?”

“Did he mention a bullet hole in the wall?”

“No.”

“Probably keepin’ that to himself.”

“There’s a bullet hole in your wall?”

“I told you, Jack,” I said, “I’m tryin’ to stay alive.”

“You got the big guy with you?”

“Yeah. Jerry’s here.”

“Hargrove was askin’ about him, too.”

“He’s okay.”

“How much longer is this gonna take you, Eddie?” he asked.

“Not sure, Jack.”

“Damnit-”

“I’m gonna wrap it up as quick as I can.”

He sighed heavily into the phone and said, “Okay, kid, but do me a favor, huh? Check in.”

“Sure, Jack. What are you gonna tell Hargrove?”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll string him along. Just be aware that he’s lookin’ for you. If you’re in Vegas, keep your head low.”

“Gotcha, Jack. Thanks.”

“Call me if you get in a real bind, Eddie.”

“You know it, Jack.”

He knew from experience that whatever happened I’d try to keep him out of it. But his offer was sincere.

I hung up and turned to face Sammy and Jerry.

“Cops?” Jerry asked.

“I guess Hargrove got his search warrant and went into my house.”

“There’s nothing there for him to find,” Jerry said. “Except for a wet carpet.”

“So when did it become a crime to clean yer house?” Jerry asked.

“The cops are lookin’ for you?” Sammy asked.

“Both of us,” I said.

“He ain’t gonna come here,” Jerry said.

“Yeah, but we’ve got to go back to Vegas for the meet,” I said. “We’ll have to time it right.”

“I’ll call for the copter, have it stand by tomorrow,” Sammy said.

“Tell the pilot it’ll be tomorrow night, but he better be ready at a moment’s notice,” I said.

“Will do.”

“Meanwhile, we don’t have much to do but wait,” I said.

“Anybody got a deck of cards?” Jerry asked.

“We’re in a casino town,” Sammy said, as he picked up the phone. “I’m sure we can get as many as we want.”

“You want to play gin?” I asked Jerry. “Or poker?”

“Nope,” he said. “I thought maybe you could teach me how to play blackjack.”

Jerry was a quick learner.

“I’ve never seen anybody catch on to strategy as fast as this guy,” Sammy said.

He was watching while I taught Jerry the rudiments of the game, and then played hands with him. Before long he was standing when he should, hitting when he should, and splitting when he should. He did everything by the book, never used instinct or a hunch.

“This game is easy,” he said after he’d won another hand.

“It’ll be different when you’re facing a house dealer,” I said.

“Is this the game you used to play when you first started goin’ to Vegas?” Jerry asked.

“Yes.”

“And how did you do?”

“I used to be a CPA. My math is good, so I did okay. But there are times when you have to toss out accepted strategies.”

“Like when?”

“Like when you start losing with twenty to the dealer’s twenty-one again and again,” Sammy said. “That’s when the game gets too frustrating to play. I’ve seen it make grown men cry.”

“I watched them play at the Sands,” Jerry said. “I never saw nobody cry. I seen ’em curse, and get mad, but I never seen ’em cry.”

“You start playin’ this game in the casinos,” I said, “and I guarantee you’ll see a lot of stuff you’ve never seen before.”

“I ain’t gonna play it in the casino,” he said. “I only risk my money on the horses.”

“Then why’d you want to learn how to play?” Sammy asked.

Jerry looked at Sammy and said, “Just a way to pass the time.”

“Well,” Sammy said, looking at his watch, “there’s still time to kill.”

Jerry smiled then and asked, “Room service, anybody?”