It Was a Very Bad Year

TWENTY-EIGHT

We drove back to the Sands. Jerry dragged Billy up to their suite, and I went to Abby’s room. When she opened the door I held the envelope out to her.

‘Oh God!’ she said, grabbing it with one hand and my arm with the other. She pulled me inside.

‘Make sure they’re all there,’ I said, ‘but I think he was too scared to hold any back.’

‘Scared?’ she said,

‘You don’t want to know,’ I said. ‘Just check.’

She opened the envelope, slid the prints out and looked at them one by one. Then she looked further and found the negatives.

‘All there?’ I asked.

‘Looks like it.’ She slid them back in. ‘Did you, uh, look at them?’

‘Just took a peek to make sure it was you,’ I said, lying just a little.

She hugged the envelope to her chest. She was wearing a sleeveless dress, the length of which came to mid knee. There were suitcases by the door.

‘Catching a plane?’ I asked.

‘In two hours, I had hoped,’ she said, ‘so I guess so. I don’t know how to thank you.’

‘It was my pleasure, Abby.’

‘Joey says you don’t take money, but-’

I waved her off. Suddenly, she took a few steps and grabbed me in a tight hug. She smelled great and we stood that way for a few moments.

‘Well,’ she said, backing away, ‘I guess I should head for the airport.’

‘I’ll have a bellman come up for your bags,’ I said, ‘and take care of checking you out.’

‘Eddie, I see why Joey, Frank, and all the guys have such a high opinion of you.’

‘Thank you, Abby,’ I said. ‘That means a lot.’

She kissed me goodbye. Down in the lobby I told the desk she was leaving, and had them send a bellman up. That done, I went to let Jack Entratter know that my business with Abby Dalton was done, and I’d be going back to work.

His girl still wasn’t at her desk. I knocked on his open door, and he waved me in.

‘What’s up?’

‘I got the Abby Dalton thing done.’

‘Good,’ he said. ‘What’s Jerry doin’ about his kid cousin?’

‘I’m not sure, but I’m guessing he’s gonna take him home and try to keep him out of trouble.’

‘And are we gonna get paid?’

‘Don’t worry, Jack,’ I said. ‘You’ll get paid.’

‘Cousin Jerry’s got that kind of cash?’

‘I don’t know what kind of cash Jerry’s got, but I know he’ll bend over backwards to make sure the Sands gets its dough.’

‘I hope you’re right, Eddie.’

‘When have I ever lied to you, Jack?’

‘I ain’t talkin’ about lyin’, kid,’ Entratter said. ‘I’m just talkin’ about bein’ wrong.’

‘Well, I’m not wrong about this.’

‘OK, then,’ he said. ‘I’ll take your word for it.’

I looked over at his TV, which was dark.

‘I’m tired of seein’ all the reports,’ he said. ‘Had to shut the damn thing off.’

‘Can’t blame you for that,’ I said. ‘I’m going to work, Jack. Gonna take an extra shift this afternoon, and then do my regular tonight.’

‘Go ahead, then,’ he said. ‘I’ve got work of my own to do.’