Resolution

7.

Wolfson joined me for breakfast.

“One of my whores is sleeping in your room,” he said.

“Yep.”

“Meals here are part of the deal,” Wolfson said, “but not the girls.”

“She’s just sleeping there,” I said. “I ain’t employed her for anything.”

“If you ain’t fucking her,” Wolfson said, “why’s she sleeping there?”

“One of her gentleman friends threatened to cut her,” I said.

“Didn’t you throw him out the other night?”

“Yep.”

“You think he’ll come back?” Wolfson said.

“Nope, but she does.”

“She’s scared,” Wolfson said.

“Uh-huh.”

“And she ain’t working,” he said.

I shrugged.

“I hired you to help me make money,” Wolfson said, “not lose it.”

“He cut her up, what would she be worth?”

“Nothing to me,” Wolfson said.

“If she run off, what would she be worth?”

Wolfson nodded.

“So you’re letting her hide in your room.”

“Few days,” I said. “Until she ain’t scared.”

Wolfson nodded.

“Because you’re concerned for my best interests,” he said.

“Sure.”

“And that’s why you’re looking out for her like this,” Wolfson said.

“Nope. I’m looking out for her ’cause I’m softhearted,” I said.

Wolfson looked at me maybe. His off eye made it a little hard to say for sure what he was looking at.

“Still ain’t carrying her weight,” he said.

I nodded.

“Take it outta my pay,” I said.

“Christ,” Wolfson said. “You are softhearted.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Didn’t seem too softhearted when you blew a hole in Koy Wickman,” he said.

“That was business,” I said.

“And this ain’t,” Wolfson said.

“No,” I said. “This is softhearted.”

“Well, it’s business for me,” Wolfson said. “I’ll take it outta your pay until she’s back at work.”

I nodded.

“Fuck her if you want,” Wolfson said. “You’re paying for it anyway.”

“Too young for me,” I said.

“Says she’s twenty,” Wolfson said.

“You believe her,” I said.

“No.”