Hookers Part 12

"Good," said Pearl, quickly. "We'll go."

"Hey, Tony, you know where my joint is, don't you?"

"I should, by this time. I've took you there enough--when you was so lit you didn't know where it was yourself."

They arrived at Mickey's place in a few minutes, and it was just as Mickey had described it, and very tastily furnished in pinks and blues, with a faint odor of incense in the still, cool air.

"Come on in, Tony, and have a drink," as the girls got out of the car.

"O. K."

They went into the rooms, snapping on the lights, then all heading for the kitchen by instinct. Pearl called Evelyn aside--talking in low tones, as Mickey got out the bottle of whiskey and set it on the table.

"Help yourself, Tony, while I see what the conference is about."

"What do you think?"

"What do I think about what?"

"About how much to pay Tony for his trouble tonight," said Evelyn.

"Well," from Pearl. "If it hadn't been for him, I don't know what we would have done, and I think we should at least give him ten dollars apiece--what do you think?"

"It's all right by me, and here's my ten to prove it," as she dug the wet money out of her stocking.

Both Evelyn and Pearl dug into their clothes from the neck, and produced the ten apiece.

"Tony," said Evelyn, as she turned to where he was standing, "Will thirty bucks be all right for your trouble tonight?"

"Ah--nuts. Pay me my regular three bucks and forget about the rest. You have to work pretty hard for that money, and what's more, I got a real kick out of that run tonight."

"The h.e.l.l you say," from Pearl. "You take this dough--what do you think we are? I admit I'm new down here, and you are a good scout, but you ain't no friend of mine if you don't take this," as she handed the money toward him.

"Girlie, you're a good scout, and I tell you what I'll do. If it will make you feel any better, I'll take it--but remember this--when you want anything from me, or want me to take you any place or do anything for you, and you ain't got the dough--call me, and any time you need some dough yourself--I know you girls run short lots of times--don't forget--call me. Now, I'll be going," as he took his cap and started for the door.

"Good-bye," from all three girls.

"If I hear anything, I'll give you a ring on the phone and tip you off,"

as he closed the door behind him.

"h.e.l.l's Fire. Give me a drink, quick," said Evelyn, as she began to undress where she stood. "I've seen funny sights, but I would have loved to have been a bystander and seen us three wading across that river. It wasn't funny then, but Mickey, when you come up out of that water, I almost broke down, as dark as it was down there, you was funny looking--" laughingly.

"It's a d.a.m.n good thing Pearl had as good hold on me as she had, or I'd been a goner."

"Do you think there will be much of a stink about this killing? You know, Irene is an American citizen, and she was shot on the Mex side,"

said Pearl.

"Well--" said Evelyn slowly, "You can't tell just what will come of this. The real trouble will come from Juan Moros' people, if there is any trouble at all. His old man is a political power down in that country--"

"That shows what you know about it," said Mickey bitterly. "When anything happens to an American outside of the U. S., it's just too bad.

When trouble starts down here the American Consul is the first one to run for the bridge. Our government figures that if you are out of your own country, that's your business--and it's your business to protect yourself. Look at Nicaragua, Panama, Haiti, as well as our nearby Mexico. When anyone of our American citizens are knocked off, said government sends a note of apology to our Consul, saying they are sorry--but that don't bring your life back. Believe me, if you are an American, and you're in some other country, my advice is to keep your mouth shut, or affect an English accent."

"Well, surely they will do something with that woman that did the shooting," argued Pearl.

"But my G.o.d, Ev, she killed one of her own people, and in cold blood."

"Yes, dear--he was a Mex, all right, but when she tells the Mex judge how he broke her heart, and how she found him in the arms of a milk-white Gringo--it's a ten-to-one shot that the judge will weep for her broken heart, and tell her that she has done her country a favor--in shooting a cur that would so scorn his own countrywoman."

"Well, you said that there might be trouble from his people, that his father was a big Mex politician."

"Well, in that case, if his father isn't tied up at the present in some revolution of his own, he may come here--or send one of his loyal men, and cut Negro Noche loose from some of her vital spots."

"I've been on some hot parties, and I've seen a lot of things happen, but tonight takes the prize," mused Pearl.

"There's not much of the night left," said Mickey. "Let's get to bed and sleep a little of this off."

"Pearl, didn't I hear you say you had a date with Big Boy this afternoon--to go swimming?"

"Yeah--he asked me, and you, too, Ev."

"Are you going?"

"Sure, might as well. I can't lose nothing--I'll get up around noon and go over to the room, and wait for him."

"You'll probably find him at the room waiting for you, if I know anything about men, and if I don't know anything about 'em, there ain't n.o.body who does. Where did Mickey go?"

"I'm in bed," came from one of the bedrooms. "You two pick out the bed you want to sleep in and go to it when you are ready. Good night."

"Good night."

"Say, I'm ready to turn in now, are you, Pearl?"

"Yeah--let's have another little drink before we go to bed."

"That's my idea, too--a drink--and a big one," said Evelyn.

"Listen, Ev--when I made up my mind to come down here, I only had one thought in mind, and that was to stay a little while and make some money, and get away while I could--you know what I mean, to get--well, to get away before it got me--do you know what I mean?"

"Sure, Kid, I know what you mean, only you're too d.a.m.n nice to say it for fear of hurting my feelings. You mean to get away before you get like me--and Mickey--and that gang you were with tonight."

"Well, I don't quite mean it like that--I mean--"

"Listen, honey, I know just how you feel--I only hope you can do what you want to. When I came down here, I had the same idea, but I let this d.a.m.n place get me. Now I couldn't leave it, no matter how hard I tried.

I guess the only way I'll ever leave it is in a box."

"I don't quite know what to do. I'm kind of puzzled since tonight--the party, the shooting, and all. Maybe I've had a little too much to drink--or not enough--I--I--well, I ought never, never think, n.o.body should ever think, especially about the past--Oh, well, let's have another drink."

"Well, if you could be bothered with Big Boy, you could feather your nest for good--honey, that means an awful lot these days--not having to worry about the rent, not having to put up with men that you hate the sight of, especially when you have to be nice, to make the lousy two dollars that they hand out grudgingly, and think that they are doing you a good turn--but, of course, if you can't go him--well, what's the use to try?"