Djibouti LP: A Novel by Elmore Leonard

Author:Elmore Leonard
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Series - Elmore Leonard, Crime
ISBN: 9780062008312
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2010-10-11T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter TWENTY

THE FIRST THING XAVIER did, he got to Djibouti, was rent a Toyota, a white one.

Dara was already back at the Kempinski, Dara in the same suite she had a month ago, with her clothes now, Xavier having cleaned out the Buster and had the boy bring up the bags and cases on his gold luggage cart. It was like the last time they'd seen each other was an hour ago, so used to being with each other. Xavier said, "I come off Buster, tied her up where we got her and was given back our security deposit, so we can give it to the Kempinski."

Dara, in her shorts and a bra, was lying across the settee with a flute of champagne and a cigarette, barefoot. She said, "We're taking a time-out," looking at her slim buddy Xavier across the room. "It's too bad you're an old man."

Xavier had to grin coming over to her.

"Girl, you either cheeky or horny talkin to me like that, wantin me to prove the state of my manhood. Find out can I give you pleasure at my age or not. Want to put up some money?"

"I was kidding," Dara said.

"Unh-unh, you feelin horny. You have time now to entertain the idea. On the Buster you horny once in a while but never remarked about it to me. I'll tell you what," Xavier said, "I'll put up all the back pay you owe me for two months, add to it expenses I've paid out of my pocket. It comes to ten thousand and somethin. You catch your breath and realize I won--sittin up now havin a cigarette--you owe me double, twenty thousand and somethin."

"I've never in my life," Dara said, "heard of a bet like that." She took a moment to say, "What happens when you lose?"

"I let you call it. You keep what you owe me and I go to sea for a year, or into my savings to make up the difference. But either way," Xavier said, "you know we gonna have more fun than a barrel of naked monkeys."

SHE BELIEVED HIM, SHE did, but told herself to say something funny. Not get serious.

She had a buzz, halfway down the bottle of champagne feeling good, but still had to ask herself, Are you nuts? The times he held her and she'd press against him were comforting, his arms around her, but not as lovers.

What would she say after?

You don't have to say anything, he'll say it. He'll be funny and you'll laugh.

Maybe sometime later on he'll want to do it again.

Yeah...? He's seventy-two years old, how long can he keep doing it, if he ever starts? Being with him every day, it isn't like you don't know him. You even know his bathroom smell. How can you be any closer to someone?

XAVIER SAID, "YOU A tired little girl, huh? Worn out from dealin with pirates. I tied up at the dock, there's the CIA man waitin for me, Patrick Mackenzie and two of his boys.

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