Elrod, PN - Vampire Files 09 by Elrod PN

Author:Elrod, PN
Language: eng
Format: epub

"Oh, I can't remember details, but the core of it has to do with that dead woman in his club. He thinks you're involved with it."

" What?" Upshaw sounded genuinely shocked. "He told you that?"

"Not in so many words, but he gave me the impression that you had something to do with it."

"I didn't have—say, wait a darn minute… you're not thinking stuff like that about me, are you?"

"Since you've mixed yourself up with rubbish like Shivvey Coker, I don't know what to think these days."

"Aw, Ruth, you know me better than that."

She made no reply.

"Ruth? Come on, talk to me."

"No, you talk to me."

"About what?" Exasperation creeping into his tone.

"Your business with Shivvey."

"There is no business. I just go to the Ace to dance, and sometimes he happens to be there."

"And you do him favors. What kind?"

"Nothing much. Just little things like looking after Rita."

"Why should you be so anxious to please him? What do you get out of it?"

"He's a good man to have for a friend, is all."

"Tony, friends like him you do not need, but you must already know that."

"What do you mean?"

"Because you never used to carry a gun, darling. Before meeting Shivvey, you never had to indulge in such Hollywood dramatics."

"Gun? But I don't—"

"Please, Tony, no fibs. I felt it on you during our dance. I was worried the damn thing would fall out of your trousers and go off like a bad joke."

"It's nothing; don't let it bother you."

"I will if I want to."

"This is a rough town. All the smart guys carry around some kinda protection."

"Tony, you're a much better lover than fighter. Get a little smarter and switch back to carrying French letters for protection instead."

He chuckled. "I got one of those in my pocket, too."

"I'm serious, darling. Men like Shivvey and Fleming are dangerous bastards who chew up people like us without a second thought. We don't matter to them. They don't have friends and never will. You're no one's exception to the rule. You get on their wrong side for one second, and you can end up just like Rita's friend. Are you hearing me?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Do more than guess, sweetheart. This is your life I'm talking about."

"Nothing's gonna happen to me."

"Then prove it. If you want to dance so much, start going to different clubs."

"Aw, Ruth, you know they charge an arm and a leg to get in. Every night it adds up."

"You know ways around that. Or invite me along sometime. We can do a little jig like tonight's show and collect tips like we used to."

"Come on, you don't need to do that kind of thing anymore. You're above taking such a cheap—"

"I can if it keeps you safe." I sensed her moving closer to him. "Darling Tony, please, listen to me on this." She'd gone soft and serious, almost pleading. She didn't strike me as the sort to do that often, only when it mattered.

"Aw, Ruth…"

"Besides, you're such a delicious morsel, I want you around for a long, long time to come.

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