Good Girl by Alan Lee

Author:Alan Lee [Lee, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sparkle Press
Published: 2019-02-26T16:00:00+00:00

19

Tom Garrett didn’t look like a mobster. He looked like he sold insurance. Thin guy, thick head of hair gone white and combed to the side. Maybe fifty-five, easy smile. Dressed in a suit and tie, big gold Auburn University ring. Gold tie clip, gold cufflinks. His loafers had tassels.

Ronnie, Marcus, and I met him in Staunton, an hour north of Roanoke and two hours south of Alexandria, where he lived. He reserved the entirety of a restaurant called The Shack. It was small, it was red, and it looked like a shack. Built on sloping South Coalter, not far from downtown.

Marcus brought Fat Susie and Tom brought his own body guard. They stayed at the cars talking about things enormous and muscular men talk about. Me, probably.

He shook my hand in a friendly manner and said, “I’m trying to be professional tonight, Mr. August, but it’ll be a challenge. I’m a big fan.”

“Call me Mackenzie. And why’s that?”

“I watch the Gabbia Cremisi every year. A pack of us stream it live in my basement and place bets online. You had us glued. We screamed and shouted when the cot’damn lights went like you wouldn’t believe. Lights come back on and pow, there was the Prince, lying on the ground like he was dead. You won me seventy-five grand.”

Marcus Morgan made a grunting noise. “That’s it? I got more.”

Tom Garrett laughed, his face turning a little red and his eyes crinkling. “Thank God for the announcer, declaring you the winner, even as you fought in the crowd. Just a madhouse, am I right?”

“Provision from above,” I said.

He didn’t seem to hear. “I am absolutely attending the fights next year. The wife won’t go and I let that stop me in the past, but to hell with that, right? Was it fun? It looked fun, I bet it was a blast, right?”

I debated kicking Tom between the legs.

Marcus said, “Would be fun ‘sept we trying to save Mackenzie’s ass.”

“Oh he didn’t need any saving. What’d they call you, the Yankee, right? The Yankee had it the whole way. You still got the tattoo?”

Ronnie smiled. “He does and I adore the name.”

He laughed and winked. “I bet you do! Why wouldn’t you?”

“What kinda business are you in, Tom?” I asked.

“Bank fraud! And boy is the business booming. I know I don’t look like most of the other guys but I do my part. Well, I’ll stop acting like a fan now. Or I’ll try. C’mon on in—it doesn’t look much but it’s the finest dining this side of Richmond. Worth the trip.”

I grabbed the door. Marcus went first.

Tom kissed Ronnie on the cheek and said, “Miss Summers, always a treat,” and he followed Marcus.

Ronnie whispered to me, “I never slept with him. He’s a family man. So cool it.”

“Cool it?”

“Your hackles rose when he kissed me.” She smiled. “I liked it.”

“Liked the jealousy or the kiss?”

“I like you, now cool it,” she said and we went in.

The restaurant had rustic charm, decorated as though one ate inside a remarkably clean barn.

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