Дэвид Балдаччи - A Gambling Man [calibre]

“I guess they do.”

“It…it was actually about a gal and another car. Her father’s. She wanted to get away from him, start life fresh somewhere.”

“Well, my father’s long since dead, but sounds like my situation.”

“It didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. For either one of us.”

“Did you love her?”

“No,” he said sharply. “It was nothing like that.”

“Okay, Archer, don’t get sore.”

“Maybe I was just trying to be a hero. You know, save the gal.”

“I was just asking because with a guy and a gal it usually is about love, or lust, or a combo of the two.”

He eyed her curiously. “You sound like you know all about it.”

“You think you’re the only one life’s dumped on? I got my bruises, too, maybe they don’t show as well as yours, is all. And I never got to play the hero.”

“So were you the damsel in distress?”

She finished her drink. “I don’t recall getting saved one time. Quite the opposite.”

He put his empty glass down. “So I suppose you riding with me to California is out then.”

“What makes you say that?”

He looked up at her in some surprise. “I’m an ex-con, whether I deserve it or not.”

“But you gave me half your winnings at roulette when you didn’t have to. And I saw how you were with the old guy. You defended him from those thugs when you didn’t have to. They could’ve killed you, and you didn’t even really know him. And you saved our lives tonight with a nifty piece of driving and shooting. And you’re going to buy a car you don’t really need to help that old man from getting killed. And…”

“And what?”

“And we’re sitting out here all alone and you haven’t made one move on me. Now, I can tell you that has never happened to me before, least since my breasts came in.”

Archer actually blushed at this last remark.

She added, “And you get embarrassed when a girl says ‘breasts.’ That makes you all right in my book, Archer.”

“Funny the things you learn along the way. So California?”

“I can be ready to go after you get the car squared away.”

“What about the Dancing Birds? What about Mr. Shyner?”

“Oh, they’ve got lots of gals waiting to take my place. And Mr. Shyner knows I want to go to Hollywood. I’ll write him a note in the morning and get it to him. It’ll be okay.”

Archer nodded. “Well, I guess we better get some sleep then. Long day tomorrow.”

“I guess so.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“What was that for?”

“Just for being a nice guy. There aren’t that many out there, least from where I’m sitting.” She eyed the window. “I’ve got carpet in my bedroom if you want to sleep on the floor. Might be easier on you.”

He eyed her long legs, the curve of her hips and bosom, the hair bouncing off her graceful shoulders, and, best of all, the woman’s warm, tender smile.

“For a lot of reasons, and I’m not saying they’re all good ones, I’ll sleep next to the snoring old man.”

“You sure?”

“No. But it might actually be harder, not easier, on me if I took you up on your offer.”

Her smile deepened. “Just confirmed everything I’ve been saying about you, Archer.”

“Yeah, well, good night.”

“Good night.”

She climbed in one window and he the adjacent one.

And neither one got much sleep at all.

Chapter 10

THE NEXT MORNING, WITH ALL THE PAPERWORK DONE, Howells shook Archer’s hand on the steps of the government building.

“Well, good luck to you,” said Howells as he folded the cash and put it away in his billfold.

“And good luck to you, too, Bobby H. But if I were you I’d get out of town while you still can. Reno isn’t a good place for you. You can do better, and live longer, somewhere else.”

“You might be right about that, Archer. In fact, I’m certain of it.”

Archer read the man’s face like a telegram form. “But you’re staying?”

“Yes I am. It’s principle, sort of. Convoluted and perhaps nonsensical to some if not most, but principle all the same.” He twirled the ends of his mustache, as though putting an exclamation point at the end of his words.

“Like I said before, it’s your funeral, Bobby H, and I don’t mean that metaphorically . I mean six feet under just like for everybody else.”

Howells’s face crinkled at this remark. “You’re a good man, Archer. Take care out there in California. What I’ve heard of the Golden State there might be danger there as well.”

“There’s danger everywhere, if you take the time to look for it. And sometimes even if you don’t. By the way, where do I send the payments?”

Howells took a card from his pocket and passed it across. “This address will find me.”

Archer studied the card. It had a street address and read: “Robert Howells c/o Reno City Jail. To be held until picked up.”

“So do you live at the jail? Is that where the room you mentioned is?”

“A truly remarkable notion, Archer.”

“Which isn’t exactly a no.” Archer slid the card into his jacket. “You’re a strange one, you are, Bobby H.”

“So will the beautiful and vivacious Liberty Callahan be making the journey with you?”

“A long trip is better with some companionship.”

“And companionship of a beautiful young woman trumps all other companions of my acquaintance.”

“If you say so.”

Howells patted his breast pocket and said, “Nice doing business with you, Archer.”

On that, Howells walked off with his head held cockily high and his pocket chock-full of money that Archer was sure the man would not use to pay off the debt, but rather lose at gambling. He might be dead before the sun rose the next morning.

Archer had already gotten his bag from the hotel and placed it in the trunk of the Delahaye. He hoofed it back to Callahan’s building to find her carrying two suitcases down the front steps. She was in her traveling outfit, complete with a hat that had a bird clinging to the side like a barnacle to a hull. He helped her with the bags and closed up the trunk. Then he pulled out the car key and slipped into the right-hand drive seat of the Delahaye while Callahan took up a perch on the left.

“This is going to take some practice,” noted Archer as he put the key in the ignition, turned it, and then thumbed the starter button. The Delahaye roared to breathless life.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Driving on the wrong side of a car .”

They headed out of town.

People on the streets turned to stare at the ride.

“It does draw attention,” observed Callahan.

“Yeah, I’m actually not too thrilled about that right now.”

“Too late for that thinking, Archer. Hey, do you even know which way to go?”

“Looked at my nickel map this morning. We basically keep driving west and then we turn south for a bit and then we turn west again and we stop right before we plunge into the Pacific.”

“This is so exciting, Archer, don’t you think?”

“Sure. I can barely keep my teeth from chattering.”

“New lives for us both. You a shamus and me a movie star.”

“I think you have the harder road.”

“Do people shoot at shamuses?”

“If they do, I got some practice with that last night.”

She took the .38 Special from her purse. “Don’t worry, I reloaded last night.”

He shot her a curious glance.

“You never carry an empty gun around, Archer. What would be the point?”

“As a former soldier, I can’t argue with that logic.”

“How long will it take us to get there?”

“We’ll never make it to where we’re going in one day, not even in this rocket ship. We’ll have to stop for the night.”