Free The Take by Mike Dennis Page A

some girlfriend? Telling me you’re leaving Houston?” Eddie was
silent as she added, “What happened, did you have a good week with your
football business? Now you want to spread a little green around? Is that it?”
    This
wasn’t working at all. He just couldn’t slide anything past her. She was … she
was just too much for him. She always had been, and he guessed she always would
be.
    Another
short silence slinked into the phone line before Eddie said, “Linda, if I could
explain. Can we come over and I’ll tell you all about it?”
    “Well,
right now I’m fixing to go play. I don’t get off till two.”
    “Hey,
better yet! We’re eating dinner here right now. Right here at the hotel you
play at. I’m calling you from their lobby, in fact.”
      “ You’re eating at the Louis Philippe? In the restaurant there? The King’s Landing?”
    “Yeah!
And it’s some ritzy joint, I’m telling you. They got guys in there wearing
tuxedoes and everything. This meal’s gonna cost a fortune.”
    “What
in God’s name are you doing in there, little brother? I didn’t think you ever
got too far away from those grease-pit hash holes.”
    “Naw, I
know, it’s not exactly my style. But we picked this guy up along the way and
he’s paying — well, I’ll explain everything when I see you. We’ll be
there in a little while.” Then he put on a hoity-toity accent. “After we sip
our brandy, of course.”
    They
both laughed a little and hung up. He returned to the dining room, still trying
to believe that everything would work out just fine.
    Back at
the table, Garner was spinning tales of New Orleans and its potential for
pleasure. “And believe you me, I’ve been to all the other hot towns —
Vegas, New York, the Coast — and little old New Orleans will still give
you the best damn time you ever had.”
    Felina
smiled. “You know, Lowell, I’ve heard that, too. I used to know this man who
came here a lot and he used to say that the only way —”
    “And I’ll
tell you something else,” he murmured. He leaned forward over the table, toying
with his thick mustache. His eyes darted left and right, like someone about to
reveal forbidden secrets. “We are sitting right smack in one of the hottest
party palaces in the whole damn state.”
    Eddie
and Felina looked around. They saw only elegance. The guy who showed them to
their table looked like he’d been born in that immaculate tux. The soft music
could put people to sleep. It didn’t look like there’d ever been a party held
in this place.
    “Oh no,
not in here,” Garner said. “Not in this restaurant. I’m talking about the hotel
itself. And the lounge. The Louis Philippe lounge is known far and wide for
having the prettiest, the most expensive - ah — ladies of the night that
you’re ever gonna find anywhere. That’s one reason why I always stay here
whenever I’m in town.” Having spilled that piece of information, he sat back in
his chair, quite satisfied with himself. He chuckled once. “A first-class
whorehouse right in the middle of one of the top hotels in the South. Ha! How ‘bout
that!”
    Eddie
turned to Felina. “I just talked to Linda. It’s all set. She’s playing tonight.
We can go in and hear her when we get done here.”
    Felina
nodded. “Of course, Eddie. But perhaps Lowell would like to go along.” She eyed
Garner. “Would you like to come with us, Lowell? We’re going to hear Eddie’s
sister sing and play piano.”
    Eddie
made a face. Garner missed it and said, “Why, it’d be a real pleasure, Felina.
I don’t really have any other plans for tonight myself. Shoot, I was probably just
gonna go in there anyway. `Course, I don’t want to be in the way, what with
y’all seeing your sister …”
    “Oh
Lowell, you’re not in the way,” said Felina. “We’d love for you to come with
us.”
    Sure we would , thought Eddie. In your fucking dreams .

 
 
 
 
 
 
14

 
    T he Louis
Philippe lounge was a