AMELIA
Molly worked out what it meant when I didn’t answer. She knocks on my door ten minutes later.
She takes one look at me and shakes her head. “What the fuck happened?” she asks. “Who did it? Who made you sad? Was it Jimmy? I’ll kill him.”
Ever since she dated Jimmy, she thinks he’s the reason all women are unhappy. Doesn’t understand I don’t like guys like him. I like guys who are… well, not him.
“Nothing happened,” I say, waving her inside. “Will you come in off the street?”
We go through to the lounge and she turns to face me. “Where’s Rex?”
That does it. I’m crying again. Molly’s the only person I ever cried in front of. Anyone else I can bottle it up but something about my best friend means I can’t hide things that well.
She holds me and it feels different from when Louie did it. She smells of fries and burgers from the diner. When I can talk, I tell her where Rex is.
“Maybe Moira got it wrong,” she says when I’m done. We’re sitting together on the sofa and I’m sniffing loudly. “Maybe he’ll be okay.”
I shake my head. “I’ve been at the shelter long enough to know when a dog’s dying.”
“Fuck,” she says, running a hand through her hair. “Double fuck.”
I go to the bathroom and when I come back, she’s made us both a coffee. “What about him?” she asks.
“Who?”
“You know who. The guy who dumped his dog on you and then legged it into the night, never to be seen again. Leo Rossi.”
“What about him?”
“You going to tell him?”
“I would if I could, but I don’t know where he is. I don’t have his number. I don’t have any way of getting in touch with him.”
“I heard he goes to the casino sometimes.”
“Where did you hear that?”
She shrugs. “Just around. Apparently, it’s where all the Italian guys go when they get into town. You should go to the casino. I bet you can get in touch with him, tell him his dog’s… you know.”
“But it’s been five years. He obviously doesn’t care about the dog or he’d have been back before now.”
“Listen to me, Amelia, love of my life and moron that you are. Rex is dying, correct?”
I nod. “Thanks for putting it so kindly.”
“You think his owner will want a chance to say goodbye. Also correct?”
“I don’t know. You’re putting words in my mouth there.”
“So you go to the casino. You tell him about the dog. He has time to say goodbye and while you mourn piteously together, you can latch onto his cock and ride it off into the sunset.”
“When you put it as romantically as that, how can I refuse?”
“Don’t refuse. Get yourself dolled up and get casino bound.”
“But what about Rex?”
“I know you. You’ll sit here and mope and no good will come of it other than you’ll get a headache and Rex will still be at Moira’s, doped up to the eyeballs and tripping his nuts off. If he had any. Which he doesn’t.” She’s tugging at my arm and before I know it, I’m letting her lead me upstairs.
“I’m not sure about this,” I say, looking down at the chip as she rummages through my wardrobe. “It doesn’t feel right to go to the casino while he’s dying.”
She grabs a dress and brings it over to me. “You told me the shelter was going to close without more money, right? Told me the bank is trying to shut you down by the end of next week.”
“I guess.”
“No guessing. That’s what you said. You said with Cam gone, you got to take over and you thought it would all be fine, remember?”
“I remember.”
“You also said donations have dried up since the casino got taken over by the Gianni family. They don’t donate to the town, so the town doesn’t donate to you. You also said the remaining dogs will be euthanized if the
shelter has to close. Nowhere else for them to go. Also correct?” I nod, knowing where she’s going with this.
“So go to the casino and persuade him to donate in return for you dogsitting for five years. You save the shelter. That’s always been the dream, hasn’t it, Amelia? Saving all the little puppers that no one else wants.”
She pushes the dress into my hands. “I’ll be at the diner when you get back and if you haven’t got a million in your hand, I’ll never make your patented strawberry chocolate milkshake again. Which would do you a favor, as those two things do not go together.”
“Tastes good to me,” I say, and I manage a smile. “But why the dress?”
“One, it’s a classy place and you don’t want to get thrown out before you’re even in the door. Two, Leo Rossi might just be waiting to come out and chuck one up you. Romantically, of course.”
“Chuck one up me?”
“Maybe twice if you give him a rest in between.”
“I could take him for a milkshake.”
“He’s probably got something creamy and white to give you first.” She pauses and then adds, “I mean cum. From his cock.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“So get changed and get going.”
“But what about Rex?”
“I will keep an eye on Rex. You will get to save a fuck ton of Rexes and
Rexinas if you get that money.”
“All right,” I say, looking down at the dress. “Fine.”
Sure, she talked me into it, but I don’t mind. Not really. I’m fairly sure Leo won’t be there. Why would he? But maybe he might be.
I could cash in the chip. That’s an idea. I’ve kept it hidden all this time, expecting him to come back and get it. He never did. I never told anyone about it, not even Molly.
Maybe I could cash it in. Would that be so bad? Ten grand in return for five years spent looking after his dog.
It’s not like I haven’t given him time to come back and get it. At least I’ll come away with the money, even if he’s not there. It’s also not that I’m obsessed with his memory or anything. I have been getting on with my life.
I strip out of my clothes and into the dress. Molly looks me up and down and nods her approval. “I’m at work in an hour,” she says. “You want driving there so you can get hammered? Take a cab back?”
“As if I want Billy seeing me drunk in the back of his cab.”
“He sees me drunk in the back of it often enough.”
“That’s you, this is me. I’ll drive myself and maybe have a white wine spritzer while I’m there.”
“Woah, don’t go too crazy. Who is this madwoman?”
I stick my tongue out at her. “Do I look all right?”
“Do your hair and makeup and I’d consider doing you. If I had a cock.
Which I don’t.”
“You sure you don’t?”
She grabs herself between the legs with both hands. “If it’s there, it’s small.”
I sit down at my dressing table and straighten my hair. Once it’s done, I actually feel better. My eyes are still a little bloodshot from crying, but some light eyeshadow counteracts it. The concealer does its job with the son of a bitch zit on my chin that refuses to go away.
Molly talks at me the entire time about her customers. “Had two FBI guys in last night,” she tells me as I sort my nails. “Third time this month.”
“They hot?”
“I tell you, if I had anything to confess to them, I’d let them spit roast it out of me.”
“You’re a class act, Molly.”
“You love me though.”
“Weirdly, yes, I do. Don’t know why.”
“Because I’m the only person in your life who knows the real you.”
“Depressing, but true. How am I looking?”
“Like you’re a Bond girl about to get pierced by Brosnan.”
“He’s the old one.”
“All right. To get Craiged by Daniel then.”
“Doesn’t really work, does it?”
“Get moving, girl. Go find your passionate guy and get him to blow away those cobwebs sitting between your legs.”
“Hey, I get sex.”
“I’m not talking about battery-powered. I’m talking real man meat.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve started selling that at the diner.”
She laughs as we head downstairs. She squeezes my shoulder and grins. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” We both get into our respective cars and I head out first. She flashes her lights behind me before turning off to head to the diner. I keep going, the chip safe in my handbag. Ten thousand dollars in return for taking care of his dog.
I’m supposed to be in debt to the casino. Signed over on a piece of paperwork by Cam Oakley, who vanished the same night I met Leo.
I kept waiting for Leo to try and cash in my debt, same as I kept thinking he would come and get Rex and the chip.
It never happened. Luckily for me, right?
I work my way above the town to the ridge where the casino was built. It looks out over the sea and I take a glance at the moon on the waves while I’m parking the car. Gleaming like a mackerel in the morning catch. I love living by the sea at times like this.
There are a lot of other cars in the lot. Mine is the oldest of them all. Where do all these people come from to play here? Not from Gordon’s Cove, that’s for sure.
The only car I recognize is the mayor’s ceremonial vehicle. What does the council think about him using it for shit like this?
Not my problem.
The front of the building is mainly glass and steel. All dark except the word Casino in red up near the roof. Bright blue light surrounds the door in front of me. A blue carpet leads up the steps to the closed double doors.
A man in a suit is standing beside the door, looking down at a clipboard. He sees me coming and nods my way. “Lost, ma’am?” he asks.
“Hi,” I say, managing a smile, surprised by how nervous I am. “Do I just walk in or…?”
“It’s a private function this evening,” he replies. “Do you have an invitation?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“Then you can’t come in.”
“Oh, I was looking for someone, actually. Leo Rossi. Is he here tonight?”
“You wearing a wire? Go on, narc, get out of here.”
“What?”
“Oh, is Leo Rossi here? All innocent like you aren’t looking to take him in yet again. Barely out and you want him behind bars again already. Go on, get lost.”
“No, look.” I reach into my handbag. “I was just hoping to cash this in.
Is that not all right?”
He takes the chip from my hand and his expression changes. His eyes narrow, and then he’s smiling again. “Where’d you get that?” he asks, dropping it into my hand.
“Someone gave it to me. It is from here, isn’t it?”
“Oh yeah. It’s from here.” He grabs me by the arm and pulls me into the casino, no longer smiling. “You’re in big trouble, lady.”