I shrugged and picked up the centavo with my free hand. “Want a refund?” I asked.
She pushed it and my hand back down, but gently. “Forget it,” she said. “I accepted delivery without checking the invoice, didn’t I?”
“Caveat emptor.” I let go of her hand, knocked the ash from my cigarette, and took my first real drag on it. “So what do you want to talk about?”
“You’ve had your turn,” she said, reaching over to take the cigarette out of my hand, “so I get to talk about old boyfriends.”
Conversations like that just aren’t conducive to a completely harmonious relationship. On the other hand, I’m not sure there has ever been such a thing as a completely harmonious relationship. Everyone has a past and you just have to get along with that as best you can. At least, that was my take on the subject.
Mr. Calavera Builds His Dream Casino
One afternoon, shortly after Lola started her shift, I heard a tapping at a window. On the sill outside was another pigeon, one I didn’t recognize as Little Manny. Maybe it was Little Meche. I went outside, took the message from it’s tube, scribbled a reply saying there were no new developments on my end, and sent the bird on its way. I read the message before going inside.
Manuel, we have found the head of the serpent! Using the computer access you provided us, we picked up a thread that led us to the man who corrupted the Department of Death! His name is Hector LeMans. Once a small-time racketeer, he has grown fat and powerful by robbing the newly dead. Watch out for the name Hector LeMans, my friend, and be careful. Salvador.
That was something. And to think, we had part of the answer when I picked up that glowing trophy in Domino’s office. But who was Hector LeMans? Could he be Eva’s ‘fatty in a fez’? I thought of wiring Sal back to suggest that, but it seemed too coincidental to be likely. ‘LeMans’ wasn’t a name I remembered from my time with the DOD, but it was a big organization. I shook my head, defeated in my solitary mental battle and went back into the automat where I thought I knew what was what.
“What’s up?” Lola asked. “Bad news?” My poker face clearly needed work.
“I’m not sure,” I said. An honest, but safely meaningless answer.
Before Lola could say anything else, Jesus came down from his office and asked me to come up.
“I’ve decided to leave,” he said when we were both seated. “Staying seems… pointless. I’ve already got a ticket. I sail for Puerto Zapato in a couple of weeks. So, that just leaves this place to take care of. I had thought of just giving the Rub-a-Mat to you outright, but… well, suffice it to say the dead can’t will property and my lawyer says just transferring the deed would only raise suspicions. Unwarranted, sure, but this is Rubacava and the public prosecutor sees Maximino’s hand in everything.” There was nothing I needed to say to that, especially since I was trying to get into Max’s good graces through Olivia, which was something else for the prosecutor to get bothered about if he ever found out. “All the same,” Jesus went on, “I won’t be needing any money where I’m going. I’ve put aside what I need to get me from Puerto Zapato to the end of the line, and there’s quite a bit left over.” He took some papers from his desk. He handed one to me. “This shows the market value on this place.”
I looked it over. It matched what I had already learned. “Looks fair,” I said. “I think my bank will loan me what I need.” In fact, I already knew they would, having already talked to them while Jesus had been making up his mind. I actually only needed to get a loan for about half of it. The rest was coming from Glottis. His DOD salary had been small, but he’d been there a very long time and he’d led a simple life. He wanted to go in with me on the nightclub and his proposed rate of interest was lower by a whole point, so I promised to make him half-owner.
“Good,” Jesus said and then he shook his skull. “It makes the whole transaction absurd, but before I go, I’m going to transfer to you my surplus. That will include what you’re paying me for the automat.”
I was floored. “You’re kidding me, right?” I asked. If had known he was going to do that… no, I’d still have taken Glottis on as my partner.
“No,” he said, “I’m not. I don’t need money any more, and I’m sure you can find some use for it.” That was an understatement. “Come on,” he said, standing up, “let’s get this taken care of now. I’m sure you’ve already got that loan worked out.”
I laughed as I got up. “Am I that transparent?”
“You’re no fool,” he answered. “You’ve got a head for business, Calavera, and only a fool wouldn’t be prepared for my decision.”
So we took care of it. In a short time I was the new owner of the Rub-a-Mat and a few days later Jesus took a cruise ship bound for the end of the line.
I already had an architect lined up, and after I took over the Rub-a-Mat I dug up the original drawings and we talked about the remodeling. Jesus had given me his money, as he promised, and I paid off my loan. The remainder of Jesus’ money would go into the Rub-a-Mat’s conversion, along with Glottis’ money and another loan from my bank (who weren’t much happy with how fast I’d paid off the first but were ecstatic with the idea of second, bigger loan). Jesus hadn’t been kidding when he said he’d done well with the place, but I needed to get the new loan to cover the full costs. After Jesus sailed I was almost ready to bring my plans to Olivia. But first I had to take care of Lola.
I came into the Rub-a-Mat while Lola was doing the close to talk to her about what I was planning. “It’ll take a while to get this place made over into a nightclub,” I said, “and I’d like you to keep working for me, but the money situation is going to be tight enough for the duration that I can’t afford pay any salary until the joint opens. After that, you’ll get a cut of the profit; so, if you’re interested, just how long do you think you can get by on Eddie’s bribe?”
“A long time,” she said. “I haven’t had to touch it since getting this job, and I’ve actually been able to save some of what I’ve been making.” Lola laughed. “Strange to think I’m solvent for the first time since Daddy lost everything in the crash.”
“Well, if you stick with me, baby, your savings will grow pretty fast. The house has the advantage, after all. I’d like you to help me supervise the construction work.”
“I don’t know nothin’ about architecture or contractors or anything like that!” Lola protested.
“Neither do I,” I said with a shrug, “but I’ll need help keeping an eye on things and I don’t think Glottis is up to it.” I tapped my skull. “If you can get by on what you’ve got, great. If you don’t want to dip into your stash, I’ll understand.”
“I’ll help out, Manny,” Lola said earnestly. “When do we start?”
“Not sure. Before we do anything,” I said with a sigh, “we’ve got to make sure we’re square with Olivia Ofrenda. That’s the first thing we have to take care of.”
Lola gave me the impression of a face screwed up in puzzlement. “What does that woman have to do with anything?” she asked.
“According to gossip—and the woman herself, by the way—she’s in tight with Maximino. She’s more or less promised that if she doesn’t like my club, she’ll get Max to throw his muscle around.”
“Such a sweet little girl,” Lola said.
“She’s just protecting herself,” I said. “Not that she has anything to worry about. Her customers are riff-raff while we’re going after the elite. Or maybe it’s the other way ’round.”