Hookers Part 15

"No, you don't have to wear a bandage at all, unless you want to, but you know a bandage covers a mult.i.tude of sins. You can say you got a piece of gla.s.s in your eye, and that way you won't have to stay in your room for a week until it gets well."

"Ah, gee, Doc, you're a peach, thanks," as she got off the bed.

"Well, I'll be going now," as he gathered up his things. "Next time tell your boy friend to hit you some place it won't show," as he went out the door.

Pearl lay on the bed--there was nothing else to do. Now she couldn't very well go to Juarez, with her eye bandaged up. No matter what lie she told, n.o.body would believe it. Maybe it was just as well not to go over for a few days anyhow--let some of the trouble of the shooting die down, and that would be time enough, but she couldn't stay in the room all that time--she would go crazy. She arose from the bed, went to the phone, and called Evelyn's apartment and left a message for her to call as soon as she came in.

The door opened slowly, as Big Boy came in, loaded with candy and fruit and flowers.

"My G.o.d, what all have you got there?" asked Pearl, as she looked at him with the one good eye.

"Some little things you might like, Pearl. You can have anything you want, no matter what it is. Will you please forgive me?"

"Well, it will take a lot more than candy or flowers to make me forget a sock like that."

"Ah, gee, honey--you can have anything you want--just name it. Let me get you a nice apartment, and some clothes, open an account for you--just anything to show you I do really love you, and I only want you to marry me--will you?"

"No, I won't marry you--but I'll think about the apartment and the other stuff you mentioned."

"Ah, that's great--I gotta go now--I gotta meet a guy on some business about the mine--I'll be back tonight."

"Aw--alright, go ahead--I'll be here when you get back--you've seen to that, all right," as he came over to kiss her--"Never mind kissing me--I'm still mad."

"I love you--can't you understand that," as he took her in his arms.

A rap came on the door.

"Who's there," called Pearl.

"It's me--Ev," came the voice.

"Come on in."

"My G.o.d--what's happened to you--your eye--what's happened?" asked Evelyn, breathlessly.

"Well, you see, it was like this," said Big Boy.

"Never mind--never mind--I get it--she was late for the date and you socked her for it--ain't you the big bully?" said Evelyn, as she walked over to Pearl.

"I just lost my temper, and I didn't mean to."

"You said you had to go--well, go ahead--I want to talk to Ev."

"Will you be here when I get back?" asked Big Boy anxiously.

"Yeah--she'll be here, all right, thanks to you--scram--" answered Evelyn, as he went out the door.

"My G.o.d, this thing hurts," said Pearl, as she put her hands to her head.

"What happened?"

"Oh, we got into an argument about last night, and he was furious, and just took a punch at me, that's all."

"Well, what was you saying?"

"He wanted to know about last night--and I was lying and trying not to tell him anything, and he seemed to know that I was lying, so he gives me the shiner."

"Didn't I tell you about that guy--I told you not to try to kid him, or lie to him. He is the meanest louse that ever lived when he loses his temper, and if you go ahead and play around with him, you won't only get another black eye, but you'll get a beating, and one that you will remember. I know him, and I also know his reputation. It's like I said--that guy is a killer, and if you go on fooling with him, and he ever catches you with Harry, he'll kill you as sure as you're born. I'm not saying I told you so, or any of that stuff. Heavens knows I know what it is to have a black eye, and it's no fun, but remember what I'm saying--I suppose he rushed out and bought this stuff to get you to overlook the sock, eh?"

"Yeah--that's what he bought it for, and he also is going to get me an apartment, and some new clothes--he said I could have anything I want--"

"Well, you better take sparingly, because, sister, you will pay in the end. You let that guy go do all that, and you don't stay true to him, it's curtains for you--I'm telling you, because when he finds you are hot for Harry, he'll go up in smoke anyhow. He and Harry are the best of friends, but they are rivals as well. I'm dying for a drink--I'll bet you haven't got a drop around here, have you?"

"Look in the top dresser drawer--there's a full bottle that hasn't been opened."

"Thank Heavens--that's a life saver," as she fished the bottle out of the drawer, and opening it, took a long, deep drink. "Want one too, don't you?

"Might as well," said Pearl, as she raised up and took the bottle Evelyn handed her.

"Maybe I'm nuts, but I can't figure it out--here is a guy that wants you to marry him, and you can't see him for Harry. Ah, h.e.l.l--give me another drink--the world's all haywire."

"h.e.l.l, I'm not going to stay in this room all day. I want to go out, at least for a little while. I know, Ev--let's you and I go get an apartment--you come with me and help me hunt."

"Why go hunting apartments? If you really want to be swell, then take an apartment in the Hussman Hotel. They got the swellest in this town, and there's no use taking anything but the swellest, since Big Boy is going to pay the bill."

"That's an idea--I'll do it--you are all wrong about me taking sparingly--I might as well have whole hog or none, because he won't figure that, in case there is a big showdown. If I have to pay the price, I might as well make it worth while, ain't I right?"

"Yeah--I guess you're right, at that, because when he does start mopping the town up with you, he won't figure what he has spent--he will just figure you have been a louse, and you will get it--and how!"

"I'll change this dress and we will go," as she started to strip again.

"Gee, I'm sorry you won't be able to go across the border tonight. I hate to go over there alone."

"Don't worry, you won't be alone--I'm not the first Hooker that has sported a black eye in this burg. I'm going over--to h.e.l.l with what that crowd thinks. I've got a sucker on the string that's not so bad, so let's have the fun while we can. Give me that bottle, darling, I need it badly."

"d.a.m.n if you ain't the best pal I've had in a long time, Pearl."

"You ain't so bad yourself, Ev."

They left the hotel, also a note on the door, saying they would be back shortly, as they had gone apartment hunting. They moseyed by the Plaza, and over to the Hussman, where they looked at apartments, which ended in Pearl taking one.

"This is some hot-looking joint," said Evelyn, as she sat down, gorgeously putting on the Ritz, "If I'm going to come up here to see you I might as well start putting on the dog right now."

"Come up and see me--you--you're going to move up here with me."

"Like h.e.l.l--I'll come up and see you, but I ain't moving in here--I don't want to have to jump out of one of these windows some night when you and Big Boy have one of your grudge fights--I'll stay where I'm at."

"Come on, let's go back to the hotel, and I'll get my things packed, and start to move--will you help me?"