Hookers Part 19

Don't you think it is lovely?"

"Yeah, its fine, but I don't get the connection of the black eye and the apartment."

"It's just as well," said Evelyn. "The less you get, the better off you will both be."

"No kidding, Pearl--what is the gag--who is the sucker?"

"Oh, just a guy that thinks he is crazy about me, that's all."

"Now, Harry, I want to ask you something seriously," said Evelyn. "Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not, but you might as well know--you will sooner or later--I been telling Pearl she is nuts, now let's see what you think."

"Let's hear it," answered Harry.

"Do you mind, Pearl?" asked Evelyn.

"No, I don't mind."

"Well, here's the story. You know that big guy they call Big Boy? You and he have been more less rivals for some time, and I know you are very good friends. You know the guy pretty well--you have seen him go on a rampage and wreck a place, then pay for it. Well--he's nuts for Pearl, and he is the one who gave her the black eye because she lied to him about last night, then he gave her a thousand bucks, and this apartment, and anything else she wants--now, what I'm coming to--this guy wants to marry her--I know that will floor you--and he means it. Pearl is taking all he can give her. Don't you think that if he is crazy about her, that if he catches her two-timing him he will go on such a rampage he might kill her?"

"Yes, that's right, Ev, that guy is a bad hombre--but why should he catch her?"

"I give you credit for some sense, Harry. If he gave her a black eye for lying, what will he do to her when he finds out you or some other guy is playing around his duck's nest?"

"Don't worry, Ev. Pearl's too clever for that--anytime I fall for a woman I know she is clever," laughed Harry a.s.suredly.

"That may be all well and good, but I'm d.a.m.ned if I care to be around when the thing happens," said Evelyn, as she guzzled some more coffee.

"You didn't tell me what they did to Negro Noche about that shooting last night, and what did they do with Irene's body?" asked Pearl.

"Negro Noche wasn't even arrested--the authorities said that she was protecting her home, and that if another woman was trying to steal her man, and she found them in each other's arms, she had done the right thing, so she was let free. About Irene, n.o.body seems to know where her home is, or if she has any people. They are holding her body over in the morgue until they can find out something, and if they don't they will bury her out here in the usual pauper's grave."

"Oh, Jees that's awful," said Evelyn. "Well, they won't bury her in no pauper's grave as long as I got a cent."

"You are right," answered Pearl, "But Ev, I've more money than you have--I'll pay for the funeral, poor kid--that's usually the end of most of us--G.o.d, that's awful--I'll tell you what we will do--we'll get up early in the morning and go over to the morgue, and arrange for her to have a decent funeral."

"I haven't any money," said Harry. "But I'll do anything I can."

"That's all right, Harry--I'm glad that I have the money to do it--shall we bury her on the Mex side, or shall we bring her over here?"

"What's the difference? I'm sure it wouldn't make any difference to her, and then you might have to go through some red tape about bringing the body across the border," said Evelyn.

"Well, I better be getting home," said Harry, as he arose to go.

"Oh, no, Harry--stay up here tonight, won't you?"

"Do you really want me to?"

"Oh, darling, you know I want you to."

"If you two must have your fun, then listen to me--I'll stay in the other bedroom, and if anything should happen that Big Boy would come in any time, Harry, you come and get in bed with me, then he couldn't say anything," explained Evelyn.

"Ev, you're some little thinker--what would we do without you?"

"Oh, nuts," exclaimed Evelyn. "I'm going to bed--good-night," as she arose and went into the bedroom.

Harry and Pearl sat for a long time on the divan, holding each other's hands, not saying a word. This was the third night they had known each other, and events since that time had been rather swift.

"I've seen lots of girls come down here, and stay around for a while, then maybe make a good marriage, then others go to the dogs, but of all the lot you are the first one that I've ever really been in love with,"

said Harry, softly.

"I love you, too, Harry, and it's my first real love, but I don't quite know how you can love me when you know what I'm doing and what I am--don't that make a difference?"

"It might to some people, but not to me--but you see I couldn't give you what Big Boy can."

"You mean you can't give me the money he can?"

"That's it--he can give you everything you could ever want--money, clothes, cars--or just anything you happen to want--why, look, he has already given you a thousand dollars--I doubt if I'll ever have a thousand in my whole life--I'm just a b.u.m singer."

"But just the same I love you, Harry--why couldn't we do this--I've an idea--let me string this guy along and get a load of dough, and then we can beat it and start fresh some place where no one knows us--would you like that?"

"Well, I don't know about that--I'll have to think it over--that is a little too much to say yes to on so short a notice, and not a nice thing to do."

"What's the difference? What I'm doing already is not exactly what the general run of people would call decent."

"Oh, that's nothing--I know women about this town that have good husbands and friends, and they step out on the side for the dough, to buy something they want, but they were respectable girls before they married, but this much I know--if I marry a girl like you, I can depend on you being on the level with me--I've seen enough of life down here to know that."

"Suppose we talk this over some time tomorrow or later. We should get some sleep tonight," said Pearl, as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Harry pulled her close to him, all was quiet in the hotel, and the streets were quiet. The rest of the night was bathed in liquid silver of a belated moon, but inside each of them there raged a tornado of love, desire, pa.s.sion, that was soon to be quelled by complete possession of each other, then a sweet sleep of quiet and peace, that equaled the quietness of the silent city outside.

Morning quietly slipped through the windows, the bright hot sun rose, dispelling the chill of the night. The city rose with all its noise and bustle, as a sleeping dog rises and shakes itself, to be about its busy routine of the day.

Evelyn awoke, looked around, then realized that she was at Pearl's apartment, then looked next to her in bed, and was surprised that she was in bed alone. She slowly climbed out of bed, going to the window, looked out on the lovely morning, then thinking of Irene, she started for the bedroom where Pearl was lying in Harry's arms, sleeping quietly.

"Hey, you two," as she shook them. "Come on--come on--snap out of it--we have lots to do today," as Pearl and Harry opened their eyes to behold a sight which caused them to laugh loudly. Evelyn standing in teddies, with her hair standing on end, eyes bloodshot from the night before.

"Ev, have you looked at yourself in the mirror yet?" asked Pearl.

"No, I haven't--I'm afraid to--I've heard people sometimes die of fright--so I'm just working up the courage to do that little thing--do you want me to order breakfast?"

"Breakfast--that sounds good," said Harry, as he sat up in bed.

"Ev, you're a darling--order a big one for me--I need it--I'm starved--then we will go over the river," as she went to the bathroom.

Evelyn called the morgue, and found that no one seemed able to find Irene's people, or to find out anything about her, so she told the undertakers to get Irene ready and make all the arrangements for the funeral to be held at two o'clock that afternoon, at the Mexican Cemetery on the outskirts of Juarez, then she spent the next half hour calling every Hooker that she knew, and told them the time of the funeral, and asked them to be there, and to bring any of the other girls they could get hold of.

"How many have you called, in all, Ev?" asked Pearl, as Evelyn sat down beside her. "I'll call and have these dishes taken away."

"About twenty in all, but they all know others that I don't know and they will tell them."