Blue Belle

'Anything you want to bet in the next race?' I asked her, keeping my voice as neutral as possible under the circumstances.

'No, honey. I don't want to bet anymore. Let's just watch, okay?'

'I'll be right back,' I said.

I cashed in the ticket. 'Nice hit,' the teller congratulated me. The money made a sweet roll.

I sat down next to Belle. 'Now, listen - I have to go and see someone. On the other side of the track. You stay here. Don't get out of your seat. Okay?'

'Yes.'

'The next race is going to start soon. I'll get up like I'm making a bet. I'll be back as soon as I can.'

'Okay.'

'Now, listen, Belle. And don't tell me anything. II I'm not back by the end of the seventh race, you get up and leave.' I pressed the car keys into her hand. Drive to your house. Call the number you called me at the first time. Ask for Mama. Tell her I met with a man named Lupe. Tell her everything you know.'

'When will you be back?'

'I don't know. I'm going down a tunnel. If you don't hear from me in a couple of days, call Mama again. She'll tell you what to do.'

'Burke . . .'

I held her face in my hand, grabbing her eyes. 'You want to be my woman?'

She nodded.

'This is part of what it costs,' I told her.

I didn't look back.

63

I went to the betting windows, put down ten to win on the six horse, slipped the ticket into my pocket. I hadn't looked at the program. I made my way through the track until I was past the finish line. Then I went downstairs, paid an extra buck, and went into the Club-house area. I stayed outside, climbing into the dark grand- stand at the end, working my way to the top row.

I spotted Lupe in a couple of minutes, sitting by himself in the far corner, wearing a neon-green jacket with some writing on the back. I moved down until I was across from him, making sure. The Prof's description was right on the money.

I lit a smoke, stuck it in my mouth, and moved over to him, both hands in front of me.

'Lupe?'

'Who wants to know, man?'

'Name's Burke,' I said, sitting down.

He grinned, showing me his lousy teeth. 'I know you, man. I heard of you. You got that monster dog, right? You want to put her in the ring?'

'Only if you get in there with her,' I said, keeping my voice even.

'I got no beef with you,' he said quickly.

'I got no beef with you either. I heard you were the man to see about a match, that's all.'

'What you got?'

'I got nothing. I want to get down on some action.'

'You know Van Cortlandt Park?'

'I don't mean dogs, pal. Or roosters either.'

'So?'

'I heard this guy Mortay - he's been doing some duels. Heavy action.'

'Mucho action, man. But this motherfucker Mortay - he only had that one match.'

'With the Jap?'

'Yeah! You saw it?'

'No, just heard about it.'

His eyes glittered, crazy-cold eyes. 'You got someone wants to meet Mortay, man?'

'Yeah. Me.'

Lupe laughed. 'With what, man? A machine gun?'

'I don't want to fight him - just have a talk. I figured you could set it up.'

'No, man,' he said, sadness in his voice. 'I don't find him - he finds me. He's got this guy, Ramon. He's the one who makes the meets.'

'How'd he find the Jap?'

'The Jap found him, man. Guy rolls in from the Coast, puts the word out. I hear this Mortay totaled his brother out there. He was looking for payback.'

'Didn't have much luck, did he?'

'Man, Mortay don't take prisoners. He earned his name. Mortay, man. You get it? Muerte. Death. He deals death, man. Eats it alive.'

'You don't know where to find him?'

'Man, I don't want to know where to find him.'

'Yeah. Okay. This Ramon comes around, you tell him I'd like to meet Mortay. Public place, no problems. Just want to talk to him for a minute.'

Lupe shrugged. 'He comes, I ask him, man. Where you gonna be?'

'Just give him my name. I'm in the phone book,' I told him, walking off.

64

I was back next to Belle before the start of the fifth race.

'Not so bad, huh?' I asked her.

'I waited here, just like you said.'

'Good girl.'

'But if you hadn't come back, I was going looking.'

'That's not what I told you to do.'

'I wasn't going to make trouble. Just poke around.'

'Yeah, you got a great disguise all right. Nobody'd remember seeing you.'

'Burke, I love you. I had to . . .'

'You had to listen. Like I told you to. Like you promised. Stupid bitch.'

'Honey!'

'You don't want to listen, you can walk. We made a deal.'

'I'm sorry, baby. I am. I just . . .'

'Just. Fucking. Nothing. I'm not going to tell you again.'

She leaned into me, her hand near the inside of my thigh, whispering. 'You want to take me home, beat my ass, teach me a lesson?'

'I thought you said no man ever hit you.'

'It'd be worth it,' she whispered. 'You know why?'

'Why, dopey?'

'You'd have to be there to do it,' she said.

I stood up, held out my hand. She took it, meek as a lamb, a little smile on her face.

65