'Sure. It's what I been doing, working for Julius. So sometimes I bring money from Julius to Mr. Fish and sometimes I take money from Mr. Fish to Julius.'
Hawk was leaning his back against the bar, his feet outstretched, looking at the casino. He appeared to have no interest in what Anthony and I were talking about.
'You know what the money's for?'
Anthony shrugged elaborately.
'What are you, from the IRS? You got a wire maybe? You think I'll say anything you can use, good luck to you, pal.'
Anthony gestured the bartender for another scotch. I shook my head no to another beer.
'You know Marty Anaheim?' I said.
Anthony stared at me for a moment before he caught himself.
'Yeah,' he said.
'Got any idea why he might be interested in you?'
'Marty?'
'Yeah.'
'Interested how?'
'Like he might want to know if I found you?'
Anthony looked at the mirror behind the bar, and I realized he was scanning the room behind him. If he saw the little guy halfway across the casino, watching roulette, he didn't react.
'I don't want nothing to do with Marty Anaheim.'
'But he might want something to do with you,' I said.
'Does he know I'm here?'
'Not from me,' I said.
'You take some of Gino's money?'
'No. I swear on my mother, I never took no money from Gino.
Has Marty been asking you about me?'
Still watching the room without any apparent interest, Hawk spoke to Anthony.
'How about we give Marty a call, tell him you here?'
'Jesus, don't do that.'
'Why not,' I said.
'You know him?'
I nodded.
'Then you know he's a fucking animal. I mean he likes to kill people, for cris sake I nodded again. The bartender brought Anthony a fresh scotch and soda. Anthony took a long pull on it.
'So why would he want to kill you?' I said.
'Who knows,' Anthony said, 'an animal like that.'
Hawk and I were quiet. Anthony drank a little more of his scotch, though not as if he was in desperate need. He stared at the half-empty glass for a moment while he swallowed.
'Listen,' Anthony said.
'I'm on to something here. It's going to pay off for me, big time, you unnerstand? But I need a little breathing room. You guys want to be in on it, give me some of that breathing room, in a manner of speaking, and I can cut you in on a very nice chunk of change.'
'You got a system?' I said.
Anthony shook his head.
'I can't tell you, you're going to have to trust me. But you stick with me on this, and I can make it worth your while. In capital letters, worth… your… while.'
Hawk said, 'Un huh.'
'Two days, three at the most and I'll have all the money there is.
I give some to you. I pay back Julius; and Shirley and I buy a nice house in Lincoln. Gimme two, three days.'
'What if Marty Anaheim shows up?' Hawk said.
'You guys keep him off me.'
'Lemme see your room key,' I said.
'How come?'
'Want to see where you'll be if I need you.'
