'Simple. I'm a better man than you.'
Vincent took a swallow of coffee and sat down on the edge of the bed. 'Nah, that can't be it.'
The bathroom door burst open and the woman moved quickly to the bed, pulled her purse from the headboard and slung it over her shoulder. 'Thanks for an average night, fuck-head.'
Vincent waved at her. 'My pleasure.'
'Fucking jerk.' The woman smirked. 'And you weren't that good, either.'
'Yeah, okay, and your pussy drips diamonds. Hit the road, mattress-back.'
She spun around and left, slamming the door behind her with surprising force. Vincent sighed and casually scratched himself. 'I guess she thought I was gonna ask her to marry me.'
Frank set his briefcase down on the table and flipped it open. 'Okay, we've got business to take care of.'
Vincent eyed him suspiciously. 'You sleep in that fucking suit, don't you?'
'Stop fooling around. We've got to be in upstate New York by noon.'
'Why so early?'
'Ticket sales aren't going well and the sponsor's having a fucking cow. I'm going to ride up with Charlie. We're taking off in about five minutes so catch a ride with Benny, all right? Also, make sure Delvecchio gets his ass there on time. I want the ring delivered and set up by two o'clock.'
'The shot doesn't start until eight.'
'I don't care. I want that drugged-out motherfucker set and ready to go, understand? Did you see him last night? He's so fucked up on heroin he doesn't know where the hell he is half the time, Vin. Come on, we can't have that kind of shit going on in a high school.'
'I'll talk to him.'
'The guy's got the best ring in the business, and to this point he's been reliable. I don't give a shit what he does on his own time – you know that – but he's got to straighten his act out while he's working.'
Vincent nodded. 'What else?'
'Gus is going to meet us on the way back at the shot in Connecticut. He's having a little trouble with that deal in Youngstown, Ohio. Get on the horn and close it for him.'
Vincent wandered across the room, found his underwear and pulled them on. 'That's his job, no?'
'I'm afraid he's gonna blow it, Vin. Just call the guy and close the sonofabitch, all right? I don't even care what kind of money we pull on it. We're deep into Pennsylvania that week and it looks like the deal in Indiana's going to come through. Youngstown's a perfect stopover.'
'What kinda points we got on the Indiana shot?'
Frank rifled through some paperwork. 'Four grand.'
'So I've got some room?'
'Plenty. I don't care if we make a thousand bucks, just close that date and tell Gus to find somebody who can comp some rooms, all right?'
'I'll see what I can do.'
'And tell him to bring the leads and the routing date for next week with him to Connecticut.' Frank tossed an envelope onto the table between them. 'There's your cut from last night. I didn't want you to get rolled so I hung onto it.'
Vincent smiled. 'What a guy.'
'There's one more thing,' Frank said hesitantly. He took two one-hundred-dollar bills from his pocket and handed them to Vincent. 'Before you leave, make sure you stop in and talk to the motel manager. He's waiting for you in his office.'
'Now what?'
'The midgets trashed their room again. Smooth it over.'
He snatched the money from his hand. 'Little fuckers.'
'Just our luck to have dwarves with drinking problems, huh?'
'This shit's gotta stop, Frank. It's like throwing money out the window. Next time, I'm taking it outta payroll.'
'Tell them that. I'm outta here.'
Vincent gave him a quick nod and headed for the bathroom. 'See ya upstate.'
Frank and Charlie had been at the venue, a regional high school, for about an hour when the others began to arrive. Charlie had spent the time preparing the payroll for the evening while Frank had done his best to convince the show sponsor, the school's athletic director, that the purchases made at the gate would most likely make up for what had been modest ticket sales.
As Frank left the director's office, he ran directly into Benny Dunn, who had arrived only moments before and already had a list of problems that needed to be resolved. 'Walk with me,' Frank told him as he continued down the hallway toward the gymnasium. 'Is it me or do all these places look exactly alike?'
'I just checked out the locker room,' Benny told him with a frown. 'We've got visitors.'
A sharp pain shot through Frank's temple. 'Jesus Christ, it never ends with these guys. What've we got this time?'
'One uniform, one suit.'
'Did Vincent come up with you?'
'Yeah, he's around here somewhere.'
'Find him.'
The two men entered the gymnasium through two large doors. Charlie Rain was sitting in the bleachers pounding on a small calculator, his briefcase open and balanced across his knees. From the rear entrance Luther Jefferson wandered in with two other wrestlers, all carrying large gym bags.
'Charlie!' Frank called across the empty room, his voice echoing along the walls. 'I need you to handle something.'
Charlie nodded, held up a finger, and continued to work his numbers, furiously jotting down figures on a legal pad.
'What's up?' Luther smiled, strolling closer. 'Nice room.'
'Yeah,' Frank agreed. 'Listen, I need you guys to stay out of the locker room for a few minutes, all right? I got some local business to take care of.'
Luther nodded knowingly. 'No problem, brother.'
Frank turned back to Benny. 'Tell our two friends I'll be with them in a minute. As soon as I clear them out you and your crew secure the locker room and gymnasium entrances and exits. But get Vincent first and tell him I need him here pronto. Also, what's the word on the state athletic commission boys?'
'They should be here about five.'
'I don't want any surprises, Benny. Make sure I know the bastards are here the minute they hit the parking lot.'
'Always.'
'Also, has anyone seen Delvecchio?'
'He was right behind us on the highway,' Luther said. 'He should be landing any minute.'
Charlie approached Frank and Benny slowly, his expression cautious. 'What's going on?'
Frank looked at Benny. 'Anything else I need to know?'
'Nothing that can't wait.'
'Okay, go.' Frank turned his attention to Charlie. 'Payroll all set?'
'Of course.'
'Here's what I need you to do. Luther, come in on this.' Frank sat on the edge of the first row of bleachers and opened his briefcase. 'This guy needs to move seven hundred tickets to break even tonight. As of this moment he's only sold a little over five hundred.'
Charlie ran a hand through his hair. 'Shit, he's gonna eat a couple grand. So much for a return date.'
'I told him he'd probably get a few hundred people at the gate, but we know that's bullshit. In a town this
