They all sat silent for a while, and then Newman said, “How about…I’ve figured out what he can do and will explain it to him when he meets me.”
“Good,” Butler said, looking at Luke.
“That’s what he wants to hear,” Short replied.
“Let’s do it now,” Newman suggested.
“Here?” Short asked.
“Why not? I’ll have the waitress bring me a pencil and paper.”
“And who will deliver the message?” Newman asked.
“Can’t be one of us,” Short said. “We’ll be recognized.”
“We’ll find somebody,” Newman said. “A kid will do it for four bits.”
“We appreciate your willingness to cooperate, Al,” Short said.
“Think nothing of it,” he said, waving to the waitress to get her attention.
CHAPTER 49
Spills, Randolph, and Dennis had no other place to pick up Butler except at the White Elephant. They did not, however, get there in time to see him leave in the morning with Luke Short. So they were all surprised when they saw Butler and Luke Short come walking back in later in the day. Short was easy to recognize because of his hat and cane—and, in fact, Dennis had seen him before. Butler they recognized because he was with Short, and from the description Sutherland had given them.
“Okay, so now he’s back inside,” Randolph said to the other two. “What do we do now?”
“We could go in,” Spills said, “start an argument, gun ’im and get out.”
“Too much chance someone else will get involved,” Dennis said to them. “We gotta get ’im outside, when he’s alone.”
“He might be right,” Randolph said. “He’s gotta have friends in there.”
They were across the street and Dennis said, “We’ve got to wait in front of the place. We don’t wanna have to run across the street when he comes out.”
“Okay,” Randolph said, “let’s get over there. Me and Spills can stand on one side of the door, and you on the other.
Dennis had heard the stories about these guys doing everything together.
“That’s fine,” Dennis said. “Just don’t start firing until I do.”
He thought he might get an argument from the two of them, but they seemed perfectly satisfied with being told what to do.
As they crossed the street, though, Randolph did have one question.
“Whatta we do if he doesn’t come out tonight?”
“We’ll just have to deal with that if it happens,” Dennis said. “Right now let’s stick to this plan.”
“Okay,” Randolph said, “whatever ya say.”
“This is the damn part I hate again,” Short said, when he and Butler got inside.
“What part’s that?” Butler asked.
“The waiting.”
They were at the bar, each with a beer in front of them, but neither of them was really interested.
“I know what you mean, Luke,” Butler said. “It’s especially hard when you’re waiting to hear from somebody you don’t trust.”
“You didn’t buy what he was selling, either?”
“Not for a minute,” Butler said. “The man is a terrible liar, just like he’s a terrible bluffer at the table.”
“So why are we waiting?”
“Either way,” Butler said, “something’s going to happen. Either he’ll set Sutherland up, or he’ll try to set us up, or Sutherland will just come here for us.”
“I think I’d prefer the last,” Short said. “I like being on home ground.”
“Well, this is certainly your home, and downtown is Sutherland’s home ground.”
“So where’s your home ground?”
“I’m afraid I don’t have one,” Butler said. “For the time being, maybe I can just borrow yours.”
CHAPTER 50
Jerry had not told his bosses or Butler, but he had decided to take the initiative. He had put a man across the street from the White Elephant, just to keep an eye on things. He’d told Tim Doocey to let him know if he saw anything suspicious. Doocey wasn’t really clear on what Jerry would consider to be suspicious, but he had a feeling three men with guns loitering around the front doors qualified. Especially since they had started out across the street.
Doocey walked down the block, crossed the street, went down an alley, and entered the White Elephant through a back door. He made his way across the busy floor to the bar, got Jerry’s attention and told him what he saw. Jerry slapped the young man on the back and gave him a free beer. Then he went around the bar to where Butler and Luke Short were still standing.
“There’s three men with guns outside the front door,” Jerry said. “They look like they’re waitin’ for somethin’—or someone.”
“How do you know?” Short asked.
Jerry told them about putting Tim Doocey across the street, just in case.
“Jerry,” Short said, “I think you deserve a raise…”
“Thanks, Boss.”
“…and probably a promotion. I’m going to talk to Bill Ward about it.”
“Thanks. Do you, uh, want me to get my shotgun?” the bartender asked.
“No,” Short said. “Just stay where you are and do your job. Where’s Doocey?”
“End of the bar,” Jerry said. “I gave him a free beer. He’s happy.”
“How old is he?”
“About twenty-two, I think.”
“We’ll put him on the payroll,” Short said, “but don’t tell him yet.”
“Sure, boss.”
“Jerry,” Butler asked, “go ask Doocey where the men are exactly.”
“Right.” Jerry ran down the bar, asked the question, got the answer and came back.
“He says two to the right, one to the left.”
“Okay, thanks.”
Jerry went down the bar to serve drinks and Short looked at Butler.
“You know what I’m thinkin’?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Butler said, “that they’re here for me.”
“I’m going out the back,” Short said. “Give me five minutes and then come out the front.”
“Okay.”
“You want the two or the one?” Short asked.
That was a tough question. If he said the one it meant he didn’t think he could handle two. And he sure as hell didn’t want to admit that to Luke Short.
“If they’re here for me, I should take two,” he said, finally, “but why don’t we try to take your one alive? Maybe we can find out for sure why they’re here, and who sent them?”
“Okay,” Short said, “as long as you’re sure you can take the two.”
