Reno smiled when the waitress brought their tea. “Thanks.” Once they were alone again, he took a sip, considering the matter. “As bad as Taylor is, I know he’s not the only man who feels the way he does. I need to find a substantial link, some viable proof to stop the army from doing exactly what Taylor wanted them to do in the first place.”
Journey could see how worried he was. “Have faith. You’ll find exactly what you need.”
“That’s what Kota said would get me home. Faith.” He unfolded the cloth napkin and laid it on his lap. “I don’t have to tell you this, but Kota’s a really strange man.”
“Is he a lot like Ela?”
“Uh. No.” Reno shook his head with a smile. “Ela was subtle. Kota is like a steamroller.” He paused, his eyes staring into the past. “It will be good to see her again.”
Journey placed her hand over his. “I look forward to meeting her.”
“Two of my very favorite women.” His face clouded with sorrow. “I hope I can find my mother’s grave. Wouldn’t it be awful if the land was so changed that I couldn’t recognize the spot where I laid her?”
“Yes, it would.” She didn’t say so, but Journey feared her grave might lie beneath a parking lot or a four-lane highway. “Before we leave in the morning, we’ll try to pinpoint the destination on a map. As close as possible, anyway.”
After the waitress brought their food, their conversation turned to their absent host. “Out of all the performers in the world, why did you introduce me to Elvis? Why not the Beatles? Or Michael Jackson? Or Michael Bublé?” He named off singers that he’d learned about in the past few days.
“Well…” She thought a moment. “First, you’re both from Tennessee. He’s from Mississippi originally, but Memphis is his town. Second, my mother loved him, and her mother loved him – so does Aunt Myra. He’s a family tradition and a way for me to connect to the other women in my life. Third – he reminds me a lot of you.”
This brought a barked laugh from Reno. “How? I do not look like him. I certainly don’t sing like him.”
“There’s a photo of him when he played in a Western called Charro that I’ll show you sometimes. There is a definite resemblance. As for your voice, you’re good – you’re no Elvis, but you’re good.” She took a bite of her burger, then wiped her mouth. “The way he reminds me of you is how he treated people. Now, he had his faults. He loved women a little too much. Some of his songs spelled that out in flying colors.
“Smorgasbord, Girls Girls Girls, Girl Happy.” Reno began to name off song titles.
“You do know your Elvis!” She was pleasantly surprised. “But, yes. He was definitely girl happy, which contributed to his divorce. What I’m talking about is his generosity. His philanthropy. He was notorious for being generous with people who could never repay him. He gave about two million to charity every year, which sounds like a lot to you, I know – and it was a great deal of money for his time. He gave his friends gifts, paid their medical bills, their mortgages. He bought gifts for strangers, cars mostly. At one point, I think I remember it being thirty-one Cadillacs he gave away, but don’t quote me on that.”
Reno didn’t interrupt her, he just listened intently.
“And once he was at a payphone and couldn’t find a dime in his pocket to make a call. This old man saw him searching and walked up to offer him one. Elvis got his address, telling him he wanted to send a thank-you note later. Well, he did and when the man read the note, he found out that Elvis had paid off the mortgage on his house.”
“Very generous.”
“I believe you did the same thing for Saul, didn’t you?”
Reno just shrugged and Journey continued, “And money wasn’t all he gave away freely. When he was called upon to serve, he served. He was drafted into the army and turned down a chance to serve the time as an entertainer. Instead, he was just a regular G.I. Joe. And when it came time to pay his taxes, he just asked how much, not even taking the money he gave to charity as a deduction. Now, some might say that was pretty stupid, but he felt he had so much, that he wanted to give what he could, to who he could. Plus, like you, he adored his mother. That says a lot about a guy.”
By the time she was through with her little speech, Journey had tears in her eyes and Reno’s response was to lean over the table and give her a sweet gentle kiss. “I’m honored you think I’m like Elvis. I’ll try and live up to his example.”
After dessert, they returned to their room. Reno checked on the kittens while Journey readied herself for bed. When she came into the room, he gasped. She was wearing a see-through, floor length white gown trimmed in lace. As he watched, she pulled on the string at her neck and let it fall to the floor. Her next move took his breath away, for she came forward and draped herself across his lap. “I promise to never scare you again.”
Tears welled in his eyes. He rubbed a soothing hand down her elegant spine, then let his palm trace the shape of her beautiful bottom. Drawing back his hand, he gave Journey one gentle pop, before picking her up and bringing her into his arms. “I love you so much. I’d never hurt you.
