Читать книгу 1 Law 4 All - Vegas - Billy Angel - Страница 13

"You need more sugar to get your brain working."

"And hello to you too Riz," Jimmy said sitting at their usual Anthony's dinner table.

Anthony's fed a packed house every Thursday night. But Jimmy called ahead and Paula obliged, opening up their table for an eleven o'clock dinner. The Thursday night Prime Rib comes same-day, air express straight from a Kansas City distributor.

Sugar and Tonya worked their way through the crowed bar area shortly after Jimmy sat down. They looked like two expensively sexy, Barbie dolls. Tonya wore a teal, one-shoulder casual cocktail dress that stopped five inches above her knees. Sugar floated in wearing a purple and white, V-neck casual dress. Both stepped along in four inch, low cut pumps. By the time they moved into the dining room, they had enough fingerprints on them to open their own FBI catalogue.

"Ladies, the pleasure is all ours," Rizzo said feeling every eyeball in the joint scouting the table.

Sugar kissed Jimmy on the cheek as he pulled out her chair. Tonya closed in on Rizzo and laid a wet kiss on his lips. When they separated, Rizzo said, "We're going straight for dessert!"

Tonya moved to her chair and commented, "Not until you feed me. I'm starving!"

Jimmy commented, "Those heels look uncomfortable."

Sugar said through a Cheshire Cat smile, "It hurts to be pretty!"

Paula stopped by the table with four drinks. "The ladies ordered a round of Evan Williams," she proclaimed.

"Couldn't have done a better job of ordering myself," Rizzo said.

"We'll have a round of Prime Rib, too," Jimmy ordered.

"Medium rare ok?" Paula asked. Everyone at the table nodded their heads in agreement. Paula left the table and went directly into the kitchen. She always treated her regulars special.

Jimmy made eye contact with Sugar. After a few seconds, she asked, "Is my head cracked or something."

"What's different about you tonight?"

Rizzo chimed in, "must be the shoes."

"No silly, it's our hair!" Tonya stated proudly.

The girls modeled their treated locks by moving their heads slowly back and forth. "Well?" Tonya questioned.

Jimmy took a chance and broke the silence. Looking at Sugar first he said, "You have some light streaks. Turning to Tonya, you have some dark streaks."

"They're called highlights, not streaks. Teenagers streak their hair. My darker highlights complement my strawberry blonde color," Tonya said.

"Emil calls my highlights a creamy, honey color," Sugar said.

Jimmy knew Rizzo wouldn't leave this alone. "Honey on Sugar. Does Jimmy's life get any sweeter?"

With her biggest, most beautiful smile, Sugar confidently stated, "No!"

The four finished cleaning their plates around midnight. During the meal, Jimmy and Rizzo went overboard complimenting the ladies new, hair coloring.

As the conversation moved to dessert, Rizzo's cell phone rang. A few seconds later, Rizzo looked at Jimmy and said, "Wendy's in the hospital. I should go question her."

The glow from the evening's meal died. Tonya and Sugar look like reality just slapped them in the face. Jimmy understood what was happening.

Speaking to Tonya and Sugar, Jimmy ordered them to be careful. "Do not ask or even mention Janelle or Wendy to anyone. But you can keep your ears open to everything."

"And don't tell anyone about me or Jimmy," Rizzo said in his best cop voice.

"I want to go to the hospital with you," Jimmy said.

Sugar and Tonya took their hint. "We'll be alright. You guys go," Sugar said.

"The tab is taken care of," Rizzo said.

"We're ordering the most expensive dessert. I need something to keep me warm in bed," Tonya said.

As Jimmy and Rizzo left the dining area, Tonya said, "Zero for two. I swear I'm going to have Rizzo for dessert before the end of the week!"

"I made Jimmy this morning and he's better than dessert." Sugar sighed while watching his butt disappear into the crowded lounge.

Inside St. Mary's Hospital, Jimmy and Rizzo introduced themselves to the second floor, station nurse. They learned that Wendy was moved from the critical care unit an hour ago and was in room 214. Entering a two-bed room, they walked by the first bed noting to themselves how disfigured the patient looked. The patient didn't look like Wendy so they went over to the next bed. They peeked around the curtain. The bed was empty.

Jimmy looked curiously at Rizzo. He walked back to bed one and lifted the clipboard hooked to the foot of the bed. After a few seconds he stared at the patient, then back at Rizzo. Without saying a word, he tilted his head in the patient's direction. Rizzo's mouth dropped.

They both stepped out into the hallway. Rizzo commented, "I've seen some messed up shit in my time. This girl was pretty ten hours ago. Someone rearranged her face with a vengeance."

Jimmy, trying to make sense of Wendy's beating said, "I think it's time to bring in the rest of my team."