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“I guess a Corona will cut it, and can I have lime with it too, please?” Angel turned and grabbed an ice-cold bottle from the cooler, lifted a small plastic tub and sunk a lime half-way into the top of the bottle. Handing itacross theworn bar asthe mantook a seat on a stool near the wall. Glancingoverhis shoulder atthe woman surfing thecellphone, he raised his eyebrows, liking what he saw.
“That sweet chickie-poo drink here often?” The question surprised angel, and he shook his head.
“Nope, never saw her here before. Likelyanother tourist fromThe Paradise. We’ve been getting manyon and off during the lunch hour. It’s been slow today, though.” The man glanced around the bar and stared at Angel, took a sip of his beer and shook his head.
“Ah, that is good, it has been a while since I’ve had one of these. I drink the generic shit my roommate buys, but he ain’t here, so I guess I’ll drink my choice today. Cool joint you got here. Beenopenlong?” he said, finishing hisbeer off with a gulp. The mangestured for another one.
“You want to run a tab? If not, they’re three bucks each.” The man looked angry for a moment and pulled out his wallet, placed a hundred-dollar bill on the bar and shoved it towards Angel.
“This should cover me, I would think.” He reached for a napkin on the edge of the bar and dabbed at his forehead. His hair was damp and hung in stringy clumps, and Angel figured he either had an excessive sweating problem or hadn’t showered in a few days.
“Damn, it’s hot here. I suppose that’s why theylove it, but I’ve got business to finishbeforeI can get myrelax time in atthe beach. Wouldhate to head home looking pasty-faced after having come all this way, I just wish it was a touch cooler, though. Never was good with humidity.” Angel looked at the man, his pock-marked face and tired eyes held a glint that left him uneasy, an ugly scar ran across his cheek. The man reached his hand across the bar and grinned.
“Sorry, hey, I’m Tony. Can I get that beer now? Oh, and get the lovely young thing over there whatevershe’s drinking, too.” Angel grabbed a glass, addedice cubes, then topped it off with unsweetened tea and a lemon.
“Do you want to deliver it, or should I?” The man grinned.
“I’ll take it over in a minute. What fooddo you serve here? I could go for a greasy cheese covered bacon burger.”
Angel handed the man a menu, and a minute later, took his order for the burger. Bree was in the kitchen and he walked in and handed her the order.
“Got areal winnerout there. Do you want to cook,or entertain?” Bree glanced over his shoulder and saw the man at the bar and stuck out her tongue.
“I’ll be happy tocook, and you can talk to Mr. stranger danger.” Angel grinned and walked back out as the customer walked the glass of tea over to little Miss. cell-phone. He sat the glass down on her table, bowed and said something, then walked back towards the bar. He hefted himself back onto the barstool, swallowed down the beer, and glanced at his watch.
“I’ll take another, bartender. You still didn’t say who you were?” Angel nodded and glanced at the woman who took a sip of her iced tea and continued scrolling.
“I’m Angel, and I own the Lug, here.” The man nodded,glancingback at Miss. Cellphone with a wide Cheshire-cat grin.
“So, you don’t know her? If I had your job,I’d definitely get to know a hot piece like that. Ownership has its privileges,”he said, gesturing towards the woman who dunked the lemon down into the ice cubes before taking another sip.
“Oh well, another tourist like me, she’sfine looking though. Wouldn’t mindsnatching offa piece of that ass. Alas, thewifey at home wouldn’t like that.” Angel laughed and shook his head.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m wife-less and will stay so. Theworld’stoo big, and there’s a lot oftemptation. I think women are like potato-chips.Bet you can’t have just one… And why would you want only one?” Tony nodded and smiled.
“How long have you been married, Tony?” Angel watched him this time. He drank his beer slower and wiped another trail of sweat off his face.
“My short answer is too long, but I travel often,so we get ourseparation time, and that’s fine. If I’mhome, shenags me for not doing this, that, or the other thing. I work, I like the down-time when I’m home. She’s a good cook and a great fuck too, or at least she used to be. Gained someweight over the years, but she’s a nice gal.” Angel nodded and watched the woman tuck her phone in her purse and move across the room towards the exit. She nodded at the two men, then stopped and thanked Angel for the drink before leaving. The girl walked with an unsteady gait towards the parking lot. Her svelte legs staggeredtowards a white Lexus in the lot. She stopped for a moment as her purse spilled over, dropping her phone, keys and other items into the rocky gravel. She bent down and Angel and Tony watched as she wobbled in her heels while grabbing at the items. Tony stood up and grinned at Angel.
“I think I may have to go help the little miss gather her things. I’ll be right back.” Angel watched as Tony scurried across the parking lot, then bent down to help her with the wayward items. She stood watching him with her hands wrapped tight around herself. He spoke to her for a few minutes, then nodded. Walking back to the bar, he grabbed his change, tossed a twenty down, and slammed the last of his beer.
“Gotta run, Angel. It’s been good chatting, but she isn’t feeling well and I told her I’d help her get back to her resort. Talk to you later.” He winked and ran back towards the woman who leaned against the car looking ill. Angel watched her sway as Tony took her by the arm and tucked her away in the passenger seat, then he came around and slid into the driver side. The car backed out, its red lights bright even in the sunshine, and Tony waved as he pulled out and headed towardsThe Paradise.
“Man, I don’t get it. How can thatcreepydude nail ahot girl like her? I must read the wrong fucking manuals on manhood.” Bree walked out with his burger, a pile of chips, and a pickle nestled amongst the pile on a plate.
“What the hell, Angel? Where did he go? I busted my ass making this, you know.” She slammed the burger down and Angel grinned.
“Don’t worry, sweets, he paid for it, but what hewill get is so much better than a crappy burger. Him and Miss. cellphone took off together. Can you believe that shit? Something doesn’t jibe with him, though. Hementioned that he was married, but told me about drinking crappy beer that his roommate bought. The dudewas strange, and that hair color, ugh.” Angelshook his head and Bree grabbed the dripping burger and took a bite. Angel laughed and held out his hand for the rest of it.
“Thanks, sweetie. I didn’t realize I was so hungry. How about we split it?” He bit into it and chewed as he glanced back out at the parking lot. Bree walked over to the woman’s table and picked up the money and gathered the dirty dishes. She held the glass up to the light and looked perplexed.
“Angel, you’ve got toget a new dishwasher, and I don’t mean replacing me. There’s soap dust all over this cup. It’s so gross, and I’m surprised she drank it, because I know I sure as hell wouldn’t touch it.” The glass was half-filled with watered down tea, but she could see the powdered substance. Embedded specks layin the lipstick print on the glass.
“Here, look at this. Well, at least the snotty bitch left me a fiver for a tip. I wouldn’t have, after being served this scummy drink.” Angel took the glass from her and held it up, swished the liquid around, he watched the powder dissolve.
“Tony, the greaseball said she wasn’t feeling well. He was driving her to her place at The Paradise.He bought this for her, yet she thanked me for the drink, soI bet that mother-fucker drugged her. Somethingdidn’t sit right with me. I’llrefrigerate the cup so don’t touch it. If I find out the slime ball did something to her, I’ll call the cops.” Bree shook her head, her face now etched in confusion.
“Why don’t you call them now, Angel, just in case he did do it? Besides, we’ve got to do something. What are you going to do, wait until she gets raped by that perv? Where was she staying, The Paradise or The Flamingo?” Bree looked sad and shook her head at Angel.
