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“It’s not.”
She squared her shoulders a little more firmly, as if steeling herself. “I think maybe I’m ready for that drink you offered earlier.”
“I’ll have to go back to the parlor for it. You mind waiting here?”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, wearing a brave smile.
He left the room, and Arturo was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.
“Ricardo.”
“Arturo,” he answered.
“You brought her here because you want to hide her. Why?”
“She’s in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“The straightforward kind. In over her head with the wrong people.”
“Small-town girl trying to make it in the city?”
“Something like that.”
“Hmm. Quaint. Well, I’m always happy to do a good deed for a pretty girl. But you owe me a favor now, yes?”
Rick ducked his gaze to hide a smile. He handled Arturo by letting him think he was in charge. “That’s how it usually works, yes.”
“Excellent.”
“I assume the alcohol cabinet is included in the favor?”
“What? You’re having to get your girls drunk first now?” Arturo said in mock astonishment.
“Thank you, Arturo.” Rick slipped around him and into the parlor.
He returned to the room with a tumbler of ice and a bottle of whiskey. Helen was on the bed. Her jacket was off and lying on the dresser, her shoes were tossed in a corner, and she was peeling off her stockings. Rick started to apologize and back out of the room again, when she called him over.
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to get comfortable since I’m going to be here awhile,” she said.
He set the tumbler on the dresser and poured a finger.
“Ricardo, is it?” she said. “Are you Mexican? Because you don’t look Mexican.”
“Spanish,” he said. “At least, if you go back far enough.”
“Spanish, hm? That’s romantic.”
He handed her the whiskey, which she sipped, smiling at him over the glass. “You only brought one glass. Don’t you want any?”
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Will you sit here with me?”
This was a turning point. He’d been in enough situations like it to recognize it. “Helen, I didn’t bring you here to take advantage.”
“Despite the bed and this being a brothel?” Her smile turned wry.
