Dead Man's Hand by Pati Nagle Read Free Book Online

morning, Ned.” Donny finished his drink, then stood up, pulled a couple of crumpled bills out of his pocket, and dropped them on the table. “You want a place to crash? I got a spare bed.”
    Ned looked up at him and managed a smile. “Thanks, Donny. You’re the best.”
    â€œCome on.”
    Ned followed his friend to the elevators and they rode up in silence. The mirrored elevator wall gave Ned his first good look at himself since he’d woken up at the mausoleum. Rumpled suit, tie loose and askew, face round and flushed and the silver hair fading back from his temples. He looked like a fucking chipmunk. When had that happened?
    He was fifty-five. In the prime of life, right? But he looked like shit and he felt strangely adrift. His house, money, mistress, all gone. Frankly, he didn’t care if he never saw fucking Randy again.
    â€œWhat happened to the silver?” he asked.
    â€œI think it went to Connie after they caught Tabbet digging it up.”
    â€œGood, good.”
    If Connie had the money, that was all right. He’d wanted it to go to her anyway. He could call her—no, that wouldn’t be good. He could go out to her school, explain what had happened, and she’d give him some money back. She was a good kid, and she loved her dad.
    Only she must have finished school by now. Donny was right, he should talk to Tom White in the morning, find out what the hell had happened.
    He sighed. More than ever he wanted a fix. Smoky white dragon rising from the heated foil. He could practically taste it.
    The elevator doors opened on a hall with plush carpets and gentle lighting from lamps on the walls. Donny led Ned to his suite and dropped the key card on a table by the phone. Ned strolled past him into the living room. The picture windows looked out on a prime view of Bellagio with a glimpse of Paris to the side.
    He ambled over to the coffee table, which held a couple of big picture books of the kind useful for impressing chicks. “You got anything about the murder trial?”
    Donny stifled a yawn. “Nah. It was all over the papers. Been a couple of books written, too. You’re fucking famous, now that you’re dead.”
    â€œNot dead. I’m getting better.” Ned glanced up at Donny, but the joke had missed. “Maybe I’ll go pick up one of those books. Give me more of an idea what the hell happened.”
    â€œNone of them mentioned alien abductions as far as I know.”
    â€œHa, ha. Can you lend me a thousand?”
    â€œI just gave you a hundred.”
    â€œYeah, but I had to pay the cab—”
    Donny came toward him suddenly like a bull at a red flag. Ned instinctively took a step back.
    â€œI will give you another hundred,” Donny said in a fierce, low voice, “but you will not bring any drugs back here or I will kick your ass down the elevator shaft.”
    Ned laughed, a kind of sorry, apologetic laugh. “Sure, Don.”
    â€œAnd if you get busted for doing smack in some doorway, I will not bail you out. You get into that shit, you are on your own, bro. Got it?”
    Donny’s eyes were on fire. Ned nodded.
    â€œYeah. Got it.”
    Donny stomped out of the room, into his bedroom. Ned watched him out of sight, then his gaze drifted back to the window.
    Glitter Gulch. Beautiful town.
    He looked up when he heard Donny coming back. Pocketed the bills Donny pushed into his hand.
    â€œThanks, Don. I won’t get in trouble. Can I borrow your key?”
    â€œJust knock on the door when you’re back. I don’t mind.”
    Implication being he minded giving Ned his key more than he minded being awakened. It felt like a slap in the face, but Ned swallowed it and let the subject drop. He put on a grin.
    â€œOK. Thanks Donny. You’re a great guy.”
    Donny didn’t smile. “Yeah. Take my advice, buy a couple of books and come straight back.”
    â€œRight.”
    Ned gave a