big shindig going on tomorrow night – right?”
“How’d you guess?” I laughed.
“I run a bar – nothing gets by me. And by the way, this town hasn’t been the same since the last time you were here. Please tell me you are just here for the party and not turn this town upside down? Please?” Nickie was smiling, but serious.
“Just for the party. Maybe I’ll call it vacation – would that make you happy?”
“I doubt it. Your vacations are probably just full of loose women. And come to think of it – your whole life is full of loose women!”
“Be nice Nickie. How is Ronnie?” I asked looking around.
“If I don’t kill him tonight, he’ll live to be a day older. But the night is still young – and a lot younger than he thinks he is!”
“Understand, situation normal – right?”
“Right. I’m going to put you in Cottage 4. It seems to be your favorite, and I just had a honeymoon couple check out of it this morning. You can probably still smell their ‘bliss’ all over the walls,” Nickie was making sniffing jesters with her nose.
“Honeymoon! What kind of couple in their right mind would spend their honeymoon at Chiefs? Wait – let me ask that a different way. Did they drive here on a tractor? Then I might understand.”
“Mr. Reno, if you want a room tonight, you might want to change your attitude. I realize that we might not match the luxury you find in your ‘Peabody Hotel’, but we do offer some things our customers appreciate. Besides, who are you kidding? You’ve ‘honeymooned’ in our cabins on more than one occasion. Fact?”
“That is a fact Mrs. Woodson. Now, can I get that Jack/Coke?”
“You canceling the martini order?”
“Yes, but only because you don’t have any olives,” I snapped.
“Can I surprise you?” she grinned.
“No, just the Jack/Coke please.”
I needed to make a call and would, of course, need to use the phone located outside. Whatever idiot installed this payphone next to the jukebox had to have been drunk or crazy – probably both. Nobody used that phone because nobody could HEAR while using that phone. The jukebox only stopped playing when Nickie or Ronnie turned it off – which was never. It probably has a thousand country songs already lined up for play. People just keep putting money in it and wondering why their song isn’t playing next – it would take a week to cycle through and reach their selection. No matter, they still keep dropping quarters and punching buttons.
I yelled across the bar. “Nickie, why don’t you do something about that damn jukebox?”
“Why, what’s wrong with it?” she yelled back.
“What’s wrong? It plays all the time – it never stops. 24x7 unless you or Ronnie turn it off. Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Nope, I like the music. You don’t?”
“Forget it. Get me the Jack/Coke. I’ll be using the outside phone,” I said as I headed out the front door.
I caught Jack Logan still in his office and shared the information about my search for Alfred E. Dollar.
“You idiot,” he said. “You are going to get yourself hurt – these guys don’t play nice – and you know that.”
“Yes, I know that. But, I have an idea he is either involved or knows something about the Bosley Buick operation. Have you checked for any offshore connections to Charles and Carlon Bosley?”
“What? You thinking ‘take the money and run’?”
“Well, with 2 million, you can live pretty good on some Caribbean island.”
“Okay, Carson, let me look into it. Anything else?”
“Yes, I would like to visit with Kathy and/or Sam Ledbetter tomorrow. Can you set that up?”
“Can do. I’ll call her tomorrow and tell her you will be calling. You need a phone number?”
“Yes, please.”
“686-5666, that is a Milan number,” Jack answered quickly. “Stay in touch and let me know how your visit
“How’d you guess?” I laughed.
“I run a bar – nothing gets by me. And by the way, this town hasn’t been the same since the last time you were here. Please tell me you are just here for the party and not turn this town upside down? Please?” Nickie was smiling, but serious.
“Just for the party. Maybe I’ll call it vacation – would that make you happy?”
“I doubt it. Your vacations are probably just full of loose women. And come to think of it – your whole life is full of loose women!”
“Be nice Nickie. How is Ronnie?” I asked looking around.
“If I don’t kill him tonight, he’ll live to be a day older. But the night is still young – and a lot younger than he thinks he is!”
“Understand, situation normal – right?”
“Right. I’m going to put you in Cottage 4. It seems to be your favorite, and I just had a honeymoon couple check out of it this morning. You can probably still smell their ‘bliss’ all over the walls,” Nickie was making sniffing jesters with her nose.
“Honeymoon! What kind of couple in their right mind would spend their honeymoon at Chiefs? Wait – let me ask that a different way. Did they drive here on a tractor? Then I might understand.”
“Mr. Reno, if you want a room tonight, you might want to change your attitude. I realize that we might not match the luxury you find in your ‘Peabody Hotel’, but we do offer some things our customers appreciate. Besides, who are you kidding? You’ve ‘honeymooned’ in our cabins on more than one occasion. Fact?”
“That is a fact Mrs. Woodson. Now, can I get that Jack/Coke?”
“You canceling the martini order?”
“Yes, but only because you don’t have any olives,” I snapped.
“Can I surprise you?” she grinned.
“No, just the Jack/Coke please.”
I needed to make a call and would, of course, need to use the phone located outside. Whatever idiot installed this payphone next to the jukebox had to have been drunk or crazy – probably both. Nobody used that phone because nobody could HEAR while using that phone. The jukebox only stopped playing when Nickie or Ronnie turned it off – which was never. It probably has a thousand country songs already lined up for play. People just keep putting money in it and wondering why their song isn’t playing next – it would take a week to cycle through and reach their selection. No matter, they still keep dropping quarters and punching buttons.
I yelled across the bar. “Nickie, why don’t you do something about that damn jukebox?”
“Why, what’s wrong with it?” she yelled back.
“What’s wrong? It plays all the time – it never stops. 24x7 unless you or Ronnie turn it off. Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Nope, I like the music. You don’t?”
“Forget it. Get me the Jack/Coke. I’ll be using the outside phone,” I said as I headed out the front door.
I caught Jack Logan still in his office and shared the information about my search for Alfred E. Dollar.
“You idiot,” he said. “You are going to get yourself hurt – these guys don’t play nice – and you know that.”
“Yes, I know that. But, I have an idea he is either involved or knows something about the Bosley Buick operation. Have you checked for any offshore connections to Charles and Carlon Bosley?”
“What? You thinking ‘take the money and run’?”
“Well, with 2 million, you can live pretty good on some Caribbean island.”
“Okay, Carson, let me look into it. Anything else?”
“Yes, I would like to visit with Kathy and/or Sam Ledbetter tomorrow. Can you set that up?”
“Can do. I’ll call her tomorrow and tell her you will be calling. You need a phone number?”
“Yes, please.”
“686-5666, that is a Milan number,” Jack answered quickly. “Stay in touch and let me know how your visit
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