i didn't believe him, not one word of what he said. i hadn't been
afraid of leroy before, just thought of him as weird and weak. i didn't
like the look in his eyes at this moment, and i didn't relish the fact
that he now knew that i knew leesel and we were to meet the next day.
"leroy, why don't you turn yourself into the police, confess
and let what happens, happen." i quietly asked. he smiled
"i have no business with the police miss carlee."
"you practically told me that you killed eddie and hazel, and
that you intended on doing mr. grey in."
"that's hearsay, not fact, my word is as good as yours."
he replied.
"i'm not saying that it isn't leroy, but this has to end
somewhere you know." i was firm.
"what i do is my business!" he shouted.
"what the hell planet are you on leroy, god dammit, you can't
go around murdering people and say it's nobody's business but yours!!
that's bull shit and you know it!" i could feel my face turning
red with anger.
"please, calm down carlee, you're getting upset, and i never
want to do that to you. meet me at the park tomorrow evening, they're
doing mid summers night dream, one of your favorites."
i just stared at him. "you're impossible leroy, just
impossible." he smiled, then turned and walked away from the
craigs of mist. i felt arms around my neck, andy's.
"i thought you ran away babe."
"oh andy, the problems i have."
"that was leroy wasn't it?"
"yep, leroy." i just couldn't tell andy that i thought
leroy was the one who killed mr. grey the other night, not at this
time anyway. "hold me andy, please." i felt good in his
arms, the world seemed safer.
"you're trembling carlee." he held me tighter.
"i'll be alright andy, just a little shaken."
"you can tell me about it if you like, but it's ok if you
don't" i kissed him. some guys whistled. "they're just
jealous of what i have in my arms tonight carlee." i kissed him
again. "who do you like in the sixth race?" he asked.
"you." i replied.
"we're creating a scene you know, everyone's is looking at us."
"want to do something more daring andy?" i teased.
"not here love."
"shoot."
he smiled. the horses were on the track for the next race, i saw
one that i absolutely loved. he was a chestnut, almost blond, his tail
was so bushy ('you don't hurry carlee, you scurry, like a beautiful
squirrel' i heard in the back of my mind.) hmmm. i consultated the
racing form, trying to look professional; his name was "andy's
babe," what could be more appropriate tonight, his odds were
25-1, he had won three races in his life (and he was four years old)
two at this track and one in ireland. i knew andy would think my pick
was unscientific, but i told him to bet everything i had on this
wonderous horse.
"how much do you have carlee?" he asked.
"one hundred ninety four 5, 10, 15 cents, i want to go for
broke."
"that's likely what you will sincerely do babe." he
answered. "and they don't take change."
"how about $150.00?"
"how about $50.00." i nodded and handed him the 50, that
would be a lot if he won, never-the-less. i asked andy if i could
actually see my horse, close up, before the race. he said the race
would begin before we go to the paddock. i closed me eyes and
whispered a short prayer to andy's babe. i told him i was near broke,
and only he could pull me through. i told him that he was pretty and i
loved him. then i thanked him and blew a kiss toward the paddock.
they were off, i could see andy's babe's bushy tail standing
straight out in the breeze. he was in the lead, he still was when they
passed up. "oh, andy he's winning!!"
"don't get your hopes up too high, sometimes they quit before
the end of the race." but he didn't.
"Come on andy, you can do it!" i shouted. they were near
the last stretch and i couldn't see, so i just prayed again. i
couldn't look, i shut my eyes tightly. "did he win andy?" i
asked enthusiastically.
"hell, it was close carlee, he may have, we'll have to wait."
he did!!! i have never been so excited. andy kissed me and took my
ticket to cash in. twelve hundred dollars, i couldn't believe my luck,
especially in lite of how it had been running.
"andy, i want a picture of andy's babe, where can we get one?"
"i'm not sure, we can check at the paddock." we headed
that away. i was getting light headed, i was rarely this high. at the
paddock they told us that they didn't have pictures, but pointed to a
gentleman who owned andy's babe and said that he might.
"he's laverne "pork pie" anderson, the man said, and
he just might accommodate you all." we thanked him and walked to
mr. anderson.
"hi." i said to him.
"well hello. where did you come from pretty lady?" he was
probably in his 50's, a little too fat, but very friendly. he had on
an austrailian bush jacket with a white shirt and a dark brown tie
with horses on it, his slacks were brown and a nice straw hat (like i
had seen mr. sinatra wear in old movies).
"i would like to have a picture of your wonderful horse mr.
anderson." i bravely stated.
"and who might you be, to admire my horse so much?" he
asked.
"i'm carlee mccord, and this is my friend andy."
"that's a pretty name miss, and you're kinda likeable." a
definite gleam shone in his narrow brown eyes. "come with me
carlee, over to this here computer." he smiled.
"they want you at the winner's circle pork pie!" someone
shouted.
"tell 'em i'll be there when i get there buck, first things
first." he gruffly replied. "now, let's see, did andy's babe
make you a millionaire miss carlee?"
"no sir, but he managed to keep me in louisville a few more
weeks."
he smiled. "well, he never made me a rich person either, but i
love him."
"me too mr. anderson." i said. laverne "pork pie"
anderson clicked on a folder on his desk top, then clicked on a
picture of the wonderous andy's babe.
"stop me carlee, when you see one you want, there are over 400
of 'em." he continued to click.
"please wait, back up one or two." i requested. "that
one, that's the one i want, how beautiful, it's perfect."
he smiled--"that's one of my favorites too young lady. there's
a long story about andy, and his name."
"i'm sure there is, and i would love to hear about it
sometime."
"really, i would like that carlee, i own nine other horses and
am here almost every day during the season, come see me one day, you
too andy." gosh, he was nice. he put a piece of extremely high
gloss coated paper into the printer feeder, and clicked to reset the
print to 4,050 dpi. then he clicked print, and the printer talked-"printing
starting." "this is very high resolution carlee, it will
take a while." it took a long while to print, mr. anderson lit a
cigarette.
"pork, if you don't get your fat ass down on track, you won't
be in the picture, you got five minutes." buck angrily said.
"hell, this ain't the kentucky derby buck, but, maybe another
pretty young girl might want that particular picture some day, can't
never tell. ok, i'm gone, take the picture when it's done cookin' miss
and come see me again if you can."
"what do i owe you mr. anderson?"
he pondered--"a kiss would be nice." he smiled. i kissed
him on the cheek, and he patted my behind. "ample payment missie."
and he headed off to the winners circle.
"thanks mr. anderson!" i shouted.
"my pleasure carlee." the picture was great, wow, i would
cherish it forever.
"look andy--i held it out proudly."
"very nice carlee, very nice."
"he must have liked you ma'me, pork pie has been burned by so
many women in his time that he wouldn't do that for just anyone,
consider yourself special." and old man said, he looked like a
trainer mayby.
"tell him that i think he's cute, and both his horse and
himself are winners in my book."
the man laughed. "i'll be sure to convey that message, miss."
"gosh andy, i'm so glad you brought me here, i can't thank you
enough, this is a wonderful place."
andy smiled. "now that i've done a good thing for you, how
about letting me do a good thing to you?"
"that's a deal andy, you can do anything you want to me."
i should have thought twice before saying that.
"you should think twice before making a statement like that
carlee." hmm, thought i just said that...... they didn't steal
our can, yeah, "no chop shop for you tonight peaches."
"aren't we lucky." andy sneered. i kept looking at my
picture, how beautiful, i was still spinning.
"do you have a cigarette andy?" i asked.
"no darlin' but i'll go back and get you a pack if you'd like.
or, we could stop at my store and i'll get you a carton." that
sounded even better, i really didn't smoke that much these days. i
agreed. andy's store was owned by a local co op called "belkens,"
they were located all over the city, the one that andy ran was on
fourth at cedar, three blocks over from magnolia. we pulled up in
front of the store and andy got out and rattled a bunch of keys.
"be right back babe, oh, what brand?"
"doesn't matter andy, get some beer too if you don't mind."
he was gone for longer than i thought he should be, i started to get
out and go in. andy returned with a carton of marlboro and a case of
cold miller light. "bless you sir." i said.
"carlee, did leroy see with you at the track tonight?"
"i'm not sure andy, i'd think that he did though, he certainly
knew that i was there."
"this note was taped on the door." i took the note, it
was written with a crayon on standard printer paper---a rudimentary
picture of a rat was drawn at the top with the name "andy"
underneath, then "stay out of my business if you know what's good
for you." what did this mean, i would say that leroy did it, the "business"
thing was on his mind at the track. god, how terrible, my feelings
were so mixed.
"let me keep this andy, lissel's coming over tomorrow to talk
to me about mr. grey, she has dealt with leroy before, maybe it will
mean something to her."
"fine with me, but that guy may have more trouble than he
realizes if he fucks with me." andy was quiet on the way back to
my apartment, i knew the note upset him and i was very sorry. he
parked our can in front of the house and opened the gray door for me,
or was this the blue one...he carried the case and i carried my carton
and my horse picture. wonder why laverne "pork pie" anderson
didn't just buy a lazer printer than use a ink jet with this high a
resolution, i thought about him a moment longer, what a dear man.
carie's lights were out, which meant she was out with mr. carp, or in
bed. we were quiet walking up the stairs, andy said something, and i
said "shhhhh"
"you'll wake somebody." he shhhhhed.
my apartment was stiffling, i turned on the a/c and andy put the
beer in the fridge. "hey guy, want to do something sexy?"
andy was quick to respond.
"yeah."
"lets take our clothes off, bring a beer, and let's lay
together in the lounge on the veranda."
"your eyes are shining carlee." he playfully said.
"well that's alright."
"you have the prettiest brown eyes i've ever seen you know, i
simply love them, has anyone ever told you that before?" i shyly
looked down and didn't answer. andy headed for the bathroom, i thought
he would tear the rice paper partition down. i stripped down and
crawled out the window, it was pitch black outside, i laid down on the
lounge, it felt great, the smell of magnolias was in the air, what a
perfect night. the air was warm, but the breeze felt delicious. i
opened a pack of cigarettes, and lit one, inhaled deeply, i could die
this away, i thought. andy appeared with a beer for each of us, and a
dangling participle, both were appealing.
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