"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.