Lovers and Gamblers Read Free

didn’t like to think about it.
    He had been married to Melanie for ten years – since she was eighteen – and they had two young children. Melanie was an ex-dancer. She was very pretty, but oh what a bitch! And a nag. And somewhere in the back of his mind Paul knew for sure that she had slept with Al. He had no proof, knew nothing for certain, but he just had a feeling…
    Linda was dressed and ready to leave. ‘Later?’ she asked.
    ‘As soon as I’m free.’
    ‘Come to the apartment. I’ll cook dinner.’
    ‘We may have to go out with Al. I don’t know what he’s got in mind but I can’t leave him alone.’
    Linda laughed sarcastically. ‘The great Al King alone – never!’
    ‘Watch it, you’ll be working for him soon.’
    ‘I don’t understand it,’ Linda mused. ‘You’re better looking, taller, and a whole year younger. Why aren’t
you
the superstar?’
    ‘Because I can’t sing, and whatever you may think about Al he’s got a bitch of a voice. Besides, I like being the manager, it means I score the best birds.’
    ‘Oh, really?’
    ‘Oh, really, yes. I got you, didn’t I?’
    ‘Yeah, you got me hooked like some stupid fish. There I was, looking for a stable relationship, and I get some dumb married man who spends his life wetnursing superschmuck!’
    ‘You’ve got a big mouth, but I love you.’
    ‘That’s
why
you love me.’ She glanced quickly at her watch. ‘Hey – you’re going to be late – better move it.’
    ‘I’ll call you later.’
    ‘Fine. I’m photographing the “Miss Coast to Coast” competition tonight. It shouldn’t take long. I’ll call you.’
    ‘Can’t you cancel it?’
    ‘No way, I need the bread.’
    She left, and Paul finished dressing in a hurry. Out to the elevator, up two floors, and then he was knocking on the door to Al’s suite. A waiter let him in.
    ‘Where the fuck have you been?’ Al asked rudely. ‘I ordered you a steak sandwich, you took so fucking long I ate it.’
    ‘I’m not hungry. What happened to your companions?’
    ‘Jesus! Dogs! Horrible. I had them out of here in double time.’
    ‘I warned you.’
    ‘How would you have known? In the lobby they looked like two real little darlings. I’ll tell you what, though. I saw one I
really
fancy.’
    How many times had Paul heard that. Growing up together had been a chequered path of fame, fortune, and women. Al had always fancied anything that moved and was female.
    ‘Who is she?’ enquired Paul. ‘And where did you find her?’
    ‘
You’re
going to find her,’ corrected Al. ‘I don’t know her name. I spotted her on television – there’s some beauty competition tonight – she’s in it.’
    ‘Miss Coast to Coast?’
    ‘Yeah, that’s right. How did you know?’
    ‘I’m a detective on the side. Only how do we find the girl if you don’t even know her name?’
    ‘Miss Los Angeles.’
    ‘Dinner tonight. It’s as good as done.’

Chapter Two
    Dallas licked already shiny lips. She stared at herself in the full-length mirror and adjusted the Miss Los Angeles sash. She wished that she could take it off, it ruined the whole effect of the leopard-skin bikini.
    Later in the evening, when she won, she would have to put on the stupid crown and cover herself with the fake ermine cloak. What a drag!
    Dallas knew she would win. She had taken steps to make certain she would.
    ‘You wearing a hair-piece?’ Miss Long Island asked bitchily, craning to see herself in the mirror.
    ‘Yeah,’ agreed Dallas, ‘around the crotch!’
    Miss Long Island retreated angrily.
    Dallas peered at herself once more in the mirror. She did look her absolute best. She deserved to win. There really was no contest. Still, it was just as well that she had taken out insurance.
    ‘The judges are being introduced!’ someone shouted with excitement, and the girls in the dressing-room crowded round the closed circuit television set in the corner.
    A smile hovered round Dallas’s mouth. Five judges,