I laughed. "Really?
"Yes, and its too hot all the time. Some day’s I feel like David Ruffin, singing I Wish It Would Rain. That is until it rains, I never knew it could rain so hard. And these women," Shy shook her head. "Let me stop."
"You just miss New York, that’s all."
"You ain’t told no lie there. But I guess you know that I’m a fugitive, so I can’t go back to the city."
"Wanda hasn’t been any help with that?" I asked.
"Not really. I mean, I give her credit, she did get the murder charges dropped, but she can’t seem to be able to make no headway on the con
spiracy to distribute. Sometimes I think she’s glad I’m down here."
"Why do you think that?" I asked, thinking that she might be right.
"Come on, Nick, you’ve known her and Michael a lot longer than I have. Even though neither of them will say it and I’ve never asked either of them, I know at some point there was something goin’ on between them. I know that whatever it was is over for Michael, but I think Wanda still feelin’ it."
"You sound a little jealous. Are you?"
"No!" Shy said quickly and louder than she needed to. "Well, maybe just a little. But I’m not worried about her. I got more than enough woman to worry about on this boring ass island."
The cook brought my food, before I could ask her what she was so worried about. Shy introduced me to the cook and told him that this was one of Black’s best friends, "So the food better be good or he’ll fire you," Shy laughed, sending the cook about his business, with very worried look on his face. I tore into the food, like a man who hadn’t eaten in weeks.
"Michael said you could eat. I’ll let you eat in peace. I’ll be back when you’re done."
My mouth was too full to answer.
Once I finished eating, as promised, Shy returned and poured me another drink. "So, I take it that Black’s not here?"
"He’s in New York."
"New York? Can’t be, I just left there. Freeze dropped me off at Newark this morning. He can’t be in the city and Freeze not know it," I laughed, when I thought better of it. Suppose Black told her he was goin’ to New York and went somewhere else?
"No, he’s there. Knowing those two, Freeze probably dropped you off at Newark and picked him up Kennedy. You know how secretive they are."
I laughed, but I knew she was right.
Shy looked at me and leaned against the bar. "So, Black says you two have friends since the first day you met."
"He said that?" I looked at Shy. Then it occurred to me that Black wouldn’t have his wife bartending. So I put his hand on I gun. "Is that what he told you?"
"Ain’t that what happened?"
"No, we had a fight the first day we met."
"I’m glad you said that, Nick cause I was gettin’ ready to shot your ass," Shy said and then showed me the pump she kept under the bar. She reached for a glass and a bottle of Bacardi.
"I still might shoot you. Who won?"
"Come on, Nick," Shy smiled at me while she poured her drink. "You know got your ass kicked."
I let go of my gun and laughed, "I’m glad you said that." Lifting my shirt to show her my gun. "So why does Black have you bartending?"
"It’s the managers day off. So I’m just filing in for the regular bartender. He should be here by now."
For the next hour, Shy waited on customers and she and I talked and got better aquatinted. We talked a little this and that, Shy told me how her and Black met, and about their adventure together. I talked about the old days running with Black, and about how I’d spent the last couple of weeks. And then the conversation turned. "Mind if I ask you a question?" Shy asked.
"Sure, go ahead."