Elmore's Corner...Round One

I remember the first I heard anything about it, I was in the kitchen, standing between Billy's knees with my head thrown back and my hands in his hair. I was down to my panties and Billy's hands were under those. In fact, my clothes were everywhere - my bra was hanging off the oven door handle and my blouse was half in the sink. I made little groaning noises every time I felt Billy's teeth or tongue pull at me.

Elmore:  Billy!  Found a great spot, but I gotta move!  Somebody else's
after it, too!

Billy jumped, accidentally nipped me.

Billy:  Sorry, baby.

He softly kissed the spot he'd bitten, then raised his voice to Elmore.

Billy:  You stay the hell outa this kitchen, Elmore!  Dammit!

Billy skinned his t-shirt over his head and yanked it down over mine.

Deb:  What's he want, baby?

Billy:  Need to know, girl, and you know the rest.  Go on t'bed, keep it
hot.  Get lost.  I'll find ya.

He patted my fanny gently, prodding me off towards the bedroom.  I 
shivered under his hands, but privately decided to listen in and see what
kind of mischief he and Elmore were up to.  Forewarned is forearmed, after
all.  But first I had to get past Elmore in the next room.

Deb:  Hi, Elmore.  What's up, buddy?

The direct approach.  It couldn't hurt.

Billy:  I said it ain't none of your business, baby.  Go on, let men talk.

I got a kiss on the side of the neck and another gentle prod.  Boy was
still caught up enough himself to be in the middle of reverting to his
usual persona, Elmore or not.  I reached up, gave Elmore a friendly peck on
the cheek and wandered away.  The minute I was out of sight of Billy, but
not so far away that I couldn't hear, I stopped to listen.

Elmore:  It's down on Buddy Holly Boulevard...Street...whatever the hell...
Useta be a fern bar.

Billy:  I know the joint.  How much they want?

Elmore:  Kitchen equipment and all...

Elmore proceeded to quote a price beginning with 'two', followed by
five digits, a decimal point, and some change.  I swallowed hard.  He was
talking about a piece of property on Lubbock's premier entertainment
thoroughfare.  What in hell would sweet and simple little Elmore want with 
something over there?

Elmore:  Guy says he'll gimme until tomorrow at four to make an offer,
then he's gonna sell it to this other dude...

Billy:  So we'll get out asses over there bright and early and buy the 
joint.  Elmore's Corner...whaddaya think?

I broke and ran for the bedroom.  Beth was going to need to hear this.
As usual, when I called Fort Gerard, I got the commander and not the one
who really made the place go.

Sam:  She's busy.

Deb:  You actually letting her do some work?

Sam:  No, wiseass, I'm giving her a neckrub.  She has a headache.

Deb:  Her head hurts, so you're rubbing her...what'd you say?  Chest?  

Beth:  You've offended him.

Deb:  A pouting Sam must not be a pretty sight.  I needed to tell you
something and he was gonna be the watchdog again.

Beth:  What?  He's grumbling.  I need to keep this short.

I told her what I'd overheard.

Beth:  Oh, that's just nucking futz!  What's he gonna do with a bar?  
Who's gonna run it?  He can't even manage a checking account!  What?

Deb:  Sam?

Beth:  What else...

I heard a truncated version being passed to Sam, then a lot of snorting
and blowing which indicated Sam's displeasure.

Deb:  He sounds like a damn old bull.

Beth:  It'll be worse when we get sucked in.  If you can write a check, you
can use QuickBooks.  I've seen Elmore write plenty of checks, he
just has trouble covering 'em.  How much you wanna bet we'll wind up doing
the books for the place.  You think for a minute my guardian angel here
will go for that?

Deb:  I don't think he'll go for anything that'll take you out of that house
as long as he's stuck in it.  But I know I'm gonna get stuck with part
of it because Billy's putting up the seed money.  I don't wanna be
stuck in some bar with those two idiots.  Not by myself.

Beth:  I'll...manage Sam.

Sam's voice was faint.

Sam:  You manage me pretty well, baby.

Deb:  Eegad.  I'd better go, sounds like Elmore's leaving.

Billy burst into the room, launched himself onto the bed beside me and
grabbed the phone with one hand.  The other went up under my t-shirt, to
pick up where he'd left off.

Billy:  Later, shrimp.

I waited until he had finished with me to ask him what was going on.  
There were a couple of reasons...firstly, I had to, because he was so 
insistent he would have ignored a court order to take his hands off me.
Secondly...he would be more willing to answer my questions if I let him do
whatever he wanted.  Thirdly...I wanted to let him do whatever he wanted.
But eventually, when we were side by side, sweat drying, I saw my chance to
ask.

Deb:  Billy?

Billy:  He's openin' a bar.

I was able to hide a grin in the dark.  I snuggled into his big body,
stroked his damp chest.

Deb:  Who is, Elmore?

Billy:  You know damn well it's Elmore.  You listened to everythin' was
said.

Deb:  I did?

Billy:  I hate it when you try 'n play dumb, girl.  I heard that metal
clank about halfway down the hall, then it stopped.  Then it started up
again, goin' like hell.

Deb:  Busted.

Billy:  Damn right.  So...what else d'ya wanna know before I go t'sleep?

Deb:  Are you...helping him at all?

Billy turned his head, looked at me.  All I could see was a faint gleam
that I knew were his eyes.

Billy:  Elmore ain't got a dime to his name, baby.  Never could save
anythin'.  Course I'm helpin' him out.  I'll be a silent partner

Deb:  A partner I can imagine.  Silent?  I doubt it.

Billy poked me in the ribs and I jerked against him.

Billy:  What the hell you think you know about bein' silent?  We're gonna
run the place for 'im.

Deb:  We?  You got a mouse in your pocket?

Billy:  No, but I got a woman with too damn much time on her hands.  You,
me, Beth if we c'n get her the hell away from Gerard once in a while.

I half rolled onto him, resting naked flesh against naked flesh.  I
nuzzled his clean-shaven jaw, kissed it warmly.  If he had another one in
him, I had decided I was going to find it.  He ran a hand restlessly up
my back and turned his face into my shoulder.

Deb:  I wouldn't have so much time on my hands if my boy wasn't off looking
for trouble so much of the time.

Billy:  Seems to me I don't find any damn trouble till I come home.

I sat up, swung my leg over him and settled down across his hips.

Deb:  You call this trouble?

Billy:  Shut up, before you start somethin' I need to finish.

Deb:  I don't climb up on the big fella because I wanna talk about feelings.

Billy:  Then dry up and feel 'em.

Billy was gone when I woke up.  This was nothing unusual, so I clanked
down to the vault to see what the supplies were like.  If the stacks were
down, he would be disappearing for a further day or so and I had told him
that the next time he made a money run, I was going with.  The stacks were
nearly gone.  Purchase agreement, hell, Strannix was going whole hog.  I
hauled myself back upstairs and packed a small bag, to be ready when he 
blew back in.

Billy:  Be gone for a coupla days, baby...

Deb:  Don't tell me!

I had already shoved my bag into the Suburban and was trying like hell to
climb in myself.

Billy:  What the hell you doin'?

Deb:  You're going to El Paso for money.  I told you, the next time you had
to, I wanted to go along.  You don't have shit down there in that bunker
and you'll need lots if you're gonna get this place up and running.  I'm
goin' with.

Billy:  What'll I do with Elmore?

Deb;  He can ride in the back.

Billy:  You don't need to know about this.

Deb:  Know about what?  Your illegal bank accounts in Mexico?  You think I
didn't figure it out a long time ago?

Elmore:  Hell, Billy...I'll take 'er shoppin'...

Billy:  No...I can use 'er...get more over the border in that damn big
suitcase she calls a purse.  Good idea, punk...go get that big brown one.

Deb:  I'm not climbin' in this bugger again.  It's in the closet in the
bedroom.  You go get it.

I sat quietly, watching Billy walk away, and wondering just how much he 
thought he was going to need to float this newest scheme of his.  And how
much it would hurt the two of them if it happened to fail.  I hated the
thought of having a ringside seat...but it looked like I was stuck.

TO BE CONTINUED...