Genuine Lies

back to his. “You’re a liar, Drake. And unless you want me to go to the police with my suspicions, you’ll stop being a liar as of this instant. How much are you down?”
    He collapsed, folding like a house of cards under a child’s whistling breath “Eighty-three thousand, and interest.”
    Eve’s lips thinned. “Idiot. To whom?”
    He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Delrickio.”
    She sprang up, snatching a shoe off the bed and heaving it at him. Whimpering, Drake crossed his arms over his face to protect it. “You goddamn simpering fool. I told you, I warned you. Fifteen years ago I pulled you out from under that slime. And again, ten years ago.”
    “I had a bad run.”
    “Asshole. You haven’t had a good run in your life. Delrickio! Jesus Christ! He eats sniveling little wimps like you for breakfast.” Furious, she tossed her cigarette on the carpet and ground it out before snatching Drake by the shirtfront. “You were after the tapes for him, weren’t you? You fucking traitor, you were going to feed them to him to save your own skin.”
    “He’ll kill me.” His eyes and nose were running as he babbled up at her. “He’ll do it, Eve. He’s already had one of his goons give me a beating. He wants to listen to the tapes, that’s all. I didn’t figure it would hurt anything, and maybe he’d forgive part of the debt. I only—”
    She slapped him, hard enough to snap his head back. “Pull yourself together. You’re pathetic.” She released him to pace the room while he dragged out a handkerchief to mop up his face.
    “I panicked. Christ almighty, Eve, you don’t understand what it’s like, living with what he can do to me. All for eighty fucking thousand.”
    “Eighty fucking thousand you don’t happen to have.” Calmer, she turned back. “You betrayed me, Drake, my trust, my affection. I know your childhood was crap, but that’s no excuse for turning on someone who tried to give you a chance.”
    “I’m scared.” He started to weep again. “If I don’t give him the money in two days, he’ll kill me. I know it.”
    “And the tapes were to plug the dike. Well, too bad, darling, no dice.”
    “They don’t have to be real.” He struggled to his feet. “We could fake some, pass them off.”
    “And he’d kill you later for lying to him. Lies always surface, Drake. Believe me.”
    While he choked on the truth of that, his eyes darted around the room, afraid to settle anywhere. “I’m going to go away. Get out of the country—”
    “You’re going to stay right here and face the music like a man. For once in your pitiful life, you’re going to deal with the consequences.”
    “I’ll be dead,” he said, lips quivering.
    She pulled open her bag and took out a checkbook. She had come prepared, but that didn’t diminished the anger, or the sadness. “One hundred thousand,” she said as she sat and wrote. “That should take care of your debt, your interest.”
    “Oh. Oh, Christ, Eve.” He fell at her feet, burying his face in her knees. “I don’t know what to say.”
    “Don’t say anything. Simply listen. You will take this check. You will not use one penny of it for gambling, but take the money to Delrickio.”
    “I will.” Sheer delight transfigured his wet face. It gleamed like a converted saint. “I swear it.”
    “And this will be your final transaction with that man. If I ever hear of you doing business with him again, I’ll kill you myself—in a way that even Delrickio would respect and admire.”
    His head bounced on his neck in enthusiastic nods. He’d promise anything, anything at all, and mean it—at least temporarily—-for salvation.
    “I would suggest that you seek therapy for your addiction.”
    “It’s no problem. I’m through with it. I swear.”
    “As you have sworn before, but that’s your business.” Revolted, she pushed him aside and rose. The affection and hope she’d once had for this child of her sister was gone. She knew they would not be back. Once the disgust and angerfaded, there might be pity. But nothing more. “I don’t really give a shit if you waste your life, Drake, I’ve saved it for the last time. You’re fired.”
    “Eve, you can’t mean that.” He struggled to his feet, using his most charming smile. “I fucked up, I admit it. It was stupid, and it won’t happen again.”
    “Fucked up?” Nearly amused, she tapped her fingers against her bag. “What a convenient expression, it covers