House of Blues

dragons.
    Delmonico looked beseechingly at Shellmire, who only
stared at him, probably trying to figure out why he was still hanging
around. Finally, the agent shrugged. "Sounds like you're fired."
    When he had gone, Anna said, "I called someone
to get me another lawyer. But so far no one's turned up."
    Shellmire led the others away. "Got a real treat
for y'all."
    The tape began with a male voice.
    "Hello?"
    Another answered.
    " Eddie, it's Gus. Lemme speak to Anna."
    There was a pause and Anna's voice said, "Gustavo?"
    " Anna, are you all right?"
    " Why wouldn't I be all right? Why haven't I
heard from you?"
    Skip thought the words sounded fuzzy, as if Anna had
just awakened from a deep sleep.
    " Anna, something bad happened. You know what
these people are like."
    "These people, these people." She was
slurring her words. "You were the one—"
    "Don't start, Anna. I haven't got much time."
    "Where are you, Gustavo?"
    "I'm in another country, do you understand? I
can't come back to America."
    Anna gasped.
    "Anna, listen. They think I cheated them. If
they find me, they kill me."
    Another gasp.
    " You need to join me."
    "What are you saying?"
    "I want you to come to New York, and stay with
our friend. You know who I mean?"
    "Yes."
    "He'll have a ticket for you. You'll love it
here; it's beautiful."
    "Gustavo, what do you mean? What are you talking
about?"
    "I mean, Anna, that we both have to leave the
country. They're trying to kill me, do you understand that?"
    "They won't kill me."
    "First of all, they'll take everything you own.
Because you don't really own it, you remember that? When they've done
that, they'll try to get to me through you."
    "Pfah. They'd have done it already."
    "No. I bought you some protection. Pray God only
the FBI's listening, because you're dead and so's somebody else if
they find out. I bought you some protection, Anna. Do you understand
that? Do you know what I had to pay for it? You don't want to.
Believe me you don't."
    Anna emitted some sort of sound—whether another
gasp or a sob, Skip couldn't tell.
    "But its running out. Its only good for a few
days. Its information that won't be passed, do you understand? And
then when it is, everything's over."
    "I don't follow."
    "You don't need to follow. What you need to know
is that you need to get out of there today. You need to get to New
York and talk to our friend"
    "I can never come back, can I? Thats what you're
saying."
    " I'm sorry, Anna."
    "I have to leave everything—" She was
shouting so loud Shellmire had to turn the volume down.
    The caller interrupted, shouting louder: "Shut
up, Anna! This isn't for Eddie and Mike to hear."
    "Omigod! Are they going to be all right?"
    "Don't worry about them. Worry about yourself."
Shellmire turned up the volume. You've been drinking, haven't you?"
    " I've been out of my mind. You disappear for
days, I don't hear from you, you leave everything for me, and I don't
know how to do anything—"
    "Anna, shut up and listen, will you? I'm telling
you what to do now. Are you listening? Can you hear me?"
    "Yes."
    "Pack a suitcase, and call the bank—have your
money transferred to New York. You know where I mean?"
    "Yes."
    "The moneys all you'll need. That and a few
clothes."
    "You're telling me to leave everything I have?"
    "For Christs sake, bring the family pictures.
Nothing else is yours, can't you understand that? Its theirs. Its
always been theirs. You had it on loan."
    " The fish company's mine."
    " They let you run it for 'em because you look
respectable. And because you're my sister. You were their front,
that's it. Face it. It's over now."
    The silence of loss filled the room, of a life
slipping away.
    The caller said, "Send Mike and Eddie home. Then
go into the safe in the closet, take out all the records and burn
them. After that, go to the airport and if there isn't a plane to New
York within the hour, take the next plane to anywhere and go from
there to New York."
    "It has to be done that fast?"
    "Yes. It does."
    "I can't just leave like that."
    " You can and you will."
    "You don't understand, Gustavo. I've been
holding things together for you. Everything fell apart when you left
like that, and I had to do what I could. I've been waiting for you to
call and tell me what to do. I've been out of my depth here."
    "What are you talking about?"
    " I'm holding four prisoners, one of them a cop.
And one's a baby."
    "You what?" This time Shellmire didn't
bother to turn the thing down. He watched the