Silver Linings

gratefully as she took in the gaudy room. Everything appeared to have been done in red. Red and gold wallpaper, red velvet curtains, red plush bedspread, red rugs. There were mirrors on the ceiling over the bed and along one wall. “Your room is certainly a lot fancier than mine.”
    “No thanks to the management of this joint.” Evangeline laughed, a rich, throaty sound, as she went over to a small lacquered cabinet and picked up a bottle of rum. “I had to do all the upgrades myself. Took months to get the fabric for the curtains and the spread. This liquor cabinet was a real steal. Got it from a guy who came through on his way to Honolulu with a boatload of stuff he was importing from Singapore.”
    “It's beautiful. You must have spent a fortune on all this decorating.”
    Evangeline shrugged. “I figure it's an investment, you know? You got to put some of the profits back into the business if you want to see an increased return. That's my theory.”
    Mattie nodded, feeling very much on familiar territory all of a sudden. “That's certainly true, isn't it? During my first couple of years I plowed almost my entire income back into my business. I still have to put a lot into it.”
    “Ain't it the truth?” Evangeline opened the door of a tiny refrigerator and removed some ice cubes. They clinked as she tossed them into the two drinks she had just finished mixing. “Here you go. Have a seat while I see what I've got in the closet.”
    Mattie accepted the drink and sat down in a red velvet chair. It was rather like finding oneself in the middle of a play, she thought as she took a cautious swallow of the potent rum-and-fruit-juice mixture. “How long have you been working here on Brimstone?”
    “About four years now. I was in Hawaii for a while and it was okay, but I decided to find myself someplace where the competition wasn't so fierce. Here on Brimstone I'm the only working woman on the island.” Evangeline opened a closet door and stood, one hand on a gracefully cocked hip, and perused the contents. “Let's see what we've got. Ah, here we go. This should suit you just fine.”
    Mattie blinked at the tiny little handful of red lace and satin Evangeline was holding out for inspection. “Is that the slip?” she asked weakly.
    “Hell, no. It's one of my best outfits. I never wear slips, not unless I get some john who's got a thing for underwear. Takes long enough to get in and out of my clothes as it is. Let's see how this looks on you.”
    Mattie took a long swallow of her drink before she rose cautiously to her feet and began unbuttoning her blouse.
    Evangeline made more sympathetic noises when she spotted Mattie's prim little bra and briefs. “You poor kid. You didn't get out of that mess on Purgatory with much, did you?”
    Mattie was embarrassed by her discreet underwear. She thought of the suitcase full of tasteful traveling clothes she had left in the car on Purgatory. “I had to leave all my good things behind,” she explained apologetically.
    “Yeah, I can see that. What a shame. Hope things cool down over there so you can go back and collect your stuff. In our line of work a good wardrobe is essential, isn't it?” Evangeline held out the scrap of shiny red satin. “I made this a month ago and it's hardly been worn. Been saving it for a special occasion. Let's get it on and see what needs to be done. You'd better take off that bra. This dress isn't made to be worn with one.”
    Mattie took another swallow from the glass of rum punch and then did as instructed. No worse than undressing in the ladies' locker room at the health club back home, she told herself. She pulled the red dress down over her head.
    There was no problem getting it as far as her waist, but she had to work a bit to get the sarong-style skirt down over her hips. She turned toward the wall of mirrors and stared at herself in amazement.
    The dress was not much bigger than a bathing suit. It was cut daringly low in front, and the skirt revealed an incredible length of thigh. There was virtually no back to it at all.
    “Not bad,” Evangeline said with a critical nod of satisfaction. “A little loose in front, but we knew that would need some work. And I'll have to take it in a bit around the hips but other than that, it's perfect. You look good in red, Mattie. I'll bet you wear a lot of it.”
    “Actually, I don't” Mattie said honestly. She recalled her closet full of expensive but exceedingly dull clothes. The