A Gambling Man by David Baldacci (best short books to read txt) 📗

mustache, as though putting an exclamation point at the end of his words.

“Like I said before, it’s your funeral, Bobby H, and I don’t mean that metaphorically. I mean six feet under just like for everybody else.”

Howells’s face crinkled at this remark. “You’re a good man, Archer. Take care out there in California. What I’ve heard of the Golden State there might be danger there as well.”

“There’s danger everywhere, if you take the time to look for it. And sometimes even if you don’t. By the way, where do I send the payments?”

Howells took a card from his pocket and passed it across. “This address will find me.”

Archer studied the card. It had a street address and read: “Robert Howells c/o Reno City Jail. To be held until picked up.”

“So do you live at the jail? Is that where the room you mentioned is?”

“A truly remarkable notion, Archer.”

“Which isn’t exactly a no.” Archer slid the card into his jacket. “You’re a strange one, you are, Bobby H.”

“So will the beautiful and vivacious Liberty Callahan be making the journey with you?”

“A long trip is better with some companionship.”

“And companionship of a beautiful young woman trumps all other companions of my acquaintance.”

“If you say so.”

Howells patted his breast pocket and said, “Nice doing business with you, Archer.”

On that, Howells walked off with his head held cockily high and his pocket chock-full of money that Archer was sure the man would not use to pay off the debt, but rather lose at gambling. He might be dead before the sun rose the next morning.

Archer had already gotten his bag from the hotel and placed it in the trunk of the Delahaye. He hoofed it back to Callahan’s building to find her carrying two suitcases down the front steps. She was in her traveling outfit, complete with a hat that had a bird clinging to the side like a barnacle to a hull. He helped her with the bags and closed up the trunk. Then he pulled out the car key and slipped into the right-hand drive seat of the Delahaye while Callahan took up a perch on the left.

“This is going to take some practice,” noted Archer as he put the key in the ignition, turned it, and then thumbed the starter button. The Delahaye roared to breathless life.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Driving on the wrong side of a car.”

They headed out of town.

People on the streets turned to stare at the ride.

“It does draw attention,” observed Callahan.

“Yeah, I’m actually not too thrilled about that right now.”

“Too late for that thinking, Archer. Hey, do you even know which way to go?”

“Looked at my nickel map this morning. We basically keep driving west and then we turn south for a bit and then we turn west again and we stop right before we plunge into the Pacific.”

“This is so exciting, Archer, don’t you think?”

“Sure. I can barely keep my teeth from chattering.”

“New lives for us both. You a shamus and me a movie star.”

“I think you have the harder road.”

“Do people shoot at shamuses?”

“If they do, I got some practice with that last night.”

She took the .38 Special from her purse. “Don’t worry, I reloaded last night.”

He shot her a curious glance.

“You never carry an empty gun around, Archer. What would be the point?”

“As a former soldier, I can’t argue with that logic.”

“How long will it take us to get there?”

“We’ll never make it to where we’re going in one day, not even in this rocket ship. We’ll have to stop for the night.”

Archer glanced at the woman in time to see her let slip an anticipatory smile at his remark. He tossed this one around in his brain for a few moments and came away with several possibilities. One of which intrigued him, and the others of which bothered him, with at least one of those putting the fear of God in him.

He glanced at the dinged metal post, the only blemish on an otherwise pristinely beautiful piece of art, at least according to Howells. Next, he focused on the road, but in his head other things commanded his attention.

This was the start of a new life for him. Or at the very least, the potential of a new life. What if he screwed it up? What if California and his dream of becoming a PI came to nothing? Then what would he do? He’d be out there without a dime to his name, in a car he couldn’t afford to make the payments on, without the prospects of anything getting better.

“You look nervous,” said Callahan.

Archer glanced over to see her staring at him with an earnest look, but then she smiled, which he liked better than earnest.

She patted his hand. “If it makes you feel any better, Archer, I’m scared, too.”

“Who says I’m scared?”

“You didn’t have to say it. I can see it. But we’re young. So what if we got a bum ride so far in life? We’re looking for something better. So why not take our shot?”

“Easy to say.”

“Hell, Archer, if it were easy, everybody would be fat and happy.”

Chapter 11

THEY DROVE DUE SOUTH TOWARD CARSON CITY and soon passed an enormous body of water.

“Now that’s a sight for sore eyes,” said Callahan. “Considering we’re in the middle of a desert.”

“Lake Tahoe,” said Archer as the Delahaye whizzed past it on State Route 27.

“How do you know that?”

“Read a travel brochure.”

She eyed the dashboard. “Does this thing have a radio?”

“Afraid not,” said Archer. “Nineteen thirty-nine apparently was a long time ago.”

“I like George Burns and Gracie Allen. They make me laugh. And they seem to really love each other even though they’re married.”

“Well, that’s sort of the point, isn’t it?”

“What you don’t know could fill a library, Archer.”

“What I don’t get is how come on the show Gracie always outsmarts George.”

“Well, they just like to keep it realistic.”

They crossed into California and then doglegged southwest before entering the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the ground rose swiftly around them, Callahan clutched