“Cutter, on the other hand,” I finished up the story, “isn’t talking about anything.”
“So CORPS is defunct?” Rosie wanted to know.
“They seem to have scattered for the time being. They sure as hell aren’t claiming any inheritance. Their share of the money will wind up going to the state, by law.”
Rosie got up and retrieved two more beers from the refrigerator. When she came back into the living room she had a businesslike look on her face.
“So,” she said, “what’s my cut?”
I shrugged. “What do you think?”
“Well, I spent two evenings on CORPS, not counting Wednesday, when I risked life and limb and acquitted myself brilliantly, I might add. And I led you to Frank Shane. How does fifteen percent sound?”
Fifteen hundred dollars seemed a little high. But Arthur had twisted her arm pretty badly. She might have some trouble working for a few days. And she had, indeed, led me to Frank Shane. Sure, I said, that seemed about right. I got the money out of my sock drawer and handed it to her. I told her I had to get ready for a date.
“Is it Iris? Listen, Jake, she’s some woman.”
“No,” I said, “that’s tomorrow night. Tonight it’s Faye. You haven’t met Faye.” Rosie looked at me quizzically, laughed, and kissed me on the forehead.
“Have a good time. See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Oh, by the way, I thought I’d set up a big poker game for Sunday night. Interested?”
“Sure,” she said. “I’m a rich woman.”
I dragged the phone into the bathroom and started running the hot water into the tub. I sat on the stool with the phone in my lap. Starting with the poker regulars, I called Artie Perrine, told him I had some notes for him, and invited him for Sunday. Hal said he could make it, too, so that was four, including Rosie, and she might want to bring a friend. I didn’t think I’d ask either Iris or Faye because I like to keep love and poker separate. But I could keep a space open, just in case, for someone.
I undressed and settled in the tub, then called Faye and told her I’d pick her up at seven-thirty.
The second that I hung up, the phone rang. A collect call from Isaac Samson, the operator said. Resisting an urge to speak Chinese and slam the receiver down, I accepted the call.
“Hello, bum?”
“Hello, pa.”
“I been dialing for an hour. Busy. For an hour. Like a woman on the phone.” I heard a squawk of protest somewhere in the background at his end.
“I had a lot of calls to make, pa. Business.”
“Yeah. Sure. Monkey business. Don’t tell me. I’m sure it’s too complicated for a simple old man to understand.”
“Pa…”
“Your stepmother wants to know if you’ve got a date tonight. I, personally, don’t care if you’ve got a date.”
“Pa…”
“What you need is a job.”
The End
Dedication and Acknowledgments
For my mother Dorothy Singer Fenick
The author wishes to thank the Oakland Police Department, and, in particular, Sergeant Dave Nishihara and Officer Curt Wengeler, for help and information.
WE GUARANTEE OUR BOOKS…
AND WE LISTEN TO OUR READERS
We’ll give you your money back if you find as many as five errors. (That’s five verified errors—punctuation or spelling that leaves no room for judgment calls or alternatives.) If you find more than five, we’ll give you a dollar for every one you catch up to twenty. More than that and we reproof and remake the book.
Email [email protected] and it shall be done!
If You Enjoyed This Book…
Try the next Jake Samson book, FREE DRAW, at www.booksbnimble.com or click here for more books by Shelley Singer. (If your reader does not have a built-in browser, you can simply type: http://amzn.to/11j79dZ in the browser to be taken directly to Amazon’s books by Shelley Singer.)
The Jake Samson Series
Free Draw
Samson’s Deal
Full House
Suicide King
Spit in the Ocean
Royal Flush
Signet Books—The Barrett Lake Series
Following Jane
Picture of David
Searching for Sara
Interview With Mattie
Other Novels
The Demeter Flower
A Respectful Request
We hope you enjoyed SAMSON’S DEAL and wonder if you’d consider reviewing it on Goodreads, Amazon (http://amzn.to/11j79dZ), or wherever you purchased it? The author would be most grateful. And if you’d like to see other forthcoming mysteries, let us keep you up-to-date. Sign up for our mailing list at www.booksbnimble.com.
About the Author
SHELLEY SINGER has had 13 novels, including a Shamus Award nominee, and several short stories published. Most are mysteries, including the six books in the Jake Samson series. Her most recent novel is Blackjack, a near-future thriller, written as Lee Singer. She teaches writing online and does manuscript consulting. She has served as a judge in a number of fiction writing contests, including the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction writing competition. She lives in Petaluma CA with two dogs and the love of her life.
Samson's Deal: A Laid-Back Bay Area Mystery (The Jake Samson & Rosie Vicente Detective Series) Page 23