by Cooper, Doug
Crystal didn’t hold back. “I think I made myself pretty clear before. If you’re asking for an immediate answer, I’d have to say no.”
“But why?” Penny said. “It can do so much good for all of us.”
“You all assume attention is such a positive.” She rotated in her seat toward Penny, looking back at Bill, who seemed more than happy to remain quiet. “Do you really want people knowing your business, about Darlene dying, about your son?”
Penny watched Bill in the rearview mirror shrug, lifting his hands at the same time. He said, “I don’t really have much to gain and probably even less to lose, so it doesn’t really matter to me.”
Penny turned her head speaking directly to Crystal. “Let’s go upstairs to Bill’s and go through it page by page.” She pulled the car into an open spot on the Garces St. side of the Juhl. “Anything you don’t like we’ll change.”
“Actually I was hoping you would come up anyway,” Bill said. “There’s something I want to talk to both of you about.” He opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk waiting for them. Penny and Crystal remained in the car, just looking at each other, surprised by his request. He had been distant lately and not very talkative at all, so for him to be initiating the dialogue, it had to be something important.
Penny removed her seat belt and turned the car off, speaking back through the open car door. “Of course, Bill. Is everything OK?”
Crystal raised her eyebrows and shook her head at Penny, indicating she didn’t know what it was about either. Bill said, “Everything is fine. I just have a favor to ask you both.”
They walked in silence into the building and onto the elevator. Penny used the captive environment to work on Crystal about the piece. “So tell me, why are you so skeptical? It really is a great opportunity for the music school.”
“Too good, actually.” Crystal said. “I don’t care how much good Max does, I doubt I’ll ever trust him completely, and if I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure I totally believe you either. It’s all come up so suddenly. Things just fit together too perfectly, and you always seem to have a hidden agenda.”
The elevator doors opened. Exiting into the hallway, Bill dug the keys out of his pocket. He said, “I don’t know. I think that might be a little harsh. Penny’s heart is always in the right place.” He put the key in the door but hesitated before opening it, looking at Crystal. “And it does seem like things are working out pretty well for you. Maybe you just need to trust everyone.” Bill opened the door and turned on the light. Penny and Crystal followed him into the apartment.
Penny stopped just inside the doorway in the small foyer area. Bill and Crystal continued into the apartment. Speaking to their backs, Penny said, “No, she’s right. There is more. Les knows this. I might as well share it with you as well.” She steadied herself. She was so good at hiding her feelings and just delivering what people wanted to hear, she wasn’t sure where to begin.
Bill turned back toward her. “Well, come in and sit down. Let’s talk.”
“No, I think I’ll stay right here.” Penny remained in the foyer, her voice quivering with vulnerability. Crystal stood next to Bill. Penny said, “The truth is that I need this. All the drinking and carrying on I’ve been doing, that’s not me. I’m completely empty and lost. I need more. I need to work. All I really have is my career.”
“I totally get that,” Crystal said. “The same thing happened to me when the show got canceled. But why us? Why can’t you do a different story?”
“Believe me, I tried. Damon pitched a bunch of other ideas. It was the only one they’d go for. It’s this or nothing. The only other option is to go back to the same stuff I was doing before or some stupid radio job. I just can’t. I have to move forward.”
Bill walked over and hugged Penny. She buried her head in his chest. He said, “Why didn’t you just say that from the beginning?”
She turned her head to the side, pressing her cheek against his chest. “I don’t know. It’s not easy for me to admit I need help. I like to be the one helping. Why do you think I get up in everyone’s business?”
Crystal took out the two copies of the script from her purse and tossed them on the kitchen table. She said, “But do you have to blast our lives across national TV to do that?”
Bill released from Penny and turned to Crystal. “I understand your reservations. Things are starting to go well, and you don’t want to risk that. But for me, I really don’t have much more to lose.” He spread his arms, looking around the apartment. “I wouldn’t exactly call this a life. I’m just putting in time now.”
“Stop it.” Penny walked over and grabbed his arm, pulling it down. “You can’t honestly believe that.”
“It’s true. I feel like I’m sleepwalking most days.” Bill slumped down into one of the chairs at the table. “The only thing that gets me though is knowing that each day I’m one closer to it all being over.”
The downturn in Bill softened Crystal. She said, “So that’s why you’ve been in such a funk lately? I thought you were getting sick of me being here and wanted me to leave.”
“Not at all. You can stay as long as you like. My home is your home. You’re one of the only bright spots.” Bill heaved himself off the chair and walked over to the urn with Darlene’s ashes that was perched on the mantel above the fireplace. “Like I said in the car, I do have a favor to ask of you two, though.”
“Of course, whatever you need,” Penny said, walking over next to him.
Crystal also joined them in the living room. “Now that I’m back on my feet and making money, I can start paying rent and chipping in on the bills.”
“No, it’s nothing like that. I don’t want your money.” Bill pulled the sleeve of his sweatshirt over his hand and brushed the thin layer of dust off the urn. “It’s just, when I do go, I need someone to make sure my and Darlene’s ashes are taken care of. My son will want to bury us back east, but we wanted to stay here in Vegas. Will you do that for me?”
Penny put her arm around Bill. “Of course we will.”
Crystal stepped next to Bill in front of the mantle. Putting her arm around him, she leaned her head against his shoulder just like Penny was doing on the other side. “You know I would do absolutely anything for you. But we won’t really have much say if your son challenges the decision. I remember my mom’s funeral. There’s no way anyone could’ve told me when or how she would be put to rest.”
“Don’t you worry about that.” Bill wrapped his thick arms around both of them. “I can take care of all that in the will.”
Crystal pressed the side of her face deeper into his arm. “OK, now let’s stop talking about this.”
Penny put her hand on Crystal’s arm behind Bill’s back, squeezing it in fear at the resignation in his voice. She composed herself, using her best soothing newscaster tone, the one she was taught to use when she knew things were not going to be all right, but she had to convince everyone they would be. “ Crystal’s right,” she said. “We all know that’s not going to happen for many years down the road.”
“You never know.” Bill looked over at the urn, pulling them both even closer. “I just want to be prepared.”
Dow Jones Close: 17,544.47
Chapter Fifty-Five
Date: Sunday, December 14, 2014
Dow Jones Open: Closed
“Community Money” was scheduled to run on CBS Sunday Morning as part of their holiday show focused on giving. The Sunday before it was set to air, Max invited everyone over to his penthouse to watch the final cut of the piece.
In typical Max fashion, the gathering was more than a few friends drinking sodas, huddled around a bowl of popcorn and a bag of potato chips. He had a local restaurant cater the food, hired Birdie on his night off from the Parlour Bar at the El Cortez to be the bartender, and invited a wide assortment of people, ranging fr
om downtown business owners to local media and city politicians. It was definitely overkill for a video that was coming in at four minutes and six seconds, but that was Max. He wanted to create as much buzz as he could leading up to the broadcast, and squeeze as much business and political goodwill as he could out of it. When Penny got there and commented on his “Go big or go home” party planning, Max said, “I went big, and I am home.”
While Penny looked quite comfortable mingling, meeting the new people and talking about her work and life before and in Vegas, Bill and Crystal kept to themselves, chatting up Birdie at the bar and grazing around the food table with items like beef heart tartar, shishito peppers, ceviche, and other delicacies, most of which they didn’t appear to recognize and probably would’ve never known the name of if it wasn’t for the cards in front of each platter. Crystal was dressed for the occasion, wearing the same black spaghetti-strap dress from the night at Dino’s, but she didn’t seem too eager to meet anyone new. Bill had on one of his many short-sleeve checked button-downs with khaki pants. He had always been protective of Crystal and never liked crowds himself, so if she wanted to hang around the food, he seemed more than happy to do the same.
When Les arrived, he also looked surprised and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the gathering. He was wearing the same black T-shirt and jeans he usually wore, except for a few additional stains from the work he had stayed behind to finish. Max introduced him to several key people but, seeing Les wasn’t really comfortable schmoozing, he angled him through the crowd toward Bill’s and Crystal’s familiar faces. Pulling at his T-shirt, Les said, “I had no idea there were going to be this many people. I would’ve at least put on a clean shirt.”
Bill held up his bottle of beer and the plate mounded with all the different small-bite appetizers. “I’ll never complain about free beer and food, even if I have no idea what most of it is.” He plucked a stuffed mushroom and popped it into his mouth. “I know this one is a mushroom, but after that you’re on your own.”
Max walked in front of the sixty-inch flat screen mounted on the west wall of the open floor plan for the kitchen, dining room, and living room. He had on a blue blazer with a tuxedo-style lapel and crisp white dress shirt paired with jeans and black loafers. The windows that stretched across the entire northern wall featured a field of twinkling lights with a constant stream of car headlights winding out toward Gass Peak in the Las Vegas Range. Max flicked his finger against the side of his champagne glass, emanating a muted tone. The murmuring of the crowd lessened but did not stop entirely. He started speaking anyway. “Thank you all so much for coming, especially during this busy holiday time and on a school night. I know how all you city officials have to work in the morning and are never late.” He hesitated amongst the groans and laughs as the joke settled in. “Someone asked me why I went to all this trouble when the segment will air next week and be available online for everyone to see. There are two reasons, really. One, I wanted to publicly recognize the people responsible for making this happen, and two, I wanted to share the moment with all of you who have worked so hard to resurrect downtown Vegas and build it into the thriving community it’s becoming.” Max stopped, prompting everyone in the room to clap. “To properly set up and explain the video we’re going to watch, I’d like to introduce to you the inspiration, brains, talent, and as you can see, the beauty behind it: Ms. Penny Market.”
The crowd applauded. Penny strutted up, seeming completely at ease. Her golden hair flowed around her shining face and over her shoulders. Her makeup was applied like fine art, all the colors specifically chosen and blended to accent her striking features. Max handed her a remote, whispering instructions on what buttons to press when she was ready. She calmly scanned the room, smiling and connecting with each person while she spoke. “Thank you, Max, for the lovely introduction, and most of all for opening your home and providing all the wonderful food and drinks. I must, however, correct you on one thing. I’m not the inspiration for this story.” She waved her arm around the room. “All of you in the downtown community are the true inspiration for the story. I just got the opportunity to tell it.” Applause rumbled through the room. “One of the things I noticed in moving here is that a lot of people who visit for the bachelor parties, work conventions, Super Bowl weekend, and all the other two- to three-day stopovers is that everyone thinks they know Vegas. While they witness a part of what has made this city the entertainment capital of the world, it’s not what Vegas is. Vegas is about community, the people that are here when everyone else goes back home, the ones who bear the windstorms, the one hundred and fifteen-degree heat, and flash floods, and those who pull together in the time of need. While none of the five of us featured in the story were born here, we are transplants, like so many of you, who understand behind the glitter is the gold.” Stepping to the side of the TV screen, she motioned toward the screen and pressed the button on the remote to start the video, while Max dimmed the lights. “Please enjoy this sneak peek of Community Money.”
The CBS News Sunday Morning logo appeared on the screen, with the show title in block letters. The screen faded into an aerial shot from the south end of the strip heading north, following the well-known landmarks along Las Vegas Boulevard all the way downtown to Fremont Street. Penny’s mellifluous voice accompanied the video. “Las Vegas is a city known for its twenty-four-hour lifestyle, huge jackpots, extravagant accommodations, and, unfortunately, colossal, heartbreaking busts. But if you look beyond the glitter and the neon lights, you will find a community of people similar to those in most American cities.” On the screen, children strapped with backpacks, on bikes and on foot, flowed toward a school. Busses and cars dropped off students in front. Penny said, “You have your neighborhoods, your schools, your families, people who were born here, and people who have relocated, some to escape and some to pursue a dream.” Historical photos and clips of Vegas rotated on the screen, showing its early days as an encampment for miners and a stopover for western-bound travelers, then its rise as a resort town and entertainment capital, and finally its evolution into a full-functioning city.
Penny’s voiceover continued. “Vegas has always been about the people, from the early pioneers like John Fremont, Helen Stewart, and William Clark, to the business trailblazers Mayme Stocker and Jim Cashman, to the organized crime influences of Ben Siegel and Moe Dalitz, to the corporate effect of Howard Hughes and the entertainment buzz from celebrities like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Liberace, to the impact of casino visionaries Benny Binion, Kirk Kerkorian, Jay Sarno, and Steve Wynn. While this story is not about anyone nearly as famous as those named, the message is important because it’s the one that carries Vegas forward. It’s about community money, how the resources are shared and always changing hands.” Pockets of applause and cheers bubbled in the room. The Spanish mission façade of the El Cortez appeared on the screen. The camera shifted to the perspective of a person walking in. Penny’s voice started telling the stories of the five of them. The shot transitioned to a blackjack table with the camera filming from the dealer’s perspective and the five of them seated as they were that first night.
Across the room Max noticed Crystal whisper something to Bill and Les. After a few words, she headed for the door. He trailed behind her, following her into the hallway. Even though the door was closed, he spoke in a whisper. “Where you going? You know how bad it looks for you to leave in the middle? Not to mention how rude it is to Penny after she worked so hard pulling it together.”
Crystal stopped halfway down the hallway, pivoting to face the accusations. Her cheeks blazed with anger. She didn’t even attempt to lower her voice. Actually the more she talked, the louder she got. “Look, against my better judgment I did the piece. You know why? For Penny, for Les, for you. Don’t even try to stand there and say what’s going on inside is for us. That’s all Max Doler, and I don’t want to be a part of it.”
Max spoke even softer. “Keep your voice down. Th
is is a big night for all of us. Whether you like it or night, you are part of it. As long as you work at the Oasis and teach classes at the Western, you are connected to it all. The sooner you accept that, the better off we’ll all be.”
Crystal unloaded on him. “But why does everything always have to be such a big affair with you?” Max stepped back, surprised by her emotion. He was used to her being angry with him, but this was different. She was yelling and crying at the same time, pointing with the full thrust of her arm. The right strap on her dress slid down to her tricep. Adjusting it back to its proper position, she composed herself. “Why couldn’t you just have us over and watch it together?”
“Because we would’ve missed a great opportunity to promote what we’re doing in the community. These days it’s not just about what you’re doing. Other people need to know, and your message has to be loud enough to be heard above all the other noise.” Max looked at his watch and motioned toward the door. “Now come on. Let’s go back inside. The video is probably almost over.”
Crystal didn’t budge. “You could’ve at least asked us. Do you know how uncomfortable I am talking about my past and how hard it is for me to stay sober? Every day is a new fight. To be in a room full of strangers asking questions with everyone drinking and carrying on is miserable. Do you know how many of those community leaders have come into the club and pawed all over me? All I can think about is having a drink and getting hold of some drugs. I can’t be in there right now.”
Max stood with his mouth agape. Finally finding words, he said, “Oh my god, I didn’t even think about that. I’m so sorry.”
Crystal dropped her voice to a whisper. “That’s just it, Max. You never think about anyone but yourself.” She turned and breezed down the hallway toward the elevator.
Max didn’t say another word. He just stood in silence, watching the bottom of her black dress wave from side to side as she stormed away. His head slumped forward, realizing just how selfish he had been.