Page 79 of Inglorious
“Hey, baby,” he greeted me.
“What do you want, Raymond?” I asked, but there was no reply. He wasn’t welcome here.
“To see you, to convince you to come home,” Raymond replied. “You can do better than this, Nanci, come back to Vegas.”
“Why? Raymond, we haven’t been together for ages. Why this insistence on my returning?”
I didn’t understand this.
“Because you’re better than this. Nanci, you can get your headline restored, and with selling the school, you won’t need to work so hard. You’re rolling in money now,” Raymond stated.
And the penny dropped. “That’s what this is about—money.”
“No!” Raymond exclaimed, but his eyes shifted to the left.
“You’ve got a tell, did you know that? When you lie, your eyes shift to the left. You’re lying right now, and that was how I was also able to catch you cheating,” I snapped.
“Nanci, don’t be—”
“Enough, Raymond. Let me make this clear. I would never return to Vegas with you. Sure, I might miss the spotlight, but I’m creating a life here now. This is where I belong. As for the sale of the school, do you really think I’d let you get your hands on that money? I earned that, Raymond and I won’t be supporting whatever stupid idea you have in your head!”
“Nanci, calm down. You’re being silly. You and I were good together; I want you back.”
“No. Not happening. I’m in love with someone else.”
Raymond’s eyes narrowed at that statement. “You’re cheating on me?”
“How can I be cheating when we aren’t together!” I yelled, my patience snapping.
“We’re on a break!”
“That’s lasted this long? Grow up and go away!”
“Do what the lady says,” Drew said, coming from behind me. I moved away and observed Inglorious standing by his side.
“This has got nothing to do with either of you. This is between me and my woman,” Raymond hissed.
“As the sheriff here, it’s got everything to do with me. I suggest you leave town,” Drew continued at once.
Raymond looked him up and down, and I shook my head. Was he really going to push this? “I don’t spot a badge.”
“Well, then, why don’t you take a walk with me to the sheriff’s office, and I’ll show it to you there?” Drew retorted.
“Let’s end this, shall we? Asshole, I did some digging. Why don’t you tell Nanci about the two hundred k you owe a Vegas loan shark?” Inglorious interrupted, and my eyes grew wide.
“How much?” I gasped.
“Two hundred k, and the clock is ticking. Asshole here heard you sold your school and knew you had money. He’s back to get some to clear his debt,” Inglorious elaborated.
“How the hell did you run that up? No, don’t bother; I’m not interested. Your debt has nothing to do with me, and I’m not interested,” I said.
“Nanci, these guys break legs,” Raymond replied, and I saw his desperation.
“You’re admitting that in front of a cop?” Inglorious asked and chuckled.
“If you’ve got a problem, you can make a statement, and I can call down to Vegas. They can pick this loan shark up for intimidation,” Drew added.
“Nanci, lend me the money and I’ll pay you back!” Raymond almost begged. I felt guilty because he clearly was worried, but before I could answer, Inglorious interrupted again.
