Vegas heat

by Michaels, Fern

  "And Polly?"

  "Mitzi takes care of her. She's a good baby. There are days when Sunny doesn't see her at all. It's almost like she's forgotten she has a baby."

  "Ash, I'm building a facility for her, and others like her,

  out in the desert. It's like the one you described to me in Texas. Billie Coleman is funding half of it. It's so high-tech it spooks me. We're building an adjacent building for families, so when they come to visit they can stay close, and those patients with children won't feel so separated from their families. It's going to be wonderful. I think, Ash, when it's completed, you might want to talk Sunny into going in for a while. We'll have the best doctors, the best therapists, and round-the-clock care."

  "You're really doing it for Sunny, aren't you?"

  Fanny nodded.

  "I hope she appreciates it."

  "That part doesn't matter. Getting her help is what counts. It will be up to you, Ash. I can build it, but I can't make her want to go. If you think I should go to Sunrise and smash through the gates, if she puts them up, and let her get in my face, you know I'll do it. But, if it doesn't resolve anything, what's the point? I apologized, I admitted I was wrong. Now, all I can do is give her the space she says she wants and hope she can work through it. Damn it, I never said I was perfect. I never pretended to be perfect."

  "I know, I know. Listen, tomorrow is another day. I'm tired of beating at this particular horse. Let's call it a night."

  "I'll stay a little while. He feels so warm and cuddly. I'll try not to wake you when I leave."

  "Stay all night, be my guest," Ash said wearily.

  Fanny closed her eyes. She was asleep in five minutes.

  Ash undressed and lurched onto the bed, his face grimacing in pain. He stared at his ex-wife and grandson for a long time. He picked up the phone and called the desk. "Myrna, this is Ash Thornton. Yes, I'm glad to be back. How's your family? That's wonderful. Listen, do me a favor. Don't put any calls through. I have my grandson with me, and I don't want to be disturbed. If the president calls, tell him he has to wait till tomorrow at noon. You got that, Myrna? Thanks, sweetie."

  Ash continued to watch Fanny and his grandson. When his eyes started to burn, he turned off the light. He, too, was asleep within minutes.

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  Simon rode the elevator to the penthouse. He rang the bell again and again. All he could hear inside was Daisy's sharp barking. He let his bag thump to the floor. He was more than annoyed that he didn't have a key to the apartment.

  His shoulders stiff, his eyes cold, Simon rode the elevator back to the lobby. He headed for the registration desk. He worked a smile he didn't feel onto his face. "I'm Simon Thornton. Can you tell me if my brother is registered in the hotel?"

  "Yes, sir, he is."

  "Would you ring his room please?"

  "I'm sorry, sir, I can't do that. Mr. Thornton left instructions that he wasn't to be disturbed."

  The smile left Simon's face. "I'm his brother for God's sake."

  "I'm sorry, sir."

  "All right. Give me the key to the penthouse."

  "I beg your pardon!"

  "Fanny Thornton is my wife. She lives in the penthouse. I've come to visit. Will you give me the key?"

  "Sir, if you want a key, you'll have to get it from Mrs. Thornton. We do not give out keys to guests' rooms, much less the owner's apartment. There are privacy laws, Mr. Thornton."

  "Have you seen my brother or my wife recently?"

  "Mrs. Thornton was on the floor all evening. I saw her from time to time. I personally did not see your brother, but I did speak to him."

  "I'd like a room, please."

  "I'm sorry, sir, we're sold out."

  Simon expressed his disgust with a four-letter word. He marched across the lobby to the casino, his eyes seeking and searching. When he saw Bess, he shouldered his way through the crowds, shouting her name.

  "Simon! How nice to see you. So, what do you think?" she asked, waving her hands around.

  "Very colorful. Where's Fanny?"

  "I have no idea. It's been so busy all night, we kind of lost track of each other. Billie and Thad were over by the first row of slots a few minutes ago. She might know. Did Fanny know you were coming?"

  "No. I wanted to surprise her."

  "I see anger written all over you, Simon. That can't be good for either one of you."

  "Have you seen Ash?"

  "The last time I saw him was the last time I saw Fanny. Ash brought Jake down from the mountain today."

  "Do you know what room he's in?"

  "Simon, how would I know that?"

  "Jesus Christ! Do you have a key to the penthouse?"

  "I don't believe you're asking me that. I do not have a key. If I did have one, I wouldn't give it to you. You should have called ahead. You're very selfish, Simon. Walk around, maybe you'll spot Fanny. She usually stays until around three. Check with Billie and Thad. I'm off. It was nice seeing you again, Simon."

  Simon headed for the bar. Bartenders had their fingers on the pulse of everything. He fought his way through the throngs and ordered a scotch and soda. Any idea of talking to the bartender was out of the question. The decibel level in the bar was so high he was surprised the glasses weren't shattering.

  He paid for his drink and headed for the bank of elevators. Maybe he could pick the lock on the penthouse. He sure as hell wasn't going to stand around in a bar all damn night.

  Simon rang the bell four times before he pulled out the pen knife that was guaranteed to help him survive in the wilderness for a full year. Fanny had given it to him last Christmas as a joke. He picked at the miniature attachments that weren't really all that little. He picked, prodded, and gouged. In the movies a credit card always worked. He tried his. The door held fast. Daisy barked furiously. Simon stared at the door. The he-men in the movies used their shoulders. His eyes almost bugged out of his head as pain shot up his neck and then down his arm.

  Simon wasn't about to give up. "Get away from the door,

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  Daisy." He backed up, then ran, his booted foot straight in front of him. The door broke from the jamb. He used his good shoulder to push it in. Daisy cowered against one of the red chairs. Simon ignored the little dog as he stomped his way through the penthouse. He walked back to the door and picked up his bag. The door hung drunkenly on its hinges He carried his bag into the bedroom where he threw it on the bed, then went back to the living room, eyed the two red chairs and the small bar against the wall. He poured himself a drink, gulped at it, then poured a double. He looked at his watch. Three o'clock.

  The scotch bottle was almost empty at five o'clock. Simon drained it. At six he opened a second bottle. At six-ten he raised his bleary eyes to see Fanny towering over him, her gown wrinkled and mussed, the ermine trim hanging askew from the neckline.

  "It's about time you showed up. Where the hell have you been? I've been waiting all goddamn night."

  "You broke down my door."

  "I didn't have a key."

  "The reason you don't have a key is because you don't live here. I want you to leave. Where's Daisy?"

  "Hiding under the bed. I tried to get her to come out, but she wouldn't listen to me. I asked you a question, where were you?"

  "That's none of your business. I want you to leave, Simon."

  "I'm not going anywhere until we talk. I can't leave. There aren't any rooms."

  "Then go across the street. When you sober up I'll talk to you. Not one minute before. Where are your things?"

  "I'm staying here with you. I'm your husband. Where were you, Fanny? You were with Ash, weren't you?"

  Fanny walked into the bedroom. She yanked at the bag on the bed and carried it to the front door, where she pitched it into the hall. She didn't know the man sitting in4ier living room.

  "I haven't seen or heard from you in four months. To me,

  Simon, that takes away any of your rights to question me. Plea
se leave."

  "Look at you!" Simon sneered. "You were shacking up with Ash. It's written all over your face. Come here, Fanny."

  "If you believe that, then why do you even want me near you? Why are you in my apartment?" Fanny picked up the house phone on the wall at the side of the door. She pressed nine for Security. "Neal, I know it's early, but could you send someone up here to repair my door and two guards to escort an unwelcome visitor downstairs."

  "All right, all right, I'm going. I always knew you weren't over Ash. It was always Ash. I was a poor second rebound choice. Go to Ash, see if I care. I'm out of here, and I'll file for divorce first thing Monday morning."

  Fanny sat down, her head dropping into her hands. "That's not true. I loved you so much, Simon. You made my world right side up. I gave all of my heart to you. I'm too tired to fight. I don't want us to say things we'll regret later on."

  "They've already been said."

  "By you, Simon, not by me." Fanny's voice was weary, choked with tears. She fled to the bathroom just as the head of Security arrived.

  "Mrs. Thornton, are you all right?"

  "I'm fine. Show the gentleman the door and don't admit him to the casino again unless I give the order to do so."

  "I want to see Ash. Where is he, Fanny? I'll go, and I won't come back, but I want to see Ash before I go."

  "Neal, take him to Ash's room. He's awake. Make sure you wait, though, and escort Mr. Thornton to the door."

  Fanny walked over to her husband. "You have no idea, Simon, how sorry I am that this incident is taking place. I never wanted this for either of us. I understand that you will do whatever you have to do." She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. Simon raised his arm to backhand her, but Neal was too quick. The two burly security guards each cupped one of Simon's elbows and escorted him to the elevator. Simon kicked at his bag as the guards dragged him forward.

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  In the bedroom, Fanny slammed the door and locked it. She raced over to the bed and dropped to her knees. "It's okay, Daisy, you can come out now. Come here, sweet love." Fanny held the little dog until she stopped shaking.

  "That man is just someone we used to know, Daisy. I told you. It's just me and you. Why did I ever think it could be different?"

  17

  Showered, shaved, and dressed for the day, Ash yelled, ' 'Come in," when he heard the sharp rap on the door. Thinking it was Fanny, he whispered in Jake's ear. His stomach muscles started to tighten when he saw his brother's stormy face.

  "Up and about early, aren't you, Simon?"

  "Unlike you, I haven't been to bed."

  Ash correctly interpreted his brother's dark features. He motioned for Neal to wait outside. "You look like this might lead to something so let me get Jake out of here." Simon nodded curtly.

  Ash rang Housekeeping. "Mrs. Gonzales, I'd like you to do me a favor. Could you come up to 2311 and take my grandson out for breakfast? He's ready now. I'll have Neal bring him down. Yes, I miss being here. I'll stop by and see all of you before I leave."

  Ash bellowed for Neal and explained the situation. He knew his own eyes were as wary as Neal's when he escorted the little boy from the room.

  "Did somebody steal your lollipop, Simon?"

  "Cut the crap, Ash, this isn't a social call."

  "What the hell is it? If you think I'm going to discuss Fanny with you, you*re wrong. Whatever is going on between the t of you stays with the two of you. Don't involve me."

  "That's pretty hard to do, Ash, since your face is in everything that goes on between Fanny and me."

  "That's because you make it that way. I have a lot on my plate, and I'm trying to deal with it the best way I can. Walk away from here, Simon, and let things be."

  Simon advanced, one step, then another step, his fists clenched at his sides, until his knees touched Ash's knees. Ash saw his brother's arm pull back, saw the clenched fist but was powerless to move his chair. He took the full blow to his left eye and cheekbone. He felt the skin rip as the chair moved with the force of the blow. He catapulted out of the chair to land facedown on the sofa.

  Ash felt his eye swelling. "I guess you felt you had to do that," he managed to say as he struggled to his knees. Simon's fist shot out a second time. Ash landed backwards, blood spurting from his mouth. He wiped at the trickling blood with his shirtsleeve, his good eye focused on his brother. He made no move to get up. ' 'Who are you going to blame this on, Simon? What the hell do you want? I don't have anything left for you to take. You have an insidious, black, ugly mind, Simon. You're a sneak, you work behind the scenes with that wide-open innocent smile. Pop and I saw through you early on. He tried to tell Mom what a Jekyll and Hyde you were, but she wouldn't listen. You knew how to play the game to get what you wanted. It's so fucking sick it scares the shit out of me. You need help, Simon. You needed help from the time you were five years old."

  "You're crazy. You were the one who drove Mom out of her mind."

  "Because I was stupid. I refused to believe a mother could or would turn her back on one son to the exclusion of the other. I was a kid, I didn't know how to make her understand what you were. Pop took over to protect me from you. You know, Simon, I don't have much to do these days but think. I started writing stuff down, and then I saw the pattern. You were never happy unless you got what I had. You just waited until the time was right, then you'd strike like a snake. You always had

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  to be first, the best. You even managed to snare someone else's identity just to beat me. It must have really galled your ass that I made Ace. You couldn't steal that from me though, could you? You switched gears then, you went off, supposedly to make it on your own. It wasn't your own, though. Pop told me Mom gave you a bundle with no strings. Self-made, my ass," Ash sneered.

  "What the hell are you?" Simon sneered in return, his face ugly with his rage.

  "For a long time I was the biggest fuck-up going. I never denied it. Nor did I ever hide it. I took my lumps and did the same thing all over again. I thought I was entitled. I used to vatch, and yes, I even marveled at how easy it was for you to just take. So I started doing the same thing. You were a hell of a teacher, Simon. It's no excuse. It's the way it was."

  "You're full of shit, Ash. You're the taker. You've never given anything in your life to anyone."

  "You're right about that. It's funny how we never see our faults until it's too late. Get out of here, Simon. You make me sick just looking at you."

  "I'll go when I'm fucking ready to go and not one minute before. I'm going to smash that face of yours until there's nothing left."

  "Cut to the chase, Simon. It's Fanny and Babylon that's sticking in your craw. Babylon is mine, and there was no way for you to get it. When Fanny's family stepped in to finish up things, you were wild. For the second time you couldn't steal my thunder. Babylon was my red lollipop. Remember, Simon, when Mom was handing out those suckers you always threw a fit if I got the red one. Then Mom would take it back and give it to you and give me a yellow one. I hate lemon. I had to pretend to love lemon and we both know what you did then. You wanted lemon. It's Fanny, too. You waited and waited, until just the right moment, then you stepped in. Compared to me you really v/ere the White Knight. Fanny fell for it. Mom pimped for you. She set it all up, and you walked right into it You don't have one ounce of guts."

  "Shut your lying mouth, Ash."

  "We aren't kids anymore, Simon. I don't have to take your crap. I can say whatever I damn well please and it pleases me to say Fanny has finally seen you for who you are. You know what, she's doing a hell of a job here. Believe it or not, this is where she belongs. She's starting to see it, too. You saw it right away. That's why you did that silence thing you're so good at. You couldn't come here because this is mine. You want it so damn bad you can taste it. Why don't you just admit it? Even when I die, Simon, it can never be yours. Fanny will see to that. There's a bond between Fanny and me that you can never break no matter what
you do. You tried. There's that one part of Fanny that will always belong to me. I don't deserve it, but that's the way it is." Ash struggled to his knees. His head high, his shoulders back he looked his brother in the eye. "Take your best shot, you asshole."

  "She was here all night, wasn't she? I didn't know you could still get it up. Guess she'll take it any which way she can. She's still my wife."

  Ash tottered forward, his hand grappling with the arm of the wheelchair. "I don't care what you say about me, but you leave Fanny out of this. Fanny slept on the couch with Jake all night. Just to keep the record straight, I can still get it up. Now get your fucking ass out of my building and don't ever let me see you again in this lifetime."

  Ash brought the wheelchair around so he could lever himself into it but Simon's fists shot forward in a one-two shot that left Ash crumpled on the floor. He managed to let out one bull roar before he lost consciousness.

  The door burst open as Neal arrived, two security guards and Fanny in their wake.

  "My God, Simon, what did you do?" Fanny dropped to her knees at Ash's side just as he started to come around. "Call an ambulance."

  "I don't need an ambulance, Fanny. It's okay. I'll be okay if my teeth don't fall out. Get him out of here, Neal."

  Ash struggled to get into his chair. Fanny cringed at Ash's

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  bloody, swollen face. Secure in the knowledge that Simon was in the firm grip of the two security guards, she started to pummel her husband with her fists. "God in heaven, what kind of man are you? How could you hit your own brother like this? How could you beat a man in a wheelchair? Who are you, Simon? More to the point, what are you?"

  "He's my brother, Fanny, and he's your husband. Let it go and be damned glad this happened now, while I'm still around."