When I get back to Doc's, I visit the ladies' room to clean up and brush my teeth. The pain in my shoulder and leg constantly grinds at the background of conscious thought. At my desk, I take out several receipts, fill out the expense form I got from Annette Pernot, the Marketing secretary who sits right outside my office door. Scribble a quick memo stating the purpose of the expenses and hand it to Annette to type.

Outline the announcement to all Doc's Place executives and managers that explains the objectives and purpose of taping their meetings and discussing the issues afterwards. Make up a couple juicy quotes—one from Peter and one from Louise. Ignore Phil, who doesn't know anything about the project anyway. Hand this to Annette to type and walk over to see Dick in Purchasing.

Dick and Carlos are talking across the dutch door into the Purchasing office. "There's my favorite lady," says Dick. "Carlos tells me you've been out with an injury. I didn't know `cause nobody tells me anything. Not serious I hope."

"Naw," I tell him. "How are you two doing?"

They shrug. Carlos says, "Ready for a rematch yet, Price?"

"Against you? Sure," I tell him. Looking at Dick, I ask, "Got a minute, Dick?"

"For you, kid? Absolutely." He opens the door. Looking at Carlos, he says, "Excuse me, Carlos. I have someone important to see me."

"Yeah, yeah. See you later." Carlos waves and walks away.

Sally is not at her desk, must be at lunch. Sit beside Dick's desk and say, "Karen can deliver the layouts to the printer this afternoon, Dick."

"Okay, I'll call `em and find out when the proofs will be ready for your review. When do you want the job finished?"

"No rush. I wanted to ask you about the fulfillment house you use, though."

"Local business, next door to the printer. Do good work, fair price."

"Can you have the printer dump most of the order on them and let `em know they're coming?"

"Sure. What's the run this issue?"

"What is it usually?"

"Two thousand. Fourteen hundred employees and the rest for collectors, executives, stockholders, and so on."

"Make it three thousand this time. Louise thinks they'll be beating down the door for copies of this issue."

"If you did it, I believe it, kid," says Dick. "Be the best issue we've ever done."

"Thanks, Dick. I have names and addresses to add. Can you see that the fulfillment house gets this list?" Hand him a list I made up yesterday. "How many copies do we usually get over here?"

"Two hundred."

"That's fine. I'll take twenty, okay?" Stand up.

"You got it, kid. It's good to have you back."

"Any more trouble from Lou?"

"On his graphic designer? No, I told him I went out for competitive bid and he just said okay."

"Good. See you later, Dick."

"Oh, just a quick question about the Raiders game Sunday, Jill," says Dick, glancing up and down the hallway. He points at the odds sheet from the sports book and asks, "Think the combined score will be over this?"

Glancing down, I say, "Those are the odds on combined score for the Raiders-Chargers game? That's ridiculous. Bet the over."

"Think it's worth a twenty?"

"It's worth a hundred, Dick."

"Sure? That's a lot of money, hon."

"I'm positive."

"Okay, see you later, Jill," he says, stuffing the sheet in his pants pocket. Thanks for stopping by."

Back my office, I find the expense memo and the announcement with a review copy lying on my desk. Both are perfect. Clip the memo to my expenses and walk out with both. Smile at Annette. She is using the phone but waggles her fingers at me.

Louise is struggling over words scribbled on a pad. "Hey boss," I tell her and drop the announcement and expense package on her desk.

She looks at the package, and says, "Oh, good." Then she picks up and reads the announcement. "Why, you already have a quote from Peter and me in here. How did you know what to say?"

"You talk, I listen, Louise. Think Peter will like his words?"

"Probably, but you should read the instructions he left for you." She hands me a sealed envelope.

Tear it open but the single page inside is blank. Slip it inside my jacket pocket. "About the same as I wrote," I tell her, crumpling the envelope. Almost toss it at the trashcan in the corner but set it on her desk instead.

"Do you think Mr. Marriott should review this?" asks Louise, picking up the crumpled envelope and dropping it in the trash.

"No, I think you should approve it as is. Tell Liz to distribute it with the schedule Monday morning."

"Oh, Phil must approve it first. By the way, didn't Mr. Marriott tell you to quote him too?"

"You think Phil will allow himself to be quoted on a project he knows nothing about? I don't think so."

"Nevertheless, professional courtesy demands that I run this by Phil. I'll return it to you later this afternoon, hopefully, if he reviews it. He hasn't approved anything lately."

Stand slowly so as not to irritate wounds. "Okay boss. I'll talk to you later."

Back in my office, pick up the original typed announcement and carry it down to Liz's office. She is making notes on the perfectly good scripts. Toss the announcement on desk and sit down.

She picks it up without a word and reads it. Nodding, she says, "Nice quote from Peter. Write it yourself?" Without waiting for my reply, she asks, "This approved yet?"

"No but release it anyway, on my authority."

She looks at me. "You love it, don't you? Living on the edge."

"That's me, edgy. Do you have the schedule ready?"

"Oh yeah. Rumors have already begun. Everybody's excited. It'll go smooth as silk. You watch."

"I'm counting on it. Are you having fun, Liz?"

"I've never been as happy in all my life as I am working with you, Jill. The same goes for the kids. I'll hate seeing it end."

Look at her. "You've changed, haven't you, Liz? You're going to be a steamrollin' bitch after this, aren't you?"

"Damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead. Thinking of opening a private practice next spring when we finish this. Keep that under your hat."

"Sure, doing what?"

"Contract career counseling for employers in the area. What do you think?"

"It's recession proof because you can help employers find new jobs for the poor shmucks they lay off. Get a small business loan."

"Hadn't thought about that. Know anybody with money to lend?"

Leaning forward, pick up her phone and call Lloyd. Margaret puts me through immediately. "Lloyd," I say after we exchange greetings, "As a favor to me, would you meet with Liz Coates and help her set up her small business, get a loan and so on?"

"Sure, does she know who you are?"

"A friend of yours asking for a favor."

"Put her on."

"Hang on a second." Look at Liz and raise my eyebrows. "No commitments yet, just talk for now. You say when. Name's Lloyd."

"Boy, you don't mess around, do you?" She reaches for the phone. "Hello, this is Liz," she says.

Wave at her and walk out, closing the door behind me, whistling softly. When I get back to the office, Annette tells me, "Louise says you are to meet her in the executive conference room, now."

"Thank you," I tell her and walk up the hall. People are gathering in the executive conference room so I look inside. Louise catches my eye and beckons me, so I walk over and stand beside her. Most of the executives and some managers are sitting or standing around the conference table.

Peter stands and says, "Close the doors, please." When both doors are closed, he says, "I have just accepted the resignations of Phil, Paul, Kerry and Max." He pauses while everyone stares at him in silence'a couple of whispers. "I have offered the position of President and General Manager to Dick Scope and he has accepted. I have every confidence that he will execute his responsibilities with capability, especially since he has worked here at Doc's for over twenty years. Please join me in congratulating Dick and supporting him in his new responsibilities. We have also decided to make other promotions which Dick will announce." He sits down.

Dick stands and says, "Thank you, Mr. Marriott, for your confidence in me. If I have had any success here at Doc's, it is because I received support from the wonderful people here. My fellow employees are like family to me. I look forward to serving with you."

"I have asked Larry Witty to serve as my Vice President and he has graciously accepted. I have also asked Morty St. James to serve as Director of Slot Operations and Glenn Tyler as Director of Table Game Operations. Both have accepted. I have asked Kevin McVay to accept the position of Director of Marketing and Louise Northcutt to accept the position of Director of Human Resources. They have accepted as well. Thank you all for your support and please join me in congratulating these fine people on their new responsibilities. Any questions?" asks Dick, looking about at the silent group.

"Does anybody know what those guys are doing?" asks Carlos. "I thought they'd been acting strange lately."

Peter stands again and Dick sits down. "Phil told me today that they have formed an investment group to manage casinos. Their first project is our competitor across the street, Killarney's Hotel and Casino."

This time, I can hear the muttering and imprecations, even some foul language.

"In fact, you may be interested to hear that Phil said he intends to put us out of business within a year, buy Doc's Place and level it. He said to tell you all to say good-bye to your customers because they'll all be his within six months."

This time, the reaction is louder.

"He said to say the same about your best, most experienced employees." Peter adds, "Well, I won't take up any more of your time, people. I'm sure you have issues to discuss, plans to make, and work to do. Dick, I'll turn the time over to you. Good day, everyone." Peter moves quickly from the room.

The room is silent for a moment and then Louise says, "I can't believe it. I thought those guys were my friends."

"The sons of bitches," says Mario Corto. "They ain't getting any of my customers and they sure ain't getting' my best people."

Immediately bored, I sidestep out of there. Carlos falls in beside me and says softly, "How long have you suspected this?"

"Since my first week. You?"

"About the same, maybe a month. You take care and watch your back now, Price."

Grin. "Looking forward to it, Carlos. Should be a barrel of laughs." Walking past my office, I remember Lucy, so I walk to the elevator and push the button.

Rose, the clerk who has been here for almost thirty years, walks up and smiles. "Hello, Jill. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Rose. Yourself?" "I'm fine," she says. "Heard anything new? All the bosses seem to be in a meeting."

Trust this woman no further than I can throw her inside this elevator, so I say, "Liz will be videotaping the managers and executives in their meetings and teaching them how to conduct themselves more effectively."

"Oh, silly you, everyone knows that," she says, "That is your project, Jill. We're supposed to prepare handouts about it and deliver them to the managers."

We step into the elevator. "Well there you go, Rose. You know as much as I do."

"Where are you going now?"

"To the cashier cage. May I pick you up some cash, Rose?"

"Oh sure," she laughs. "Pick me up a couple thousand for the weekend."

The elevator door opens and she turns to walk outside as I turn for the casino floor. Wave at her, turn and walk across the street to the Flamingo when I see Lucy walking toward me. "Hi Lucy, I was just coming to see if you can take a break."

"I'm on break right now. Want to take a walk?"

"Sure, let's go." We walk across the casino floor, out the front door and turn south on Virginia Street. The young girl is walking on my right side. Lucy is walking on my left.

"How have you been, Jill? Haven't heard from you in a while."

"Busy."

"Why did you want to see me, Jill?"

"I don't want to see you any more, Lucy. I don't want you to call me." She stops, so I stop too. The girl faces us, glancing from Lucy's face to mine.

Lucy is squinting because the sun is in her eyes. "Just like that, you're dumping me? Why?"

"What difference does it make?"

"I want to know. Was it something I did or said?"

"Let it go, Lucy."

"No." When I just stand there looking at her, she asks, "Why should I? You can't just drop me like that." She begins walking slowly but I stand still. She turns and says, "It hurts, you know?"

Nod. "See you around, Lucy."

She looks at me, then turns and walks away.

Watch her for a couple seconds and then turn to walk back. The girl walks beside me for a few steps before I notice she is gone. The street is sunny but the chill of autumn is in the breeze. Cold days are coming, and not too far off at that. Breathe in the air, my eyes closed.

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