Page 66 of Cold Hard Cash

“Now,” she said, tapping her nails across the paper. “I can’t say that this is as exciting as your, ahem, current arrangement with my brother? But it’s more than fair. Twenty-five hundred a night, two nights a week guaranteed. I wanted more, but Roddy wouldn’t let me. He, cough cough, wants to keep your evenings open.”

Jimmy was dumbfounded. “That’s... that’s five grand a week.”

“Yeah, for two nights of singing pretty. Plus, weekly rehearsals. You need to get up with Dario and work some shit out.” Rowena ran her fingers through her hair, all business as she said, “Your first set was good. Keepin’ it nice with the classics, but new stuff with a jazzy twist? Mama likes. Figure out some three to five song sets. I’ll give you wiggle room with modern stuff as long as you change up the feel.”

“Got it,” Jimmy said earnestly.

“I’ll give you all of this week to practice with Dario and figure out your wheelhouse of tunes,” Rowena went on, “but I want you back on stage by Friday. That’s Roddy’s birthday. We’re having a huge party at the club, and uh, duh, you’re going to sing for him.”

Jimmy gulped.

“Any questions?”

“Not... at the moment?”

Reaching into her magical purse, Rowena pulled out a check and passed it over. “For last night. Now remember. As an independent contractor, you’re responsible for keeping some moolah aside to pay your own taxes. Blah, blah, blah. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Mmmm, I’m thinking Wednesdays and Fridays for you,” Rowena said with a happy purr. “I’m so excited to see you sing again. But! Definitely wanna make sure you and Dario have time to work your sets out. I’ll text you his number. See if he can meet you at the club tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay,” Jimmy said, taking a deep breath. Five grand a week. He was still stunned. It wasn’t quite fulfilling his dream of working at a prestigious law firm helping those in need, but it was a hell of a paycheck.

He could get all of his stuff out of Maury’s shop, put money in his father’s commissary account, and try to find a new lawyer. He could get his life back on track no matter how this deal with Cold ended.

“Now!” Rowena declared, stashing the papers all away. “All work and no play makes Rowena a very, very bored girl.” She grinned wickedly. “Unless you already pawned it, there’s a blender here, and it’s time to party.”

“It’s like, four o’clock in the afternoon on a Sunday!”

“Pleeeaase?” Rowena said with a mournful pout. “I wanna drink and go out dancing tonight. You know you wanna go out with meee.”

Jimmy tapped his foot anxiously, indecisive. He knew he didn’t officially have an appointment with Cold this evening, but he hoped he would change his mind later. “I don’t know... I’ve only been home for a few hours, and—”

“And what? Do you need to throw more stuff in the burn pile?” Rowena whined. “Jimmy, I’ll go ahead and help you out. Just burn everything in here and start over.”

Jimmy snorted. “I was kinda wanting to stay unoccupied in case Cold... uhm. Needed me.”

“He’s gonna be pretty busy tonight,” Rowena said with a thoughtful glance at her nails.

Jimmy remembered how tense Cold seemed this morning. “Is everything okay?”

“Peachy,” she replied quickly, smiling innocently.

“Does this have to do with the Three Stooges being in Central?” Jimmy asked stubbornly.

Rowena pursed her lips, tilting her head thoughtfully. “Maaaaybe.”

“Who are they?” Jimmy pressed. When Rowena started staring off at the ceiling and humming loudly, he tried again. “If you tell me... I’ll go out tonight with you.”

“Ughhhh, fine,” she groaned, accepting defeat all too easily with a proud smile. “Look at you, bribing people for information. Maybe you do have what it takes be a mafia boyfriend!”

Jimmy couldn’t help but feel a little smug, and the word ‘boyfriend’ made his ears burn.

“Okay,” Rowena said, her nails eagerly tapping against the table. “Here’s the tea. Larry, Curly, and Moe? Luigi, Cristian, and Matteo... Luchesi.”

Jimmy’s breath was lost, his eyes widening in surprise. “You mean the same Luchesis that Cold ran out of town?”

“Yup. That’s them. Don Rafaello’s boys. You see, after Rafaello was killed, they started an all-out war amongst themselves to see who would get Daddy’s crown. They all accused each other of killing Rafaello, and no one would fess up. It was a bloodbath for years. Total chaos.”