Players:
NPCs:
* Virginia- Bartender.
Summary: Kathryn and Marlowe have an interesting talk about CJ.
Date: March 25, 2009.
Who did What?
Gemstone Casino
Kathryn is sitting at the bar, a little while before her shift begins, sipping on a glass of whisky. She looks up at the bartender. "Do you know if Mister Marlowe comes here? I keep trying to catch him at the boarding house, but he's always busy… I need to ask him somethings about CJ."
The 'breed, his sooty clothes cleaned and mended, and his long hair still wet, and smelling of scetned, hardmilled soap, makes his way down the steps carefully., hopping on one foot, the splinted leg in front of him. Both crutches are in one hand, the other gripping the balustrade.
Reaching the bottom, he looks at the very direct woman and says, "Whu'? Say,, yu seen mah coat 'round heah? AH hunged it on a chair."
The red-haired woman looks up at the sound of the voice, and then looks for an abandoned jacket. It just happens to be hanging on the chair next to her. "Mister Marlowe? Is this your jacket, sir?" she asks, holding it up for him to see.
"Ayup, thet's it" he replies, stumping over and holding out his mangled hand for the coat, "Say, ain't yu thet frozed filly whut comed in t'othah naht? The one whut left yore mama fer wolfbait?" Taking the jacket, and laboriously shrugging into it, 'Wal, yu ain't lookin' so peaked now."
"That would be me sir. I've been working here since then. Miss Meriah said that she would pay for my room and board at your establishment…." Kathryn explains. "And I only have a little problem with my right leg once in a while, nothing to worry about… but I was wondering, if you weren't busy… if I could talk to you?" she asks, her gloved hands fidgeting with her dress nervously.
His eyebrow arches in mild surprise, and he gives the young woman a slow look over, 'Nevah figgahed ya fer the type. Ginger an' Royal an' them ain't givin' ya no grief air they?' His eye narrows, "Iffen they ain't told ya, I dun take no guff from none uv you gals, an' ya ain't gonna sweet talk me into no poke neithah."
He scratches his chin, then asks, 'Why ain't ya stayin heah, iffen yore workin' heah, an' whut ya got to talk to me fer?"
Kat sighs and rubs her forehead. "Mister Marlowe, I was hired as a singer, and nothing more. I wanted to ask you about CJ. I… think he might be interested in me." she says with a light blush to her cheeks. "Miss Meriah says he's no good, because he tried to make a grab at your wife. I asked him about it, and he says that was six months or more ago, and that you two have… made amends. So… I wanted your opinion on the man, since I seem to have misplaced my brother and can't ask him for advice on this matter."
The voice that utters from the 'breed is low, cold and deadly as a sibilant snake's hiss, "Miss Meriah said..what?" His eye narrows to a mere slit, 'Are you saying that son of a bitch made a grab for my wife? When did this happen?"
His hands tighten on the crutch handle, the big knobby knuckles turning white.
"Made amends have we? Ande this is the first I know of it? Honey, you are nto going to have to worry about CJ for damned long, he is a dead man." In his anger, the accent is gone, replaced with a glacial stream, freezing the air.
Kathryn suddenly pales and looks rather scared of Marlowe right now. "C… CJ said it was… over six months ago… ?" she stammers and backs up, until she hits the bar. "I… I'm only saying what Miss Meriah to-told m-me?"
The 'breed is stonefaced, his jaw set, only the big hands working on the crutches. Ginger, rises from the corner table, and circles the man to come up on his good side, saying softly, "Chris..come on now hon, why don't you have a drink and sit down. Things will look better when you aren't so mad." The woman reaches out a hand, tentalively to touch his arm, "Come on, she didn't know, don't kill the messenger just because you don't like the message."
Kat is very nearly in tears. "I… I'm very sorry, Mister Marlowe… I… I thought that because he said you two patched things up… that… that…" she can't finish talking, and it's obvious that she's shaking like a leaf as she tries to edge away from the man.
His icy eye falls on the trembling girl, and his words come in a low, raspy growl, a hint of the accent returning, "Reckon that raht thar'll tell ya whut kind uv skonk he air.: The dark head turns slowly to look at Ginger, who was inching closer, 'Thet's close enough, gal" he warns. "Fetch thet drink an' be fer went."
Kathryn nods her head. "Y-yes, s-sir…" she mumbles, still edging away from Marlowe. "I-I'm s-sorry I br-brought it up…"
One crutch clatters to the floor, and a gnarled finger points at Kathryn, "Yu stay raht whar yu air, gal. Ah ain't gonna hit yu, not this heah tahm nohows." A cruel half smile, nearly a sneer curls his lip, 'Mattah uv fack, Ah reckon mebbe Ah owe ya a good turn. Ya tole me sumpin Ah din't know 'bout, an' shoulda."
Ginger sets the drink down on a nearby table and makes her way back to her table to glower at the 'breed from under lowered lashes. He tosses it off, then clumsily tries to retrieve the fallen crutch."
Well, maybe Kat can make amends for saying something that seemed unpleasant to the man. She does live in his boarding house, after all. She reaches over and picks up the crutch. Kathryn then carefully hands it to him, not realizing that she's well within stricking reach herself. "H-here, M-mister M-marlowe…"
The 'breed takes the crutch, his hand brushing hers, and he mutters, "Thanks," as he tucks it back under his arm. Giving her that glacial eye again, he says, 'Iffen Ah wuz yu, Ah'd hev me an equalizah tucked away, jest in case thet summanabitch tried to git me alone." He starts for the door, then pauses and turns, "AN' Ah'd use it to kill, not jest try an' skeer 'im off. Dawgs dun skeer thet easy."
Kathryn nods her head, retreating as soon as he took the crutch. "Y-yes, s-sir. M-miss M-meriah l-loaned me a-a-a g-g-gun til I c-can b-b-buy m-my own…" she informs him.
He glares for a moment longer, all savage and grim, then he seems to soften a fraction, 'Now look heah, gal. Ah ain't gonna hurt ya none, all raht? Jest..dun be in the way when Ah air acomin' fer 'im, ya heah?"
His face hardens again, and the ice meets to fire in Ginger's eye, 'Yu tell Miz Meriah, AH haided ovah to see the Doc 'bout gittin' outta this heah splint. Then Ah'm haided fer the house."
"N-no s-sir. Y-your business w-with C-CJ is y-your b-business…" Kathryn replies.
The man turns back to the door then, and shoulders hsi way out, the crutches makign their distinct thumping sound on the boardwalk.
"Ginger… I'll… I'll be in the lounge… with my drink… just… just come get me when it's time for my shift to start…" Kathryn says with a sigh and then carries her drink off with her.
End Scene
