Dislaimer: Billy Halleck, Richard Ginelli, and the Gypsies are all Stephen King's creations.
Billy Halleck's eyes slid slowly across the room, eventually stopping to rest on the figure of Richard Ginelli sitting in a chair in the darkened corner. Ginelli grunted and asked, "have fun waiting for me?"
"Like hell I did," Billy muttered. "How'd you manage to get in here without waking me up? I've been waiting hours for you to get back," he added, while straightening his back. He winced at the sudden arrhythmia in his chest.
"Stop straining your heart, William. Save your strength. You've been asleep for hours." Ginelli stood and walked over to the bed, sidestepping to avoid the piles of clothing on the floor. He settled himself on the edge of the bed and reached to get his handkerchief from his inner coat pocket. Billy noticed he looked tired and was less eager to speak of his contact with the Gypsies today.
Just as Billy was going to ask what was up with Taduz Lemke, he realized that Ginelli was having some trouble getting into his pocket. Ginelli sensed Billy staring at him, removed his hand, and turned around. "How was your day? Besides the sleep," he said to Billy's curious face.
"It was fine. You've been doing a great job helping out.." Billy began. "But I want you to be completely honest with me. Has anything gone wrong?" Ginelli hesitated a bit, but regained his confident attitude and stated, "of course not. Nothing fails when Ginelli's in charge. I always find a way." His jaw clenched violently. "Always."
There was a brief, formal knock on the hotel room door. "Room service." Ginelli rose and opened the door. A disinterested teenage boy strolled in pulling a metal cart of food, and waited expectantly with his eyes on Ginelli. When Ginelli didn't make a move, the boy decided he wasn't going to get a tip and turned to leave. He stopped in mid-turn as he saw the person on the bed. Was that even a person? No, it was a skeleton. A skeleton with hair and eyes that reached right into you. The boy stuttered and walked quickly out of the room. Ginelli laughed, "Damn kids. They just don't appreciate a good old Gypsy curse when they see one."
Billy smiled halfheartedly and watched with little appetite as Ginelli scraped food onto a plate. Ginelli's hands faltered, and plates and silverware went sliding off onto the floor. "I wish I weren't bedridden, or I'd help," Billy said, for lack of anything better to say. Ginelli grunted, swearing under his breath as the forks slid from his hands every time he tried to pick them up. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, as if he were concentrating very hard. Embarrassed, Billy looked away from this klutzy side of his ex-convict friend.
Suddenly police sirens could be heard, a rare occurence inthis isolated hotel. The volume raised steadily, interrupted only by the multiple pops of bone as Ginelli quickly straightened up. Billy looked out the window, just in time to see a police cruiser park in front of the hotel.
Billy Halleck's eyes slid slowly across the room, eventually stopping to rest on the figure of Richard Ginelli sitting in a chair in the darkened corner. Ginelli grunted and asked, "have fun waiting for me?"
"Like hell I did," Billy muttered. "How'd you manage to get in here without waking me up? I've been waiting hours for you to get back," he added, while straightening his back. He winced at the sudden arrhythmia in his chest.
"Stop straining your heart, William. Save your strength. You've been asleep for hours." Ginelli stood and walked over to the bed, sidestepping to avoid the piles of clothing on the floor. He settled himself on the edge of the bed and reached to get his handkerchief from his inner coat pocket. Billy noticed he looked tired and was less eager to speak of his contact with the Gypsies today.
Just as Billy was going to ask what was up with Taduz Lemke, he realized that Ginelli was having some trouble getting into his pocket. Ginelli sensed Billy staring at him, removed his hand, and turned around. "How was your day? Besides the sleep," he said to Billy's curious face.
"It was fine. You've been doing a great job helping out.." Billy began. "But I want you to be completely honest with me. Has anything gone wrong?" Ginelli hesitated a bit, but regained his confident attitude and stated, "of course not. Nothing fails when Ginelli's in charge. I always find a way." His jaw clenched violently. "Always."
There was a brief, formal knock on the hotel room door. "Room service." Ginelli rose and opened the door. A disinterested teenage boy strolled in pulling a metal cart of food, and waited expectantly with his eyes on Ginelli. When Ginelli didn't make a move, the boy decided he wasn't going to get a tip and turned to leave. He stopped in mid-turn as he saw the person on the bed. Was that even a person? No, it was a skeleton. A skeleton with hair and eyes that reached right into you. The boy stuttered and walked quickly out of the room. Ginelli laughed, "Damn kids. They just don't appreciate a good old Gypsy curse when they see one."
Billy smiled halfheartedly and watched with little appetite as Ginelli scraped food onto a plate. Ginelli's hands faltered, and plates and silverware went sliding off onto the floor. "I wish I weren't bedridden, or I'd help," Billy said, for lack of anything better to say. Ginelli grunted, swearing under his breath as the forks slid from his hands every time he tried to pick them up. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, as if he were concentrating very hard. Embarrassed, Billy looked away from this klutzy side of his ex-convict friend.
Suddenly police sirens could be heard, a rare occurence inthis isolated hotel. The volume raised steadily, interrupted only by the multiple pops of bone as Ginelli quickly straightened up. Billy looked out the window, just in time to see a police cruiser park in front of the hotel.